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Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List
Get It NowI Use This Almond Flour Pie Crust Recipe For Every Pie
This almond flour pie crust has been one of my favorite almond flour recipes for years. It’s buttery and flaky, and works well in many kinds of low carb recipes — from sweet keto desserts and to savory meals. I’ve had it here on Wholesome Yum since 2017, but it was actually one of the first healthy baked goods I ever made, long before that. Here’s why I use it for practically every pie I make:
- Buttery, rich, and flaky – I love the texture of this almond flour crust. No, it doesn’t taste quite the same as a white flour version, but it reminds me of a shortbread cookie. You’re going to love it!
- Quick and easy – You need just 5 simple ingredients, plus salt. And it only takes about 15 minutes.
- Healthy and keto friendly – This crust is low carb (just 2g net carbs per serving), grain-free, and gluten-free, with a dairy-free option. It’s also just a healthier choice with clean ingredients and no refined sugar.
- Make it sweet or savory – I’ve used variations of this keto pie crust in so many recipes, from sweet lemon meringue pie and pumpkin pie to savory chicken pot pie and spinach pie. You can use it for any kind of pie! Even my low carb cheesecake has a similar base.
- Option for a top crust – This is often a challenge for almond flour pie crust, but I’ve got top crust instructions below by just adding an extra ingredient.
If you’re looking for a keto pie crust or just want a healthier alternative for your baking, this is it. Make it with me and just add your favorite filling!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my almond flour pie crust recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
Almond Flour:
I recommend Wholesome Yum Super Fine Blanched Almond Flour, which has the finest consistency and will give you the best texture. You can make this pie crust with almond meal, but the texture will be more grainy since it’s more coarse.
I do not recommend using coconut flour in this recipe — it will be extremely dry. Make my coconut flour pie crust instead.
Sweetener:
You only need this for a sweet almond flour pie crust — omit for savory. My keto sweeteners guide covers the differences between alternatives, but here’s a summary of what you can and can’t use for this recipe:
- Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – My top recommendation, because it measures just like sugar, has 0 calories and net carbs, and has no aftertaste. Most importantly, it helps lock in moisture (unlike other sweeteners), for a flaky keto crust that isn’t dry.
- Erythritol – I used to make this almond flour crust with it, but no longer recommend it. It’s more drying than Besti and can taste a little gritty and minty. Because erythritol is less sweet than Besti, you’ll need more to achieve the same sweetness.
- Allulose – Similar to Besti above, but less sweet. You have to use more, just like erythritol.
- Coconut Sugar – A paleo option. It’s not keto friendly, but works if it fits your lifestyle.
- Liquid Sweeteners – Avoid these, they make the crust too runny. I’m working on a different recipe for these.
Use my sweetener conversion calculator if you use something other than Besti.
Even for sweet recipes, I’ve varied the amount of sweetener in this keto pie crust, depending on how sweet the filling is:
- If your filling is super-sweet, then 2-3 tablespoons of sweetener in the crust might be enough.
- If it’s more tart, you may want to use as much as 1/2 cup of sweetener.
- Most often, 1/4 cup of Besti is a good amount, so that’s what I put in the recipe.
Other Ingredients:
- Fat – Fat adds flavor, prevents dryness, ensures the correct wet/dry ingredient ratio, and gives you that golden edge. I use unsalted grass-fed butter most often and it’s delicious! If you need an alternative, you can use ghee (dairy-sensitive) or coconut oil (dairy-free, but imparts a mild coconut flavor). If you want to keep that buttery flavor, I love butter flavored coconut oil.
- Egg – Provides structure and gets you the right wet/dry ratio. If you need a substitute, the easiest is to increase the amount of butter (or other fat) in my almond flour pie crust recipe by 2 more tablespoons. It will be a little more crumbly, but still tastes great. You can also use a flax egg, my go-to egg substitute when I’m recipe testing for my dairy-free readers.
- Salt – Salt brings out the sweetness, so don’t leave it out. For a savory almond flour crust, omit the sweetener and double the amount of salt. I use sea salt for all my recipes, but any kind is fine.
- Vanilla Extract (optional) – I highly recommend it for a sweet crust. I like this brand.
How To Make Almond Flour Pie Crust
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, combine almond flour, Besti (if using), and sea salt.
- Add the wet ingredients. Pour in the melted butter (mixed with vanilla, if using) and egg. Stir until well combined. Your almond flour pie dough will be crumbly, which is normal.
- Press into a pie pan. Transfer the dough to a greased or lined pie pan and press in, fluting the edges if you like. Poke holes in the surface with a fork to prevent bubbling.
- Bake until golden. Let your almost flour pie crust cool for at least 10-15 minutes before adding filling.
