Oil-free Almond Pie Crust

A healthier whole food plant-based oil-free pie crust suitable for sweet or savory fillings. Made with almonds, flaxseed, and white whole wheat flour.

I’ve got a sweet tooth.

It’s not something I like to brag about. But it is true. I enjoy desserts a little too much. So whenever I can, I try to create healthier alternatives using whole food ingredients to replace some of my more guilty pleasures.

Case in point. It’s really easy to purchase a graham cracker crust. And believe me, I’ve done that more than my fair share. But whenever I can, I make this Oil-free Almond Pie Crust instead. It’s made with pantry staples, comes together easily and quickly, and is quite versatile.

I especially enjoy using this pie crust because it can be used in sweet and savory pies. What do I mean? I’ve used this Oil-free Almond Pie Crust to create delicious pies, including my Vegan Key Lime Pie , Vegan Cheesecake, and Vegan Blueberry Meringue Pie. But you can also use this whole food plant-based pie crust to create delicious and healthy savory pies, like my Good Luck Vegan Quiche. Simply add a tablespoon of water in leu of the maple syrup.

And it’s done without any oil, butter, or lard.

How is this possible? All of the glory goes to little golden almonds.

That’s right. This Oil-free Almond Pie Crust uses the omega-3 fatty acids within the almonds to create a soft and pliable pie crust. And the results are fantastic! Check out this gorgeous pie crust for yourself! (I fully admit that this Blueberry Meringue Pie is striking as well…)

Almonds are incredibly nutritious and versatile. We enjoy making almond milk, Oat + Nut Milk, Romesco Sauce, almond-tofu ricotta, and almond butter. But almonds are also amazing in this Oil-free Almond Pie Crust.

A one-ounce serving of raw whole almonds contains 6 grams of protein, 14 grams of fat, and 3.5 grams of fiber. Almonds also contain important vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin E, manganese, magnesium, copper, riboflavin, and phosphorous. What’s interesting is that ten to fifteen percent of the calories consumed in almonds aren’t absorbed by our bodies because some of the fat can’t be accessed by our digestive enzymes. (Healthline) Neat, right?

Almonds are also chock-full of healthful antioxidants that help protect our bodies against oxidative stress.  Though these antioxidants are primarily found within the brown layer of the skin found on almonds. (Healthline)

In addition to almonds, this Oil-free Almond Pie Crust uses flaxseed meal (milled flaxseeds or ground flaxseeds) to bind everything together. Much like almonds, ground flaxseed are quite nutritious. One tablespoon contains 1.3 grams of protein, 3 grams of fat, and 1.9 grams of fiber. They also contain Vitamins B1 and B6, folate, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, and potassium. (Healthline)

The key is to soak the flaxseed meal in very hot water. I use my tea kettle to boil the water. Once the water starts to boil, pour the boiling water over the milled flaxseeds and stir together. Allow the flaxseed meal to absorb the hot water for at least five minutes, though ten is ideal. Then stir the saturated flaxseed until the viscosity is similar to a beaten egg.

The next primary ingredient in this Oil-free Almond Pie Crust is white whole wheat flour. You can use just about any kind of flour, including all-purpose flour and gluten-free flour. If making this crust gluten-free, simply substitute the white whole wheat flour with a gluten-free blend like Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-free Baking Flour or King Arthur’s Gluten-Free Flour. Unless I need to use a gluten-free flour, I prefer using white whole wheat flour because it is nutritious and less refined than all-purpose flour.

The dough used to make this Oil-free Almond Pie Crust can be made a few days ahead and stored in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it in your recipe. The dough can also be frozen and then thawed before using. But to maintain a crisp crust, I highly recommend preparing and baking the crust the same day you want to serve your pie. Otherwise, just like with any pie crust, fillings may eventually make the pie crust soggy.

To make things a bit more fun, you can use this Oil-free Almond Pie Crust in just about any size or kind of pan, including springform, tarts, and silicon pans, shells, or liners.

You can also use this dough to create miniature pie crusts or tartlets. You’ll just need to adjust the time in the oven, based on the size or type of pan or liner you are using. For instance, these little key lime tartlets were baked for 24 minutes total <– 12 minutes for the almond crust plus 12 minutes for the filling.

I hope you enjoy this Oil-free Almond Pie Crust as much as I do.

I would love to see your results! Please leave a comment and rate it down below, tag a picture @pebblesandtoast and #pebblesandtoast on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook!   Enjoy!!   

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Crust Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed meal
• 3 Tbsp hot water
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup*
• 1 cup whole almonds**
• ¼ tsp salt (optional)
• 1 cup white whole wheat flour (or gluten-free flour)***
• 3 Tbsp cold water

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, combine the ground flaxseed, hot water, and maple syrup* together and allow to sit for at least 5-10 minutes. Set aside.

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
2. In a food processor, pulse the almonds to create a fine almond flour.
3. Add the flax mixture, 3 Tbsp cold water, and salt.

1. Pulse until the mixture is well combined, then add in the flour.
2. Pulse a few more times until a smooth dough forms, adding 1-2 Tbsp more water, if needed. Do not over-process the dough – it should soft and moist not wet. If you process it too much, the dough will become tough.

1. Remove the dough and place it on a non-stick pat or lightly floured surface.  Use a rolling pin to roll it out as thin as you can.

1. Transfer the dough to your 9-inch tart or pie pan.  Shape and flute the edges, as desired.
2. Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork and bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.
3. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before filling.

Notes

* If making a savory pie, use 1 more Tbsp water in leu of the maple syrup.

** I prefer making the almond flour fresh but you can use premade almond flour as well.

*** If making this gluten-free, simply substitute with a gluten-free blend like Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-free Baking Flour.

The pie crust dough can be made a few days ahead and stored in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it. It can also be frozen and then thawed before using.