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. Not Easy.
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 and can be elegant.
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. Very little sugar, pinch of spice and an egg white to bind the crust together when baking. This 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.
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 if planning to use it for a pie filling that is not in need of baking; 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 in 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.
Ingredients
- Nuts
- Oats
- Spelt flour
- Butter
- Sugar
- Cardamom or desired spice
- Salt
- Egg White
Equipment
- Food processor
- Pie baking dish
Easy No-Roll Pie Crust
Course: Dessert, PiesCuisine: DessertDifficulty: Easy8
servingsA cookie-like pie crust of crushed pecans, oats, butter and an egg white, that simply gets pressed into the baking dish in minutes.
Ingredients
Pecans – 1 cup, or other nuts
Oats – 1 cup
Spelt flour – 3/4 cup
Butter – 6 tablespoons
Sugar – 1/4 cup
Cardamom – 1/4 teaspoon, or other spices
Salt – 1/2 teaspoon
Egg white – 1
Directions
- In a food processor, crush the pecans and oats.
- Add the spelt flour, sugar and salt and pulse.
- 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 spelt 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.
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.
