Let’s be honest: making pie crust from scratch can be intimidating. For years, I was strictly a store-bought-crust person. The whole “cutting in cold butter,” the anxiety about it getting too warm, the dough cracking when I tried to roll it… It just felt like too much work and too much risk for a finicky result. And then, when I needed a dairy-free pie crust for a family Thanksgiving, I figured I was out of luck.
That’s when I discovered the magic of this Coconut Oil Pie Crust.
Friends, this recipe is a total game-changer. It whips up in minutes, uses simple pantry staples, and is naturally vegan and dairy-free. But the best part? It’s incredibly flaky, tender, and “buttery” without a speck of butter. And my favorite secret? There is absolutely no chilling required. You can mix, roll, and bake it immediately. This has become my one-and-only, go-to crust for everything from apple pie to savory pot pie.
Table of Contents
The Easiest Coconut Oil Pie Crust
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt or ¼ teaspoon table salt
- ½ cup coconut oil measured solid, at room temperature
- 5 tablespoons ice water
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and salt until combined.
- Cut in Coconut Oil: Add the solid, room-temperature coconut oil. Using a pastry cutter or your hands, work the oil into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs or wet sand. Ensure no large chunks remain.
- Add Water: Drizzle the ice water one tablespoon at a time, stirring with a fork. As it gets shaggy, use your hands to gather the dough into a cohesive ball. Do not overwork. Shape into a 1-inch thick flat disk.
- Roll Out Dough: On a lightly floured surface, immediately roll the disk from the center out into a 13-inch circle, turning the dough as you go to prevent sticking.
- Transfer to Pie Plate: Fold the dough circle in half. Gently lay it into a 9-inch pie plate, with the fold in the center. Unfold and gently press the dough into the bottom and up the sides without stretching.
- Create Edge: Tuck the overhanging dough up and under itself all the way around the rim to create a thick, even edge.
- Crimp and Finish: Crimp the edge using your fingers or a fork.
- Bake: Fill and bake according to your pie’s recipe. For a par-baked crust, prick the bottom and sides with a fork and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly golden.
Notes
- Oil Type: Use refined coconut oil for a neutral, buttery flavor that won’t taste like coconut.
- Oil Consistency: Your coconut oil must be solid and scoopable, not liquid. If your kitchen is warm, chill the jar in the fridge for 30-60 minutes.
- Versatility: This crust works perfectly for both sweet pies (like apple or pumpkin) and savory pies (like pot pies or quiches).
- Make-Ahead: You can prepare the dough, fit it into the pie plate, and freeze it unbaked for up to 3 months
Nutrition
Why This Coconut Oil Pie Crust Jusks
I was skeptical at first, too. Would it taste like coconut? (Spoiler: nope! ). Would it be as flaky as a butter crust? (Spoiler: it’s even flakier!).
Here’s the breakdown of why this is the only vegan pie crust recipe you’ll ever need:
- Exceptional Flakiness: Coconut oil is very high in saturated fat, much like butter. When those solid fats are worked into the flour and then baked, they create steam, which separates the flour into all those irresistible, paper-thin, flaky layers.
- Dairy-Free & Vegan: This is a massive win for allergy-friendly baking or anyone following a plant-based diet. It’s a perfect “clean eating” swap that doesn’t feel like a compromise.
- No Coconut Flavor: As long as you use refined coconut oil, your crust will have a clean, neutral, buttery flavor that complements any filling, whether sweet or savory.
- It’s So Forgiving: Unlike butter, which has a very narrow temperature window, coconut oil dough is pliable and easy to work with. No more cracking, no more anxiety about melting. It’s genuinely hard to mess this up!
Ingredients
You only need four (yes, four) simple ingredients for a standard 9-inch pie crust.
- 1 ¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (or ¼ teaspoon table salt)
- ½ cup coconut oil (measured solid, at room temperature)
- 5 tablespoons ice water
How to Make This Easy Coconut Oil Pie Crust
Get ready, this comes together faster than you’d think!
Step 1: Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl (I prefer one with high sides to contain the flour), whisk together the all-purpose flour and salt. This small step is crucial because it ensures the salt is evenly distributed, allowing your entire crust to be perfectly seasoned.
Step 2: Cut in the Coconut Oil
This is the most critical step, and it’s where the magic happens! Add your room-temperature, solid coconut oil to the flour. It should be scoopable, like firm shortening, not liquid or melted.
You can use a pastry cutter, but I prefer using my hands. It gives you a much better feel for the texture. Work the coconut oil into the flour by rubbing it between your fingertips. You want to keep going until the entire mixture looks like fine, sandy breadcrumbs or wet sand.
This is key: Unlike butter crusts, where you want “pea-sized pieces,” for this coconut oil pastry dough, you want to incorporate it almost completely. This takes a few minutes of good old-fashioned elbow grease, but it’s what guarantees that tender, shortbread-like flakiness. Continue until no large chunks remain.
Step 3: Add the Water & Form the Dough
Drizzle the ice water over the flour mixture, one tablespoon at a time. After adding each tablespoon, gently toss the mixture with a fork. You’ll see it start to get shaggy and form clumps.
For the last tablespoon or two, ditch the fork and use your hands. Gently press and gather the dough together, pulling in all the dry, shaggy bits from the bottom of the bowl. Knead it very gently, just once or twice, inside the bowl until it forms a cohesive ball. Don’t overwork it! Shape it into a flat disk about 1 inch thick; this makes rolling it out so much easier.
