This gluten-free tart crust recipe is a snap to make but it looks like a fancy bakery dessert and tastes like a buttery shortbread cookie. Make it with plant butter for an easily dairy-free and vegan tart crust. Get the lemon tart recipe here. Thanks to Bob's Red Mill for sponsoring this post!
The Gourmet Tart
I make so many tarts that Sarah once said I should change my moniker to The Gourmet Tart. Not a bad idea! The reason I can't stop tarting around is all due to this easy gluten-free tart crust recipe that I've developed over the years. It's stupid easy to make – just whizz everything together in the food processor. Easy to form – just press it into the pan, no chilling or rolling required. And easy to eat – tender, buttery, and full of flavor from almond flour, oat flour, and vanilla.
On this site you'll find tart recipes for all seasons. There are anytime chocolate desserts like chocolate tahini tart, chocolate pomegranate cream tart, chocolate banana cream tart, and chocolate pear tart. There are wintry fruit tarts: lime tart, lemon tart, blood orange tart, and ricotta citrus tart. I've shared spring tarts (raspberry mascarpone tart, apricot honey tart, and rhubarb brown butter tart) and fall tarts (chestnut fig tart, concord grape walnut tart, and pomegranate tart).
I've shared this tart crust recipe in many forms already, and also in my cookbook Alternative Baker. But it was high time for this foundation recipe to have a dedicated post. Sarah and I also made a cute little video of how to make tart crust. We hope you enjoy!
Tart Crust Addiction
I've tasted my fair share of meh pastry crusts. They can be underbaked, pasty, bland, soggy, and tough. Many recipes require softening the butter to cream with the sugar only to chill the dough again. You then let it soften enough to roll, then chill it again once it's in the pan. These recipes often need pie weights to hold up the crust as it bakes, plus so much extra clean-up from all these steps.
All of this put me off making tart crusts for years until I discovered a bar cookie crust recipe in Williams Sonoma's Essentials of Baking, one of my favorite classic baking cookbooks. This recipe used the mixing/pressing/baking method that I use here. I tried the recipe in tart form and it worked brilliantly. I never looked back.
I've tweaked that original glutenous recipe to be gluten-free, adding extra flavor from tasty flours. This recipe turns out a nutty, toasty, caramelized crust that bursts with flavor every time. It's easier than pie crust, but you can use it for more than just tarts. See the many variations below!
Tart Crust Ingredients
- Almond, oat, sweet rice, and tapioca flours form a sturdy base that holds together when sliced, but melts in your mouth like a tender shortbread cookie. The almond flour adds a gently nubby texture, oat flour gives it an earthy taste, and sweet rice and tapioca flours stick everything together. Bob's Red Mill flours are milled in a dedicated gluten-free facility, and widely available in stores and online. This recipe is very forgiving, and I've listed some alternate flours in the ingredients.
- Butter moistens the dough, forming big crumbles that are easy to press into the pan. You can use plant butter for a vegan & dairy-free tart crust, you'll just need to lower the salt a little if your butter is salty.
- Vanilla and salt add a burst of flavor, making this crust totally addictive.
Easy Tart Crust Mixing Method
Combine all ingredients in a food processor, stand mixer, or in a bowl. Run the mixer or work with your fingers until all the butter is worked in and the dough comes together in moist clumps.
How to Make Tart Crust: Shaping
The hardest thing about this recipe is pressing the tart dough evenly into the pan; it takes me about 10 minutes to make it look pretty. Start by pressing half of the crumbs into the sides of the pan. It's easier to get a square edge this way. Then dump in the remaining dough and press the bottom, keeping the edges square.
How to Make Tart Crust: Baking
This gluten-free tart crust requires no chilling, and it gets blind-baked, meaning that you don't need to line it with pie weights like you do for some recipes. Just toss it in the oven.
After it's baked or parbaked, press the hot crust with the back of a soup spoon or a cup. This compresses the crust and helps it hold together when cool. I've forgotten to do this step and my crust was a crumbly mess that made me very grumpy. So don't be like me. Compress your tart crust and impress your guests.
