Vegan, Gluten-Free, and Paleo Pie Crust

Loved this recipe! So easy and delicious. With Canadian Thanksgiving at the time of this recipe testing, I decided to give this paleo pie crust a try for pumpkin pie. What I really like about this recipe is the versatility and customization. You can use any combination of nuts and seeds. I love pecans, walnuts, and Brazil nuts, so I used those and since I was making pumpkin pie I added some pumpkin seeds as well for a total 1 1/2 cups. For the sweetener I used about 8 Medjool dates. I also added 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, a pinch freshly grated nutmeg, salt, and vanilla. Everything came together very easily in the food processor. At first I used the pulse function and then just let the machine run a couple of minutes. When I tried pressing the mixture together to check for how well it binded, my mixture was a bit more on the dry side so I added another date and that worked. Pressing the crumble into the pie pan was easy. I started working at the sides and then pressed in the middle. At first I used my hands, but then used the back of a spoon to get a smooth, even surface. I poured in the pumpkin pie mixture and baked it. Unfortunately, the exposed crust burnt in the baking process. I guess the fat from the nuts and sugar from the dates contributed to this and I never thought it would be an isssue. But now that I have experienced this, I will cover the crust midway with aluminum foil in the future. The nuttiness of the crust went very well with the pumpkin pie and having a non-grain crust option was great! I can’t wait to try this crust with an crumble fruit pie. I think apples will be next!

If you have people with dietary restrictions coming to visit, this paleo pie crust ticks off a lot of checkboxes. Vegan, raw, paleo, gluten-free. If you are dealing with nut allergies, well, you may be SOL. This crust is based on a standard that’s been used among the raw food types for years. And there’s a good reason for this—it works. For my test of this recipe, I used a combination of hazelnuts and pecans. I used Medjool dates for the sweetener and binder. When you blend it all together in the food processor, be patient. It might take a little longer to come together than you expect, but you will be rewarded with a better crust. This crust is great for certain types of pies, but it can’t do everything. It will work wonderfully with a cheesecake or a no-bake pumpkin pie. It won’t work for a double crust pie or lattice pie. Anywhere you might use a crust made of graham crackers or crushed cookies, this crust will shine, and probably even be superior. So plan accordingly. Since the crust is vegan and raw, I used it for a vegan and raw key lime pie, and it was perfect for that application. You can also flavor this crust with extracts, citrus zest, or a little coconut mixed in. I used this in a 9-inch pie pan and had a little left over. The amount would be sufficient for a 10-inch tart pan. That’s a good thing.

If you want something to satisfy your paleo cravings for pies, this is your ticket. I used deluxe mixed nuts from the local bulk store, unsalted and unroasted. It was a mix of pistachios, peanuts, walnuts, almonds, and Brazil nuts. I put my crust mix into a square tart tin to make cheesecake. I prebaked the crust for 10 minutes to set it before filling it. It held up really well, and I can’t wait to try it again. I know I’ll be making it in the future, and I want to see how it does with brown rice syrup as the binder in place of dates.

This paleo pie crust is a super easy recipe to make. Time-wise, It took me 10 minutes from beginning to end. I decided to make it with 3/4 pecans and 1/4 Brazil nuts. For the binder, I used dates, as I love how they give the perfect amount of sweetness. And for those worried that they may not like dates, do not fret, as I absolutely avoid eating them on their own, but when puréed and mixed with nuts, the taste does not translate into the final product. I decided first to grind the nuts on their own. Once that was done, I added the dates and the vanilla extract. The final product was a nice thick paste mixture that was very easy to spread on the pan. I used this to make my go-to cheesecake, and it worked beautifully. I would also advise placing it in the oven for about 10 minutes at 350°F—just long enough to help it settle and dry a bit. Then let the crust cool prior to using it. Once the cheesecake was made, most people did not even realize the crust was nut-based. It kept its shape well, without crumbling, when I was slicing it.