Low FODMAP Cream Cheese Pie Crust
Do you love flaky, rich, buttery pie crust? Add our Low FODMAP Cream Cheese Pie Crust to your repertoire in addition to our All-Butter Pie Crust. This one features the extra richness of lactose-free cream cheese, which also lends a bit of tang. We love it for sweet as well as savory pies. Don’t miss it in our Low FODMAP Fresh Blueberry Pie, for starters.
Low FODMAP Serving Size Info: Makes enough for a double crusted 9-inch (23 cm) pie; serving size depends on usage. Nutritional information based on 12 servings.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups (290 g) low FODMAP gluten-free all-purpose flour, such as Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Baking Flour – you must use a flour blend that contains xanthan gum
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum; this is in addition to the xanthan gum in the flour blend
- Heaping ¼ teaspoon salt for a sweet crust; use ½ teaspoon for a savory crust
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder; use gluten-free if following a gluten-free diet
- ¾ cup (170 g; 12 tablespoons; 1 ½ sticks) very cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- ½ cup (120 g) lactose-free cream cheese, such as Green Valley Creamery
- 2 tablespoons ice water
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or rice wine vinegar
Preparation:
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To Make In Food Processor: Fit food processor with metal blade. Add flour, xanthan gum, salt and baking powder and pulse on and off to combine. Add butter and pulse on and off until butter pieces are broken down and the mixture looks like a coarse meal. Add cream cheese and pulse a couple of times to begin to combine, then turn machine on and dribble water and vinegar through the feed tube. Keep machine running until dry ingredients are evenly moistened and the crust begins to come together. Dump mixture out onto lightly floured surface and knead a few times until the dough ball comes together. Divide in half, flatten each half into a disc, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerator for 2 to 4 hours. The dough will be ready to roll out; proceed as described in individual recipes. I am not partial to freezing this dough.
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To Make By Hand: Place flour, xanthan gum, salt and baking powder in a large mixing bowl and whisk to aerate and combine. Add butter, cut into small pieces, work with a hand-held pastry blender until butter pieces are broken down and the mixture looks like a coarse meal. Add cream cheese and fold the mixture with a silicone spatula several times until it begins to incorporate. Drizzle the water and vinegar evenly over the mixture and begin to combine with the hand-held pastry blender, then switch to your hands, lightly floured, and work the dough until it begins to come together. Dump mixture out onto lightly floured surface and knead a few times until the dough ball comes together. Divide in half, flatten each half into a disc, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerator for 2 to 4 hours. The dough will be ready to roll out; proceed as described in individual recipes. I am not partial to freezing this dough.
Notes:
FODMAP Information
Our recipes are based on Monash University and FODMAP Friendly science.
• Butter: Both Monash University and FODMAP Friendly have lab tested butter. Monash states that a low FODMAP Green Light portion is 1 tablespoon or 19 g and also states that “butter is high in fat and does not contain carbohydrates (FODMAPs)”. FODMAP Friendly gives it a “Pass” at 1 tablespoon or 19 g. Both recommended serving sizes are presented as part of healthy eating guidelines, not as maximum FODMAP serving size. Fat can affect guy motility and trigger IBS symptoms in some people. Eat to your tolerance.
• Lactose-Free Dairy: Lactose-free dairy, such as lactose-free milk or lactose-free cream cheese, has lactase enzyme added that breaks the disaccharide molecules and creates a more digestible dairy product, from a lactose perspective. The resulting product is not dairy-free, but it is lactose-free. Some products might have miniscule amounts of lactose remaining, but the amount is small enough for the product to be labeled as lactose-free. For instance, Breyers Lactose-Free Vanilla Ice Cream states it is 99% lactose-free, while Lactaid Vanilla Ice Cream states it is 100% lactose-free.
Please always refer to the Monash University & FODMAP Friendly smartphone apps for the most up-to-date lab tested information. As always, your tolerance is what counts; please eat accordingly. The ultimate goal of the low FODMAP diet is to eat as broadly as possible, without triggering symptoms, for the healthiest microbiome.