Cooking with Mamma C

  • Recipes
  • Cod
  • Cookbook
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Cod Recipes
  • Cookbook
  • About
  • Contact
  • Newsletter
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Cod Recipes
    • Cookbook
    • About
    • Contact
    • Newsletter
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Dessert » Pies

    Olive Oil Pie Crust (No Rolling!)

    Published: Nov 5, 2021 · Modified: May 19, 2022 by Mamma C · This post may contain affiliate links.

    • Facebook
    • Email
    • Flipboard
    Jump to Recipe
    pinnable collage of olive oil pie crust with process

    This delicious Olive Oil Pie Crust is ready in under 20 minutes! You'll love this easy, no-roll pie crust. Just toss the ingredients with a fork, gather the dough, press it into place and bake! It's perfect for sweet or savory single-crust pies.

    baked pie crust, red apron

    I always judge a pie crust by whether I'd want to snack on it.

    Not that I go around doing that. Ha! (Just try and keep me away from this Sugar Cookie Pie Crust!)

    I never want to serve a pie that drives people to eat the filling and abandon the crust.

    No need to worry about that with this olive oil pie crust recipe! It's so delicious, it earns compliments every time.

    It can be used for single-crust savory pies or dessert pies, and even flavored with liqueur!

    And can we get an "Amen" for a pie crust that you toss together with a fork and press into place?!!

    AMEN! Cue Betty White shimmying across the room.

    Let's get to the details.

    Recipe ingredients

    oil, flour, salt, baking powder, milk, flavoring

    Olive Oil: This is a no-butter pie crust, so the olive oil is providing the fat. It's important to use mild-tasting, regular olive oil. Don't use extra-virgin olive oil, which has a strong flavor.

    You could substitute canola oil or vegetable oil, if needed, but I really love the flavor of olive oil here.

    Milk: The original recipe called for water, but I found that milk produces a more tender crust. Low-fat milk works fine.

    If you want to make this a vegan pie crust, you could try substituting almond milk, or just go with water.

    Sugar: Only add sugar for dessert pie crusts. You can skip the sugar for a savory pie.

    Liqueur or Extract: The crust is delicious plain, but you could add a little somethin' somethin' for a dessert pie.

    I sometimes add a tablespoon of amaretto to the crust for an almond flavor. You also could try Grand Marnier for an orange flavor. When adding liqueur, reduce the olive oil by one tablespoon.

    You also could skip the liqueur and simply add a ½ teaspoon of flavored extract without reducing the olive oil. I'd go for almond extract (my favorite!)

    Salt: If making a savory pie crust, reduce the salt to ⅓ teaspoon (instead of ½ teaspoon). Most likely, the savory pie filling will contain cheese or other salty ingredients.

    How to make olive oil crust

    See the recipe card at the end of this post for full instructions, but here's an overview.

    1. In a 9-inch pie dish (affiliate link), whisk the flour, salt, baking powder (and sugar, if making a dessert pie crust).
    2. Whisk the milk, olive oil (and flavor extract or amaretto for a dessert pie crust). Add the liquid to the pie dish. Stir with a fork to blend.
    3. When the dough is mixed, gather it into a ball, smush it into a disk and press it evenly along the bottom and up the sides of the pie dish.
    4. Crimp the edges along the inside with two fingers. Poke holes in the bottom of the crust with a fork (that’s called “docking” it), to prevent puffing.

    Blind baking the crust

    For pies that don't require a baked filling, you'll bake the crust by itself. This is called "blind baking."

    It just takes about 10 minutes to blind bake the olive oil crust at 450 degrees F. When the crust cools off, you can fill it with your cooked pie filling.

    I use this method for my Fresh Strawberry Pie with Amaretto and Lemon Meringue Pie.

    closeup of whole strawberry pie

    Baking the crust with filling

    For pies that require a baked filling, follow the instructions for the pie recipe you're using. Some may call for par-baking the crust for 10 minutes before adding the filling and continuing to bake.

    This is the method used for my Vidalia Onion Pie with Cream Cheese.

    slice of savory pie with onions and cream cheese

    Recipe tips

    • Don't use extra-virgin olive oil here, because the flavor will be too strong. Regular olive oil is milder and makes this pie crust delicious.
    • When blind baking the crust (by itself), don't overbake it, or it won't be tender. When you see the crust is golden brown, it's ready.
    • While baking a filled crust, you'll need to make sure the crust edges aren't getting too brown. You can use a pie shield (affiliate link) to protect the crust or lightly cover the pie with foil.
    Is butter or oil better for pie crust?

    Olive oil has less saturated fat than butter and contains no cholesterol, so it's a healthier option. And making a pressed pie crust with oil is much easier and quicker than a traditional pie crust with butter or shortening.

    Flavor-wise, it's a matter of your preference for butter or regular olive oil.

    Can this be used for a double-crust pie?

    This recipe is written for a single pie shell. Since the pastry dough is pressed into place instead of rolled, it would be difficult to achieve a smooth top crust. You could pair this olive oil crust with a streusel or crumb topping, if desired.

    I hope you love this easy olive oil pie crust recipe as much as we do!

    More recipes like this

    • Easy Lemon Pie with Pecans (with olive oil crust!)
    • Spinach-Ricotta Pie (with a flaky, buttery crust!)
    • Brownie-Bottom Chocolate Pudding Pie (with a brownie crust!)
    • Sour Cream-Topped Cheesecake (with the best graham cracker crust!)

    Enjoy!

    baked pie crust

    Olive Oil Pie Crust (No Rolling!)

