This is my trusted pie crust recipe! Flaky and crisp with a rich buttery flavor, this homemade pie crust requires only a few common ingredients. With some special tricks for rolling and shaping the dough, this recipe produces a delicious base for just about any type of pie: apple, pumpkin, pecan, and more!
Throughout my childhood, we served the same dishes at almost every Thanksgiving feast. The adults waltzed around the kitchen preparing buttery mashed potatoes, sausage-laden stuffing, marshmallow-topped sweet potatoes, creamy green bean casserole, freshly baked whole wheat rolls, Great Grandma’s cranberry pecan salad, and generously carved slices of a large golden-brown barbecued turkey, all of which appeared on the dining table by midafternoon.
They also baked two pies from scratch, pumpkin and pecan, each year. My mom often handled those. She usually followed the filling recipe on the pumpkin purée can for the former, but she flipped open a well-worn cookbook with a bright red cover for the latter.
Yet before beginning either one, she pulled out mixing bowls and flour to whip up two pie crusts. I watched as she formed the dough, big soft clumps appearing as she stirred, which she then grasped between her palms, shaped into two discs, and eventually rolled out into giant circles that draped over the pie plates’ sides.
My eyes shone as she took a knife to the rims, eagerly anticipating what came next. Out popped a baking sheet and jar of cinnamon sugar, and within twenty minutes, she handed my brother and me two of the freshly baked scraps. Their sweet topping melted on our tongues, and hints of cozy spices lingered on each crumb of those hot and flaky bits of pie crust.
I always proclaimed that the mashed potatoes and bread rolls were my favorite part of our Thanksgiving feasts… But I secretly loved those little pie crust scraps just as much!
To this day, I still think of those memories when I make the dough for homemade pies, including whenever I whip up this ultimate healthy pie crust. It’s my trusted “go to” recipe and the perfect vessel for just about any pie — apple, pumpkin, pecan, sweet potato, you name it!
And yes… I still look forward to nibbling on those bits of “cinnamon sugar dough,” as we so fondly called it, while I wait for the pies to cool. Some things never change!
QUICK OVERVIEW – THE ULTIMATE HEALTHY PIE CRUST
Difficulty: Moderate — but on the easier side!
Taste: Rich and buttery, balanced with a little pop of salt.
Texture: Delicate, flaky, and crisp.
INGREDIENTS TO MAKE THE ULTIMATE HEALTHY PIE CRUST
Let’s go over the ingredients you’ll need to make this ultimate healthy pie crust! Many are common baking staples, so I have a feeling you might have all of them in your kitchen already.
Flour. To make this homemade pie crust healthier, I opted for white whole wheat flour. Contrary to what it sounds like, it’s one single flour — and not a blend of white (aka all-purpose) flour and regular whole wheat flour!
Here in the US, wheat farmers often grow one of two types: red wheat or white wheat. Red wheat is used to make “regular” whole wheat flour, and it has a darker tan color and stronger “wheat-like” flavor. In comparison, white wheat has a much lighter appearance, flavor, and texture. It tastes more like all-purpose flour, yet has the same health benefits as “regular” whole wheat flour… Which makes it a fantastic option for healthier baking, as well as one of my favorite ingredients!
Hint: It’s similar to the difference between red and green grapes. They taste a bit different but have very similar health benefits!
Salt. I love a bright pop of salt, so I often sprinkle in a generous amount. It shines against the buttery flavor, and it also beautifully balances out the sweet filling that you’ll pour into the pie crust later. (If you’re not as big of a salt fan as I am, you can easily reduce the amount!)
Unsalted butter. Many traditional pie dough recipes call for at least a stick (if not more!), but you only need 4 tablespoons for this one. That helps make this healthy pie crust more low calorie and low fat in comparison — but I promise it still tastes just as buttery and rich! I’ll reveal why that is momentarily, but in the meantime…
Yup, I prefer unsalted butter. Even as someone who loves a hefty dose of salt in just about everything she makes or eats, I still bake with unsalted butter 99.9% of the time. This is because different brands often add different amounts of salt to their butter sticks, so the salinity (and therefore flavor!) can vary depending on which one you use.
Yet with unsalted butter, the sodium content is exactly the same in each and every brand… A big ol’ zero. That means you’re in complete control of the flavor and can produce more consistent results, regardless of which brand you happen to buy at the store!
