If you’re looking for the perfect crust for any fall-flavored pie or cheesecake, this vegan gingerbread pie crust is just what you need. It’s easy to make with only five ingredients and is so delicious that no one will believe it is vegan.
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I always struggle with pie crusts, but this one is so easy to make, and the texture is perfect. It holds together well and has a lovely gingerbread flavor which allows you to get into the fall spirit without having to rely on pumpkin spice for everything.
For more holiday dishes, check out my vegan lentil loaf, hearty vegan beef stew, and this delicious veggie pot pie.
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❤️ Why you’ll love it
I adore how simple and versatile this gingerbread pie crust recipe is. It uses oat flour and nut meal, which is simply ground walnuts or pecans. These two ingredients are gluten-free and add a lovely, nutty flavor to the crust.
Plus, cinnamon and ginger not only give this crust a warm, cozy flavor but also make it perfect for the holiday season. I love how the spices complement the sweet, maple syrup or molasses used in this recipe. It is a simple, yet delicious, crust that will take your pies to the next level.
This crust is also incredibly easy to make. You just have to mix all the ingredients together, roll out the dough, and it is ready to use. It is a no-fuss recipe that is perfect for beginner bakers or anyone looking for a simple, yet tasty, pie crust.
👩🍳 Instructions
Preparing the ingredients
STEP 1
Start by making a flax or chia egg. To do this, combine 2 tablespoons of ground flax or chia seeds with 6 tablespoons of fresh water in a small bowl. Stir well and set it aside. This mixture will thicken within a minute.
STEP 2
Next, prepare the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine the oat flour, ground nuts, cinnamon, and ginger. Mix these ingredients together until they are well combined.
🧾 Key ingredients
This gingerbread pie crust is made with simple, plant-based ingredients that you can easily find in your pantry or at your local grocery store. You may even have most of these ingredients on hand already.
Oat flour is the star of this pie crust. It is hearty and adds a delicious, oaty flavor to the crust. You can make your oat flour by blending rolled oats in a food processor or blender until they reach a flour-like consistency.
Nut meal, made from ground walnuts or pecans, is another key ingredient. It adds a nutty flavor and a slightly crumbly texture to the crust.
Maple syrup or molasses adds a touch of sweetness to the crust while keeping it vegan. Molasses will also give the crust a darker color and a more intense gingerbread flavor.
Ground flax or ground chia seeds act as a binder in this recipe. When mixed with water, they form a gel-like consistency that helps hold the crust together.
Ginger and cinnamon are the quintessential gingerbread spices in this recipe. They add warmth and a subtle spiciness to the crust, making it perfect for holiday pies.
🛒 You can find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
🥘 Equipment
For this gingerbread pie crust recipe, a good food processor is an essential piece of equipment. It helps to quickly and evenly combine the ingredients, especially the nut meal and oat flour, resulting in a smooth, uniform dough.
Making the gingerbread pie crust
STEP 1
Now, it’s time to make the pie crust. In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients with the prepared flax or chia egg. Add the maple syrup to this mixture.
STEP 2
Using your hands, mix all the ingredients together until they form a ball. The dough should no longer stick to the sides of the bowl. If it is too sticky, add 1 tablespoon of oat flour to the mixture.
STEP 3
Once the dough is ready, you can roll it out immediately to use as a pie crust. Alternatively, you can store it for later use. Simply place the dough in an airtight container or wrap it in plastic wrap to store it in the fridge overnight.
💡 Expert tip
The key to this gingerbread pie crust is the texture of the dough. Make sure to mix the ingredients until the dough no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl. This will give you a pliable dough that is easy to work with and results in a perfectly crisp crust.
🔄 Variations
Try adding some warmth with a touch of nutmeg. This will give your gingerbread pie crust a more complex and aromatic flavor, perfect for holiday pies.
If you prefer a sweeter crust, consider increasing the amount of maple syrup. This will not only make the crust sweeter but also add a bit of caramel-like flavor, which goes well with the spices.
For a gluten-free version, ensure that your oat flour and nut meal are certified gluten-free. This will make the crust entirely gluten-free while keeping it delicious and healthy.
🥣 Serving ideas
This gingerbread pie crust is incredibly versatile and can be used in a variety of different vegan pie recipes.
It goes great with apple filling, like in my apple crisp pie. The warm spices in the crust complement the sweetness of the apples, making for a delicious and comforting dessert.
It can also be used with pumpkin filling for a classic fall dessert. The gingerbread flavors pair perfectly with the pumpkin, and the nut meal adds a delicious crunch to every bite.
For a twist, try using this crust with a sweet potato or sour cherry filling. The earthy sweetness of the sweet potatoes or the tartness of the cherries will be a perfect match for the warm spices in the crust.
❄️ Storing tips
Storing and reheating this gingerbread pie crust is easy, and the best part is that it does not compromise the flavor or the texture of the crust.
To store the leftovers, allow it to cool completely after baking. Once cooled, you can store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
If you want to freeze it, I recommend freezing it as a ball wrapped up tightly. It can be frozen for up to 2 months.
I do not recommend reheating this crust, as it is meant to be a no-bake crust. However, if you do want to reheat it, it is best to do so in the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F and place the crust on a baking sheet. Bake it for 5-10 minutes, or until it is heated through.
🤔 FAQs
What can I add instead of oat flour?
