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This almond flour pie crust recipe has been my favorite for a couple of years now. It’s buttery and flaky, and works well in many kinds of low carb recipes – sweet and savory. So, I was a little surprised myself when I realized I don’t have it on the blog yet! At least not on its own. It’s about time to change that. Introducing… my basic low carb keto pie crust recipe!
I have used variations of this paleo pie crust in several of my favorite recipes, including low carb cheesecake, easy strawberry tart, lemon meringue pie, and Greek spinach pie. Each of those was a slightly different version, but somehow I’ve never shared the original low carb pie crust recipe that I use most often. Well, here it is!
Customizing Keto Low Carb Pie Crust Ingredients
There are several options for this almond flour pie crust recipe. The flour, sweetener, salt, add-ins, fat, and even egg are all customizable, up to a point. This is pretty convenient, so you can often make it with what you have on hand!
Keto Pie Crust Flour Options
The first question people often ask is whether they have to use super fine almond flour, or if almond meal would be okay.
The answer is, it depends. Super fine blanched almond flour is ideal, but it’s not an absolute must. Almond meal, which is more coarse, will still work. You won’t get as fine a texture, though. In a nutshell, I recommend almond flour if you can get it, but if almond meal is what you have, you can still make this low carb pie crust with it.
If you need to avoid almond flour altogether, I do not recommend using coconut flour in this recipe. Make coconut flour pie crust like this instead.
Low Carb and Paleo Sweetener Options
You can make almond flour pie crust with or without the sweetener, so it works for low carb dessert recipes as well as for savory pies. Adjust the amount of salt accordingly, as noted on the recipe card below.
If you are wondering what kinds of sweeteners you can use, any kind you like will work, but it has to be granulated. (Liquid sweeteners will likely alter the ratio between wet and dry ingredients too much, unless you use just a little.) Here are my top sweetener picks for keto pie crust:
- Erythritol is my long-time favorite. It’s a natural sugar-free sweetener.
- Allulose is perfect if you like a softer crust – and you can use exactly the same amount.
- Monk fruit sweetener is great for a sweeter crust. I recommend this particular blend.
For those that prefer to avoid it for a stricter paleo pie crust, coconut sugar is just fine instead.
TIP: If you have some other sweetener, just check out my natural low carb sweetener conversion chart to help you figure out how much to use.
Even for sweet recipes, I’ve varied the amount of sweetener in this crust, depending on how sweet the filling is. If your filling is super-sweet, then 1/4 cup of sweetener in the crust might be enough. On the other hand, if it’s more tart, you may want to use as much as 1/2 cup of sweetener. It will vary depending on your sweet tooth, too. Most often, 1/3 cup will be a good middle-ground amount, so that is what I put in the recipe.
Paleo Pie Crust Substitutions for Eggs or Dairy
For those that are allergic to eggs, you can make this almond flour pie crust recipe without the egg. Just increase the amount of ghee by two more tablespoons. Doing it that way creates a crust that’s a little more crumbly, but it still tastes great. I’ve heard of people using flax eggs as a substitute, but haven’t tried it in pie crust yet.
For the fat, you have 3 options:
- Ghee – This is what I use in this paleo pie crust on the recipe card. It provides a rich, buttery flavor, but is still fine for most people wanting to be dairy-free, since the lactose is removed.
- Butter – If you’re not sensitive to dairy, this is the most accessible option. And absolutely delicious!
- Coconut oil – If you prefer to avoid dairy altogether (and even ghee is an issue), coconut oil is an easy swap. It does impart a mild coconut flavor, though.
Add-Ins For Keto Pie Crust
Most of the time, almond flour pie crust does not need much added to make it great. It’s a buttery, flaky base for your filling to be the star.
But if you want to add a little flavor to the crust itself, you can – it all depends on what you are filling it with. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- For a savory low carb pie crust: Throw some spices in there. (If you do, stir them with the dry ingredients first.) Garlic powder or Italian seasoning are common ones that work well.
