Gluten-Free Brown Sugar Shortbread Piecrust

4.0

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1 Review

Sweet and buttery, this gluten-free crust is reminiscent of a shortbread cookie, with a sandy texture and deep toffee flavor from the inclusion of brown sugar.

By

Paige Grandjean

Updated on July 26, 2023

Tested by

Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Gluten-Free Brown Sugar Shortbread Piecrust — Photo: Photo: James Ransom / Food Stylist Chelsea Zimmer

Active Time:

15 mins

Total Time:

1 hr 30 mins

Yield:

1 (9-inch) piecrust

The edges of this crust stay crisp while the center softens slightly under the pie filling into a sliceable, sugary shortbread cookie crust. The F&W test kitchen tested several gluten-free flour blends when developing this recipe, and preferred King Arthur for its tenderness, even browning, and the flavorful addition of sorghum flour.

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Ingredients

1 ¼ cups gluten-free flour baking blend (such as King Arthur Measure for Measure) (about 5 3/4 ounces), plus more for dusting
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup cold unsalted butter (4 ounces), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon ice water
Cooking spray

Directions

Pulse flour, brown sugar, and salt in a food processor until well combined, about 3 pulses. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles small peas, 10 to 12 pulses. Gradually add 1 tablespoon ice water, pulsing until evenly incorporated, 6 to 8 pulses.
Transfer mixture to a lightly greased (with cooking spray) 9-inch pie plate; using your fingers, distribute crust evenly into bottom and up sides of pan. Using the floured bottom of a metal measuring cup, press crust firmly into bottom and up sides of pan. Freeze, uncovered, until hard, at least 20 minutes or up to 1 day (24 hours).
Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake crust in preheated oven until golden, 22 to 26 minutes. Remove from oven. Let cool completely on a wire rack, about 30 minutes.