I think oat flour works best here. I would imagine buckwheat or millet flour maybe. Nothing high starch as that will make the dough sticky. If you have regular all-purpose wheat flour (and you don’t need the crust to be gluten-free), you can use that 1:1 instead of oat flour.
What other nuts can I use?
Walnuts and pecans remind me the most of gingerbread, but you are welcome to substitute them with almonds or cashews.
Can I make this pie crust ahead of time?
Yes, this gingerbread pie crust keeps in the fridge overnight as a ball wrapped up in cling foil or in an airtight container. I recommend you roll it out only right before adding the filling.
Is it suitable for the upper pie crust?
It is not really, as it can get really dry. It works best when the filling is nice and juicy.
More vegan dessert recipes
You can browse through my vegan dessert recipes or check out
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Gingerbread Pie Crust
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup Oat flour
- ¾ cup Nut meal (ground walnuts or pecans) aka nut flour
- 3 Tbsp Maple syrup or molasses
- 2 Tbsp Finely milled ground flax or ground chia
- ½ tsp Cinnamon
- ¼ tsp Ginger
Instructions
- Combine ground 2 Tbsp flax or chia in a small bowl with 6 Tbsp fresh water. (It will thicken within a minute!)
- Take another bowl and add all dry ingredients: oat flour, ground nuts, cinnamon, and ginger. Mix until combined.
- Add the maple syrup and the thickened flax or chia egg. Mix it with your hand until you can form a ball and the dough no longer sticks to the sides. (You can use a food processor to finish even quicker!) – If it sticks too much, add 1 Tbsp oat flour.
- You can roll it out the pie dough right away or place it in an airtight container (or wrap it in cling foil) and store it in the fridge overnight.
Wendy
Was that fresh ginger or ground ginger. Sorry, I just want to make sure.
Donna
Could this pie crust recipe still work with substituting shredded coconut for the nuts due to anaphylactic allergy? (its ALL nuts/most seeds). I can use chia, flax & pumpkin.
Emese Maczko
It could work. I never tried it with coconut. That is more “grainy” compared to nut meal”. I would add oat flour in the same amount as the nut meal should be. Let me know how it goes.
Andrea
I have celiac can I use a oat flour because I know a lot of oatmeal is not gluten-free!?
Emese
Yes, you need to look for certified oat flour.
Kiki B.
Do you need the moisture from the syrup/molasses, or could a low carb Sweetener be used, such as Lakanto or Allulose? I know they make low carb maple syrup alternatives, so I wonder if that would work if the moisture is needed. Thank you!
Emese
Yes, it is partly because of moisture. I am unfamiliar with low-carb sweeteners, but if you lack moisture, just add one Tablespoon of water.
Alissa
Can I use pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds instead of tree nuts?
My Pure Plants
Hi Alissa, I haven’t tested it with seeds. If you can get them in the consistency of nut meal / almond flour then it may just work. Let me know if you do try it.
Eunice
What temperature setting for the oven please.
My Pure Plants
I almost always bake at 350 Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius)
Cntrychk
HELP,
I used 2T ground flax seed to 6T water, why did it not thicken?
My Pure Plants
Have you used ground flax seeds? Whole flax seeds will not thicken.
Devi
This looks amazing and exactly what I was looking for. How long would you bake the crust if pre-baking for a no bake pie filling? Thank you!
My Pure Plants
Hi Devi,
Around 20 minutes or so before it turns too crispy and dry. You don’t really need a pie weight as there is no butter to melt and shrink the crust.
Stacey
Can you use aquafaba instead of the flax egg? If so, how much ? Thanks.
My Pure Plants
I haven’t tried aquafaba with it. As I use 1 Tbsp ground flax with 3 Tbsp water, I would sub it with 3 Tbsp aquafaba per flax egg. Let me know how it turns out as I would love to have all possible substitutions.
Rochelle Winston Davies
So admittedly It, stumped. What is cling foil? Are you talking about plain old foil or something special?
My Pure Plants
Hi, it is also called as clean plastic cling wrap. Like this one on Amazon*.
Diane
I made the pie crust this morning, and it was so hard I could barely cut it with a knife. Is it suppose to be this hard? Followed the instructions exactly and even used a scale to measure the ingredients.
My Pure Plants
What was the filling? How long did you bake it with/without filling?
Diane
I’m going to try it again, I made a pumpkin pie and baked it for 60 minutes. It was still very tasty, I’m sure I done something wrong, perhaps I rolled it too thin. It’s still quite tasty
My Pure Plants
It should be good with a pumpkin pie as this pie crust works the best with moist filling like cheesecake or pumpkin puree or custard. You don’t need to blind bake it, but try to fill the pie crust completely. If you baked it for 60 minutes, the parts where there were no filling, can get very hard for sure.
Katie Crenshaw
Brilliant! I can think of so many things this gingerbread pie crust would be great for! Can’t wait to make it!
Valerie
You can always tell when someone’s taken the trouble to use a freshly made pie crust! This is perfect for the upcoming holiday season.
Megan Ellam
Now this looks amazeballs and so does your whole pie. 5 star all the way x
Mahy
The way this pie crust looks makes me want to sing! 🙂 Can’t wait to use it for my next pumpkin pie creation or pretty much anything else that will require pie crust. So excited!
Danielle Wolter
I’m not much of a pie crust maker, but I’m sold on this gingerbread crust. i just LOVE gingerbread and can’t wait to try this out!