Variations
Gluten-Free Chocolate Tart Crust
Swapping cocoa powder in for oat flour makes a mellow chocolate crust that tastes like Oreos. Follow the directions for the chocolate variation and try it with these recipes:
- Gluten-Free Pear Tart
- Gluten-Free Banana Cream Tart
- Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Tart with Tahini & Caramel
- Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Cream Tart with Pomegranate
- GF Triple Chocolate Hazelnut Pie
Gluten-Free Vegan Tart Crust
This recipe swings dairy-free and vegan by simply swapping in plant butter. You may need to add a little extra to bring the crust together. My favorite brand is Miyoko's, but use any plant butter you like the taste of and reduce the salt as needed.
Gluten-Free Cheesecake Crust
For a gluten-free cheesecake crust, make the recipe as written and press into a 9-inch springform pan. Parbake and press down the crust as instructed, then continue with your favorite cheesecake recipe or one of these:
Gluten-Free Shortbread Crust
Press this gluten-free shortbread dough into a 9-inch square pan and use it to make your favorite bar cookies, such as gluten-free lemon bars.
Gluten-Free Pie Crust
Though this sweet pastry crust doesn't replace a traditional flaky pie pastry, you can absolutely form it in a pie pan. If you're looking for a classic flaky pie pastry, try my favorite gluten-free pie crust, another tested and tried favorite that uses whole grain flours and no xanthan gum. It can be made vegan too!
The Fancy Tart
If you're looking for a dessert to impress but not stress, try a tart recipe! They're easier than pie but they look like they came from a fancy bakery. Please let me know what you try!
*Bojon appétit! For more Bojon Gourmet in your life, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest, purchase my gluten-free cookbook Alternative Baker, or subscribe to receive new posts via email. And if you make this gluten-free tart crust recipe, I’d love to see. Tag your Instagram snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet.*
Gluten-Free Tart Crust with Almond Flour {dairy-free vegan option}
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- ½ cup (60 g) Bob’s Red Mill blanched almond flour (or almond or hazelnut meal)
- ½ cup (80 g) Bob’s Red Mill sweet white rice flour (or 1 to 1 all-purpose flour)
- ½ cup (45 g) Bob’s Red Mill GF oat flour (or sorghum, teff, or buckwheat flour)
- 2 tablespoons (12 g) Bob’s Red Mill tapioca flour
- ¼ cup (50 g) organic granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon + 1⁄8 teaspoon fine sea salt (decrease to ¼ teaspoon if using salted butter or plant butter)
- 6 tablespoons (85 g) cold, unsalted butter or plant butter, in 1⁄2-inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon GF vanilla extract
Instructions
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350ºF.
- In the bowl of a food processor (or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment) combine the almond, sweet rice, and oat flours with the tapioca starch, sugar and salt.
- Scatter the butter pieces over the top and drizzle with the vanilla extract. Run the mixer until the dough forms moist clumps and the butter is fully incorporated, 20-30 seconds, pulsing as you near the end so as not to over-process the dough. If using a stand mixer, run on medium-low until the dough comes together, 3–5 minutes. If the dough refuses to come together or seems dry after thorough mixing, add up to 1 tablespoon more cold butter or plant butter.
- Spray a 9-inch loose bottom tart pan with 1-inch high sides lightly with cooking oil. Dump about half of the crumbs into the pan and press the dough evenly into the sides of the pan. Add the remaining crumbs and press them into the bottom, keeping the edges square. (It takes me about 10 minutes to make it look pretty.)
- Place the tart pan on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until pale golden and firm to the touch (15–20 minutes) for a parbaked crust, or until golden all over (5–10 minutes longer) for a fully baked crust. (If making tartlets, decrease the overall baking time by 5–10 minutes.)
- Remove the crust from the oven and, while it’s still hot, press the sides and bottom firmly with the back of a spoon or a cup; this will help it hold together when cool.
- Proceed with your tart recipe.
Notes
The crust can be wrapped and frozen, before baking or after, for up to a month or two. If unbaked, bake the crust from frozen, increasing the baking time by a few minutes. If the crust is baked or parbaked, refresh it in a 350º oven before proceeding with your recipe. Chocolate Tart Crust:
Use ½ cup (45 g) cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process) in place of the oat flour and decrease the butter to 5 tablespoons (70 g). Since the dough is dark, it can be difficult to tell when the crust is done, so do set a timer and look closely for edges that are beginning to darken and pull away from the sides of the pan. If the chocolate begins to smell at all burnt, remove the crust immediately. Nutrition values are for 1 of 8 servings.