My Recipe Tips
- Use a food processor for even faster prep. It’s a little more cleanup, but makes it easier to incorporate the ingredients well. Plus, it’s less fuss: you basically dump everything in the food processor and spin. I have this food processor and love it. You can also use a hand mixer, but keep the speed low because the dough tends to go flying.
- Make sure your dough is mixed well. Mix the dry ingredients well to start (if doing it by hand, I like to use a whisk to break up any lumps). Then, mix very well again after adding the wet ingredients.
- The dough consistency can vary a bit. It depends on how you measure, and whether you include the sweetener (for a sweet almond flour pie crust) or not. This recipe is pretty forgiving, so as long as you can press the dough together between your fingers without crumbling apart, you’re good. You can add a little extra melted butter if it seems super dry.
- This almond flour pie crust recipe is for a shallow 9-inch pie pan. I use and love this glass pan. If yours is a different size or material, you might need to adjust the amount of dough and/or oven time.
- Do you still have to pre-bake if your filling is baked? Yes! The crust will get soggy if you don’t. But see my other tips below to avoid burning.
- If your pie filling needs baking, cover the crust edges. Since we blind bake this crust (that means bake it before filling), it will get too dark when you bake your pie if your edges aren’t covered. I usually just cover the edges with foil, but you can also use a non-stick pie shield or a silicone shield.
- Be careful not to over-bake. If the edges get dark golden when you blind bake, they will burn by the time your baked pie is done, even when covered. I aim for just the slightest hint of golden during the blind bake step if I’ll be baking it again, but let it get darker if I’ll be adding a filling that doesn’t need baking.
- Let the crust cool a bit before adding fillings. This helps it set, so that it doesn’t get soggy. It doesn’t have to be completely cool, but do wait at least 10-15 minutes.
- Want extra flavor? This almond flour pie crust is a neutral base that works with just about any filling. You can mix some garlic powder or Italian seasoning with the dry ingredients for a savory crust, or cinnamon (with the dry ingredients) or maple extract (with the wet ingredients) for a sweet crust.
Almond Flour Pie Crust (Keto, 5 Ingredients)
My almond flour pie crust is buttery and flaky, with 5 minutes prep, 5 ingredients, and 2g net carbs. It's a gluten-free, keto pie crust, too.
Instructions
[ See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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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, Besti (if using), and sea salt.
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Stir in the melted butter and egg, until well combined. (If using vanilla, stir that into the melted butter 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 6-12 minutes, until the edges are slightly golden — the time can vary depending on your pan, your oven, and the sweetener you use (or don't use).
Add fillings only after pre-baking. If your fillings will require baking again, you'll want to parbake the crust for the shorter end of the time spectrum, around 6-8 minutes, and use a pie shield or foil to cover the edges when baking again with filling.
Did You Like It?
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Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 slice, or 1/12 of entire recipe
- Almond flour note: You can make this pie crust using almond meal, but the texture will be more grainy since it’s more coarse. I recommend Wholesome Yum Super Fine Blanched Almond Flour, which has the finest consistency and will give you the best texture.
- Sweetener note: The amount of sweetener that is best will vary based on the filling. Use 1/4 cup for a sweet crust, 2-3 tablespoons for a very lightly sweet crust (if your filling is super sweet), up to 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.
- Recipe tips: See my tips here! I’ve got a time-saving shortcut, notes on dough consistency and pie pan size, how to ensure your almond flour crust is not too dark or soggy, and add-ins for extra flavor.
- Making a top crust: This almond flour pie crust recipe won’t work for a top crust as written, but you can modify it by adding gelatin powder and water to make it sturdy enough for a top crust. See my top crust instructions.
- Make ahead: You can wrap the dough in plastic, press it into the pan, or pre-bake it ahead. With any of these options, store in the fridge covered in plastic for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 6 months. See more details in the make ahead section above.
- Pie fillings: Try my sweet keto pecan pie, sugar-free pumpkin pie, keto apple pie, keto key lime pie, keto lemon meringue pie, or keto coconut cream pie. You can also make savory chicken pot pie, spinach pie, or keto quiche.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Almond Flour Pie Crust
How To Make A Top Crust
I get this question a lot, and it’s important to know that you can’t use this almond flour pie dough for a top crust as written. But you can modify it to make a top crust! Here’s how:
- Multiply the crust ingredient amounts by 1.5. I can do this for you if you just update the number of servings on the recipe card above from 12 to 18! Or you can just see the amounts in my keto apple pie recipe.
- Add 1 tablespoon of unflavored gelatin powder + 2 tablespoons of water. Mix well. This doesn’t work well mixing by hand (you may end up with lumps of gelatin), so I recommend using either a food processor or hand mixer.
