Vegan Flaky Pie Crust
Try this homemade vegan flaky pie crust recipe to make your desserts stand out. This versatile dough is also perfect for savory fillings.
This vegan flaky pie crust is the perfect base for all of your future pie baking needs. From flavors such as apple to pumpkin, you need to give this pastry a try.
It’s made with a combination of vegan butter and vegetable shortening for an ideal balance between flavor and flakiness.
Learn the basic techniques to help make thanksgiving or holiday pies a hit at your next family gathering.
Ingredient Notes
- All-purpose flour – gives the crust more structure than pastry flour.
- Vegan butter and vegetable shortening – vegan butter or margarine gives the pastry flavor while vegetabale shortening adds more flakiness.
While baking, the fats in the dough melt, releasing steam and creating pockets that lead to a light, flaky and crispy crust.
Shortening on its own does not have much flavor, so I recommend using the butter-flavored variety.
Be sure to use stick margarine and not the spreadable tub kind, which has too much water or oil. Cut the margarine and shortening into cubes and freeze before using for the flakiest result.
- Salt
- Ice water – liquid not only forms the dough, but also creates steam in the pastry while baking to make those flaky layers. Ensure the water is very cold to help keep the fats chilled.
- Vinegar – the acidic nature of vinegar helps to tenderizer the crust. Lemon juice or vodka can be substituted in place.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Make the dough:
1. Add the flour, salt, vegan butter and shortening to a large bowl. Using a pastry blender or a palette knife, cut any large chunks into smaller penny-sized pieces.
2. Add the lemon juice to the ice water and gradually add the liquid to the flour. Add one tablespoon at a time, stirring with a fork or palette knife after each addition until the dough begins to stick together. Shape the dough into a ball with your hands.
5. Flour a clean work surface or sheet of parchment paper and a rolling pin. Roll out the dough to a rectangular shape.
6. Fold the left and the right ends of the dough towards the centre, then fold the ends of the dough together.
7. Make a quarter turn with the dough and then roll it out once more to a rectangular shape.
8. Repeat the folding step, then wrap with cling film. Chill the dough for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator or 1 hour in the freezer to solidify the vegan butter and vegetable shortening.
Line the pie plate:
1. Roll out the dough to an ⅛-inch (3mm) thickness on the floured surface or paper.
2. Lift the dough using the rolling pin and place it in a 9-inch (23cm) pie dish.
3. Trim the dough ½-inch (12mm) over the rim of the pie dish. Roll and tuck the excess under, ensuring that it’s sitting on the rim. You may also make a fluted design or crimp the edges.
4. Prick the dough with a fork and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight, covered with plastic wrap.
5. Use the pie dough as directed in a recipe or blind-bake following the steps below.
Blind-bake the pie shell:
1. Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat it to 400°F (200°C).
2. Place the chilled, unbaked pie crust on a baking tray. Cover the crust with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Fill with your desired pie weights (I used granulated sugar).
3. Bake for 30 minutes. Carefully remove the paper or foil with weights and set it aside to cool. For pies with no-bake fillings, return the crust to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Key Tips To Follow
- Keeping the fats cold is crucial for the flakiest crusts. It helps to chill the flour, butter, mixing bowl and utensils in the freezer before working, especially if you’ll be working in a warm environment
- You may not use all the liquid. Add just enough to moisten and shape the dough into a ball.
- Never strech the dough when placing it in the pan. This can cause it to shrink in the pan while baking.
- Resting the dough in the fridge is important for chilling and solidifying the fats for a flakier crust and relaxing the proteins in the flour.
As the dough is kneaded or rolled, more gluten develops and tightens. If it’s not allowed some resting time, the crust will shrink and become tough when baked.
Even if you decide to freeze the dough, be sure to refrigerate it for at least 2 hours before freezing.
- If the dough warms up any time while working, return it to the fridge for 30 minutes or freezer for 15 minutes.
Storage Suggestions
Pie crust dough can be refrigerated for up to three days and frozen for up to three months. Keep the dough in its original plastic wrap or place it into a freezer bag if you intend to use it at a later date.
Vegan pie recipes for this flaky crust
FAQs
Can I substitute shortening for vegan butter or margarine in pie crust?
Vegetable shortening can be used as a substitution for vegan butter or margarine in this pie crust recipe. It will create a flakier crust but a drier dough, so be sure to more liquid as needed.
