Simple pie crust or bar crust (Vegan, oil free, low fat) * Plant Based Recipes: Easy Oil Free Vegan Recipes (2024)

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I always end up returning to my notes for some reason to make this incredibly easy recipe. You have probably found a variation of crusts made with nuts and dates on dozens (hundreds?) of different blogs and sites. I’m not sure which one I saw it on first, but it was somewhere – so I send my thanks out to the food blogs of the interwebs! This year I started adding rolled oats to the mixture in order to reduce the number of nuts used in the crust (to reduce fat and cost), and discovered it works just fine and I barely notice a difference in the texture, consistency, or taste. Win!

I am using rolled oats to reduce the amount of nuts, which makes this recipe a bit lower fat. You can go further and replace more of the nuts if you wish. You may need to press or combine the ingredients to have it hold together, or add a few more dates, as it will be a bit more crumbly as a result.


Simple pie crust or bar crust (Vegan, oil free, low fat) * Plant Based Recipes: Easy Oil Free Vegan Recipes (2)

Simple vegan bar or pie crust

This simple bar crust is low fat and oil free. It works well as a pie crust as well.

5 from 3 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert, DIY

Cuisine: American, Comfort Food

Keyword: almonds, dates, nuts, oats, pecans, rolled oats, walnuts

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 Servings

Calories: 124kcal

Author: Jen deHaan

Ingredients

  • 1 cup dates pitted
  • 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup nuts pecans, walnuts, almonds work well

Instructions

  • Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender, and blend until mixture begins to form clumps. Pieces should hold together when pressed.

  • Press into pie form or pan (8x8 or 8x6 inch glass pans work well, for example), then add the rest of your pie or bar on top.

Nutrition Facts

Simple vegan bar or pie crust

Amount per Serving

Calories

124

% Daily Value*

Saturated Fat

g

%

Cholesterol

mg

%

Sodium

1

mg

%

Potassium

192

mg

5

%

Carbohydrates

19

g

6

%

Fiber

2

g

8

%

Protein

2

g

4

%

Calcium

16

mg

2

%

Iron

0.7

mg

4

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Tried this recipe? Customized it?Let us know how it was in the comments!

Substitutions and changes

You can use any kind of date for this recipe. I used a combination of a couple different kinds.

Similarly with the nuts. Use the kind you prefer for health or taste reasons. I typically use pecans or walnuts for this recipe, but you can choose your preferred nut or seed or you could even use a combination of nuts and/or seeds.

Try adding extracts for flavor to match what you are putting on top of this crust!

Are you looking for something to put on top? Perhaps to make what’s shown in the photo?

Here is the recipe for the aquafaba whip on top of the bar.

Here is the recipe for the pumpkin filling on top of the crust.

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  • Author
  • Recent Posts

Jen deHaan

Owner at Plant Based Recipe

Jen is a plant-based nutrition enthusiast and vegan living in British Columbia, Canada. She has over 20 years experience in software, graphics, and art, including many years in Silicon Valley corporations. Jen completed the Developing Healthy Communities graduate program at Tufts University's Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. Jen really likes dogs and dancing too.

Latest posts by Jen deHaan (see all)

  • Pad Thai Protein Salad recipe from The Plant-Based Cookbook + Book Review and Giveaway! - December 9, 2020
  • Lemon ginger bowl sauce with miso recipe (Oil free, no added sodium) - November 30, 2020
  • New vegan bacon at Whole Foods Market – 300 store roll-out - November 15, 2020

About Post Author

Jen deHaan

Jen is a plant-based nutrition enthusiast and vegan living in British Columbia, Canada. She has over 20 years experience in software, graphics, and art, including many years in Silicon Valley corporations. Jen completed the Developing Healthy Communities graduate program at Tufts University’s Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. Jen really likes dogs and dancing too.

See author's posts

About Jen deHaan

Jen is a plant-based nutrition enthusiast and vegan living in British Columbia, Canada. She has over 20 years experience in software, graphics, and art, including many years in Silicon Valley corporations. Jen completed the Developing Healthy Communities graduate program at Tufts University's Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. Jen really likes dogs and dancing too.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. liz

    Simple pie crust or bar crust (Vegan, oil free, low fat) * Plant Based Recipes: Easy Oil Free Vegan Recipes (12)
    can i use this crust for a “baked” pie, like sweet potato? or will it burn? please reply…this is a vegan emergency! ha ha ha.

    Reply

    • Jen (@PlantBasedRecipe)

      Oh no I’m so sorry for the late reply!! It will work for a crust for that kind of pie without burning, but I do not know if it will hold up in the “shell” format (the curved edge thing of a typical pie shell, if that’s the goal). It might crumble off, but you might be able to make it work with adjusting the ratios and pressing it very firmly into the edges of a pan. I reckon it won’t burn though (or could be protected with some parchment paper until the end).

      Reply

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Simple pie crust or bar crust (Vegan, oil free, low fat) * Plant Based Recipes: Easy Oil Free Vegan Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is vegan pie crust made of? ›

To make the vegan pie dough:

Whisk together the dry ingredients: plain all-purpose flour, sugar and salt. and use your fingertips to work it into the dry ingredients until you get a mixture resembling breadcrumbs. Add the frozen, sliced vegan butter.

