Bake 27 Perfect Pies Without Shortcrust Pastry
A good shortcrust pastry is marvelous, whether you want to make a sweet apricot pie or a meat pie. However, whether you're creating a dessert or savory dish, there are plenty of other different pastries and crusts that you can use that may add to the taste. A cookie crust is perfect for creamy, after-dinner fillings. Puff pastry is incredible with a rich gravy. And phyllo pastry is light yet buttery and ideal for Greek-inspired dishes. You can make a crust out of crackers, and you might want a few biscuits bobbing on the top as well, or even a doughy Southern-style carb.
There are so many textures and flavors, crusts, and pie lids to try that don't require you to make any pastry at all. That means no sifting flour and getting it everywhere or rubbing in butter to create the dough. You can make perfect pies without shortcrust pastry by trying the recipes below.
1. Rustic plum pie
The flaky, buttery deliciousness of puff pastry is incredible. The pastry literally embraces the rich, fruity filling for this recipe. It's the base, sides, and partial top of this perfect pie. You'll need to double up two thawed-out sheets of puff pastry to get enough thickness to hold the canned plums. And make sure you drain and pit them, too. You can also use fresh plums.
Use a dinner plate to help guide the size you'll need to roll out the pastry. It literally acts like a basket, gathering in to keep the fruity filling inside.
Recipe: Rustic plum pie
2. Layered pumpkin custard pie
When it's cold outside, everyone needs a little warming magic. As this perfect pumpkin pie cooks, layers are created to give it a comforting taste. A graham cracker crust elevates this pie by giving each slice a crunchy casing that contrasts with the filling.
Once done, you'll have a bottom layer of custard, which complements the buttery taste of the crackers. The next layer up is a pumpkin puree that is light and fluffy. Add whipped cream to the top, and you've got a sweet pie that's good enough for holiday meals like Thanksgiving.
Recipe: Layered pumpkin custard pie
3. Chocolate cream pie
A homemade chocolatey pudding enriched with egg yolks is turned into a perfect pie with a crust. But instead of using plain shortcrust pastry, why not double down on the sweet taste? Crush Oreos or a similar style of chocolate biscuit, and throw the crumbs into melted butter. Line the pie tin with this cookie crumble before it starts to set, and make sure it's been in the fridge a while and hardened before you pour in the velvety pudding.
All you need now is a whipped cream topping and shavings of chocolate.
Recipe: Chocolate cream pie
4. Easy peanut butter pie
Why spread peanut butter on a slice of bread when you can make a whole pie out of it? Since chocolate pairs so well with peanut butter, it makes sense to swap out a pastry case for a chocolate cookie crumb one. What's different about this recipe, compared to many crumb ones, is that you bake the crust in the oven before adding the creamy filling.
The filling of peanut butter mixed with peanut butter cups, cream cheese, and whipping cream is divine. And the chocolate crust is part of that glorious-tasting celebration.
Recipe: Easy peanut butter pie
5. Ooey gooey s'mores pie
You don't use all the graham cracker crumbs you've made for the crust for this gorgeously gooey, campfire-inspired pie. Sprinkle some on top of the melting mini marshmallows and chocolate bar pieces to add a little crunch.
Before you add chocolate pudding to the pie, bake the cracker crust, and let it cool. Instead of just mixing the crumbed crackers with butter, you're going to enhance the flavor with brown sugar and vanilla extract. That way it becomes much more of a tasty feature of the whole pie.
Recipe: Ooey gooey s'mores pie
6. Hot water crust meat pies
In the United Kingdom mini pork pies with a layer of jelly surrounded by a robust, tasty pastry are super popular. Making a hot water crust is easy to do, and it'll be strong enough to hold all that meaty filling inside. The key to making it is in the name.
Don't just add hot water to flour and egg though. Heat the water with vegetable lard until it's bubbling away and there's no fat visible. Use a wooden spoon to mix the ingredients together before the water cools.
Recipe: Hot water crust meat pies
7. 5-ingredient lemon meringue pie
Just because it's traditional to use a shortcrust pastry case for lemon meringue pie doesn't mean you have to. The graham cracker crust in this recipe brings added flavor and texture to the sweet, citrusy filling and those melt-in-the-mouth egg white peaks.
If you don't have a blender to make the crumbs, then you can do it by hand. Put the crackers in a food bag, and use a rolling pin to bash down on and roll over them until they are broken up into fairly fine bits. Chill the crust before filling.
Recipe: 5-Ingredient lemon meringue pie
8. Crustless coconut pie
Sometimes less is more, and one of the most perfect pies without shortcrust pastry is this crustless coconut pie. That's because it has no pastry case or top at all. Being able to mix all the ingredients together and pour them into a dish to bake makes this recipe super easy. Without a crust you'll have to be sure to grease the pie dish.
The shredded coconut bakes with milk, butter, and eggs and sets. You can still serve this pie in slices as long as you let it chill and serve cold.
