This is the best and easiest Keto Chocolate Pie Crust Recipe you’ll ever make. Quick to make, healthy, and low in saturated fat, this keto pie crust with optional sugar free sprinkles uses dark cocoa powder to create the perfect gluten-free base for your chocolate cravings. Follow along with a step-by-step visual guide to create the perfect chocolate crust every time. No rolling pin needed!
If you’re looking for an almond flour keto pie crust without chocolate, try my Almond Flour Pie Crust or Vegan Almond Flour Pie Crust.
Keto Chocolate Pie Crust Is AMAZING
I initially made this dark, smooth shell for a scrumptious Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie, which I can’t recommend enough.
The crust itself bursts with mellow, earthy chocolatey tones and sings the way my garden does on a bright, sunny day.
You can, of course, also pair this soft, chewy, gluten free chocolate pie crust with your favorite filling.
Whatever filling you use, the assertive shell will punch up your dessert with a dark, rich burst of chocolate flavor that won’t disappoint.
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This Low Carb Dark Chocolate Crust Is Packed with Health Benefits
Crafted with nutritious, low-carb almond flour, this keto-friendly crust is a health-conscious choice:
- Swap out butter for plant-based avocado oil to reduce saturated fat compared to traditional pie crusts.
- Choose sugar-free monk fruit sweetener for a zero-calorie alternative to sugar.
- For a vegan option, simply replace the egg with a flaxseed meal egg substitute.
This Delicious Keto Chocolate Pie Crust Recipe Will Wow Friends and Family
People will be impressed whether or not they’re health conscious.
Moreover, the crust is suitable for keto, low carb, gluten free, vegan, paleo and diabetic diets.
Ingredients in Chocolate Keto Pie Crust
These are the ingredients in this decadent, guilt-free chocolate keto pie crust recipe.
Dry Ingredients in This Sugar Free Recipe
- Almond flour – Use fine, blanched almond flour which is made from peeled almonds. I don’t recommend using almond meal which is a little too coarse and dark for this almond flour pie crust since the entire raw almond is used.
- Granulated sweetener of choice – You could use regular refined sugar for this recipe, but imagine a sweetener with zero calories, zero carbs, and no sugar rush. A crust that’s perfect for dieters and diabetics? Simply choose a sugar-free, keto-friendly sweetener like monk fruit which has no aftertaste and won’t spike your blood sugar.
- Dutched cocoa powder – Dutched cocoa gives the pie shell a dark color and a distinct flavor. Unlike natural unsweetened cocoa, Dutched cocoa is processed or alkalized, resulting in a mellower, nuttier, and earthier taste.
It’s the type of cocoa found in familiar products like Oreo cookies and Swiss Miss Chocolate Mix. - Salt – just a little bit.
- Sugar free sprinkles (optional) – add color for a fun, festive chocolate keto pie crust.
- Cinnamon (optional) – A dash of cinnamon can add a delightful flavor to your chocolate pie crust, depending on the filling.
Wet Ingredients in Chocolate Keto Pie Crust
- Avocado oil (or butter) – Neutral-tasting, plant-based avocado oil has a lot less saturated fat than butter or coconut oil and melds beautifully with the nutty aromas of almond flour.
No one will know that the keto pie shell contains avocado oil. - Egg – You can’t taste the egg in the crust. Instead, it acts as a binder since almond flour doesn’t contain gluten. Vegans can replace the egg with 1 flax seed egg (1 tablespoon of flax seed meal plus 3 tablespoons water).
- Vanilla extract – enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Unsweetened almond milk – just a tablespoon for moisture.
Want to Make a Keto Vegan Chocolate Pie Crust?
To make a vegan keto pie crust, use a flax seed egg: 1 tablespoon of flax seed meal plus 3 tablespoons water and let it gel for a few minutes.
NOTE: Some store-bought egg replacers contain baking soda which you don’t need, since you don’t want your chocolate pie crust to rise.
How to Make Keto Chocolate Pie Crust
Here are the steps to make delicious keto chocolate pie crust.
1. Set the optional sprinkles aside and place the ingredients in a bowl. Use an electric mixer, food processor, or stand mixer to blitz the ingredients on high for a few seconds.
Once mixed, add the sprinkles and gently fold them into the dough. Finally, use a spatula to shape the dough into a disk.
2. Transfer disk to the center of a tart or pie dish.
3. Then, using your fingers, press the dough along the bottom, working your way outwards to form thick sides which are essential if you want to flute the sides.
You can also use a mini saucepan or cup to help you flatten the bottom and build the sides. If desired, flute the crust with your pointer fingers.
4. Before baking the fluted keto chocolate pie crust, prick the bottom with a fork a few times.
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You might also enjoy Mint Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies.
To Bake or Not Bake Your Low Carb Chocolate Shell
You essentially have three options:
How to Make a No-Bake Keto Chocolate Pie Crust
If you want to make a keto no-bake chocolate pie crust, simply omit the egg and instead use a vegan egg replacement such as a flax seed egg (1 tablespoons of flax seed meal plus 3 tablespoons of water that needs about 10 minutes to gel).
For a no-bake crust, you would also need to use powdered instead of granulated sweetener, so the crust doesn’t taste grainy.
How to “Par Bake” a Keto Chocolate Crust
To “par bake” the crust, i.e., to partially bake or prebake the crust before adding a filling that also needs to be baked, simply bake it for about 9-10 minutes.