Step 4: Roll Out the Dough (No Chilling!)
Here is the best part. You can roll this out immediately!
Lightly flour your clean countertop and your rolling pin. Place the dough disk in the center and start rolling outward from the center, applying even pressure. After every few rolls, I like to lift the dough with a bench scraper (or just my hands) and give it a quarter turn. This prevents sticking and helps you keep that round shape. If it feels sticky, add a tiny dusting more flour. This dough is incredibly forgiving and stretchy!
Keep rolling until you have a circle that’s about 13 inches in diameter. This will be plenty big for a standard 9-inch pie plate, with a generous overhang for crimping.
Step 5: Transfer to the Pie Plate
This part always makes me feel like a pro. Gently fold the rolled-out dough circle in half to create a half-moon. Carefully lift it and place it into your pie plate, lining up the folded edge with the center of the plate.
Unfold the dough and let it settle down into the plate. Don’t stretch it! Gently press it into the bottom and up the sides. You should have about 2 inches of overhang all around the edge. If some spots are too long, you can trim them and use the scraps to patch any short spots. This dough patches seamlessly.
Step 6: Create a Beautiful Edge
This is what gives your pie that gorgeous, finished look. Take the overhanging dough and tuck it up and under itself, all the way around the rim of the pie plate. This creates a thick, sturdy, double-layer edge that sits right on the rim. Take your time and smooth it out so it’s nice and even.
Step 7: Crimp and Finish
Now for the fun part! Use your fingers, a fork, or a fancy pastry tool to crimp or flute the edge. This crust holds its shape beautifully, so your design will look amazing after baking.
From here, you have options:
- For a filled pie (such as apple or pumpkin): Pour the filling directly into the pie and bake according to the recipe.
- To par-bake (for custard or cream pies): Prick the bottom and sides all over with a fork (this prevents it from puffing up). Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 10-12 minutes, or until just lightly golden.
- To freeze: You can freeze the unbaked crust right in the pie plate! Flash-freeze it for 30 minutes, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil. It’s freezer-friendly for up to 3 months.
Tips, Tricks, and Easy Variations
This recipe is pretty foolproof, but here are my top tips for ensuring success every time.
- Use Refined Coconut Oil: This is my #1 tip. Refined coconut oil has been processed to remove any coconut flavor or smell. It’s a neutral fat, perfect for baking. If you use unrefined (or virgin) coconut oil, your crust will have a distinct coconut flavor, which is delicious for something like a coconut cream pie, but maybe not what you want for a savory chicken pot pie.
- Check Your Oil Consistency: The recipe must be made with solid, room-temperature coconut oil. If your house is warm and your oil has turned to liquid, just pop the jar in the fridge for 30-60 minutes until it’s firm and scoopable again.
- The Parchment Paper Trick: If you’re nervous about rolling or transferring the dough, try this: roll the dough out between two large sheets of parchment paper. This means no floury mess, and you can peel off the top layer, flip the whole thing (parchment and all) over your pie plate, and then peel off the second layer. It’s so easy!
- Don’t Be Afraid of a Patch: If your dough tears or you get a thin spot, don’t panic! Just tear off a small piece from the overhang, press it into the hole, and smooth the edges with your finger. It will bake up perfectly.
- Troubleshooting: Crumbly Dough? If your dough feels too crumbly and won’t come together, it likely needs a little bit more water. Add more ice water, but only add it about ½ teaspoon at a time. It’s always easier to add more water than to remove it.
What to Serve With This Crust
The beauty of this coconut oil pie crust is its versatility. Because it’s neutral (and not sweet), it works for absolutely everything.
- Sweet Pies: This is my go-to for all the holiday classics. It’s the perfect flaky base for pumpkin pie, apple pie, pecan pie, or any fruit crumble. It’s the ultimate Vegan Thanksgiving secret weapon.
- Savory Pies: This crust makes the best savory coconut oil pie crust. Use it for a hearty chicken pot pie, a mushroom and leek quiche, or a tomato tart.
- Double-Crust Pies: Yes, this recipe can be easily doubled. Just make two separate batches (it’s easier to manage than one giant batch) and use one for the bottom and one for the top crust of a beautiful apple or cherry pie.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can coconut oil be used in a pie crust?
Absolutely! As this recipe shows, it’s an incredible fat for pie crust. It creates an exceptionally flaky and tender texture, making it a fantastic butter-free and allergy-friendly option for anyone who is dairy-free or vegan.
Can you use coconut oil as a substitute for shortening in a pie crust?
Yes, you can. You can typically swap coconut oil 1:1 for shortening in most pie crust recipes. The main difference is that coconut oil (even refined) has a richer, more “buttery” mouthfeel than shortening, which I personally think is a significant upgrade!
Can you use coconut oil instead of butter in pastry?
You bet! It’s one of the best vegan butter substitutes for pie crust. The most significant difference in technique is that you don’t need to chill the dough. Because coconut oil is firmer at room temperature than butter, the dough is ready to roll out right away, which saves you a significant amount of time.
You’ve Got to Try This!
I’m so excited for you to try this coconut oil pie crust recipe. It truly demystified pie-making for me and gave me a reliable, delicious, and easy vegan pie crust that I now make all the time, even when I’m not baking for dairy-free friends. It’s just that good.
When you try it, I’d love to hear your thoughts! What kind of pie did you make? Please drop a comment below and let me know how it went!
Happy baking!