Note: For simplicity’s sake, I’m just focusing on the salt aspect of butter right now. Their fat content can also vary (American-style butter is around 80%, whereas European-style is generally between 82-90%), as well as their water content, and those can affect the flavor too. But… That’s a discussion for another day!
So to quickly recap… You’re welcome to experiment with other types, if you’d like, but I bake with (and recommend!) American-style unsalted butter for this healthy pie crust recipe.
Sweetener. Because dessert pie fillings are often so sweet, I only added a teensy tiny bit of pure maple syrup to the dough to help balance the butter and salt. Seriously — very little! Unless you were the person who mixed together the ingredients, you’d probably have no idea it was in this pie crust.
Hint: Pure maple syrup is the kind that comes directly from maple trees and only contains one ingredient: maple syrup! It’s often sold in thin glass bottles or squat plastic jugs (like this).
I don’t recommend substituting pancake syrup and sugar-free maple syrup. They generally contain other ingredients, so they tend to behave a bit differently in baking recipes.
Milk. It’s not necessarily something you’d find in many traditional recipes, but you’ll also add a splash of milk. It helps give this pie crust a beautiful golden color, and it also disrupts the formation of gluten.
That’s actually a good thing! Some gluten is good… But too much gluten makes pie crusts gummy or tough, so partially disrupting that yields a more crisp and flaky texture that truly melts in your mouth.
Vanilla. Remember how I mentioned that this healthy pie crust tastes just as buttery as traditional ones? We’ve reached the reason why! Vanilla extract enhances butter’s rich flavor, so adding it to this pie crust yields that same extra buttery taste.
But it also plays another role…
Vanilla helps prevent too much gluten formation as well.
The nutshell version about why is that vanilla extract contains both alcohol and water. While both moisten the dough and bring the ingredients together, only the water aids in gluten formation. Alcohol does not. So by including vanilla extract, you end up with a better rich, buttery flavor and a more flaky and tender texture. Win-win!
Note: This article goes into more detail, if you’re a nerd like me! (I was a chemist before I became a baking blogger, so I love scientific topics and explanations like this!)
Ice cold water. The water brings together the flour, butter, and other ingredients into a pliable dough. Using ice cold water — rather than warm, room temperature, or something straight from the tap! — helps prevent the butter from softening too much and keeps it cold. And that leads us to…
HOW TO MAKE THE ULTIMATE HEALTHY PIE CRUST
Now that you’ve gathered your ingredients, let’s talk about how to make the best healthy pie crust. It takes a bit of effort and bakers’ intuition, but I have complete faith in you — plus lots of tips and tricks for you to make the process as smooth as possible! (Maybe even smooth like butter?…)
Cold ingredients. Like we covered moments ago, cold ingredients are key to a great pie crust! It’s fine for your flour, salt, and vanilla to be at room temperature, but everything else should be cold: the butter, sweetener, milk, and water. The colder, the better! This produces the best crisp and flaky texture. I wait until the last second to pull the first three out of the fridge, and I plop ice cubes into the water to ensure that it’s properly, almost finger-numbingly chilled.
Hint: If your butter was soft or your ingredients were warm, it might be a little faster and easier to whip up the dough… But the crust can then turn out greasy, tough, limp, or dense as a result.
This is why I strongly recommend against substituting coconut oil. Even though it works well for baking cookies and other treats, coconut oil has a much lower melting point compared to butter (around 76°F and 95°F, respectively!), so it’s really hard to keep coconut oil a solid at room temperature. It softens and sometimes even melts while you’re making the dough, which can completely change the texture of your pie crust. Stick with cold unsalted butter for the best results!
Use a pastry cutter. I grew up using the back of a fork to cut the butter into the flour… But a pastry cutter makes the process much faster! It’s such a handy tool to have around. I use mine to make breakfast scones and mash bananas for banana bread too!
The goal is to break apart the butter into small pieces and completely coat them with flour. Aim for pieces about the size of large crumbs! It should take a few minutes and some effort. Later, when you put your pie crust in the oven, those butter bits will melt and create tender, flaky pockets in the dough. But first, you’ll need to…
Form the dough. Stir together the milk, maple syrup, vanilla, and a touch of water. (Don’t add all of the water just yet!) Drizzle that over the buttery crumbs, and start stirring it in. Add a bit more water a little at a time, completely working in each little sprinkling, until everything holds together and you’ve formed a soft and moldable dough.
