Name: Flaky Einkorn Pie Crust
Prep time: 10 min
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups all-purpose einkorn flour (325g); 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt; 1 teaspoon sugar (optional); 1 cup frozen butter (230g); 6-8 tablespoons ice water; extra flour for dusting

Make this flaky einkorn pie crust for your next holiday party or for anytime of the year. Using only butter gives this pie crust a delicious flavor as well as a light and flaky texture. This pie crust is very easy to make and is so delicious!

Jump to Recipe

Flaky einkorn pie crust with a braided edge. Fall leave, extra flour and a wooden rolling pin on the table.

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This flaky einkorn pie crust is very versatile and can be used for pies of all kinds as well as quiche or chicken pot pie. Recently I made a quiche with this crust recipe for a baby shower and a get-together with friends. At both places I received complements on how tasty the crust was. As a society, we can often reach for the convenient pre-made crust from the grocery store. We forget how much better homemade crust really is.

Woman's hands forming pie dough into a round flat circle. On the work table is more pie dough, a wooden spoon and bench scraper, large pottery bowl and several fall leaves.

We are just a week away from Thanksgiving and it has me thinking about pie! Growing up I was never a pie person, but I have definitely grown to love pie, especially if the crust is delicious. Although I have made homemade pie crust before, it was during a time when I was gluten free and therefore used gluten free flour. I have been anxious to try and make a pie crust with einkorn flour for awhile. Einkorn flour is my all-purpose flour of choice especially when I’m not making it sourdough as it is naturally more digestible than other wheat flours.

After trying this recipe with einkorn flour, I knew it was a winner. This pie crust recipe is just so good! Although you can use regular all-purpose flour and it is still delicious, einkorn flour really adds such a nice flavor to the crust.

Einkorn Q&A?

What is Einkorn Flour?

Einkorn flour has been gaining in popularity over the last few years but is has been around for many thousands of years. It is believed to be the first wheat that was domesticated and cultivated dating back to biblical times. Although it is still wheat, it behaves a little differently in recipes than regular modern wheat flours do.

Is einkorn flour healthier than regular flour?

Many people consider einkorn to be healthier than modern wheat flours. Einkorn wheat has not been hybridized like modern wheat. It is mostly grown in other countries where they have much stricter laws against using glyphosate, so it is mostly free from chemicals. It is also higher in protein and has less carbohydrates. Einkorn is considered more nutritious because it also has higher levels of fat, phosphorus, potassium, pyridoxine and beta-carotene. But one of the biggest differences between Einkorn and other flours is its protein content. Einkorn has around 13-15 grams of protein, approximately 30% more than modern wheat flours (source).

Is einkorn flour gluten free?

I’ve heard this asked a lot and unfortunately the answer is No. It is still wheat and does contains gluten. However many people sensitive to other wheat flours can eat einkorn with no problem, especially if it is sourdough. Perhaps that is because it is grown without the use of glyphosate, or maybe because it has a weaker gluten structure. But it is always a good idea to be careful if you have had any pervious issues with gluten.

Can einkorn flour replace all-purpose flour?

I haven’t found a recipe that I couldn’t substitute regular flour with einkorn. I usually just swapped 1 – 1 in any recipe and then adjust it if needed. They have all turned out good and tasty! I do find that in some recipes increasing the flour is necessary.

Einkorn flour does absorb water more slowly, so it is a good idea to give your recipe time to rest if it seems too wet before adding any additional flour.

Where to buy einkorn flour?

Einkorn flour used to be hard to find but now it is more readily available at local health food stores like Whole Foods. I prefer to buy mine in bulk online and have it delivered to my house as I use it so much in baking.

You can find links for where to purchase Einkorn flour and Einkorn wheat berries below:

Tips For Baking With Einkorn

Don’t over mix Einkorn flour as it tends to make your baked goods more dense. Less is more in this case.
Einkorn takes longer to absorb liquids so be sure to give your dough or batter time to rest before adding in extra flour, shaping or baking.
There is a lot of conflicting information on whether to add more liquid or use less when converting a recipe. I’ve usually converted recipes with the same measurements, but it is probably best to start with less liquid and add more if needed. This is an area you might just have to use your best judgement.

Flaky Einkorn Pie Crust – Let’s Bake!

This recipe makes enough for two 9 inch pie crusts.

Supplies you will need

large mixing bowl
measuring cups and spoons
box grater (or food processor)
rolling pin
pie plate
ziplock bag

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups of all-purpose einkorn flour (325g)
1/2 teaspoon fine seas salt
1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
1 cup frozen butter (230g) – place into freezer for 24 hours.
6-8 tablespoons ice water
extra flour for dusting

Directions

Before beginning, make sure to put one cup of butter into the freezer for at least 24 hours.

Fill a cup with water and add ice cubes. Set aside until needed.

