About the Recipe
A gluten-free vanilla bean pie crust is a flavorful and textural foundation perfect for a wide range of desserts, including custard pies, fruit pies, and tarts. Unlike standard wheat crusts, this pastry offers a delicate balance of lightness and flakiness while carrying a natural sweetness that enhances any filling.
The dough is carefully crafted with a mix of gluten-free flours—tapioca, cornstarch, brown rice, and oat—chosen to replicate the tender, layered texture of traditional crusts. Cold, diced butter is cut into the flour blend to form delicate pockets of fat, which create a crisp, flaky structure as the crust bakes. Xanthan gum provides essential elasticity and binding to compensate for the lack of gluten, ensuring the crust holds together without crumbling.
The standout feature of this crust is the inclusion of fragrant vanilla bean flecks, which lend an aromatic depth and subtle floral complexity. The speckled appearance from the vanilla seeds makes the crust visually appealing, while the warm, sweet notes elevate both simple and rich fillings. Once brushed with an egg wash, the crust bakes to a golden hue with a lightly crisp exterior and a tender, melt-in-your-mouth interior—making it an elegant and versatile base for gluten-free baking enthusiasts.
Ingredients
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons tapioca flour, plus more for dusting plus more for dusting
¾ cup cornstarch
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons brown rice flour superfine if you can find it
¼ cup oat flour
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 ½ teaspoons xanthan gum
2 sticks cold salted butter diced
3 large eggs
¼ teaspoon of vanilla flecks
1 egg, beaten mixed with 2 tablespoons milk for egg wash
Preparation
Lightly grease a 9-inch pie pan.
In a stand mixer fitted with the steel blade attachment, whisk together tapioca starch, cornstarch, brown rice flour, oat flour, sugar, salt, and xanthan gum until combined.
Add the 2 sticks of butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Add three of the eggs and pulse just until the mixture comes together.
Transfer the dough to a work surface dusted with rice flour and knead just until it comes together.
Divide the dough in half, pat each half into a disk, and wrap well with plastic wrap.
Shape the dough into a ball and chill for an hour, or up to overnight.
Allow the dough to rest at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before rolling.
Roll out the dough on a piece of parchment paper.
Invert the crust into the prepared pie pan.
Fill and bake the pie according to your recipe.
Roll one-half of the pie dough into a 14-inch round. Carefully roll the dough back over the rolling pin and use it to lift the dough into a 9-inch pie plate.
Lift the edges of the crust and let the dough slump into the plate without stretching it.
Trim the edges so there is about a 1-inch overhang.
Fold the edges under and crimp as desired.
Notes