Vegan All-Butter Flaky Pie Crust - Easy to make!

This vegan pie crust recipe is flavorful, flaky, and made with vegan butter. When baked it has the most beautiful scrumptious golden color. It's perfect for making sweet and savory pies. Vegan All-Butter Flaky Pie Crust is also super quick and easy to make (especially when using a food processor), it requires only 4 ingredients, and it can also be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge, or freezer! Hellllooooo pie crust perfection! No need to buy a store-bought pie crust ever again.

I've already shared my recipe for my shortening based vegan pie crust, and while that recipe is still a favorite of mine, there were many requests for a pie crust recipe that doesn't require shortening. Not only is this recipe just as easy to make as my original version, but it is tender, easy to shape (even though I am terrible at making pretty pies), and full of delicious buttery flavor! These are my best tips for a delicious vegan pie crust:

• Vegan Butter (recommended for best flavor). Shortening is completely flavorless so when making a pie crust with shortening, it is pretty bland in flavor. To make a pie crust that is not only flaky but also rich in flavor, using vegan butter is key. And not just any vegan butter either! For this recipe, I recommend Earth Balance Original Buttery Spread. It has a perfect buttery taste and it is firm enough that it holds up in this recipe. (See recipe notes for more info).
• Keep everything cold! For the best flaky texture, you need to ensure everything is cold. Make sure your butter and plant-based milk are fridge cold, and I also recommend chilling your tools. Pop your bowl, pastry cutter, fork, or food processor blade in the fridge or freezer for a bit before using. Limit touching the dough as much as possible as your hands will warm the dough. I also recommend chilling the dough once it is formed, before rolling it. If the dough gets too warm it can make for a chewier pie crust, which isn't what we are going for!
• Use a Tea Towel. This is a tip I got from my Grandma. Use a smooth tea towel. A cotton one will work perfectly, just don't try this on terry cloth. Sprinkle the towel with a bit of flour. You are going to roll your dough out on top of the floured tea towel. I promise it won't stick as long as you flour it. This just makes it much easier to pick up the pastry and get it in the pie dish in one piece.
• Aquafaba (the liquid in a can of chickpeas). If you are making a double pie crust, and want the perfect golden color, I recommend generously brushing the top of the pie crust with aquafaba before baking. You won't taste any bean flavor, I promise. I find this helps achieve the best color. If making a sweet pie, you can optionally sprinkle the pie crust with sugar before baking for a little extra sparkle.

Questions about this Easy Vegan All-Butter Flaky Pie Crust:

• What can I use instead of shortening?
  • Good news! There is no shortening needed for this recipe. After publishing my original pie crust recipe which calls for shortening, I had many requests for a shortening-free version, so here is your answer.
• Is there a substitute for butter?
  • This recipe requires vegan butter, this is also called vegan margarine. When baking, my go-to vegan butter is always Earth Balance Orignal Buttery Spread (not sponsored). Different brands will work differently, so if you are able to get this butter, I can guarantee this recipe will work wonderfully for you. If this brand is not available to you, just try to find a vegan butter that stays relatively firm at room temperature. Anything that melts at room temperature (such as vegan butters that are high in coconut oil) will be very difficult to work with.
• Can I substitute oil for butter?
  • Not for this recipe. For the best buttery flavor and flaky texture, I recommend using vegan butter. There are definitely recipes for oil-based pie crusts, but instead of trying to adapt this recipe, for the best result, I recommend following a recipe specifically written for oil.
• How do you make vegan pie crust in the food processor?
  • It's super easy and is actually my favorite way to make pie crust. In this recipe, I include instructions for making pie crust in a bowl, or in a food processor. You can use your regular S-blade, and just follow the instructions below.

How to make Vegan Pie Crust:

Food processor method: Add the flour and sugar into the food processor and pulse a few times to mix. Scatter the vegan butter cubes over the flour and pulse several more times until the mixture is a crumbly sandy texture.

Bowl method: (Click here to see photos of the bowl method). Add the flour and sugar into a large bowl and whisk to combine. Scatter the vegan butter cubes over the flour and use a fork or pastry cutter to cute the butter into the flour until you reach a crumbly sandy texture.

Food processor method: Pour over the plant-based milk and pulse a few more times until you reach a shaggy dough but there is still some unmixed flour (don't over mix or the dough will become tough). Turn the dough onto a clean work surface and use your hands to gather everything into a ball of dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 20 minutes before continuing.

Bowl method: Drizzle the plant-based milk across the flour mixture and use the fork to combine, until you reach a shaggy dough but there is still some unmixed flour (don't over mix or the dough will become tough). Turn the dough onto a clean work surface and use your hands to gather everything into a ball of dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 20 minutes before continuing.

Turn the dough onto a clean work surface and use your hands to gather everything into a ball of dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 20 minutes before continuing.

To roll the dough: Spread a clean smooth tea towel over your work surface and lightly sprinkle flour over it. Unwrap your dough and place it in the center of the floured tea towel. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough until you have a rough circle that is several inches bigger than your pie dish, to allow room for the sides and edges of the crust. Use the tea towel to help you flip the dough into the pie dish. Use a knife to cut off the excess pastry around the edges. If there are any holes, fill them with some of the extra pieces. Pinch the edges to form a pretty pie crust.

If making a double pie crust, double this recipe. When rolling the dough, cut the dough ball in half and work with half of the dough at a time. You can use the second half of the dough to make the top layer. Before baking, brush the top generously with aquafaba, and optionally you can sprinkle it with sugar. This will ensure a nice golden brown crust.

Fill and bake your pie according to the pie recipes instructions you are following. This is the best dairy-free pie crust ever! It is perfect for my famous Easy Vegan Pumpkin Pie recipe, my Vegan Tourtiere (vegan meat pie), my Easy Vegan Butter Tarts, the Best Vegan Apple Pie Ever, or any other pie recipe you are following.

Isn't this vegan all-butter flaky pie crust a thing of beauty? I'm really not the best at latticework, but even with my messy technique it still turned out gloriously if I do say so myself. 🙂

Bon appetegan!

Sam Turnbull