Recipe: Crustless coconut pie
9. Best banoffee pie
The crisp bottom of any banoffee pie is more than just a base. It's a crunchy, flavorful, and necessary part of the whole dessert. In other words, there's nothing but a cookie crumb crust that's going to cut it. For this recipe, make the crust by mixing brown sugar with melted butter and crumbed graham crackers before baking in the oven.
You don't want to create a case for this pie, just a base that becomes the first layer. On top of this, add smooth caramel, banana slices, and whipped cream with icing sugar.
Recipe: Best banoffee pie
10. Traditional steak and kidney pie
A classic British dish that's a pub favorite is a traditional steak and kidney pie. The meaty filling needs to be a tasty stew, but one of the main reasons it's so loved is because it's the perfect pie for pastry lovers.
Sometimes made with shortcrust pastry, this pie can also be made with puff pastry. There's nothing as satisfying as dunking the flaky pieces into the gravy filling. The pastry acts as a lid only, so make leaf-style decorations for the top with any leftover dough before baking.
Recipe: Traditional steak and kidney pie
11. Spanakopita
It's the phyllo pastry layers that make this Greek spinach and feta pie such a culinary Olympian. You're going to need 16 sheets of phyllo in total, and while that might sound like hard work, don't be intimidated. It's worth the extra effort.
Brush each sheet with melted butter before adding another, and sandwich the filling in between layers. To keep the thawed-out pastry from drying out, cover with parchment paper and put a damp kitchen towel on top. You don't want the pastry to harden and become brittle. Score the first few top layers to mark slices.
Recipe: Spanakopita
12. Refreshing watermelon pie
If you don't want to make a pie crust for this simple dessert, then there's no issue in buying a ready-made graham cracker crust. It's also pretty straightforward to make your own. Either way, the taste and texture of this type of case is ideal. It's way lighter than shortcrust and exactly what you need for this refreshing watermelon pie.
This no-bake pie calls for watermelon gelatin, a creamy whipped topping, and fresh fruit. Once all the ingredients are combined, you pop this one in the freezer for a couple of hours. It's perfect for summer.
Recipe: Refreshing watermelon pie
13. Easy chicken tamale pie
Unless you're familiar with food from the South, you might not have come across chicken tamale pie. What's different about this traditional pie, though, is that there's no pastry and no case at all. Instead, you add a rustic cornbread topping to a wonderfully spicy chili filling.
Make the lid by combining corn muffin packet mix, eggs, and milk into a batter. Spoon this mixture on top of the chili so that it covers the whole surface. Don't try and spread it as it's a little too gloppy for that. Then just bake.
Recipe: Easy chicken tamale pie
14. Baklava
While it's impressive to make your own shortcrust pasty, practically nobody is going to do that with phyllo pastry. You'll need to let the block from the store defrost in the fridge overnight to be ready to make this super-sweet, nutty, syrupy Greek classic.
The phyllo is the star of this dessert, with pecans sandwiched between the layers of pastry. Don't add too much melted butter to the sheets. You'll want them to crisp up and turn golden brown, not soggy, when they bake. Add the honey mixture as soon as it's out of the oven, and let the now sticky pie cool.
Recipe: Baklava
15. 30-minute tuna pot pie casserole
Recipes that draw inspiration from traditional dishes are always exciting to try. Instead of making a chicken pot pie, this dish creates a casserole with canned tuna. Instead of a pastry lid, the doughy texture comes from a biscuit topping that's light and fluffy.
Use store-bought dough, and it couldn't be easier. You literally just add the dough to the top of the saucy mixture and watch it rise and turn golden brown when baked. You've got natural portions with each biscuit as well. This is the perfect comfort food pie.
16. Easy million dollar pie
Pecans, coconut flakes, and pineapple combined with whipped topping and sweetened condensed milk are sublime as a creamy fruit and nut filling. This is one of the easiest-to-make pies without shortcrust pastry — you use a graham cracker crust instead.
The advantage of a store-bought case for this recipe is that there's absolutely no cooking involved. If you'd prefer a thinner pie, then use the same amount of the creamy mixture and split it into two pie crusts. You'll have more slices to go around, too. For a pop of color, garnish with maraschino cherries.
Recipe: Easy million dollar pie
17. 30-minute chicken pot pie
Chicken pot pie is an all-time favorite. The pastry is amazing with the creamy sauce and succulent pieces of chicken. Rather than use shortcrust, though, you can top the pie with puff pastry. What you don't need to do for this recipe is bake the pie in the oven with a puff pastry lid.
Instead, cut the thawed-out pastry into rectangles, with one for each pie. Brush with egg, and bake on a parchment-paper-lined tray. Cook the chicken casserole on the stove, and serve with a now golden-brown puff-pastry topper.
Recipe: 30-minute chicken pot pie
18. Crustless tomato pie
Tasty as a shortcrust pastry might be, it's definitely a stodgy carb addition to any dish. Without it, you can still enjoy a slice of pie, and this crustless tomato recipe is a perfect example.
