How To Bake a Frozen Homemade Gluten Free Pie Crust
Preparing a gluten free pie crust ahead of time, freezing and blind baking is super simple -- with the right ingredients and recipe!
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Servings: 1 gluten free pie crust
Ingredients
- 1 cup 135 grams. gfJules™ All-Purpose Gluten Free Flour
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 Tbs 1 ounce shortening (I prefer Spectrum® Palm Oil shortening) OR 1 1/8 ounce cream cheese (vegan or dairy)
- 3 Tbs butter or non-dairy alternative e.g. Earth Balance® Buttery Sticks
- 3 Tbs vodka* + 1-2 Tbs cold water OR 3-4+ Tbs. cold water
- egg wash 1 egg + 1 Tbs. water OR milk (dairy or non-dairy) for brushing on crust
Instructions
To Make the Dough:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Cut in the shortening and butter using a pastry cutter (or the flat paddle attachment on a stand mixer or a food processor).
- Add the vodka/water gradually to make the consistency you need to form a ball – err on the side of it being wetter rather than crumbly. Don’t over-work the dough, or it may become tough when baked. Form a disc with the dough, wrap in plastic and set aside in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Rolling the Dough:
- After allowing the dough to rest, roll the pastry out onto a surface dusted well with gfJules™ All Purpose Gluten Free Flour.
- Use a flexible pastry mat (e.g. Silpat) and rolling pin covers or a pie crust bag for rolling and transferring your gluten free crust easily.
- Gently roll in each direction -- do not press down on the pin while rolling -- to a circle with a diameter at least 1 inch larger than that of your pie pan.
To Transfer the Crust:
- Gently lift an edge of the rolled out crust over your rolling pin. With one hand under the baking mat, use the pin in the other hand to lift the crust so that it is supported by the rolling pin as you pull the crust gently off of the baking mat. Transfer gently over the pie plate to center. Drop gently into the plate and press in with floured fingers. Pat into your pan.
- Cut the edges of the crust to an even length of approximately 1-inch larger than the diameter of your pie plate.
- Cover with plastic wrap, then wrap the entire pie plate in foil. Place flat in the freezer without anything on top of the pie plate. Pie may remain frozen for up to two months.
- When you are ready to bake your pie, remove the pie plate from the freezer and remove foil and plastic wrap. Allow the crust to thaw for 15 minutes while preheating your oven to 375° F.
Blind Baking Gluten Free Pie Crust
- Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork to help prevent air bubbles from forming. Return the foil to the pie plate and lay in the bottom of the plate and gently up the sides. Place pie weights or dry beans or rice onto the top of the foil to help keep the crust from puffing during the bake.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and remove the foil and weights. Return to bake for 5 more minutes, then fill with pumpkin pie filling or other fruit or custard pie fillings, brush crust edges with egg wash (1 egg white + 1 tablespoon cold water) or milk of choice, then cover with foil or pie crust shields. Bake as directed for your pie.
- For recipes calling for pre-baked pie shells, after removing foil and weights, brush crust edges with egg wash or milk and bake for another 10-15 minutes (or according to your recipe). Do not allow the crust to brown too much or it will be overcooked and be tough to cut. Remove to cool then fill with your pie filling, according to your recipe.
Notes
*Vodka or other distilled alcohol is recommended for added tenderness in the crust. Distilled alcohol is gluten free. For more information, hop to my article all about it! Use white vinegar as another option. Another option is white vinegar.
** Please keep in mind that nutrition information provided is per serving, which may vary. While we have taken care to provide you with the most accurate nutritional values possible, please note that this information may differ significantly depending on the exact ingredients and brands that you choose to use to make this recipe. Additionally, where options are given for ingredients, the resulting calculation may include all ingredient options instead of only one per line, skewing the totals significantly.