Woman with a green apron sprinkling pink salt into a large white ceramic bowl. Butter and ice water on the table.

Add all-purpose einkorn flour, salt and sugar (optional) to mixing bowl and lightly mix together.

Using a box grater, grate frozen butter into the flour. Lightly mix the grated butter into all the flour.

Woman's hand grating butter with a box grater into a large white ceramic bowl.

Woman's hands stirring flour, salt, grated butter in a large ceramic bowl.

Woman's hands sifting flour, salt and butter mixture through her hands into a large bowl.

Next, add in ice water, one tablespoon at a time, stirring between each until the dough just starts to come together. Be sure to not over do on the water. Squeeze the dough together until it forms into a ball. Handle the dough as little as possible.

Cut the dough in half and press into round flat circles. Place in a ziplock bag and put into the freezer for 1 hour or keep frozen until ready to use.

Woman's hands cutting formed pie dough into two pieces. Wooden spoon on the table with fall leaves and white ceramic bowl.

When ready to use, pull the dough out of the freezer. You might need to let the dough soften for a bit (but not too long) before you can roll it out.

Close up of round circle of pie dough with flour sprinkled on table and a rolling pin and pie plate on the right side and fall leaves on the left.

On a lightly floured surface roll out dough with a rolling pin into a 12 inch circle. Be sure to add more flour if it starts to stick to the counter. Move dough to 9 inch pie pan and gently push into the edges of the pan. Cut off excess dough around edges.

Close up of woman rolling out pie dough with a wooden rolling pin. Large brown fall oak leaves on the table.

Close up of woman cutting edge of pie crust off with a knife.

Close up of woman's hand crimping the edges of the pie crust.

Add in your filling and roll out and place on the top of the pie crust. Cut off the excess dough around the edges. Skip step if not adding top crust.

To shape the edges, use your fingers, a spoon or fork, or braid the extra to create a beautiful design. If using top crust, poke holes into the top to allow any air to escape while baking.

Pie crust placed into pie plate with extra pie dough rolled and cut into a large rectangular and three long thin strips of pie crust braided and a wooden rolling pin.

Baking Tips:

Always keep some butter in the freezer for making pie crust or biscuits.
Keeping the dough cold is really important, so handle the dough as little as possible.
I like to turn my dough over and flour my surface a few times as I’m rolling it out. It keeps the dough from sticking to the counter.

Make Ahead Tips

To freeze dough: form the dough into round flat circles and wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in ziplock bags. This can be pulled out of the freezer and allowed to soften on the counter for a few minutes before rolling out. Keeps well in freezer if sealed tightly.

What to make with your flaky einkorn pie crust

Here are some ideas of how to use your pie crust.

Sweet pies – apple pie, pumpkin pie
No bake pies – chocolate pie, peanut butter pie, lemon meringue pie
Savory pies – quiche, chicken pot pie
Hand pies and pop tarts

More Einkorn Flour Recipes

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies with Einkorn Flour

Einkorn Banana Bread Recipe

Close up of braided edge of pie crust with wooden rolling pin in upper left corner.

Flaky Einkorn Pie Crust

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Dinner

Keyword Einkorn, Pie, Thanksgiving

Prep Time 10 minutes

Servings 2 9-inch pie crusts

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose einkorn flour 325g
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon sugar optional
1 cup frozen butter 230g
6-8 tablespoons ice water
extra flour for dusting

Instructions

Add all-purpose einkorn flour, salt and sugar (optional) to mixing bowl and lightly mix together.
Using a box grater, grate frozen butter into the flour. Lightly mix the grated butter into all the flour.
Next, add in ice water, one tablespoon at a time, stirring between each until the dough just starts to come together. Be sure to not over do on the water.
Squeeze the dough together until it forms into a ball. It will still feel a little dry. Handle the dough as little as possible.
Cut the dough in half and press into round flat circles. Place in a ziplock bag and put into the freezer for 1 hour or keep frozen until ready to use.
When ready to use, pull the dough out of the freezer. You might need to let the dough soften for a bit (but not too long) before you can roll it out.
On a lightly floured surface roll out dough with a rolling pin into a 12 inch circle. Be sure to add more flour if it starts to stick to the counter. Move dough to 9 inch pie pan and gently push into the edges of the pan. Cut off excess dough around edges.
Add in your filling and roll out and place on the top of the pie crust. Cut off the excess dough around the edges. Skip step if not adding top crust.
To shape the edges, use your fingers, a spoon or fork, or braid the extra to create a beautiful design. If using top crust, poke holes into the top to allow any air to escape while baking.

Recipe Notes

Always keep some butter in the freezer for making pie crust or biscuits. Freeze for at least 24 hrs.
Keeping the dough cold is really important, so handle the dough as little as possible.
I like to turn my dough over and flour my surface a few times as I’m rolling it out. It keeps the dough from sticking to the counter.

Flaky Einkorn Pie Crust