Making a vegan pie crust is much easier than you probably think. With coconut oil, flour, water, and salt, this dairy-free pie crust comes together in about 15 minutes. That’s it! (If you’re interested, I love using this homemade pie crust to make my vegetable pot pie.)
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Table of Contents
When I first started getting into vegan baking, making a pie crust seemed almost overwhelming. However, as long as you know a couple of important tricks and use the right ingredients, it’ll turn out perfectly flaky.
One thing I love about this vegan pie dough recipe is that it can be made with coconut oil or vegan butter. Both are delicious. I always just recommend using whichever you have on hand. The most important thing here is to make sure it is cold. So, I usually put the coconut oil (or vegan butter) in the fridge for 15-20 minutes before I start making this vegan pie crust recipe. If you forgot to put it in the fridge ahead of time, then throw it in your freezer for at least 5-10 minutes and you should be good.
Aside from making sure your coconut oil (or butter) and water are ice cold, there is one other pro tip you need to know. Do NOT overmix! Overmixing will make the dough warm. You want that coconut oil melting in your oven, not in your bowl. To prevent this, use a fork or pastry blender to mix the vegan pie dough. It takes a little longer, but it will ensure that it doesn’t get overmixed!
In summer, I recommend using this vegan pie shell recipe to make my vegan blueberry pie. For fall, use it to make my purple sweet potato pie or egg-free pumpkin pie. Finally, in winter, don’t skip this dairy-free apple pie.
Ingredients + Substitutions
This coconut oil pie crust is made with just four simple ingredients. There’s not much to substitute in this recipe. However, you can use vegan butter instead of coconut oil if needed.
- Flour: Organic, unbleached, all-purpose flour will keep your vegan pie crust on the lighter side. If you don’t have all-purpose flour on hand, I have made this pie dough vegan using pasty flour instead.
- Coconut oil: A good plant-based alternative to butter. Coconut oil gives this dairy-free pie crust the flaky texture everybody wants and loves. The key is to make sure the coconut oil is solid. You don’t want it melted or even soft. If needed, put it in the fridge or freezer for 15-20 minutes ahead of time.
A full list of ingredients with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How To Make Vegan Pie Dough
- Preheat oven to 400°F/205°C.
- Add flour and salt to a large mixing bowl and stir until well combined.
- Scoop coconut oil into the bowl.
- Blend until combined using a pastry blender or a fork. Do not over-mix.
- Pour in ice water and combine thoroughly with a pastry blender or fork.
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- Form dough into a flat ball on a well-floured hard surface or on a piece of parchment paper. (At this point, if you feel like the dough is getting too warm, wrap it in the parchment paper and stick it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes before working with it further. It should be flaky and have pieces falling off of it. You’ll know its getting too warm if it starts getting stickier.)
- Cut the dough into the required number of pieces and set aside extra piece(s). (If you are making a standard 9″ pie, divide the dough into two pieces, one slightly larger than the other to line the pie pan and the other for the top.)
- Sprinkle flour on top of the dough and roll into a flat circle about 1/8 inch thick. (To prevent sticking, sprinkle more flour over the dough as needed.)
- Oil pie pan and flip the pie dough over onto the pan. Form the edges or leave rustic.
- Repeat step 8 for the remaining piece(s) and place it on top of the pie.
- Bake according to your pie instructions.
If you are making this vegan pie crust ahead of time, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge. I always recommend using a glass container when possible. Use it to make your favorite pie within 24 hours or so. If you have any leftover pie, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
FAQ
Vegan pie crust is made from flour, a solid fat such as coconut oil or vegan butter, and cold water. The key is to NOT over-mix and to use cold ingredients.
Coconut oil or vegan butter works well in dairy-free pie crust recipes.
This easy vegan pie crust is a great option for any homemade pie. However, if you are looking for a store-bought option, this blog post for the Best Vegan Pie Crust Brands has all the best recommendations.
If you tried this Vegan Pie Crust Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
If, on another day you find yourself running out of time, you can stop by and get one of these store-bought vegan pie crusts instead.
Recipe
Vegan Pie Crust
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups pastry flour
- 2/3 cup coconut oil, solid and cold
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 5-6 tablespoons water, ice cold
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F/205°C.
- Add flour and salt to a large mixing bowl and stir until well combined.
- Scoop coconut oil into the bowl.
- Blend until combined using a pastry blender or a fork. Do not over-mix.
- Pour in ice water and combine thoroughly with a pastry blender or fork. Do not over-mix.
- Form dough into a flat ball on a well-floured piece or on a piece of parchment paper. (At this point, if you feel like the dough is getting too warm, wrap it in the parchment paper and stick it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes before working with it further. It should be flaky and have pieces falling off of it. You'll know its getting too warm if it starts getting stickier.)
- Cut dough into the number of pieces required and set aside extra piece(s). (If you are making a standard 9″ pie, divide the dough into two pieces, one slightly larger than the other to line the pie pan, the other for the top.)
- Sprinkle flour on top of the dough and roll into a flat circle about 1/8 inch thick. (To prevent sticking, sprinkle more flour over the dough as needed.)
- Oil pie pan and flip the pie dough over onto the pan. Form the edges or leave rustic.
- Repeat step 8 for the remaining piece(s) and place it on top of the pie. (If you are not going to roll out the additional pieces for a bit, then place them in the fridge so that it stays nice and cool.
- Bake according to your pie instructions.
Notes
- Coconut oil gives this dairy-free pie crust the flaky texture everybody wants and loves. The key is to make sure the coconut oil is solid. You don’t want it melted or even soft. If needed, put it in the fridge or freezer for 15-20 minutes.
- Ice-cold water is your secret power in this recipe. It keeps the dough cold and coconut oil solid, ensuring the dough is easy to handle and contributes to the flakiness of the crust.
- Pie dough: If you are not rolling out and using all the pieces immediately, then put them in the fridge. Part of what makes this dough work is keeping everything nice and cold. If after rolling out your dough, you find it to be a bit sticky, place in the fridge for 5-10 minutes to re-solidify.
If you are making this vegan pie crust ahead of time, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge. I always recommend using a glass container when possible. Use it to make your favorite pie within 24 hours or so. If you have any leftover pie, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Please read the blog post above for more helpful tips, tricks, and topping suggestions!
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
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This is literally the best pie crust I have ever had.
Thank you so much! I’m so glad you like it.
I won a pie contest with this recipe (thanks Rae)!! I normally don’t even like pie because of the crust, but this one is DELICIOUS and so easy to make. My friends and fam say it’s the best they’ve ever had. I’ve used it with quiche and sweet/savory pies. You can’t go wrong with this crust.
Yay! Thank so much Darcy!