This easy no-roll pie crust has a cookie-like texture, made of crushed nuts, oats, butter and an egg white, that simply gets pressed into the baking dish in minutes.
Ordinary Pie Crusts
Most often an ordinary pie crust is made of all-purpose flour and butter or some other type of fat and a drizzle of this or that to bind it together.
Surely that type of pie crust needs to be rolled out on a flat surface with more flour, so as not to stick to the rolling pin or surface.
Then, the trick is to get the dough into the pie pan. Ugh, often not easy, especially for a novice baker.
Experience teaches us the importance of working quickly with ordinary pie crust, in that you must work quickly with a cold dough.
With experience and hopefully not a hot summer day, this type of pie crust can be mastered, is cookie-like delicious and a little rustic looking.
No-Roll Pie Crust
Undeniably, I’ve baked most of my life and am confident in working with an ordinary pie crust.
Not all of my loved ones or friends are. Therefore, they stray away from baking pies.
I created this no-roll pie crust with ingredients that would make a successful pie crust each and every time.
First, once the nuts, and oats are crushed in a food processor, they are turned into a grain and protein rich flour.
Subsequently, I add a little spelt flour to finish the balance of flours needed. Never using the sticky gluten of all-purpose flour.
Lastly, butter is then added, though coconut oil works well too.
For an added measure of sweetness, very little sugar is added; can be a variety of types of sugar or even sugar substitutes.
Finally, a pinch of spice and an egg white to bind the crust together when baking, which makes for a rustic yet cookie-like crust.
Easy Pie Crust Preparation
Once the pie crust comes together in the food processor, forming a ball, it gets pressed into the pie pan. That’s about it!
The dough spreads easily around the pan, you need only to wiggle it up the sides with your fingers and crimp the edges just as you would any pie crust.
Being a big fan of fun kitchen tools, I found a fun tool I use often that looks like a child’s toy.
Looks like something they might use to shape clay or play doh. It’s really just a wooden wheel that works dough into tiny corners.
I am big on kitchen toys and while this kitchen toy smooths the bottom of the pie crust it isn’t necessary. Using a fork to press the bottom and sides works just fine.
After all, a pie filling is going into this lovely crust so no one will see the bottom except you. I’m just quirky like that!
Nut Flour Pie Crust
There was a time, when I was growing up, nut flours were never to be found in the grocery store.
Henceforth, if we wanted nuts to be used in a crumble or as a flour, we had to smash the heck out of the nuts.
Remembering the fun, as a kid, to wrap the nuts in a dish towel, and smash with a mallet or hammer.
With a food processor, blender or spice grinder, it’s easy to grind nuts into a powdery flour that makes a scrumptious, cookie-like, rustic pie crust.
Baking A No-Roll Pie Crust
There is no need to pre-bake/blind-bake this pie crust; simply fill and bake until the pie filling is cooked to your specifications.
You can however, bake this pie crust when planning to use for a pie filling that is not in need of baking.
Simpilcally one such as a pudding, or precooked custard or even an ice cream pie.
Should you want this pie crust pre-baked, simply blind-bake as you would any other pie crust.
Line the inside of the crust with parchment paper, pour dried beans (or ceramic), into the crust to hold it down, and bake until crisp and firm.
Fillings For A No-roll Pie Crust
Just about any pie filling that tastes good with nuts, oats, butter and a splash of sugar is going to bake beautifully in this crust.
As for me, I could just bake the crust and eat it like a giant cookie but let me tell you the variety of fillings I have baked in this crust.
- Sweet Potato Pie – spiced with bourbon, in a buttery rich pecan and oat quick cookie-like crust is easy enough for novice bakers!
- Fig Tart – the very same tart I made in the finale of The Great American Recipe on PBS, with mascarpone and orange blossom custard, topped with lots of fresh figs.
- Blueberry Orange Blossom Cream – are simply lots of blueberries layered over a thin orange blossom custard, baked as individual portions.
- Winter Fruit Pie – with an array of dried fruits, nuts, warm spices and rum for the perfect winter pie; heavy in flavor and a little bit boozy.
- Bourbon Pecan Tarts – are loaded with pecans, both in the pie crust and filling; which is a bit boozy with good ole southern Bourbon.
An Easy Pie Crust Hack For Individual Pies
I’ve become a huge fan of making individual size pies and tarts, simply because they are the right portion and easy to serve.
Using the lid of a wide-mouth Mason jar is all you need and they are very affordable to own many of them.
Think about a gathering like a bridal or baby shower, or a family reunion where each guest can serve themself, unlike a messy large pie.
Ingredients
- Nuts
- Oats
- Spelt flour – which I use now more than wheat flour.
- Butter
- Sugar
- Cardamom or desired spice
- Salt
- Egg White
Equipment
- Food processor
- Pie baking dish
Easy No-Roll Pie Crust
Equipment
- Food processor
- Pie pan
Ingredients
- 1 cup Pecans or nut of choice
- 1 cup Rolled Oats
- 3/4 cup Spelt flour or all purpose flour
- 6 tbsp Butter cold and cut into pieces
- 1/4 cup Sugar brown sugar or white sugar
- 1/4 tsp Cardamom or cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- Egg white lightly whisked
Instructions
- In a food processor, crush the pecans and oats until they start to form a flour consistency.
- Add the spelt flour, sugar and salt and pulse to incorporate.
- Add the butter, cut into small pieces first and the egg that has been slightly whisked.
- Run the processor until the mixture forms a ball. If sticky, add more flour, if dry, drizzle a few drops of water.
- Press the dough into the pie dish, working the dough up the edges and flat on the bottom. Crimp the edges as you would any pie crust.
- The crust is ready to fill and bake as your filling recipe call for. If blind baking, fill with ceramic weights or beans and bake at 350 degrees for about 15-18 minutes.
I believe the table... that place that draws people to gather, is the most powerful symbol of togetherness. All that happens before the table is set, the planning, the gathering, the preparing, are all an intricate part of the dance that create the mood of celebration to share with friends and loved ones.