Instead of a pastry case, create layers of tomato slices and an eggy, herby, cheesy mixture of mozzarella and feta. Top with mozzarella so that it melts and browns across the whole pie. Let the dish cool a little so that it's more solid before serving. Keep this meal light with a fresh, peppery salad on the side.
Recipe: Crustless tomato pie
19. Atlantic Beach lemon pie
This lemon pie is wonderfully citrusy and creamy with a touch of saltiness. In place of shortcrust pastry, you make the crust from saltine crackers which you bake twice.
After mixing broken bits of cracker with sugar and softened butter, you create a dough. Press the cracker crust firmly down and chill it first. Then you need to bake this without any filling, and let it cool. Once you add the tangy sweetened condensed milk and egg yolk filling, the pie needs to be back in the oven. Serve with whipped cream and sea salt.
Recipe: Atlantic Beach lemon pie
20. Easy banana cream pie
Bananas and cream pair well in one of the easiest pies made without shortcrust pastry. To make this a no-bake recipe, use a graham cracker crust that's pre-made. You can pick one up in the store, or even make your own in advance.
What's perfect about using these crackers is that the taste complements the banana pudding, milk, and Cool Whip filling. It also holds the pie together and creates a nice contrast texture-wise to it. After a couple of hours of chill time in the fridge, serve with banana slices.
Recipe: Easy banana cream pie
21. Hearty and easy ham pot pie
An easy, hearty recipe with a puff pastry crust, this is one of the most perfect pies without shortcrust pastry. Using cooked ham in place of chicken for a pot pie is a mouthwatering change.
To make the pastry lid as good as it can be, stick it to the sides of the pie dish with beaten egg. Brush more egg on top of the pastry so that it turns a lovely golden brown while baking. Don't forget to cut two slits in the middle to let the steam out.
Recipe: Hearty and easy ham pot pie
22. 35 minute vegetable pie
If you love quiche and frittata, then you're going to want to try this vegetable pie. It doesn't have a pastry crust, but you don't just have non-crust ingredients either. What makes the pie solid enough to slice when it's essentially crustless is Bisquick.
By adding this baking mix to a cheesy, eggy, milky mixture and pouring this over fresh veggies like asparagus, you're essentially adding the crust ingredients into the dish. As the pie bakes, the flour will create all the crust that's needed to stop it from being too soft.
Recipe: 35 minute vegetable pie
23. Oreo pudding pie
Oreo cookies make the crust of this chocolatey pudding pie as well as the creamy cheesecake-style filling. They are also sprinkled on top. The other layers are made up of chocolate pudding and whipped double cream.
You might find it easier to use a springform cake pan so that you can get the pie out easily after molding the crust. Once you've mixed the cookie crumbs with melted butter, you need to press them firmly in the tin before chilling. Do this with the back of a wooden spoon or use your hands.
Recipe: Oreo pudding pie
24. 5-ingredient Key lime pie
A sweet and salty graham cracker crust is a perfect choice for dessert pies. Grab one when you do your shopping unless you really want to make your own.
However, as well as being convenient, they can be fragile so check for cracks and breaks before you buy. Because there's no need to cook the filling for this recipe, a crust you don't have to bake is ideal, too. All you need for the filling is sweetened condensed milk, Cool Whip Lite, and lime juice. Finish off with zest from a fresh lime.
Recipe: 5-ingredient Key lime pie
25. No-bake peppermint pie
A roundup of perfect pies without shortcrust pastry have to include this no-bake peppermint pie. This recipe calls for an Oreo cookie crumb crust, which is a great choice as the chocolatey taste complements the minty filling. You can use whatever brand you like, or change it up completely and make a graham cracker crust. You could also use Nilla Wafers if you want to focus on a more prominent vanilla taste.
The crust can add flavor as well as texture. Before adding the whipped cream, candy cane, and cream cheese filling, chill the crust in the freezer.
Recipe: No-bake peppermint pie
26. No-bake pumpkin pie
You don't have to be celebrating Thanksgiving to know that pumpkin pie is incredible. A graham cracker crust is just right with a creamy, spicy pumpkin filling. You can also make a chocolate cookie crumb crust. Or you might prefer a pastry case, whether you use a pre-made one or rustle up your own. If you're not making your own dough, then you won't have to turn on the oven at all.
Check that your chilled crust is set if you make it yourself before adding the cream cheese, whipped cream, and pumpkin mixture.
Recipe: No-bake pumpkin pie
27. Breakfast hand pies
Pies aren't usually a breakfast food, so these loaded puff pastry squares are definitely a little different. And that's not all that's interesting about this recipe. To be able to add bacon, eggs, sausage, and cheese to the pastry, you need to create a frame to hold the ingredients in. You can cut slits and twist the pastry edges to make this or score a smaller square in the middle before baking.
Flatten the middle part of the square to add your scrambled eggs and fried brekkie goodies and bake once again.
Recipe: Breakfast hand pies