- For a sweet pie crust: Cinnamon can be a nice touch to add. Even something more unique, like maple extract, can be amazing.
Stirring Almond Flour Pie Crust Dough vs Using a Food Processor
The instructions on the recipe card say to stir the ingredients together, but mention a food processor as an option. It’s completely up to you.
Using the food processor is a little more cleanup, but it’s easier to incorporate the ingredients well. And, it’s just slightly more fuss-free because you basically dump everything in the food processor and spin it together. If you do it by hand, you have to make sure the dry ingredients are mixed well first, then keep pressing and stirring the dough after adding the wet ingredients.
So, are you ready to make my favorite gluten-free pie crust with almond flour? Try it – it’s easy as pie! (I know, I know… I couldn’t resist. ;)) If you make it, I’d love to know what you filled it with. Tell me in the comments!
Almond Flour Pie Crust Storage Instructions
Can you make keto pie crust ahead?
Yes, definitely! You have 3 options:
- Make the almond flour pie dough ahead. Wrap it in plastic and store in a ball in the fridge or freezer.
- Press the crust into a pie pan. You can store the raw crust in a pie pan in the fridge.
- Pre-bake the crust. Since this almond crust recipe is best pre-baked anyway, you might as well prebake it in advance. Then, cover and store in the fridge, though it’s fine on the counter after baking for a day or so, too.
Can you freeze almond flour pie crust?
Yes, almond flour pie crust can be frozen! Just like the storage instructions above, you can freeze a ball of dough, raw crust pressed into a pan, or pre-baked crust. Up to you!
Whether or not you can freeze this paleo crust with filling inside will depend on the specific filling, so I recommend referring to the specific recipe to assess that. Like any crust, it can get soggy upon thawing with certain fillings.
To thaw the crust, simply place it on the counter, or in the fridge overnight.
Low Carb Paleo Almond Flour Pie Crust Recipe - 5 Ingredients
Reader Favorite Recipes
The recipe card is below! Readers that made this also viewed these recipes:
Tools To Make Almond Flour Pie Crust
Tap the links below to see the items used to make this recipe.
- Food Processor or hand mixer – Easier alternatives to mixing by hand.
- 9-inch Pie Pan – This almond flour pie crust recipe is based on this pan. If yours is a different size or material, you might need to adjust the amount or oven time.
- Non-stick pie crust shield – If you’ll be making this almond flour pie crust for a pie recipe that needs to the filling baked, a shield will protect the edges from burning. You can also use a silicone shield like this.
- Blanched almond flour – For the best texture, make sure your almond flour is blanched and super finely ground. This one is a sure bet for the best texture.
Low Carb Paleo Almond Flour Pie Crust Recipe - 5 Ingredients
Recipe Video
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Ingredients
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Get Keto Sweetener For This Recipe
GET BESTIInstructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Line the bottom of a 9 in (23 cm) round pie pan with parchment paper, or grease well.
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In a large bowl, mix together the almond flour, erythritol (if using), and sea salt.
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Stir in the melted ghee and egg, until well combined. (If using vanilla, stir that into the melted ghee before adding to the dry ingredients.) The "dough" will be dry and crumbly. Just keep mixing, pressing and stirring, until it's uniform and there is no almond flour powder left. (Alternatively, you can use a food processor to mix it all together.)
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Press the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan. You can flute the edges of desired; if it crumbles when doing this, just press it back together. Carefully poke holes in the surface using a fork to prevent bubbling.
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Bake for 10-12 minutes, until lightly golden. (Add fillings only after pre-baking.)
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Recipe Notes
Sweetener note: The amount of sweetener that is best will vary based on the filling. Use 1/3 cup for a sweet crust, 1/4 cup for a very lightly sweet crust (if your filling is super sweet), 1/2 cup for a very sweet crust (if you like a sweeter crust or your filling is tart), OR omit sweetener for savory crust.