- Blind bake the bottom crust. Press half of the dough into the bottom and sides of the pie dish. (Leave thinner sides than you would if you were fluting an almond flour pie crust without the top.) Bake for 6-8 minutes, until set but not really golden.
- Add the filling and top crust. Fill your pie shell with your favorite filling. Roll out the remaining dough between sheets of parchment paper, flip over onto your pie, then peel off the paper. Seal the edges and cut slits on top to vent.
- Bake your pie. The baking time will depend on your filling, but I usually recommend an oven temperature of 350 degrees F.
Alternatively, check out my gluten-free pie crust, which is also almond flour based but more sturdy for a top crust.
Pie Filling Options
This almond flour pie crust works for all kinds of pies! Here are some of my recipes you can use it with:
- Sweet – I use this keto pie crust for sweet pies most often. It’s the base for my keto pecan pie, sugar-free pumpkin pie, and keto apple pie for Thanksgiving and throughout the fall. You can also use it for my healthy apple pie (as long as you don’t mind not having a lattice top). In the spring and summer, I love it for keto key lime pie, keto lemon meringue pie, and keto coconut cream pie.
- Savory – Try the savory version with my chicken pot pie, spinach pie, or keto quiche.
You can even use this crust for tarts, like my pear tart or tomato tart recipe.
Do you have other pie fillings you like? Let me know in the comments below how you use this almond flour crust!
Make Ahead Options
You can easily make this almond flour pie crust in advance. There are several different ways:
- Just make the dough: Wrap it in plastic and store in a ball in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Press into the pan: Instead of wrapping the ball of dough, you can press it into the pan and cover that in plastic.
- Pre-bake the crust: My go-to option, since this almond flour pie crust is best pre-baked anyway. Cover and store in the fridge. It’s also fine on the counter for a day or so after baking.
- Freeze: You can freeze a ball of dough, raw crust pressed into a pan, or pre-baked crust. It will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months. Whether or not you can freeze this keto pie crust with filling inside will depend on the specific filling. Like any crust, it can get soggy upon thawing with certain fillings. You can thaw on the counter or in the fridge overnight.
644 Comments
Breanne
0Did this recipe include cinnamon in the past?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Breanne, No, it never has, but you can definitely add some.
Gail R Marlowe
0Great flavor and an easy bake!
Jen
0Have you tried this recipe with cashew flour?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Jen, I have not tried this with cashew flour, but think it would probably work. If you try it, let me know how it turns out!
Tammy Borremans
0For the pie crust, can I replace the ghee with butter? Would it be 1:1?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Tammy, Yes, replace 1:1.
Lynn
0Would walnut or olive oil be an OK vegam substitute? I don’t like the taste of coconut oil.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Lynn, I’m not sure if those would work, as oils that are liquid at room temp behave differently from ones that are solid at room temp. Let me know how it goes if you try it.
Cheryle
0Can you make this almond flour paleo crust and put your filling in and freeze to bake later?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Cheryle, You would still need to pre-bake before adding the filling. Whether you can freeze it after that depends on what kind of filling your pie has.
Bryce
0I would think if you insist on filling and then freezing, at least freeze the crust before filling, then of course…freeze again.
Christal
0Great crust I love it.
Betsy
0What keto flour makes a pie crust like regular flour?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Betsy, This recipe uses almond flour and is the best substitute I have found so far.
Cammie
0I 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
0This 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
0I 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
0I 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!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Jennifer, This almond flour pie crust is designed to work as a bottom crust, so if you’re making an apple pie (which I assume has a top crust), I recommend using the modified version of the crust from my low carb apple pie recipe. You can still use your own filling like your sister-in-law makes.
Jenifer Guzman
0Should 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!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Jenifer, The crust should still be prebaked, but make sure to not over-bake during this step, and cover the edges when baking the pie.
Debbie
0Can I use Bob Mill’s superfine almond flour for this recipe at the same amount?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Debbie, I have not tested it with that particular brand.
Shelley
0So 2 1/2 cups almond flour for just a single crust? Double for a apple pie?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi 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
0I would like to put crust on top of the apple pie also. How should I prepare the crust that would be on top?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Angel, No, it would not be the same. This almond flour pie crust works best as a bottom crust. Here is my recipe for keto apple pie that has a top crust.
J
0If 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
0Hi 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
0So if using butter instead of ghee, is it still the same amount (1/4 c)?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Jamie, Yes, use the same amount as listed in the recipe. Enjoy!
Theodora
0I made the recipe and it was very good. I made the sweet version and I was very happy with the results.
Andrea
0I 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
0This 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.
0Instead 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
0Hi Susan, Sure, that could work too, I haven’t tried it.
Betty
0I 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!