Easy Oil Pie Crust

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 15 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Yield: 1 (9-inch) pie crust

Although most pie crust recipes call for shortening or butter, you can make a successful pie crust without either. Using oil makes the crust vegan friendly, so this simple oil crust can cater to restricted dietary needs or people with dairy allergies or intolerances. A pie crust using oil is not only a nice change but is also much easier to make as you don't need a pastry blender or a rolling pin. The result is a flaky crust that you can use for savory or sweet fillings.

Keep in mind that the oil you use will impact the flavor of the crust, so the dough is most versatile when made with a mild-flavored oil like vegetable, canola, or orange safflower. Choose wisely, as coconut oil, olive oil, or peanut oil can add a bold and rich flavor. Use coconut oil for an added flavor in a coconut cream pie or banana cream pie with coconut, olive oil for a quiche or chicken pot pie, or peanut oil to complement a chocolate filling.

Also, different oils have different smoking points, so first check the temperature you are planning to use on the oven against the smoking point of the oil you have in your dough. If too hot, the dough will inevitably "smoke" and have a sour flavor.

This is the perfect pie crust recipe for beginner bakers or anyone intimidated by having to cut shortening into the flour. It's also a quick and easy alternative to crusts for all types of pies. If you need a top crust as well for your pie, simply double the recipe.

Easy oil pie crust in a pie plate

The Spruce Eats

"If you are looking for a vegan or dairy-free pie crust, this is just what you need. A big tip would be to use this as a press-in pie crust, not to try to roll it out. But besides that, you can now make a dairy-free pie that would please anyone!" —Tracy Wilk

Easy oil pie crust pressed into a stainless steel bowl
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil

  • 2 tablespoons milk (or water or non-dairy beverage), cold

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for oil pie crust gathered

    The Spruce Eats

  2. In a bowl, mix the flour and salt with a wire whisk.

    Flour and salt mixed together for pie crust in a bowl with a whisk

    The Spruce Eats

  3. Stir in the oil until combined.

    Stirring oil into flour with a whisk in a bowl

    The Spruce Eats

  4. Add the cold milk or water until mixed completely. The consistency will be crumbly.

    Milk added to pie crust mixture in a blue bowl

    The Spruce Eats

  5. Place mixture in the middle of an 8- or 9-inch pie plate. Spread dough out with your fingers, covering the bottom of the plate, up along the sides and over the rim.

    Dough pressed into a glass pie plate

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  6. Bake according to pie recipe directions, either blind baking it first for custard pies or unbaked fillings or filling it and baking it whole.

    Oil-based pie crust pressed into a pie plate

    The Spruce Eats

When do I need to sift the flour?

Sifting flour helps break up potential lumps or get rid of impurities in the flour. It also imparts air into the flour so that it's easier to mix with other dry ingredients. Some recipes call for sifting, while others don't. So, when is sifting necessary?


In general, sifting is necessary with cakes that are expected to have an airy texture, like sponges, genoise, or angel food. It is also advisable to sift the flour when it has been sitting around packed for a few weeks, so measuring is more exact, and your cup isn't going to be very packed and tight.


But for crusts, more often than not, sifting isn't necessary as the texture you want from your crust is dense and tough in nature.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
119 Calories
7g Fat
12g Carbs
2g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 119
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 7g 9%
Saturated Fat 1g 3%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 134mg 6%
Total Carbohydrate 12g 4%
Dietary Fiber 0g 2%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 7mg 1%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 22mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)