Serving size: 1 slice, or 1/12 of entire recipe
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
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454 Comments
Robertjm
Do you need to use Pie Weights, or do you just bake it as is?
Wholesome Yum D
Hi, You can bake just as is.
LC
This one is a game-changer: we used it for mini quiches and tiny berry tarts very successfully. Thanks so much for posting these brilliant recipes, which work out better for me than most of the others one finds. 🙂
EM
I’ve used this recipe a few times and really enjoy it. Today I was making samosas for my children and had lots of leftover meat filling, so I made up a batch of this almond pie dough, separated it into 3 parts, and rolled each ball out thin between 2 pieces of parchment paper. I cut each section in half with a pastry cutter, put the meat filling in the middle of each, and carefully used the parchment to fold the pastry in half. I gently pressed the edges together to seal them, brushed on an egg wash, and baked for 30 minutes. In the future, I might add gelatin as is recommended in the chicken pot pie recipe, but I had none this time. My husband and I love samosas but haven’t been able to eat them for years. This was a huge success! Thank you!
Cindy
Love this recipe! I use it for quiche, which is a staple in my life. When I started a keto-like diet, I was relieved to find I didn’t have to make crustless quiche (boring!).
B Sullivan
Can this be filled with a lemon chess pie filling before cooking? If not do you have an alternative?
Wholesome Yum D
Hi B Sullivan, I recommend prebaking your crust before putting the filling in.
Meriam Suarez
Can we use this recipe to cover the apple pie?
Wholesome Yum D
Hi Meriam, Yes, you can use this crust for apple pie.
Linda Olsen
do you remove the wax paper after the crust is baked? and can you use honey for the sweetener?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Linda, Be sure to use parchment paper, not wax paper. Wax paper is not heat safe. I don’t recommend using honey, as it will not only add sugar but also will change the wet/dry ratio.
Michelle
I made this crust with garlic ghee and used it for a chili and spinach quiche. Came out pretty good. Gave it a good crunch factor and the garlic ghee gave the crust a good flavor. I think I’ll try it again with a sweet pie.
Amber
Your recipes are good. I don’t like all the extra stuff on your pages, sometimes you can’t see everything that’s in the recipe. Makes it discouraging.
Wholesome Yum D
Hi Amber, Thanks for your feedback. Ads keep the Wholesome Yum website running and allow me to develop recipes that readers like you can access absolutely free. However, you may be interested in Wholesome Yum Plus, which includes an ad-free version of the website, along with other perks.
Lilly
My family liked it a lot and some of them are not keto but wanted the recipe!!
Helen Smith
I had to scroll through too much information to eventually get to a very simple recipe that is already in my repertoire for a simple wheat flour short pastry, just substituted with almond flour. I had to hope that butter could be substituted for ghee in the same proportion, as I was not going to scroll all the way up to the top again. This recipe takes as long to read as what the short pastry takes to prepare, being 10 min. It is a good recipe but if you cut down on the words it will be an easier recipe.
Wholesome Yum D
Hi Helen, There is a jump to recipe button at the top of every recipe page, feel free to use that.
Rick
Is this ok to use in a springform for a cheesecake? Just don’t want it to crack up when releasing the pan and if low sides will stand.
Wholesome Yum D
Hi Rick, I have a recipe for a cheesecake that uses a springform pan.
Hal
can I omit sweetener for a meat pie , and does this dough make a good top pie crust, thanking you in advance
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Hal, Yes, for a savory crust omit the sweetener and use 1/2 teaspoon sea salt. If you want to use it for a top crust, follow the instructions from my keto chicken pot pie recipe.
Per Norrgren
Hi,
It turned out hard.
But cuttable with a sharp knife.
Very odd, as you cannot eat it with a fork or a spoon, bits go flying if you manage to push through. Only by picking the slice up by hand can you eat it.
Why is it so hard? Followed all instructions.
Thank you
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Per, It sounds like the crust may have been baked for too long and hardened as a result.