Plain shortening is also bland in flavor and usually salt-free, so you will need to:
- add salt and/or 2 teaspoons sugar,
- use half shortening with half vegan butter or,
- use butter-flavored shortening with salt.
Why does my pastry dough fall apart?
Pastry dough typically falls apart when it is too dry, so it is important to ensure it has enough moisture.
Avoid using too much flour when lining your work surface and rolling pin as excess flour is a prime culprit for dry dough. Use just enough to prevent the dough from sticking.
Why is my pastry dough tough?
- Too much moisture in the dough. It should not be wet or sticky.
- Overkneading which delvelops too much gluten.
- Not allowing the dough some resting time after kneading or rolling to relax the gluten.
Vegan Flaky Pie Crust
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Rolling Pin
- 8 or 9 inch Pie Plate
Baking Recipes: For more accuracy, use Metric measurements and measuring spoons.
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cup (200 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and levelled
- ¼ cup (57 g) vegan butter stick or margarine (not unsalted), cubed and frozen
- ¼ cup (57 g) butter-flavoured vegetable shortening, cubed and frozen
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon ( 10 ml) lemon juice, (or vinegar, or vodka)
- 4 tbsp (60 ml) water, ice cold
Instructions
Make the dough:
- Combine the flour, salt, vegan butter and shortening in a large bowl.1 ¾ cup (200 g) all-purpose flour ,¼ cup (57 g) vegan butter stick or margarine (not unsalted) ,¼ cup (57 g) butter-flavoured vegetable shortening ,¼ teaspoon salt
- Using a pastry blender or a knife, cut any large pieces into smaller penny-sized chunks.
- Add the lemon juice to the ice water and gradually add the liquid to the flour. Add 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring with a palette knife or fork after each addition until the dough begins to stick together.2 teaspoon ( 10 ml) lemon juice ,4 tbsp (60 ml) water
- Shape the dough into a ball with your hands.
- Flour a clean work surface or sheet of parchment paper and a rolling pin. Roll out the dough to a rectangular shape.
- Fold the left and the right ends of the dough towards the centre, then fold the ends of the dough together.
- Make a quarter turn with the dough and then roll out once more to a rectangular shape.
- Repeat the folding step then wrap with cling film. Chill the dough for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator or 1 hour in the freezer to solidify the butter and shortening.
Line the pie plate:
- Roll out the dough to an ⅛ -inch (3mm) thickness on the floured surface or paper.
- Lift the dough using the rolling pin and place it in a 9-inch (23cm) pie dish.
- Trim the dough ½-inch (1cm) over the rim of the pie dish. Roll and tuck the edges under. You may also make a fluted design or crimp the edges.
- Prick the dough with a fork and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight, covered with plastic wrap.
- Use the pie dough as directed in a recipe or blind-bake following the steps below.
Blind-bake the pie shell:
- Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400°F (200°C).
- Place the chilled, unbaked pie crust on a baking tray. Cover the crust with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Fill with your desired pie weights (I used granulated sugar).
- Bake for 30 minutes. Carefully remove the paper or foil with weights and set it aside to cool. For pies with no-bake fillings, return the crust to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Notes
- Keeping the fats cold is crucial for the flakiest crusts. It helps to chill the flour, butter, mixing bowl and utensils in the freezer before working, especially if you’ll be working in a warm environment
- You may not use all the liquid. Add just enough to moisten and shape the dough into a ball.
- Never stretch the dough when placing it in the pan. This can cause it to shrink in the pan while baking.
- Resting the dough in the fridge is important for chilling and solidifying the fats for a flakier crust and relaxing the proteins in the flour. As the dough is kneaded or rolled, more gluten develops and tightens. If it’s not allowed some resting time, the crust will shrink and become tough when baked. Even if you decide to freeze the dough, be sure to refrigerate it for at least 2 hours before freezing.
- If the dough warms up any time while working, return it to the fridge for 30 minutes or freezer for 15 minutes.
- Pie crust dough can be refrigerated for up to three days and frozen for up to three months. Keep the dough in its original plastic wrap or place it into a freezer bag if you intend to use it at a later date.
- Vegan pie recipes for this flaky crust:
- This recipe makes enough for a single, regular (shallow) 8 or 9-inch pie crust.
- Make two times the recipe for a deep-dish pie or double-crust.
- Make two times the recipe for a double crust for a standard (shallow) pie pan.
- Make three times the recipe for a double crust for a deep-dish pie pan – use one batch for the top crust and two batches for the base.