The amount of water you’ll need can vary! The butter’s water content, how well you work it in, and relative dryness of your kitchen can all impact the dough’s consistency. If you see big clumps that look like boulders in comparison to the buttery crumbs from before, you’re on the right track! Keep going if the dough is still too crumbly to hold together, but stop short of turning it into a sticky cookie-dough like mass.
Chill. Time for you and the dough to take a break! Shape it into a thick disc (totally fine to use your hands to do this!), and place that in between two gigantic sheets of plastic wrap. Yup, gigantic! They should be at least 20” in length. We’ll cover why momentarily!
Chilling achieves two things. First, it re-solidifies any butter that started to soften during the process of making the dough. Second, it allows the gluten to relax. Remember, some gluten is good! That’s what enables your pie crust to hold its shape and stand tall within the pie plate. Too much or overworked gluten? Not so much. That leads to a tough or gummy texture.
You don’t have to wait long though! A quick 30 minutes does the trick. You can also leave the dough in your refrigerator for much longer. I’ve mixed it up three days in advance without any issues!
Roll. This is one of my favorite tricks for homemade pie crusts (and sugar cookies too!). Leave the dough in between those two humongous sheets of plastic wrap to roll it out. No flour necessary — so you won’t accidentally dry out the dough by adding too much — and you don’t even need to wash the rolling pin when you’re done!
Tip: If you’ve chilled the dough for more than 30 minutes, you may need to let it “thaw” a bit on the counter if it’s too hard and stiff to roll. That’s completely normal, so don’t worry if that happens to you!
By the time you’ve finished, the dough should be at least 11” wide in all directions. It’ll be very thin, but that’s okay. It shouldn’t rip or tear at all when you…
Transfer + trim. Time to move it to your pie plate — and that’s really easy to do! Simply peel back one layer of plastic wrap, lift up the other, and tip it over your pie pan.
No folding it into quarters, draping it over the rolling pin, or prying it off of the countertop… All of which come with the potential danger of rips or tears. The second layer of plastic wrap acts like glue that holds the thin dough together until you’ve seamlessly transferred it into the pie plate.
Tip: Make sure you’re using a standard 9”-round pie plate — not a deep dish one! The latter has much taller sides, and this recipe doesn’t yield enough dough to climb all the way up them and reach the rim.
After peeling back the plastic wrap, gently press the dough across the bottom and up the sides before trimming the overhang. I’m fairly generous with the amount of dough I keep on the rim of the pie plate because it naturally shrinks back a bit while baking. Instead of sliding the knife right up against the pie pan, I’ll leave anywhere from an extra ⅛” to ¼” of dough.
Bake or parbake (optional). Only do this if your recipe calls for a baked or partially baked (aka “parbaked”) crust! Some fillings, like pumpkin pie, are very wet, and they can result in a soggy bottom crust if you pour them straight into the raw dough. Partially baking the pie crust ahead of time — alone and without the filling — helps solve that issue!
Hint: Parbaking is also called “blind baking,” so keep an eye out for that recipe terminology too!
Many bakers have their own preferred method of blind baking. Some generously prick the pie crust with a fork, while others use parchment paper and pie weights. As for me?
I use foil and popcorn kernels!
…okay, so definitely not the most traditional way — but there’s a reason behind why.
Foil isn’t absorbent like parchment paper, so it doesn’t turn greasy or absorb any of the butter while the pie crust bakes in the oven. It’s also metallic, so it’s a better conductor of heat compared to parchment and slightly better at baking the top side of your crust. Finally, it’s easier to shape and press into the curved edge of the pie plate, so you don’t run the risk of any sides puffing out.
Then the popcorn kernels are just what I normally have on hand! Rice, dry beans, and pie weights all work too. I’m not a big rice or beans person, but since my family and I love snacking on popcorn, I almost always keep a stash in my kitchen. (Did you know it’s possible to make air-popped popcorn on the stove? It’s so easy — and a total life-changer!)
And no… The kernels won’t actually burst into fluffy bits of popcorn while your crust bakes. They need pressure in order to do that, not just heat alone!