April
I am super excited to try this recipe so my grandmother can enjoy some of her fav holiday treats again. Have you tried this for tarts and have an idea of baking time? Thanks!
Wholesome Yum D
Hi April, Check out my Easy Strawberry Tart recipe.
Kim Sullivan
This recipe is fantastic, easy to make just as written, and turned out so well! I made it low-sugar (savory) and still worked well with a pumpkin pie filling. This is a keeper!!
Angela
Really easy yummy recipe that is diabetic friendly. Yummy crust!
Joanne Duran
Where is the sugar coming from the almonds?
Wholesome Yum D
Hi Joanne, The sweetener used in this recipe is erythritol.
Verna Giannavola
Just made this pie crust and it turned out beautifully. I have a question….I am using it for a chocolate pie, therefore will have no further baking. Can it be used as is or should it be baked a longer time? Thanks Verna
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Verna, You can use it as is after baking the empty crust.
Sharyn
Hi, Is there a substitution for the ghee? Thank u. Sharyn
Wholesome Yum D
Hi Sharyn, You can use butter instead of ghee.
Breanne
Did this recipe include cinnamon in the past?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Breanne, No, it never has, but you can definitely add some.
Gail R Marlowe
Great flavor and an easy bake!
Jen
Have you tried this recipe with cashew flour?
Wholesome Yum D
Hi Jen, I have not tried this with cashew flour, if you try let me know how it turns out!
Tammy Borremans
For the pie crust, can I replace the ghee with butter? Would it be 1:1?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Tammy, Yes, replace 1:1.
Lynn
Would walnut or olive oil be an OK vegam substitute? I don’t like the taste of coconut oil.
Wholesome Yum D
Hi Lynn, Either of those oils should work well for you.
Cheryle
Can you make this almond flour paleo crust and put your filling in and freeze to bake later?
Wholesome Yum D
Hi Cheryle, I do not recommend adding the filling to the pie before freezing. I would make the crust and freeze and make the filling the day you need it.
Bryce
I would think if you insist on filling and then freezing, at least freeze the crust before filling, then of course…freeze again.
Christal
Great crust I love it.
Betsy
What keto flour makes a pie crust like regular flour?
Wholesome Yum D
Hi Betsy, This recipe uses almond flour and is the best substitute I have found so far.
Cammie
I really loved this crust, however, I substituted the ghee with coconut oil and it gave a great flavor. It was delicious with my keto pumpkin pie filling.
I will definitely use this for future pies and will be trying a savory version for quiche.
Laura
This is a good recipe! I tried both versions with egg and without. I prefer the crust crumbly without egg as I find it more closely approximates the texture of a flaky pie crust. But be prepared it is crumbly to work with. I made a pumpkin pie and quiche and they were both great. I 100% recommend a silicone pie or foil shield for both the pre bake and when cooking a pie. It still comes out a little brown even when you do this. I made it with butter instead of ghee so I will try ghee next to see if it comes out less dark. Thank you for a great keto crust option. So much less work than a traditional crust too!!
Mart
I have made your almond pie crust several times now over the past year and a half, for lemon pie and lemon tarts.
I also took your almond pie crust recipe and used it to make almond cookies and they tasted great! Next time I’ll add some stevia sweetened chocolate chips to the almond cookies for more flavor.
Thanks for posting your recipe.
Jenifer Guzman
I would like to use this recipe to make my sister Inlaw a famous apple pie I make for each holiday but she is gluten free so cannot eat it. The apple pie recipe I use calls for the pie crust (unbaked) and apple filling to be placed in an oven for almost an hour. Would this crust be ok and withstand that baking time? I know the apples need sufficient time to bake so they soften. I plan to make this today so hopefully, you can respond back soon. Thanks!
Wholesome Yum D
Hi Jennifer, This pie crust should work out well for your apple pie. If you think the edges are getting done too quickly I suggest wrapping them in tin foil to prevent burning.