Alene says
I have your cookbook and I've made this at least once. It's perfection, easy and even tastes good. And it held up really well overnight in the refrigerator. Even leftovers were yummy. I recommend it to everyone! Thank you, Alanna.
Alanna says
Thanks so much for the kind note! I'm thrilled that you're enjoying the book and this recipe. :)
Sarah says
Thank you so much for such a great and modifiable tart crust. It's come out perfectly every time I've made it. I keep finding reasons to make tarts, now that I've found your brilliant recipe!
Sabrina says
thank you for sharing this gf crust and for all of the inspiring tarts to make with it, poached pear topped cheesecake, wow food art!
Alanna says
Aw thanks so much for the sweet note!
mohan kumar says
This look so fresh and delecious.Thank you so much for sharing with us.
Alanna says
Aw, it's totally my pleasure.
Kim says
I’m wondering could one make a lemon meringue tart? My mom was saying today she’s love a slice of lemon meringue pie, but as Alene pointed out, this tart crust is perfection! I’ve made it a number of times and it’s very delicious and surprisingly sturdy. Makes me miss figs right now. But I’ve got oodles of lemons, and still haven’t made that lemon buttermilk pie, but was thinking I could perch a meringue on top of the tart and call it delicious. What do you think?
Alanna says
Absolutely! I've been trying to share the lemon tart recipe for weeks, hopefully it will be up soon! But it's the same recipe as the lemon bars. And you could absolutely make a meringue to put on top. An Italian meringue would be ideal, and you can torch it with a blowtorch to brown it. Please let me know what you try!
Kim says
How fast a month and a half have passed! I am finally getting to this! Mostly because I've been baking scads of gluten containing sourdough for everyone else at home (I know! I'm clearly *so* original!) Anyhow, a friend's birthday tomorrow demands a drive by and drop off of treats and good wishes (from six feet away) and this lemon tart it will be!
I am making it in two small springform pans (because that's what I've got, and there's nowhere to get other pans at this point) and will share one with her and one with my mom. I did toss them in the fridge because they were way soft when I finished attempting to mash the crust into the pans (and I have a loaf of bread in the oven, because I am the Queen of Bad Timing.)
If I remember, I somehow messed up the lemon curd in the lemon bar recipe, but I am going to go find your sweet and thoughtful notes, and attempt to not mess it up! I hope you are well and there is some sunshine in your days.
Alanna says
What a sweet friend! How did it go this time??
Rebecca says
Do you not have to chill the dough between making it and putting into a tart case, and then again before baking?
I imagine part of the reason to rest is to relax the gluten (which does not apply here), but I would also think we want the fat to be as cold as possible.
Alanna says
That's a great question. I used to freeze the crust before baking it, but then I tried skipping that step and found that it worked just as well! Please let me know if you try it. :)
Jen says
I'm curious if the sugar is playing a structural role here and therefore could not be omitted. If it is, do you think maple sugar would make an acceptable substitution? Or, do you have any substitution suggestions for the sugar? Thank you!
Alanna says
I think maple sugar would work well. It's drier and lighter than granulated so you may need to add more liquid, either more butter or a little cold water or milk to bring the dough together. Let me know what you try!
Stella says
Thanks for sharing this recipe, I made this crust but found the mix to be too dry so I added an egg yolk which really helped bind it into a ball and then roll out evenly. It's a good tip to compress the tart after baking, but perhaps I don't have the right tart pan, or didn't butter the base enough as it stuck to my pan and was a nightmare to get out in one piece. It came out in pieces sadly, (deconstructed look perhaps..!haha) but I am happy to report the flavours and texture were delicious! I would happily try this recipe again but maybe in a different tart pan :)
Alanna says
Thanks so much for trying the recipe and for the note! Genius to add an egg yolk to the mix, that's great to know that it helped the dough come together. However I wonder if it was responsible for the sticking? I've made this crust dozens of times and have never had that happen! Or is it possible that some of the tart filling leaked and caused the sticking (assuming you baked it with a filling and didn't remove the empty, baked crust from the pan)? What kind of pan did you use? I'm really sorry that that happened, that must have been really frustrating after taking all that time to press the crust in and make it look pretty. In any case, I'm glad the flavor was to your liking!