    This delicious Olive Oil Pie Crust is ready in under 20 minutes! You'll love this easy, no-roll pie crust. Use it for sweet or savory single-crust pies.
    4.64 from 22 votes
    Print Pin Rate Save Go to Collections
    Course: Dessert, Main Course, Side Dish
    Cuisine: Italian-American
    Prep Time: 7 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 17 minutes minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 243kcal
    Author: Mamma C

    Ingredients

    Crust

    • 2 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (omit for savory pies)
    • ½ teaspoon salt (use ⅓ teaspoon for savory pies)
    • ⅜ teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ cup olive oil (regular; don't use extra-virgin)
    • ¼ cup milk (low-fat is fine)

    Flavoring (Optional; for Dessert Pies)

    • 1 tablespoon amaretto (if using this, decrease the olive oil by a tablespoon) See notes.
    US Customary - Metric
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    Olive Oil Crust Baked Without Filling

    • Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. In a 9-inch pie dish, whisk the flour, sugar (for a dessert pie) salt and baking powder. Whisk the milk, olive oil (and flavor extract or amaretto for a dessert pie crust) in a measuring cup. Add the liquid to the pie dish. Stir with a fork to blend.
    • When the dough is mixed, gather it into a ball and flatten it into a disk. Press it evenly along the bottom and up the sides of the pie dish to form a crust. Crimp the edges along the inside with two fingers. Poke holes in the bottom of the crust with a fork.
    • Bake at 450 degrees F for 10 minutes or just until golden. (Overbaking will make the crust tough.) Let the crust cool on a wire rack when it's done.
    • Store the baked crust covered at room temperature for up to a day before filling it. Once filled, you may need to refrigerate the pie. Follow the storage instructions for the specific pie you are making.

    To Bake a Filled Crust

    • Follow the instructions for the pie recipe you're using. While baking, make sure the crust edges don't get too brown. You can cover the crust edges with a pie shield or foil.

    Notes

    • Don't use extra-virgin olive oil here, because the flavor will be too strong. Regular olive oil is milder and makes this pie crust delicious.
    • You may substitute canola oil or vegetable oil, but I prefer olive oil.
    • If you want to make this a vegan pie crust, you could try substituting almond milk for the dairy milk, or just go with water.
    • The pie crust is delicious without adding flavoring, but you could add a little "somethin' somethin'" for a dessert pie crust.
    • If you want to add a tablespoon of amaretto or another liqueur, you'll need to decrease the olive oil slightly. Use ¼ cup + 3 tablespoons olive oil instead of ½ cup.
    • You could try using Grand Marnier instead of amaretto, for an orange-flavored crust.
    • You could skip the alcohol and add ½ teaspoon of almond or orange extract instead. Keep the olive oil amount at ½ cup.
    Adapted from King Arthur Flour.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 243kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 150mg | Potassium: 63mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 8IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this Recipe? Mention @cookingwithmammac or tag #CookingWithMammaC!

    (Recipe Source: Adapted from King Arthur Flour)

    Don't miss my Pasta & Sauces E-Cookbook! Please SUBSCRIBE and follow me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM!

    More Pie Recipes

    • slice of lemon meringue pie on a plate
      Foolproof Lemon Meringue Pie
    • closeup of inside of pear crisp in glass pie dish
      Gluten-Free Pear Crisp with Oats
    • slice of lemon pie with pecans and whipped cream
      Pecan Lemon Pie without Meringue
    • closeup of slice of lemon lush with blackberries
      Lemon Lush Dessert Recipe from Scratch
    • Facebook
    • Email
    • Flipboard

    Comments

    1. Karen says

      May 13, 2024 at 3:55 pm

      5 stars
      I am very happy I found this recipe! It is delicious! I have been using extra light olive oil.

      Reply
      • Mamma C says

        May 14, 2024 at 6:25 am

        Hi Karen - I'm so glad to hear that! Thanks for leaving a review.

        Reply
        • Brooke says

          July 03, 2024 at 7:57 pm

          Question- I’m making apple pie and trying this crust. Hoping that it can bake 40 minutes so the apples get cooked and soft- any thoughts?

          Reply
          • Mamma C says

            July 04, 2024 at 8:37 am

            Hi Brooke - It's best to follow the directions for the apple pie recipe you're using. If, at any point, the crust edges are starting to get browned and you don't want them to get darker, you can cover the edges with foil.

    « Older Comments
    4.64 from 22 votes (15 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    woman with blonde hair smiling. "10 years" text in lower right.

    Hi, I'm Andrea, also known as Mamma C. I've been sharing family-tested recipes from my Italian-American kitchen for a decade! I hope you'll visit often!

    More about me →

    Popular

    • slice of cheesecake on plate
      Fluffy Crustless Cheesecake (NY Style)

    • OVEN-FRIED COD RECIPE (CRISPY & DELICIOUS!)
      Oven-Fried Cod Recipe (Crispy & Delicious!)

    • portion of zucchini casserole on plate
      Italian Zucchini Bake

    • plate of sausage, peppers and onions
      Baked Sausage, Peppers and Onions

    Cookie Recipes

    • plate of amaretti cookies topped with almonds
      Amaretti Cookies (Soft & Chewy)

    • platter of almond biscotti sprinkled with powdered sugar
      Almond Biscotti Recipe

    • chocolate pizzelle held up over a platter of more pizzelles
      Chocolate Pizzelle Recipe

    • plate of italian lemon pizzelle cookies with powdered sugar
      Lemon Pizzelle Recipe

    • plate of Italian cookies with sprinkles
      Italian Cookies (Vanilla or Anisette)

    • plate of pignoli cookies dusted with powdered sugar
      Italian Pignoli Cookies (Pine Nut Cookies)

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    RECIPES

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    About

    • About Me
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • ACCESSIBILITY
    • Cookbook
    • Web Stories
     

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2014-2025 Cooking with Mamma C®

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.