Whole‑Food Plant‑Based Pie Crust
All ingredients are whole foods - nothing is added or removed from the whole grains or other ingredients.

Ingredients (makes two 9‑inch crusts)

• 300 g wheat berries, soft white wheat, spelt, or einkorn – milled fine (provides the bulk of the protein and fiber). I used Einkhorn for the recipe shown in the photos.
• 90 g coconut butter (artisan brand) – solid fat that creates a flaky texture
• 90 g stiff sourdough starter (≈ 66 % hydration, fed 4–6 h earlier) – adds gluten strength, a mild tang, and a small amount of water
• 55–65 g ice‑cold water (adjust according to the fat swap)
• 2 g sea salt (optional) – enhances flavor without altering the whole‑food profile

Instructions

1. Prep the starter – Feed the starter with 1 cup finely milled grain and ½ cup water; let it double in size.
2. Cold‑fat technique – Cube the coconut butter and chill in the fridge or freezer for ~15 min.
3. Combine dry ingredients – Mill the grain to fine flour, whisk with the optional salt.
4. Incorporate the fat – Using a pastry cutter, two forks, fingertips, or a low‑speed mixer and paddle, blend the chilled coconut butter into the flour until pea‑sized pieces remain.
5. Add starter & water – Mix the ice‑cold water with the starter, then drizzle into the flour‑fat mixture 1 tsp at a time. Stop when the dough just comes together into a non‑sticky ball; avoid over‑mixing. Due to the varied fat in these butters, you may need more water than specified in the recipe. Just continue to increase 1 tsp at a time until the dough comes together and is not sticky.
6. Chill – Divide the dough into two discs, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate 30 min.
7. Roll – On a lightly floured surface or parchment paper, roll each disc to ~¼‑inch thickness. Transfer to a 9‑inch pie plate, trim excess, and crimp or flute the edges. If your dough seems too dry, you may lightly rub water from wet hands onto the surface of the dough.
8. Transfer Dough to Pie Plate - roll up the dough loosely over your rolling pin, and unroll over top of your pie plate.
9. Blind‑bake (wet fillings) – Line the crust with parchment, fill with dry beans, and bake at 375 °F (190 °C) for 15 min. Remove the beans and bake another 5–7 min until lightly golden.
   For dry fillings, ffill the raw pie crust with filling, and follow the baking instructions of the pie recipe you're following.
10. Cool – Allow the crust to cool before adding the filling (unless making a no‑bake tart such as pudding pie).

Swaps & Trade‑offs

Trade off - this pie crust may not be as light and flaky as using butter or coconut oil, but it's worth it for the recipe to be whole food plant based if you're trying to have a sweet treat while still coloring inside the lines.

Why choose a swap?

Some folks may be allergic to one or more of these options, or you may want to change up the flavor profile - coconut doesn't go well with everything. Sometimes you need to think outside the box, and that's why I gave you options.

• Almond butter boosts protein and gives a richer, nutty crumb—great for savory tarts or chocolate‑fruit combos.
• Sun‑ or peanut butter offers a budget‑friendly, pantry‑ready option; the flavor can be matched to the filling (earthy for herbs, bold for chocolate‑banana).
• All swaps keep the crust whole‑food, plant‑based, and retain the core protein‑fiber benefits of the milled grain.

Benefits of This Whole‑Food Approach

• Protein & fiber come directly from the freshly milled grain and the natural proteins in coconut, nut or seed butters—no isolated isolates or additives.
• Clean label: Only whole grains, starter, solid plant fat, water, and optional salt.
• Customizable: Choose the fat that fits dietary needs, flavor goals, or pantry availability without compromising the structural integrity of the crust.
• Sourdough: You always have the option of fermenting the dough for several hours before baking to take advantage of the benefits of fermentation. The choice is yours!

Download the full PDF recipe BASE (including my modified directions and additional swaps):

Enjoy the simplicity of a truly whole‑food crust and let the fillings shine!

WFPB Recipe Ideas

• Sourdough Gingerbread bars
• Whole Food Plant Based Cookie BaseDrop cookie base

Vegan Pie Filling Ideas

Pumpkin Pie Filling

Ingredients

• 1 - 15 oz. can of pumpkin puree
• 12-14 medjool dates, pitted
• 1/3 cup date lady date syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean, sliced and scooped out
• 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tbsp flax seeds, ground (I use a spice grinder so they are fresh)
• 1 cup almond milk (I don't filter my almond milk so it's thicker - 1 cup of almonds and water blended for 8 minutes on high speed)

Instructions

1. Blend the dates and almond milk until well combined in a blender or food processor. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. I used my Ninja food processor.
2. Spoon into a par-baked pie shell, and bake at 325 for 55-65 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.

No Bake Chocolate Pie Filling

Ingredients

• 8 oz unsweetened or chocolate
• 1 3/4 cups almond milk (1 cup of almonds and milk in a blender, do not strain for thicker milk that's still a whole food)
• 12 - 14 medjool dates, pitted (14 if using unsweetened chocolate, 12 if using bittersweet or semi-sweet)

Instructions

1. Blend the almond milk and dates until smooth.
2. Melt the chocolate in the microwave or on a double boiler
3. Add the melted chocolate to the liquid mixture and blend until smooth
4. Pour into a baked pie shell, and refrigerate for several hours until solidified.

Apple Pie Filling

This pie typically requires both crusts of the pie recipe, and they should be UNBAKED.

Ingredients

• 8 granny smith apples
• 12 - 16 medjool or barhi dates, pitted
• kettle of boiling water
• 1 tsp cinnamon, ground
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
2. Peel and slice the apples. A peeler corer slicer works perfectly.
3. Place pitted (pits removed) dates, sea salt, and cinnamon into a 2 cup Pyrex measuring cup.
4. Barely cover 12 dates with boiling water and blend in a blender until smooth. If the mixture is not thick like caramel, add one date at a time until a caramel consistency has been formed.
5. Place the sliced apples into an unbaked pie crust, mounding them a bit in the center.
6. Top the apples with the caramel.
7. Cover the pie filling with a lattice crust.
8. Bake in the oven at 425 for 15 minutes, then lower the temp to 350 F for another 30-45 minutes, making sure the apples are cooked fully (poke with a fork) and the crust is golden brown.