I have recently found a deep, sincere love for all things coconut. Coconut oil. Coconut sugar. Coconut flour. Coconut is like super fruit. So many things come from it or its tree and they are packed full of nutrition. Plus, coconut flour is both gluten free and Trim Healthy Mama approved.
Well, I had the desire to make my Tuscan Chicken Pot Pie, but being on the Trim Healthy Mama weight loss plan (as well as trying to go gluten free to see how it helps, especially for the pain in my legs caused by my bulging disc), my usual yet tasty Buttery Basic Pie Crust recipe could not be used.
So I began experimenting with my basic pie crust recipe, subbing the whole wheat flour with nutritious, gluten free, THM-approved coconut flour (and pretty much completely changing the recipe in the process).
I must admit that this recipe is pretty good! It’s perhaps not *as* flaky as some traditional crusts, but still flaky nonetheless. And it tastes great–I couldn’t really tell that it wasn’t regular pie crust once the filling was in it.
This crust recipe is versatile for both sweet and savory recipes. If using it for a sweet recipe (such as apple or cherry pie), be sure to use the sweetener. If using it for a savory recipe (such as my Tuscan Chicken Pot Pie or Mini Bacon Quiches), omit the sweetener.
Another thing to note about this recipe is that it yields ONE pie crust. This means it makes just enough to line the bottom of one single pie plate. If you need more than one crust, obviously, you want to double it. If you need just one pie crust plus some crust to top the pie (such as for chicken pot pie), then make the recipe 1-1/2 times.
This recipe freezes well! I usually press the dough into round discs, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, put in a glass airtight container, then pop on the freezer. I’d say it probably lasts up to 6 months in the freezer. To use, thaw the dough and go.
And one last thing. The dough might crack a bit while you’re trying to roll it out. Keep your rolling surface and the top of the dough well-dusted with additional coconut flour while rolling it. And if it cracks apart, just press it back together. I actually found it was easier to just press the crust into the bottom of the pie plate rather than mess with rolling it out (although if you’re putting a cap crust on, it’d probably be easier to roll it out–just be patient with it).
Buttery Coconut Flour Pie Crust
Ingredients
- 3/4 c. coconut flour, sifted
- 1/2 c. unsalted butter, cold
- 3 eggs at room temperature, beaten
- 1 tsp. white vinegar
- pinch of Real Salt
- 1 tbsp. coconut sugar {THM Variation: 1 tbsp. Gentle Sweet}, optional (for sweet pies only; omit for savory pies)
Instructions
- Cut the cold butter cubes into the coconut flour. Mix in the eggs, vinegar, salt, and sweetener until ingredients are well-incorporated. Add more flour 1 teaspoon at a time if dough comes out too soft, or add cold water 1 teaspoon at a time if too stiff.
- Before filling, pre-bake the crust for 5 minutes at 350° Fahrenheit.
drat, we can’t use eggs with my son. What can I substitute??
I’m sorry I didn’t see your comment sooner! My comments are just now re-appearing after being hacked! For this recipe, the eggs are mainly for moisture, so you can substitute them with milk, yogurt, or water. Add just enough that a pastry-like texture occurs. 🙂
can I just make regular dough from coconut flour? I just want to make a simple apple pie but dont want to use premade pie crsut or use all purpose flour to make the dough because it’s bleached flour just looking for a more healthy alternative
Do you mean like substitute the coconut flour for all-purpose flour? That wouldn’t work because coconut flour is extremely absorbent. You’ll see a much smaller amount of coconut flour in recipes and a larger amount of liquid (some recipes I’ve seen will even call for an entire dozen of eggs). Hence the reason my recipe is as it is. 🙂 But it does fare pretty well with pies. It can get a little crumbly, but that is pretty normal for coconut flour in my experience. You could try making an almond flour crust as a healthful alternative as well (you can Google recipes for that).
Can you mix almond flour and coconut flour as almond flour is much more expensive. If so what would the ratio be?
That’s be making it into a completely different recipe. This one is tailored for coconut flour, which is a very “thirsty” flour–needs lots of moisture. So I’d try just googling for a recipe that uses both. 🙂
Made this tonight for a quiche. It turned out great! Thanks very much!
Great to hear! You’re welcome. 🙂
I followed your recipe this morning but in the ingredient list is states softened butter, but then in the directions it says to cut the cold butter cubes. I did the cold butter cubes and it looks a little like real pie does with flecks of butter in it. When I prebaked it, the butter really cooked to the top…is that correct?
Thanks.
Hi, Hannah! Thanks for pointing this out. Yes, it’s supposed to be cold butter. 🙂
Hi there. I know this is a old article, but can I use ur recipe to make a top crust for my pie?
Yes, it works pretty much just like a regular non-coconut-flour crust. 🙂
Considering almond flour and actually even the most omega 3 nuts, like walnuts, all still have insanely high ratios of omega 6, why do we use almond flour so much? Isn’t it better to stay away from the omega 6? That’s why I look for straight coconut recipes avoiding those numbers.