Gluten Free Pâte Sablée

Gluten Free Tart Crust or also known as Gluten Free Pâte Sablée is one of the basic pastry doughs every baker or pastry chef should know. You may know it as shortcrust, sweet short pastry, sweet-tart crust, or simply a tart dough.

Gluten Free Pâte Sablée is the richest one when it comes to flavor and also has a higher sugar content which makes it perfect for desserts such as my Gluten-Free Strawberry Rhubarb Tartlet. Originating from the french word sabler, meaning “to sand,” pâte sablée is more cookie-like (due to the almond flour) and has a melt-in-your-mouth texture. Other tart dough varieties are known as Pâté brisée and Pâté sucrée.

Use this recipe to create my Gluten Free Strawberry Rhubarb Tartlets or Gluten Apple Caramel Tart.

Recipe Equipment Notes

One can make Gluten Free Tart dough in the food processor, with a stand mixer, or by hand. I choose the food processor because it's cleaner and quicker. If you choose to make this by hand, you can use a pastry cutter to cut in the butter on your hands.

To roll out the tart dough, I recommend using a rolling pin but in a pinch a clean wine bottle works just fine.

As for the tart shell, there are several varieties available. I highly recommend using one with removable bottoms.

How to make Gluten Free Tart Crust with a Standmixer

Make sure the butter and the egg are at room temperature. This will ensure a sandy texture in the dough and a tender texture in the baked gluten-free crust.

Step 1: In a small mixing bowl whisk together the gluten-free flour, almond flour, and kosher salt. Set aside.

Step 2: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment combine the room temperature butter and powdered sugar. Cream together until smooth without overmixing it.

Step 3: Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the room-temperature egg. Continue to mix until combined.

Step 4: With the mixer running at a low speed, add the dry ingredients. Mix just until there are no more visible spots of flour.

Step 5: Transfer the dough to a parchment-lined sheet tray. Gather the dough and press it into a round disk, around 1" tall. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2hrs up to 2 days.

How to make Gluten Free Pâte Sablée in the food processor

Do not be alarmed if this dough is very soft. It will be set up in your fridge before being rolled out to create the tart shells.

Step 1: Combine the dry ingredients in the food processor and pulse 10-15 times to combine

Step 2: Add the room temperature butter which has been cut up into smaller pieces). Pulls several times, around 10-15 times, to combine the dry ingredients with the butter.

Step 3: Now turn the food processor on and blend for 10 seconds. Add the whole egg through the feeder. Blend to combine (5-10 seconds).

Step 4: Transfer the dough to a parchment-lined sheet tray. Gather the dough and press it into a round disk, around 1" tall. The gluten-free tart dough may appear a bit sticky and soft but once it has rested in the fridge it will be perfect. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2hrs up to 2 days.

How to assemble Tart Shells

To make tart shells, roll out the chilled Gluten Free Pâté Sablée between two sheets of parchment paper. If the dough is too cold to roll out, allow it to sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes.

The best way to roll out any dough is by starting in the center and rolling outward. To ensure your dough rolls out even, rotate your parchment paper 90 degrees every few rolls and repeat (this will also prevent the dough from cracking). If the dough feels stuck or is sticking ot the rolling pin, dust it with some additional gluten-free flour.

Roll out the dough around ⅛-¼ inch thick - around 0.5cm (50 mm)

If the dough softens, refrigerate for a few minutes before cutting and placing it into the tart shell.

Remove the parchment paper and use a cutter or plate slightly larger than your tart shell to cut it into a circle. It does not have to be perfectly round but bigger than the tart shell.

Lay your dough circle over your tart shell and gently press into the shell. Use your fingers to gently press the dough into the bottom of the pan and up along the edges. Don’t worry if excess dough hangs over the edges. Take a small paring knife or use your fingers and trim off the dough that’s hanging over the edges of each tart pan. It’s okay to leave a little bit of extra dough (like ¼″ or 2-3mm) in case the dough shrinks a little bit while we blind bake it.

Important: Allow your prepared tart shell to sit in your fridge for 30 minutes before blind baking them. You can shape the tart shells up to 3 days ahead of time before baking them. You may also freeze them for up to 3 months.

Yes, you can re-roll all your dough scraps but I wouldn’t reroll them more than 2 – 3 times top, or your dough will be very tough!

How to blind bake tart shells

Before we can fill our tart shell(s) with a delicious filling, one has to blind-bake it. This step does not fully bake the dough. It just gives it a head start.

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350F and arrange the rack in the middle.

Step 2: When your oven is preheated, poke the gluten-free tart crust several times with a fork (this helps to release any air that might be trapped)

Step 3: Press a square of parchment paper or aluminum foil tightly against the gluten-free tart crust. Make sure to cover the edges to prevent them from burning. Fill it evenly with dried beans or dried rice or pie weights if you happen to own some.

Step 4: Bake for 15 minutes and remove from the oven. Carefully remove the parchment paper and dried beans (just grab the edges and remove them)

Step 5: Allow the tart shell to cool down on a wire rack before filling it.

FAQ about Gluten Free Tart Crust Recipe

Note about Salt in my Recipes

I use Diamond Kosher Crystal Salt in all of my recipes unless otherwise stated. If use use a different brand or kind of salt in your kitchen please adjust accordingly since some salts can be saltier. If you use Morton’s Kosher Salt please be aware that their salt granules are smaller in size, denser, and crunchier and twice as salty.

Baking in grams

I share my recipes in grams and by weight since baking by weight is the most accurate way to bake. Digital Scales are very affordable and easy to use. You can purchase them on Amazon for less than a set of measuring cups. For small amounts under 10 grams, I like to use this Precision Pocket Scale. Measuring cups are very inaccurate which can cause significant errors when it comes to gluten-free baking or baking in general. Especially since I bake with gluten-free flours which weigh differently than “regular” flours. I do provide some ingredients like spices and leavening agents in measuring spoons. To learn more about Baking with a digital scale, make sure to check out my post about Baking by weight.

Note about Ovens and Oven Temperatures

All my recipes are tested and developed with a conventional oven. I always bake my baked goods on the rack placed in the MIDDLE of my oven. This way the heat coming from the bottom will not burn my baked goods.

If you are baking with convection (fan-forced), please adjust the recipes accordingly. Convection oven can cause baked goods to dry out quickly and still be raw inside. Since takes at least 15-20 minutes for a standard American Oven to be fully preheated. I highly recommend investing in an Oven Thermometer.

Substitutions and Modifications

Any dietary or ingredient modifications/substitutions to this recipe may alter the end result in appearance and taste. I test my recipes several times as published in this post and The Gluten Free Austrian Blog is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe you find on our website.