How to “Blind Bake” a Chocolate Pie Crust
To “blind bake” the crust, i.e., to fully bake the crust before adding a filling that doesn’t need to be baked, simply bake it for about 15 minutes until the crust is fully set and baked.
Be sure to let the crust cool completely before adding the filling. Otherwise, your crust might be soggy.
Sugar Free Chocolate Pie Crust Filling Ideas and Recipes
This keto chocolate pie crust tastes great with scrumptious apple peanut butter pie, healthy chocolate pecan pie and many other fillings such as keto lemon curd and sugar free cherry pie filling.
FAQs about Almond Flour Chocolate Pie Crust
Yes, but if you make this recipe with natural cocoa powder, the pie shell will be a lighter color and you’ll need less sugar.
Dutch processed cocoa, Dutch cocoa, or alkalized cocoa, is treated with an alkalizing agent to reduce the natural acidity of cocoa, giving it a less bitter taste and darker color compared to “natural cocoa.”
Yes, because it isn’t safe to consume raw eggs.
Yes, simply omit the egg and instead use an egg replacer such as 1 tablespoon of flax seed meal plus 3 tablespoons of water. This also makes the crust vegan.
Instead of refined sugar, use a keto-friendly sweetener such as monk fruit allulose blend. You’ll find these sugar free sweeteners at grocery stores, health food stores, and online.
Yes, you definitely can. We make this tasty dark chocolate pie crust with avocado oil instead of butter. After all, avocado oil is a keto-friendly butter substitute that contains 4 times less saturated fat than butter.
Avocado oil also doesn’t compromise the pie crust’s flavor. So, why not go with what’s healthier?
Kitchen Equipment for This Pie or Tart Shell Recipe
- 1 medium-sized mixing bowl
- 1 electric mixer or food processor or stand mixer to blitz the ingredients on high for a few seconds
- 1 pie pan – a 9.5-inch Pyrex glass pie dish, or a 9-inch nonstick aluminum pie pan or a tart pan. You don’t have to grease the pan or use parchment paper.
How to Store This Sugar Free Keto Pie Crust
Keto chocolate pie crust is easy to store.
Refrigerate This Keto Chocolate Pie Crust Recipe
You can refrigerate a chocolate almond flour pie crust for up to five days. Be sure to cover it tightly with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.
Freeze This Keto Chocolate Pie Crust Recipe
If you need to store the crust for a longer period, wrap it in plastic and freeze it for up to 3 months.
Want More Keto Recipes?
Here are some of my favorite sugar free keto dessert recipes.
Recipe Card
Keto Chocolate Pie Crust Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Medium-sized mixing bowl
- 1 Electric mixer or food processor or stand mixer You need to blitz the ingredients on high for a few seconds to really blend the ingredients well.
- 1 Pie Pan Use a 9.5-inch Pyrex glass pie dish, or a 9-inch nonstick aluminum pie or tart pan.
Ingredients
- 2½ Cups Almond Flour 240 Grams
- 7½ Tablespoons White or Brown Granulated Sweetener of Choice 85 Grams
- 2½ Tablespoons Dutched Cocoa Powder 15 Grams. If you use regular cocoa powder, you will need less sugar.
- ¼ Teaspoon Salt
- ¼ Cup Avocado Oil or Unsalted Butter
- 1 Egg or 1 Flax Seed Egg (1 tablespoon of flax seed meal plus 3 tablespoons water)
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 Tablespoon Unsweetened Almond Milk if needed, for moisture
- ¼ Cup Sprinkles (Optional) (4 Tablespoons)
- ¼ Teaspoon Cinnamon (Optional) tastes great with some fillings
Instructions
You'll find instructional photos in the main post.
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Set the optional sprinkles aside and put the ingredients in a bowl. Blitz ingredients on high for a few seconds with an electric mixer, food processor or stand mixer.
- After blitzing the ingredients, add the sprinkles and gently fold them into the dough.
- Shape dough into disk with your spatula or hands.
- Place disk in center of pan.
- Press dough into pie pan, making a flat bottom and moving outwards from the center.
- Shape sides making sure they are equally thick. A glass or mini sauce pan can help you flatten the bottom and build the sides. Note: The sides need to be thick if you want to flute them.Tip: If your hands are slightly damp, the dough won't stick.
- Flute the edges, if desired, using your pointer finger, as described in the photo in the post.
- Puncture the bottom of the pie crust a few times with a fork. But if your pie crust still bubbles up during the baking process, just prick the spot with your fork or use a mini saucepan or glass to flatten the bottom when you remove the pie crust from the oven.
- Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes, rotating halfway through.If you plan on adding a filling and then baking the crust some more, I recommend only baking it for 9-10 minutes. That's enough time to set it.
- If you plan to add a no-bake filling, add the filling after the crust fully cools.
Notes
This crust is delicious. We made it for the chocolate chip pecan pie which was a big hit when we served it on Thanksgiving. Thanks, can’t wait to try more of your recipes.
Just tried this crust yesterday and it’s really delicious. Nice idea to use avocado oil. Thanks.
Glad you like it too. Yes, avocado oil is the perfect healthy alternative to butter.
I am allergic to almonds and hazelnuts which are in the birch tree family. Can I use pecan flour or walnut flour?
I have always wanted to try that myself. If you try it, let me know how it goes. I don’t know if you would have to adjust any of the other ingredients.