WAYS TO USE THE ULTIMATE HEALTHY PIE CRUST
Now that you’ve whipped up a batch of this healthy pie crust dough, here are some of my favorite ways to use it! This is just a short list. It works well as a base for many other pies too!
FAQS ABOUT THE ULTIMATE HEALTHY PIE CRUST
Is this healthy pie crust clean eating, egg-free, low calorie, or low fat?
Yes! It’s naturally egg-free and clean eating with no refined sugar, and it’s lower calorie and lower fat compared to many traditional recipes.
Can I use a different flour?
You sure can! Whole wheat pastry flour and all-purpose flour are the two best alternatives. Regular whole wheat flour will also work, but it’ll have a slightly different taste and texture.
Can I substitute coconut oil?
No — please don’t! It has a much lower melting point, so it’ll change the texture of your pie crust… And not in a good way. (See the “Cold ingredients” header in the “How to Make the Best Healthy Pie Crust” section above for more info!)
What about a different sweeter?
Yup! Honey and agave both work equally well.
Can I use a different milk?
Yes again! Just about any kind will work. I regularly use unsweetened vanilla almond milk since that’s what my family drinks the most, and it also works like a charm.
My pie crust dough keeps cracking. Why is that?
It’s probably too dry. Add more water, a little at a time, until the dough is smooth, pliable, and holds together. If you’ve already rolled it out and transferred it to your pie plate, try moistening your fingers with a bit of water before massaging the cracked bits back together.
What can I use to parbake the crust instead of pie weights?
Popcorn kernels are my favorite! Uncooked rice and dry beans also work. (Some people even use sugar!)
Is foil or parchment paper better? Or is pricking the dough with a fork good enough?
Foil has my vote! (See the “Bake or parbake (optional)” header in the “How to Make the Best Healthy Pie Crust” section above for more info.) I’ve found that pricking the dough with a fork — and doing nothing else — often still results in an uneven bottom and sometimes even air bubbles.
What should I do with the leftover pie crust dough?
If my story above didn’t already convince you… Bake and eat it! You can gather the scraps together, reroll them, and use pie crust cutters (mine are no longer sold in stores, but these are similar!) or miniature cookie cutters to make decorations for the top of your pie.
Alternatively, if you’re anything like my family… Just pop those scraps onto a baking sheet, sprinkle them with cinnamon sugar, and nibble on them fresh from the oven while you wait for the pie to finish baking and cooling!
How far in advance can I make the dough? And how long will it keep?
I’ve made this pie crust dough three days in advance without any issues! I think another day or two (possibly even more) could also be fine. Just leave it in your fridge tightly sealed inside of the plastic wrap, and remember to take it out a little longer in advance and let it “thaw” on the counter so it’s not too hard and stiff to roll.
Easy as pie! Or… Well… Pie crust? And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your ultimate healthy pie crust!
The Ultimate Healthy Pie Crust
This is my trusted pie crust recipe! Flaky and crisp with a rich buttery flavor, this homemade pie crust is a delicious base for just about any type of pie: apple, pumpkin, pecan, sweet potato, and more. If tightly sealed inside of plastic wrap, the raw dough can be stored in the refrigerator for three days (if not longer!).
Instructions
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Whisk together the flour and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in the butter using a pastry cutter (recommended!) or the back of a fork until the mixture resembles crumbs.
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In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, maple syrup, vanilla, and 1 teaspoon of water, and drizzle over the flour mixture. Mix until all of those liquid ingredients have been incorporated. Continue to add water ¼ teaspoon at a time and mixing until completely incorporated until the mixture forms a dough. (I often use a total of 1 tablespoon of water.)
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Transfer the dough to the center of a large sheet of plastic wrap, and shape into a 4”-wide circle. Cover the top with another large sheet of plastic wrap. Fold the excess around the dough’s sides to tightly seal. Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes.
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While the dough chills, coat a standard 9”-round pie plate with nonstick cooking spray
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Leaving the dough between the sheets of plastic wrap, roll it out into a 11”-wide circle. Peel off the top layer of plastic wrap, and turn it out into the prepared pie plate. Peel off the other layer of plastic wrap. Gently press the dough into the pie plate, and trim the overhang.