Julie Sullivan says
This was the best gluten-free short crust I have ever made. I didn't have oat flour so I just ground oats and made my own. The "grit" from the oat flour really gave it the perfect texture, and the taste was divine.
Alanna says
Genius! I'm so glad you loved it. Thanks a bunch for the sweet note.
Alissa says
What what piping tip do you use to make the big and little decorations
On the pie?
Alanna says
I used two French star tips :)
Torrey says
I'd love to try this with a quiche custard. Would I be able to omit the 1/4 C of granulated sugar? I'm assuming the vanilla can be left out. Thank you for this recipe!
Alanna says
Hi Torrey, I've never tried it without the sugar so I'm not sure! You might need to add something else wet, like an egg yolk or whole egg, but that might make it stick to the pan, so be sure to grease the pan well if you go that route. Have you tried my GF pie crust recipe? It's perfect for quiche! https://bojongourmet.com/gluten-free-pie-crust-whole-grain/
Torrey says
Thank you for responding so quickly! I will definitely try your GF pie crust recipe. I am excited to look through all of your recipes actually! After years and years of searching recipes online, I can’t believe I’m just finding your website today. I’m going to get a copy of your book too! Your flavor pairings seem so tasty and original. And I really appreciate how you explain the science behind using specific ingredients and baking in general. Thank you for all of your work!
Alanna says
Perfect! Let me know how you like it. :)
Vale says
Hi, I’m mildly allergic to oats, wheat, buckwheat and grains. What can I replace the oats flour with?
Alanna says
Hi! I've been doing a grain-free elimination diet too and have been meaning to test a grain-free version of this tart crust as well. I'm curious if it would work with just cassava, almond, and tapioca flours, ideally in a weight equal to the original weights of the flours. If you experiment, will you let me know? I'll do the same!
You might also like these grain-free recipes that I've posted recently:
Zucchini BreadFruit CobblerPie Crust (in the variations)
Banana BreadChocolate Chip Cookies
Let me know if you try any! :)
Vale says
Thanks Alanna, will experiment and let you know. Also I tried searching for your book in Australia but it’s not available in Amazon at the moment, probably due to the pandemic and logistics restrictions. I love your IG product shots, they look so pretty and yummy. Can’t wait to try your recipes :-)
Alanna says
Aw thanks for checking out my book - I'm so sorry to hear that it's not available in Australia from Amazon. I wonder if other booksellers would be able to get a copy for you?
Vale says
Hi Alana, I finally got a copy of your book from a local bookstore and it looks fabulous! Can’t wait to get all my flours to try some of your recipes.
Also going back to the tart, I used 35g of green banana flour to replace the oat flour and it worked well. It was buttery crumbly goodness, sturdy enough to hold it together but melts in your mouth kinda crust. :-)
Alanna says
I've never tried green banana flour but now I want to! It's great to know that it works well in this crust. Thanks so much for trying my recipe and getting my book, and for the kind note! Please let me know what other recipes you try. :)
Emma F says
Hello!
Is this in a fan forced oven?
We have a gas oven with no fan.
Alanna says
I also have a gas oven with no fan, so that's perfect!
Noora says
Hello! What could I possibly substitute for the oat flour? I would like to make your lemon tart for Passover Seder next weekend but I can’t use oat, wheat, spelt, rye, or barley...
Alanna says
Hi Noora! You read my mind - I was just putting together a list of Passover-friendly desserts, which I'll be sharing in the next day or two. It looks like cassava, teff, buckwheat, chestnut, millet, sorghum, amaranth, and quinoa are all kosher for Passover. Flavor-wise, I think millet or sorghum would complement the lemon best, but any of those should work, they just might be a touch more crumbly than when made with oat flour. Coconut flour also works, but it's much more absorbent so it can't be subbed one for one. If you have a copy of my book, there's a coconut flour tart crust recipe in there (that's also vegan) made with coconut, rice, and almond flours. Please let me know what you try!
tanya says
hi, how can I replace gluten free flour to normal flour?
Alanna says
You can omit the sweet rice, oat, and tapioca flours and use an equal amount of all-purpose wheat flour. If you can go by weight, that's best, but it should be fairly similar by volume. If the dough ends up too dry, just add a little more butter to bring it together. If it's too soft, add a little extra flour. Let me know how it turns out!