Vegan Pie Crust
Basic Vegan Pie Crust 
1 1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/4 cup water (ice cold)
For detailed instructions, click here.
Whisk or sift flour and salt together. Cut in shortening. Toss mixture with a fork and add water one drop at a time.
Make a ball, cover in wax paper and plastic wrap, and chill it 2-24 hours.
Roll it out and use it.
FOR A DOUBLE CRUST (a pie with both a bottom crust and a top crust):
Double the ingredients and prepare the dough as above. Before forming the ball, divide in half and form 2 balls. One will be the top crust, one will be the bottom crust.
Vegan Oil Crust
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup corn oil, canola oil, or Spectrum Spread
2-4 tbsp cold nondairy milk or water, as needed
Sift the flour and salt together.
Cut in the oil until it forms coarse crumbs.
Add water (or milk) one drop at a time until slightly moist throughout. (Use the pinch test.)
Form a flattened ball and chill.
Roll it out and bake it as you would a basic crust.
Vegan Graham Cracker Crust
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
4 tbsp vegan margarine, melted
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
(If you make your own cookie crumbs, pulverize cookies in a blender or food processor; or place them in a ziploc bag (or use saran wrap or parchment paper) and roll into fine crumbs with a rolling pin. )
Mix the crumbs and margarine. Press the mixture onto the bottom and up the side of your pie plate, using your hand or the back of a spoon.
Bake crust 8 minutes; cool on wire rack. (Note: If the recipe calls for an unbaked crumb crust, skip the baking step and just chill it in the refrigerator for an hour.)
Fill according to your recipe.
Vegan Chocolate Crust
1 1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs (such as Newman-O's)
4 tbsp vegan margarine, melted
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
(If you make your own cookie crumbs, pulverize cookies in a blender or food processor; or place them in a ziploc bag (or use saran wrap or parchment paper) and roll into fine crumbs with a rolling pin. )
Mix the crumbs and margarine. Press the mixture onto the bottom and up the side of your pie plate, using your hand or the back of a spoon.
Bake crust 8 minutes; cool on wire rack. (Note: If the recipe calls for an unbaked crumb crust, skip the baking step and just chill it in the refrigerator for an hour.)
Fill according to your recipe.
Vegan Oat-Nut Crust
(This crust resembles an oatmeal cookie, but in pie-crust form)
1/2 cup whole almonds
1/2 cup whole walnuts or pecans
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 flour
pinch of salt
3 tbsp canola oil
3 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Bake the nuts (on separate baking sheets to to differing bake times) until fragrant and toasted. Cool.
Raise the oven temperature to 375 degrees.
Grind the oats in a blender or food processor until they become coarse meal. Empty into large bowl.
Grind the nuts into a coarse meal and add to the oats.
Add the flour and salt.
In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, maple syrup, and vanilla.
Add to the oat-nut mixture and mix well.
Chill 10 minutes in refrigerator.
Press the mixture onto the bottom and up the side of your pie plate, using your hand or the back of a spoon.
Bake crust 8 minutes; cool on wire rack.
Fill according to your recipe.
Vegan Pecan Crust
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup pecan pieces
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup Spectrum shortening
Ice water
Pulse flour, pecans, salt and sugar in a food processor until pecans are ground.
Add shortening and pulse until almost combined.
Add 1-2 tablespoons ice water and pulse until just blended.
Make a ball, cover in wax paper and plastic wrap, and chill it 2-24 hours.
Roll it out and use it.
FOR A DOUBLE CRUST (a pie with both a bottom crust and a top crust):
Double the ingredients and prepare the dough as above. Before forming the ball, divide in half and form 2 balls. One will be the top crust, one will be the bottom crust.