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OPTIONAL: To parbake, preheat the oven to 375°F (or your recipe’s required parbaking temperature). Line the center of the pie with foil (see Notes!), ensuring that the foil is fully touching the dough all the way across the bottom and around the steep sides of the pie plate, and pour pie weights (see Notes!) into the center. Bake the crust at 375°F (or your recipe’s given temperature) for 15-25 minutes (or for the amount of time provided by your recipe). Carefully remove the foil and pie weights before proceeding with adding the filling and finishing baking the pie.
Notes
IMPORTANT MEASURING NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: It’s really important to measure the flour using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own!) Too much flour will throw off the ratio of flour to butter and change the texture of your pie crust.
IMPORTANT CHILLING NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: If you’ve chilled the dough for more than 30 minutes, you may need to let it “thaw” a bit on the counter if it’s too hard and stiff to roll. That’s completely normal, so don’t worry if that happens to you!
FLOUR ALTERNATIVES: Whole wheat pastry flour or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the white whole wheat flour. Regular whole wheat flour may also be substituted, but the taste and texture of your pie crust will be slightly different.
SALT NOTE: I love a bright pop of salt and how it balances the butter’s richness and filling’s sweetness. If you’re not as big of a fan, you’re welcome to reduce the amount to ⅛ – ¼ teaspoon instead.
BUTTER NOTES: Salted butter may be substituted for the unsalted. I’m still testing stick-style vegan butter, but I’ll update the recipe accordingly soon.
I don’t recommend substituting tub-style butter (regular or vegan) or coconut oil. Tub-style butter is already soft when chilled, not solid, and coconut oil melts at a much lower temperature, so neither will produce the same flaky texture in the crust.
MILK ALTERNATIVES: Any milk may be substituted for the nonfat milk.
SWEETENER ALTERNATIVE: Honey or agave may be substituted for the pure maple syrup.
FOIL NOTE + ALTERNATIVE: I prefer foil because it’s a slightly better conductor of heat and doesn’t absorb any of the butter or turn greasy while baking.
Parchment paper may be substituted for the foil. Before using the parchment paper, crumple it into a ball and smooth it out a few times until it’s wrinkly but easier to maneuver and not so stiff. This helps ensure that the pie weights are evenly spread out over the bottom and up the sides, which means you shouldn’t see any bubbles in the bottom of your pie crust.
PIE WEIGHTS ALTERNATIVE: Popcorn kernels, uncooked rice, or dry beans may be substituted for the pie weights in Step 6.
PIE CRUST COOKIE CUTTERS: The set of pie crust cookie cutters that I used in the photos of my blog post above is no longer sold in stores, but these are similar!
GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: I’m still working on perfecting a gluten-free version, but I’ll update the recipe accordingly when I do.
DAIRY-FREE + VEGAN OPTION: I’m still working on perfecting a vegan version, but I’ll update the recipe accordingly when I do.
HOW TO STORE THE RAW DOUGH: Store the dough tightly sealed inside of the large sheets of plastic wrap in the refrigerator. (This is my favorite plastic wrap because it clings more tightly than many other brands.) It should keep for at least three days, if not longer.
I haven’t tried freezing the dough, but I’ll update this recipe once I get a chance to try that.
WHAT TO DO WITH LEFTOVER PIE CRUST DOUGH SCRAPS: I do one of two things! (A) Gather the scraps together, reroll them between the sheets of plastic wrap, and use pie crust cutters or miniature cookie cutters to make decorations for the top of the pie. (B) Place the scraps onto a baking sheet and sprinkle them with cinnamon sugar. Then…
Bake either the cut-out shapes or scraps at 350°F until they’re light golden and flaky. (It typically takes between 6-8 minutes, but that time can vary depending on the thickness of your pieces.)
PIES TO MAKE WITH THIS CRUST: See my list in the blog post above, as well as the list below the recipe box!
{clean eating, egg-free, low sugar, lower fat, lower calorie}
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Apple Pie
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Pumpkin Pie
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Sweet Potato Pie
♡ Healthy Cranberry Apple Pie
♡ Healthy Slow Cooker Apple Pie Filling
♡ Healthy Pumpkin Pie Bars
♡ Easy Pecan Hand Pies
#Ultimate #Healthy #Pie #Crust
