14" Gluten Free Pie Recipe

Prep chilling and dry mix

Place a 14-inch pie plate or two 9–10 inch pie pans (to equal 14" coverage) in the refrigerator to chill. Line a work surface with parchment and chill your mixing bowl and pastry blender/beaters for 10 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk together the 4 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour blend, 1/2 cup almond flour, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon fine sea salt until evenly distributed.

Cut in fats

Add the 1 1/4 cups cold unsalted butter cubes and 1/2 cup cold vegetable shortening to the dry mix. Using a pastry cutter, two forks, or a food processor pulse method, cut the fats into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal with pea-sized pieces of butter remaining (about 8–12 pulses in a processor or 6–8 minutes by hand). Keep everything cold—if it begins to warm, chill the bowl for 10 minutes and continue.

Add liquid

Mix 3/4 cup ice water with 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar. Drizzle 3/4 of this liquid mixture over the flour/fat mixture and gently fold with a flexible spatula until dough starts to hold together but is still slightly crumbly. Add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, only as needed until dough holds when squeezed (you should still see some flecks of butter). Do not overwork.

Form and chill

Turn the dough out onto lightly floured parchment and press together into a single disk about 8–9 inches across (for a single 14" crust you can make a single larger disk; if using two pans divide into two disks). Wrap tightly in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour (up to 48 hours) to hydrate the gluten-free flours and keep the butter firm.

Roll and fit

Remove dough from refrigerator and let rest 5–10 minutes if too firm. On a large piece of parchment lightly dusted with gluten-free flour, roll the dough from center outward to a roughly 20–22 inch diameter (for a 14" rim and overhang) working gently to avoid cracking. Carefully transfer dough to your chilled 14-inch pie plate (or crimp together two fitted pieces in two pans). Trim to 1–1.5 inches overhang and fold under to create a rim. Crimp or flute the edge as desired. If dough cracks, press and patch with extra bits. Chill again 20 minutes before filling.

Egg wash (optional) and par-bake

If the recipe benefits from a par-baked shell (recommended for juicy fillings): Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line the crust with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Brush exposed rim lightly with the beaten egg if using. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove weights and parchment and bake 8–10 more minutes until rim is lightly golden. Cool slightly before adding filling. If making a fully baked fruit pie, you can add filling to the raw chilled crust and bake as instructed below.

Prepare berries

If using fresh berries, rinse and drain well; if using frozen, do not thaw completely (partial thaw is fine). In a large bowl, combine 8 cups mixed berries with 1 cup granulated sugar, 3/4 cup cornstarch, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Toss gently until berries are evenly coated and cornstarch begins to cling.

Assemble pie

Spoon the berry filling into the chilled (or par-baked) 14-inch crust, spreading evenly. Dot the top of the fruit with the 2 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into small pieces. If you have a top crust or lattice, roll remaining dough to fit, place over the fruit, seal and crimp edges, and cut vents for steam. Brush top crust with beaten egg (optional) and sprinkle coarse sugar over the top.

Bake

Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C). Place the filled pie on a rimmed baking sheet to catch drips. Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking 35–50 minutes until filling is bubbling through vents and crust is golden. If the crust rim browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil after 25–30 minutes. Total bake time will vary depending on depth of filling; aim for bubbling and set filling.

Cool and finish

Remove pie from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for at least 3 hours (better: 4–6 hours) so the filling sets. This is especially important with a cornstarch-thickened gluten-free filling. Serve slices with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Before serving, sprinkle the crust edge or top lightly with 1–2 teaspoons coarse sugar if desired for sparkle. Slice with a sharp serrated knife (wipe between cuts for clean slices) and serve each slice with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream (about 4 servings of accompaniment).