High-Protein Pie Crust

Published 3/29/2025

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Give your favorite pie a boost of nutrition with our 20-minute High-Protein Pie Crust! Cottage cheese is blended into the pie crust dough to provide a good dose of protein with every slice.

We ❤️ serving this protein pie crust with our delicious homemade coconut cream pie filling. Trust us when we say everyone will be asking for seconds.

Unbaked pie crust in a white pie dish on a textured surface with a knife and striped cloth nearby.

Are you a cake or a pie person? For me, it’s always been pie. There’s just something about a flaky, buttery crust filled with a creamy or fruity filling that makes my heart sing! The thing is, though, I don’t make them unless it’s a holiday because it’s often time-consuming and just way too filling. But not anymore!

Here’s the DL ⤵️: This protein pie crust is super easy to make PLUS it packs 4g of protein per slice in the crust alone.

Ingredients for Our High-Protein Pie Crust

4% cottage cheese: We like to use 4% cottage cheese for this recipe because it has a higher protein content than lower fat cottage cheese.
All-purpose flour: You can’t have a pie crust without flour! Use all-purpose flour for the base of your high-protein crust and to thicken your coconut cream filling.
Light brown sugar: A touch of sweetness is always welcome in a pie crust, and light brown sugar adds the perfect amount without overpowering the other flavors.
Unsalted butter: Cold, unsalted butter is key for creating a flaky crust. Make sure to dice it and keep it chilled until you’re ready to use.

Equipment Needed

Food processor: You’ll need a food processor to blend the ingredients for the crust together.
Pie pan: Use a 9-inch pie pan for this recipe.
Pie weights: To prevent the crust from puffing up, you’ll need some pie weights.

don’t have pie weights?

Skip the pie weights by forking the pie crust all over before baking. Bubbles may still pop up while baking but will easily deflate while filling the crust. You can also use raw rice in a pinch, we’ve do this often and it works great.

A slice of coconut cream pie on a white plate with a gold fork, topped with whipped cream and toasted coconut flakes.

try it!

Protein Coconut Cream Pie

Use our high-protein pie crust to make this decadent coconut cream pie recipe! It’s seriously so, so good.

get recipe

Six-step process of making pie crust: ingredients in a food processor, blended dough, hand forming dough, rolling it out, rolling onto parchment, and placing in a pie dish.

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Delicious Filling Variations

This high-protein pie crust can be used to make all kinds of pies, but honestly we’re partial to our coconut cream pie. Here are a few ways to jazz that pie filling up when you’re looking for something a little less traditional:

Chocolate Cream: Add melted chocolate or cocoa powder to the filling for a rich and decadent chocolate cream pie.

Lemon Cream: Incorporate lemon zest and juice into the filling for a tangy twist on this classic dessert.

Berry Delight: Top the whipped cream with fresh berries like strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries for a burst of fruity flavor.

Pumpkin Spice: Mix in pumpkin puree and spices like cinnamon and nutmeg for a seasonal take on this pie.

Nutty Nougat: Stir in chopped nuts like almonds, pecans, or hazelnuts for a crunchy and delicious filling.

How to Store

If you’re looking to prepare your pie crust ahead of time, make the dough and form it into a puck. Wrap in plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

When you’re ready to make your pie, allow the puck to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes or until it is soft enough to roll out.

To Freeze: we love keeping a puck of this pie crust in the freezer! Wrap the pie crust puck tightly in plastic wrap and then place in an air-tight container or ziploc bag before freezing for up to 3 months. Place in the fridge overnight before rolling out.

A creamy pie with a slice removed, topped with whipped cream and toasted coconut flakes, in a white pie dish.

High-Protein Pie Crust Recipe

This high protein pie crust is made with blended cottage cheese to create a protein-rich pie crust that is just as delicious as the classic.

By: Emily Richter

Prep: 10

Cook: 10

Total: 20

Servings:

Unbaked pie crust in a white ceramic pie dish with a striped cloth and a knife beside it on a textured surface.

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Ingredients

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350℉.
Place the flour, brown sugar, salt, and butter into a food processor. Pulse a few times until the butter is broken up into little pieces. Add the cottage cheese and pulse a few more times. Scrape down the sides, then add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until the dough can clump together.
Transfer the dough to a floured work surface. Form the dough into a disc and roll it into a 10-11-inch circle.
Transfer the dough to a pie pan. Line the pie dough with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. (Don’t have pie weights? We like to use raw rice in a pinch.)
Bake the pie crust at 350℉ for 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before filling with desired pie filling.

Tips & Notes

Skip the pie weights by forking the pie crust all over before baking. Bubbles may still pop up while baking, but they will easily deflate while filling the crust.
We created this pie crust to be served as the crust for our coconut cream pie recipe. Feel free to use the crust with any other pie filling.