Jenifer Guzman
Should I still prebake the crust or no need since it will be in the oven for 45 minutes with the apples? Thanks for the prompt reply!
Wholesome Yum D
Hi Jenifer, The crust should still be prebaked.
Debbie
Can I use Bob Mill’s superfine almond flour for this recipe at the same amount?
Wholesome Yum D
Hi Debbie, Yes, that would work and you would use the same amount.
Shelley
So 2 1/2 cups almond flour for just a single crust? Double for a apple pie?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Shelley, This recipe as written is for a bottom crust only. I use this similar apple pie recipe with both a top and bottom crust.
Angel
I would like to put crust on top of the apple pie also. How should I prepare the crust that would be on top?
Wholesome Yum D
Hi Angel, Here is a recipe for apple pie that has a top crust that should be helpful.
J
If I’m doing a baked filling like cherry or pumpkin, would I still need to prebake this crust? If so, would I bake it for a shorter time? Thank you!
Wholesome Yum M
Hi J, Yes, even if you are baking your filling you will still need to par-bake your crust per the directions listed on the recipe card.
Jaime
So if using butter instead of ghee, is it still the same amount (1/4 c)?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Jamie, Yes, use the same amount as listed in the recipe. Enjoy!
Theodora
I made the recipe and it was very good. I made the sweet version and I was very happy with the results.
Andrea
I love this recipe, baked a blackberry pie two days ago and my husband likes this crust much more than the regular one. I will make an apple pie next using your recipe for the crust. thanks for sharing!
Susan C
This was my first time making anything out of almond flour. I wanted a quiche crust so I looked until I found this recipe. It seemed simple enough so I decided to try it. I did read many of the comments before trying my hand at this new crust making. After mixing the “dough,” I did add a little garlic powder as I thought the crust might be on the blah side. I was a bit apprehensive as the melteed butter did seem to ooze out as I was mixing. I did work the dough as instructed until all the almond flour was incorporated into the mix. I prepped my pie plate with parchment paper and began patting out the dough. The dough seemed really oily as I was shaping the crust, but I went ahead. I used the back of a spoon to make sure it was well-fitted to the plate and up the sides. I think it came out perfectly! Since I really didn’t know what to expect as far as taste went, I was quite happy with the end result. My quiche tasted better than any other quiche I’ve made. Great recipe, a keeper for sure.
Susan C.
Instead of pricking holes in the crust before baking, could I use beans or those stones to keep the crust from making those air bubbles?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Susan, Sure, that could work too, I haven’t tried it.
Betty
I am using this to make my almond butter pie! I used to make peanut butter pies, but since I am sensitive to peanuts I can’t eat them. I also wanted to make a sugar free pie with monkfruit sweetener. Excited to use your crust recipe!
Kara Cleary
I loved this, it came out great and was delicious. My 5 yr old daughter actually pushed aside the pie filling and picked up the crust and ate that on its own – and I didnt put any sweetener in! I used melted butter, mixed by hand, and pressed bout 1/2 cm thin w back of spoon into glass pie dish. I buttered the dish well and didnt use parchment paper and it cut well, and held together perfect. I prebaked prob for a bit longer as i got distracted maybe 15-17 mins and i lowered the temp as my oven is very hot. This was super quick, easy and tasty, i dont know if I’ll ever bother w flour pastry again!! Thank you!
Donna
Can this crust be made a day before you fill it with the pie filling?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Donna, Yes, that will work just fine. Enjoy!
karin miller
So if I am making an apple pie using fresh uncooked apples, I would normally piled the apples in an unbaked pie crust and bake everything for about 45-60 mins. With this recipe if I prebake the crust, wont the apples be undercooked…or the pie crust over cooked?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Karin, Baking the crust for that long should be fine (in addition to pre-baking). My only suggestion would be to cover the crust edges with tin foil so they don’t burn, and be prepared to cover the top of the crust in foil if it starts to get too golden uncovered. Best wishes!