Recipe Test: Quinoa Pie Crust

Pie crust. Is delicious.  A good pie crust is an art to make. It is also usually made up of butter (or lard), refined flour, and a little sugar. Not the healthiest vehicle for the delicious filling inside! But it tastes lovely, kind of like a cookie.

Usually there are two options when making a crust:

1. Cookie Crust

            Cookies crumbled with extra added oil and sugar. 

2. Traditional Dough Crust

            Refined flour and butter (or lard)

Upon stumbling across this recipe, I was intrigued that maybe pie crust could be revolutionized. 

The ratio of oil to flour for this recipe is less than many cookies or cakes. Plus, its grain free, high in protein, sugar free (if you so desire), and anything else? 

When baked, it produces a crumbly and tender crust that is sturdy enough for a filling yet tender like a cookie. I was so excited! My mind started zooming off to the possibilities. 

So grab your quinoa flour and run to the kitchen!

Quinoa Pie Crust

Adapted from 84thand3rd

Makes 1 personal crust

Prep time: 7 minutes

Bake time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

Dry

   1/4 C. Quinoa Flour (Make your own)

   1/8 Tsp. Baking Soda

   Tiny Pinch of Salt
   Sweetener*

Wet

   1 Tbs. Coconut Oil

   2 Tsp. Water

   1/2 Tsp. Vanilla Extract

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Farenheit. 

2. Mix dry ingredients. Add the coconut oil to the middle of the flour mixture and pour the  water and vanilla over the coconut oil. 

3. "Chop" the coconut oil into the flour until its combined. The dough should be crumbly.

4. Pour the dough into a pan. (I didn't need to grease my pan at all, but feel free to.)

5. Press into desired form. 

6. Bake until edges and center has turned slightly golden (about 10 minutes).

*I was fine with no sweetener. If you prefer sweeter desserts, feel free to add up to a half a Tbs. of dry sweetener. I haven't tested this and cannot vouch for the results. 

Let cool, fill and enjoy! 

<<This is what the dough should look like after mixing.

I used a mini tart pan and created a nice thick crust. I prefer a thicker crust, but if you prefer a thinner one, feel free to use two tart pans!

Enjoy!