Gluten-Free Almond Pie or Tart Crust

Prep: 5 mins

Cook: 20 mins

Total: 25 mins

Servings: 8 servings

Yield: 1 pie crust

This easy, nearly fail-proof recipe for a gluten-free almond tart or pie crust is a snap to make and is a great base for any kind of fruit tart, custard pie, or cheesecake. You can parbake the crust for 10 minutes, then fill it with pumpkin or sweet potato pie filling and finish it off; you can also prebake it until it’s completely cooked, and fill it with a creamy pudding and fresh sliced fruit. For those of us that miss homemade pie because we can’t eat gluten, this is a wonderful and satisfying alternative.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups almond meal, or almond flour

• 1 pinch sea salt

• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 3 tablespoons coconut oil, or walnut or extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 tablespoon maple syrup

• 1 tablespoon water

Steps to Make It

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

2. Place a rack in the middle of the oven.

3. In a mixing bowl, stir together the almond flour, sea salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Break apart any lumps with your fingertips.

4. In a small bowl, stir together the vanilla, oil, maple syrup and water. Add the oil mix to the flour, and stir the dough together with a rubber spatula until thoroughly combined.

5. Turn the dough onto a 9-inch pie plate or tart pan. Flatten the dough slightly with the side of the rubber spatula to begin to spread it toward the edges of the pan. Using your fingertips, continue pressing the dough, making sure to press it all the way up the sides of the pan. Make sure the dough is pressed evenly and is a uniform thickness across the bottom and edges.

6. Place the tart pan on a sheet pan and bake it for 10 minutes if you are parbaking it. For a fully baked crust, total baking time will be 20 to 25 minutes, or until the crust is an even golden brown. Take care not to let it get too dark.

7. Remove the tart shell from the oven and let it cool slightly. If you are using the crust fully baked, let it cool completely to room temperature before filling.