Gluten-free shortcrust and pie crust: fat, binder and chilling
In wheat pastry, cooks work to keep gluten from developing, because too much makes the crust tough. In gluten-free pastry the problem is the opposite. There is no gluten to stretch, so the dough has little elasticity, tears when rolled and cracks when lifted. Shortcrust and pie pastry are among the more forgiving things to make gluten-free, because they were never meant to be stretchy, but they need a different approach. The dough must be held together by a binder, kept cold enough to handle, and treated gently. This guide covers the fat, the binder, chilling, rolling, patching, blind baking and the usual causes of cracking.
What shortcrust needs
Shortcrust is flour, fat and a small amount of liquid. The fat coats the flour and makes the baked crust crisp and crumbly, which is what the word short means in pastry. The liquid brings the dough together. In a gluten-free version, three things change: the flour, the way the dough is held together, and how much you handle it.
- Flour: a gluten-free all-purpose blend made for baking works well, and a blend that already contains a binder such as xanthan gum is the easiest start. Our guide to flour blends explains the pattern behind them. A single flour such as rice or buckwheat alone gives a sandy, brittle dough.
- Fat: solid fat gives the best crust. Chilled dairy-free block butter, vegan baking sticks, white vegetable shortening and solid coconut oil all work. Soft tub spreads contain a good deal of water and give a softer, less crisp pastry.
- Liquid: cold water, or cold plant milk, added a little at a time. Some recipes use a splash of vinegar or lemon juice, which a few cooks like for tenderness, but it is optional.
- Binder: xanthan gum, psyllium husk or ground flax holds the dough together where gluten would. See the guide to xanthan gum alternatives for how they differ.
A little sugar helps browning and a pinch of salt helps flavour. For a savoury pie, leave the sugar out or reduce it.
Fat and binder choices
| Fat | Effect on the crust | Points to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Vegan block butter or baking sticks | Good flavour, crisp and tender crust | Softens quickly in a warm kitchen. Keep it cold. |
| White vegetable shortening | Very tender, holds shape in the oven | Little flavour of its own. Check the label if you avoid palm oil. |
| Solid refined coconut oil | Crisp, short crust, neutral flavour if refined | Melts at a low temperature, so work fast and chill well. |
| Soft tub spread | Softer, less crisp crust | Contains water, so the dough may need less added liquid. |
| Liquid oil | Tender, but crumbly and hard to roll | Usually suits a press-in tart base better than a rolled crust. |
The binder matters more than usual here, because pastry has little water and the fat gets in the way. Xanthan gum is the common choice and is often already in the flour blend. Psyllium husk and ground flax can stand in; they are covered in our guide to xanthan gum alternatives. A binder works only when it meets water, so stir it into the flour first so it spreads evenly, then add the cold liquid.
Mixing and chilling
The usual method is to rub or cut the cold fat into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs, then add the liquid a spoonful at a time until the dough comes together when squeezed. Gluten-free flours absorb liquid more slowly than wheat flour, so the dough often seems dry at first and then becomes soft after a rest. Give it a few minutes before adding more water.
Chilling does two jobs. It firms the fat, which makes the dough easier to roll, and it gives the flour time to absorb the water, which makes the dough less crumbly. Wrap the dough as a flat disc and chill it for at least half an hour before rolling. After rolling and lining the tin, chill again before baking, which helps the sides keep their shape.
If the dough is stiff from the fridge, let it stand at room temperature for a few minutes until it bends without snapping. Too cold and it cracks, too warm and the fat smears.
Rolling between sheets
Gluten-free pastry sticks to surfaces and tears when lifted. The easiest solution is to roll the dough between two sheets of baking parchment or cling film, so nothing sticks and you never add extra flour to the dough.
- Place the chilled disc between two sheets of parchment.
- Roll from the centre outwards, turning the whole sandwich a quarter turn now and then so the thickness stays even.
- Aim for a thickness of a few millimetres. Thin crusts are more fragile, and thick ones can be doughy.
- Peel off the top sheet, lay the tin upside down over the dough, then flip tin and sheet together.
- Peel off the second sheet and press the dough into the corners with your fingers.
If the dough cracks around the edge as you roll, it is probably too cold. Leave it for a few minutes and press the cracks together.
Why the dough cracks, and patching
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Cracks while rolling | Dough too cold, or too dry | Let it warm for a few minutes. Work in a teaspoon of cold water if it stays dry. |
| Tears when lifting | Too thin, or no binder | Roll thicker, use sheets to lift, and check the flour blend contains a binder. |
| Crumbles when cut | Too little liquid or too much fat | Add liquid gradually. Measure by weight if you can. |
| Shrinks or slumps in the oven | Dough not chilled before baking | Chill the lined tin before it goes into the oven. |
| Cracks in the baked shell | Overbaked, or a thin spot | Patch before filling; see below. |
Patching is normal practice, not a failure. Gluten-free pastry is easy to repair, because the dough has no gluten to resist being pressed together. Press a small piece of spare dough into the gap with a wet fingertip and smooth it over. Keep a handful of spare dough for this when you trim the edge. A hole in a shell that will hold a wet filling can be patched before baking and again after blind baking, since a leaking filling soaks a crust. Many cooks press the dough into the tin with their fingers instead of rolling it, which avoids tears altogether, though the crust may be less even.
Blind baking
Blind baking means baking the shell before the filling goes in, so a wet filling does not make the bottom soggy. Gluten-free shells benefit from it, particularly for custard, fruit and quiche fillings. Prick the base with a fork, line the shell with parchment, and fill it with baking beans or uncooked rice or other weights. Bake until the edges are set and just starting to colour, then lift out the weights and paper and return the shell to the oven to dry the base. Oven temperatures and times vary, so follow the recipe you are using and judge by colour and firmness.
For very wet fillings, many recipes seal the warm base with a thin barrier, for example brushed-on melted dairy-free chocolate for a sweet tart, or a brushed layer of mustard or a scattering of ground nuts for a savoury one, to act as a barrier. Let the shell cool slightly before adding the filling.
Gluten-free pastry browns differently from wheat pastry, and some doughs stay pale. A brush of plant milk or a little oil before baking helps colour. Cool pie and tart crusts fully on a rack, since the starch firms as it cools and the crust crisps up.
Labels and cross-contact
Check the flour blend, the vegan butter and any added flavourings for gluten, and keep rolling boards, parchment and tins clean of wheat flour. Dusting a worktop or rolling pin with wheat flour is a common route to contamination. For anyone with coeliac disease, take advice from a coeliac society or clinician, and read the label every time.
What this guide is based on
- That gluten gives wheat dough elasticity, that cold solid fat gives a short, crisp crust, and that chilling and rolling between sheets make gluten-free dough easier to handle, is general baking knowledge.
- No weights, fat ratios, oven temperatures or bake times are given, because recipes and flour blends differ. Follow the recipe you are using. We have not baked each combination for this guide, and none of the guidance comes from our own testing.
- Which fat or binder suits which crust is a judgement from how the ingredients generally behave.
- Allergy and coeliac statements are general. Read labels and ask a coeliac society, doctor or dietitian about your own needs.