This easy vegan pie crust has been my go-to recipe for decades. It is flaky, flavorful and so easy to work with that it will change your mind about making your own crust.
This Vegan Pie Crust Started in Yankee Magazine
I found the non-vegan version of this recipe in the New England Cook’s section of Yankee magazine in 1982. I was newly married that year and was cooking for the holidays and I decided to make pies. What sold me on the recipe was the last sentence. “This is foolproof.” Let me tell you, it is. It is the only recipe I have ever used.
Don’t Be Afraid of Crust!
I had no idea that so many people are afraid of crust! I remember a conversation with my Aunt Barbara, one of the best cooks ever, about her pies. She winked at me and told me that she always just bought prepared crusts. I almost fell over! I was brand new to baking pies and I thought that the crust was the easiest part, all because of this recipe.
Making Vegan Pie Crust Yourself Is Best
Now, to be real, pie crust is not health food and it is not intended to be. However, making your own with organic ingredients is not only cheaper, it avoids the additives and preservatives and all the packaging in commercially available pie crust. This makes it a bit healthier for you and definitely for the planet.
The essential ingredients for your perfect, vegan pie crust
Making This Foolproof Vegan Pie Crust Is Easy
The recipe is super simple. It’s a short list of ingredients and just a few steps. One of them is rolling the crust in between waxed paper which was my brainstorm, soon after I started making crust, and a method I have used for decades since then. I highly recommend it and demonstrate it in the video below. Trust me, you will never again be pulling your crust off your work surface with the rolling pin.
Whether you are making pies, tarts, or quiche, this recipe will be your go-to as well. The recipe below is a two-crust (top and bottom) recipe. So, if you only need one crust, like for a quiche, you can wrap half of it tightly and freeze for later use.
Watch Georgia Demonstrate Making Vegan Pie Crust, Step-By-Step
This easy vegan pie crust has been my go-to recipe for decades. It is flaky, flavorful and so easy to work with that it will change your mind about making your own crust.
Ingredients
Scale
2 cups all-purpose flour, preferably organic
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup vegan shortening (I use Nutiva or Spectrum)
2 Tbs vegan butter (Earth Balance sticks), melted
5 Tbs cold water
1 Tbs vinegar (white or apple cider vinegar)
Instructions
Mix the flour and salt.
Cut in the shortening and melted butter and combine until the mixture is like coarse crumbs.
Combine the water and vinegar and then add to the mixture.
Form into a ball and chill.
Roll out to form 2 crusts. (check out my technique on the video)
This is foolproof. 🙂
Notes
This is the perfect crust to use for our delicious pies and quiches like:
Georgia is an unpretentious foodie who, at 50, transitioned from a vegetarian diet to a whole foods plant based diet and is loving it. She works as a nurse, plays as a quilter, loves to run, hates to race.
She thinks dogs are actually angels (in dog suits).
Hi Nora,
Do you mean what would be equivalent products? You can try ordering the Nutiva shortening from their website, but I’m not sure if they ship to Europe. I think that, in the UK, vegetable shortening is sold under the brand names Trex, Flora White or Cookeen. You may be able to find those products where you live. The key, of course, is finding it vegetable-based, as opposed to lard (which is an animal product). I hope this helps!
Thanks for visiting the blog and let us know how you like the pie crust!
OMG!! This looks fabulous, my kids are gonna love it. Thank you soo much!!
Hi Amy!
Thank you SO much! Let us know how your kids like it (and you, too, of course, lol).
Hi, looks great. Would you know what is the European equivalent to shortening please? Thank you 😊
Hi Nora,
Do you mean what would be equivalent products? You can try ordering the Nutiva shortening from their website, but I’m not sure if they ship to Europe. I think that, in the UK, vegetable shortening is sold under the brand names Trex, Flora White or Cookeen. You may be able to find those products where you live. The key, of course, is finding it vegetable-based, as opposed to lard (which is an animal product). I hope this helps!
Thanks for visiting the blog and let us know how you like the pie crust!