What is the best substitute for pie crust? ›

  • Crispy Rice Cereal. A little peanut butter is all it takes to morph crunchy cereal into a moldable mix for a playful pie crust. ...
  • Waffle Cones. Scooping ice cream cones for a crowd might leave you wiping sweat (and ice cream drippings) off your brow. ...
  • Brownies. ...
  • Butter Crackers. ...
  • Shredded Coconut. ...
  • Puff Pastry.

What frozen pie crusts are vegan? ›

Marie Callender's, known for its classic home-style pies, has frozen pie shells that are free of animal-derived ingredients. Fill them with any type of delicious vegan filling that you can imagine—pumpkin, sweet potato, and pecan are just a few of our favorites.

Are Pillsbury pie crusts vegan? ›

Unfortunately most of Pillsbury's pie crusts contain lard and/or beef tallow, making them clearly not vegan. However, they do have one pie crust that may be suitable for some vegans: Pillsbury Frozen All Vegetable Deep Dish Pie Crust.

What is a substitute for butter in pie crust? ›

SHORTENING

Like margarine, it can be used in a 1:1 substitution for butter. The solid fat form of shortening doesn't completely mix with dry ingredients when it's cut into them; this creates marbling in dough, resulting in light, flaky pie crusts and biscuits.

What is a vegan substitute for butter in pie? ›

Olive oil is great when used for crusts for vegan pot pies, biscuits and herb breads. If your recipe calls for 1 cup of butter, use ¾ cups of olive oil.

What can I use instead of flour for pie? ›

Cornstarch has thickening power similar to Instant ClearJel. Like flour, it lends a cloudy, semi-transparent look to filling. It can also give filling a starchy taste. For full effectiveness, make sure the pie filling is bubbling up through the crust before removing your pie from the oven.

What is a substitute for lard in pie crust? ›

Butter. Butter may be the simplest substitute for lard. With some minor modifications to your recipe, butter can help retain the taste and texture of your final product. This makes butter a great option for pie crusts, tortillas, tamale dough, and more.

What is healthier than pie crust? ›

Even better, switch your pastry from shortcrust or puff to filo. This is the lowest-fat pastry by far, with 2.9g fat per 100g. This compares with 26.2g for puff or 31.4g for shortcrust. Filo is the lowest-calorie option too, and it's easy to use.

Does Pillsbury pie crust have lard? ›

Ingredients. Enriched Flour Bleached (wheat flour, niacin, ferrous sulfate, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), Lard and Hydrogenated Lard with BHA and BHT Added to Protect Flavor, Water, Wheat Starch, Corn Starch.

What brand of pie is vegan? ›

Freshly baked desserts are made easy with OG freezer brand Sara Lee. All fruit pies are vegan, so opt for a Dutch Apple, Lattice Peach, or Mince Pie.

Is Marie Callender frozen pie crust vegan? ›

Is Marie Callendar's frozen pie crust vegan? Marie Callendar is a great pie brand and one that makes frozen pie shells that do not contain any ingredients that are animal-derived, making them a great option for vegan pie lovers.

Which Pillsbury is vegan? ›

There are a few Grands biscuits that are vegan friendly (the southern style ones and sweet Hawaiian) and all of the crescent rolls from what I can tell (including the honey butter - no actual honey or butter it seems!).

Do vegans eat pie crust? ›

You can make a great vegan pie crust regardless of the kind of plant-based fat you have on hand. But it's important to use a recipe formulated for the kind of fat you'd like to use—otherwise, you'll need to adjust for the amount of water, which can be a tricky business for all but the most experienced bakers.

Can vegans eat pizza crust? ›

Often times, pizza dough is naturally vegan. The basic pizza dough formula is just water, flour, yeast, and salt. The only times that eggs or dairy are used for a bread recipe is typically just for enriched doughs (like brioche or cinnamon rolls– which we have the vegan options for on the blog!).

What is vegan butter made of? ›

Vegan butter is a non-dairy butter substitute made from plant-based ingredients. It is typically made from a blend of vegetable oils such as coconut, palm, or soybean and other natural ingredients such as nuts, seeds, and even algae. This makes it a great alternative for those who: Follow a vegan diet.

Is most puff pastry vegan? ›

Is puff pastry vegan? Not all store-bought puff pastry is vegan, but you're safe with brands like Pepperidge Farm and Wewalka. When you pick up a packet in store, make sure to scan the back for ingredients like eggs and butter, as, of course, these are not vegan.

Is Bake House Creations pie crust vegan? ›

This product contains 3 ingredients that are not vegan and 7 ingredients that may not be vegan. Which diet do you follow? Follow more than one?

Is Your Pie dough vegan? ›

At Your Pie, we've made a commitment to ensure everyone can enjoy great-tasting pizza. That's why all of our locations offer Gluten-Free dough, Vegan (Non-Dairy) Cheese, and Non-Dairy Sorbet.

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