This Walnut Pie Crust is made with basic pantry staples and is the perfect crust for any of your favorite no-bake pies. Once you form the dough into a pie dish, you’ll bake it to set, let it cool, and then it’s ready to go. The subtle nutty flavor is the perfect addition to any pie recipe that uses a graham cracker crust, but it’s more stable.
A Nut-Based Pie Crust For Your Favorite No-Bake Pies
I love a classic graham cracker crust, who doesn’t? But sometimes, I want a little more. Something that adds flavor instead of just holding everything together. That’s where this walnut pie crust comes in. It’s crunchy, toasty, and it holds up like a champ to creamy fillings.
And let me just say, if you’ve never tried a banana cream pie or lemon icebox pie with a nutty crust underneath, you’re missing out. It completely changes the game.
The walnuts give it this warm, slightly buttery flavor that isn’t overwhelming. It’s subtle. Balanced. Just enough to make people go, “Wait… what’s in this crust?” without hitting them over the head with it.
The Texture is the Star
You get that flaky crumble from the butter, some chew from the nuts, and a crisp base that doesn’t fall apart on you. No soggy bottoms here. I’ve made this crust for all kinds of no-bake pies and it never lets me down. It’s sturdy enough to slice cleanly but still tender when you bite into it. It’s worth the tiny bit of extra effort.
And yes, we bake it briefly, just enough to set everything in place and bring out the flavor of the nuts. After that, it’s pie time.
You Only Need a Few Basics
You’ll find the full list in the recipe card, but the heart of this crust comes down to:
- Toasted walnuts — They give the crust its personality.
- Cold butter — For that rich, flaky bite.
- Flour — Because you still want some structure here.
The rest is just salt and water. Really. That’s it.
It Takes 5 Minutes to Prepare This Walnut Pie Crust Recipe
Step One: Prepare the Walnuts
Pro tip: If you don’t have a food processor, you can place the nuts in a plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin to get a fine consistency. Then, make the rest of the pie dough in a bowl.
Step Two: Mix the Dry Ingredients
Step Three: Incorporate the Butter
Add cold butter to the mixture and pulse until the texture is crumbly, resembling coarse sand.
Step Four: Add the Ice Water
Step Five: Shape the Crust
Step Six: Pre-Bake the Crust
Step Seven: Cool the Crust
Let the crust cool completely on a wire rack before using it for your pie recipes.
Use It for Any Pie You’d Normally Put in a Graham Cracker Crust
It’s amazing with my Southern Possum Pie, especially with that chocolate layer nestled in there. It also pairs perfectly with the silky filling in this no-bake lemon curd pie. And if you’ve got berries? A cream cheese filling and a handful of fresh fruit will turn this into a pie worth repeating all summer long.
Make It Ahead and Stash It for Later
Once baked, you can keep it on the counter in an airtight container (if you’re using it within a day or two), or wrap it up and freeze it for a pie emergency. I like to make two at a time, use one, freeze one.
Honestly, this is the kind of crust that’ll sneak up on people. It’s not flashy. It’s not complicated. But it makes every slice of pie just a little bit better, and that’s what a crust should do.
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Ingredients
Crust
- 1 ¼ cup walnuts toasted
- 1 cup flour
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons butter cold and cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons ice water
Instructions
- Place toasted walnuts in a food processor and process for about 30 seconds until they are ground into small pieces but not powder.
- Add flour and salt and pulse to combine. Add cold butter and pulse until crumbly. Add ice water and process until it comes together in large clumps. Spray a 9 inch pie dish with cooking spray. Add the crust and press it onto the bottom and up the sides of the pie dish. Prick the bottom and sides with a fork and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350º. Place parchment paper over the crust and add pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 20 minutes. Carefully remove the pie weights and parchment paper and bake an additional 10 minutes until it is slightly browned. Cool completely.
