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    Home » Recipes » Italian Recipes

    Olive Oil Shortcrust Pastry Dough (Dairy-free)

    Published: Jun 2, 2019 · Modified: Aug 21, 2020 by Andrea

    Jump to Recipe

    Soft, crumbly and made without butter, this magic 5-ingredient dairy-free Olive Oil Shortcrust Pastry Dough is the best alternative to the classic version.


    I've discovered this magic olive oil pastry dough not long time ago, and I've been secretly obsessed with it ever since.

    I know it's easier to buy pre-made shortcrust pastry at the supermarket, but believe me, making your own shortcrust pastry is totally life-changing.

    It tastes SO MUCH better. Best of all, you know exactly what goes in, and in this dairy-free recipe, no butter is involved!

    This olive oil shortcrust pastry recipe follows a traditional Italian recipe for "pastra frolla" (which is a sweet shortcrust pastry dough), but swaps heavy butter for light, aromatic and easier-to-digest extra-virgin olive oil.

    The result? A super light, crumbly and incredibly easy to make sweet shortcrust pastry that's just as delicious -if not even better- as the buttery classic version.

    How To Make Shortcrust Pastry with Olive Oil

    Making this shortcrust pastry without butter couldn't be easier.

    The recipe calls for just 5 simple ingredients:

    • light extra-virgin olive oil
    • eggs
    • sugar
    • flour
    • lemon zest

    All you have to do is work the ingredients together, slowing adding the flour until you reach an even, elastic dough.

    It literally takes no more than 5 min prep!

    olive oil shortcrust pastry on a white wood board, olive oil in a glass bottle and rolling pin on a striped kitchen cloth in the background

    Once you have worked your pastry into a ball, wrap it up in cling film and use it straight away or rest in the fridge for 20-30 minutes. 

    Now, you're ready to roll it on a lightly floured surface and bake whatever you like. Pies, cookies, tarts, crostata, you name it!

    Needless to say, this is a great crust recipe for all kinds of fruit pies (hello apple pie, peach pie!).

    I've used it before to make this awesome Nectarine Tart, and to remake my popular shortbread cookies, and both came out incredibly delicious. 

    Give this delicate, Italian dairy-free shortcrust pastry dough a try.

    I promise it will easily become your go-to substitute for any sweet recipe calling for classic shortcrust pastry!

    olive oil shortcrust pastry on a white wood board, olive oil in a glass bottle and rolling pin on a striped kitchen cloth

    Tips For Perfect Dairy-free Pastry Dough

    The secret behind a great olive oil shortcrust pastry is choosing a good quality extra-virgin olive oil.

    I opted for a Greek D.O.P extra-virgin olive oil, which is just slightly aromatic.

    Make sure you choose an extra-virgin olive oil that is light, not too acidic or fruity, so that it doesn't over-power the delicate flavour of the pastry.

    To achieve a perfect melt-in-your-mouth crumbly texture, remember not to overwork the pastry.

    This will ensure that the crust remains flaky and delicate and doesn’t turn tough after baking.

    Avoid using cold eggs when making the pastry, as it would lead to a non-homogenous pastry.

    Instead, let the eggs sit on the kitchen counter for about 30 minutes before using them.

     

    DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

    Please let me know how you liked it! Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #thepetitecook! Looking at your pictures always makes me smile *and super hungry*!

    olive oil shortcrust pastry on a white wood board, olive oil in a glass bottle and rolling pin on a striped kitchen cloth
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    4.62 from 13 votes

    Italian Olive Oil Shortcrust Pastry (Dairy-free)

    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Soft, crumbly and made without butter, this magic 5-ingredient Italian Olive Oil Shortcrust Pastry is a light dairy-free alternative to the classic version.
    Prep Time5 mins
    Total Time5 mins
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: Italian
    Serving: 10
    Calories: 252kcal
    Author: Andrea Soranidis

    Ingredients

    • 150 g confectioner sugar
    • a pinch of salt
    • 90 ml extra-virgin olive oil
    • 1 medium egg
    • 1 medium egg yolk
    • zest of 1 lemon
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • 280 g all-purpose flour

    Instructions

    • In a bowl, combine the sugar, a pinch of salt, the oil, the whole egg and the yolk, and lemon zest. Stir with a fork, gradually add ⅔ of the flour and the baking powder until the dough begins to form.
    • Transfer the dough onto a work surface and continue to add the remaning flour, whilst working the dough with your hands until you have a smooth even dough (you might need a little less than 280 g). Use the dough straight away, or flatten the dough into a thick disc (it will make it easier to roll after), cover with cling film and chill for 30 min.
    • Use this dairy-free shortcrust pastry as you would use the traditional one, to make tarts, cookies, or pies.

    Notes

    Recipe Tips:
    • The secret behind a great olive oil shortcrust pastry is choosing a good quality extra-virgin olive oil.
    Choose an extra-virgin olive oil that is light, not too acidic or fruity, so that it doesn’t over-power the delicate flavour of the pastry.
    • To achieve a perfect melt-in-your-mouth crumbly texture, remember not to overwork the pastry.
    This will ensure that the crust remains flaky and delicate and doesn’t turn tough after baking.
    • Avoid using cold eggs when making the pastry, as it would lead to a non-homogenous pastry.
    Instead, let the eggs sit on the kitchen counter for about 30 minutes before using them.
    How to use:
    Use this dairy-free pasta frolla to make cookies, pies or the popular Italian jam tart (crostata di marmellata).
    Storing tips:
    For later use, simply roll the pastry dough into a disk, wrap it with cling film and freeze for up to 1 month.
     
    Did you try this recipe? Tag @thepetitecook or use the hashtag #thepetitecook - Looking at your pictures makes my day!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 252kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 57mg | Potassium: 36mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 50IU | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 2mg

    The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    This post was originally published in September 2017 and updated with more info.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Nina says

      October 05, 2021 at 10:01 am

      Hi, is the confectioners sugar = powdered icing sugar (UK) it seems like a lot of sweetness 150g.
      Can you use this pastry for savoury pies by omitting the confectioners sugar? Is there anything else that you would change in the recipe for the pastry if using in savoury recipes? Thanks.

      Reply
      • Andrea says

        October 10, 2021 at 10:43 am

        Hi Nina, yes, confectioner's sugar is powdered icing sugar. Yes, it seems a lot, but the amounts are correct, and the pastry dough doesn't come out too sweet I promise! I haven't tried the same recipe without sugar to make a savoury dairy-free pastry dough, but if you do, please let me know how it goes!

        Reply
    2. Busy Mama says

      August 10, 2021 at 7:48 pm

      5 stars
      OMG! This is one of the easiest recipe with the best dough outcome! I actually made this with Cup 4 Cup gluten free flour and it was so good! I made couple of different filling and it was delicious and had a great texture! Thank you!

      Reply
    3. Patsy says

      March 20, 2021 at 9:40 pm

      Hi wanted to try this recipe but didn't know how much yeast to add. The instructions mention yeast but there is no yeast in the ingredients list.

      Reply
      • Andrea says

        March 24, 2021 at 10:14 am

        Hi Patsy, there's no yeast in this recipe! You should add baking powder, and the amount is listed in the recipe card at the end of the post :)) I hope you like this super dairy-free pastry dough!

        Reply
    4. Maggie Hynes says

      January 30, 2019 at 9:49 pm

      IT has eggs ????? It's not dairy free

      Reply
      • Andrea says

        February 03, 2019 at 7:06 pm

        Hi Maggie, I don't consider eggs as a dairy product. The definition of dairy refers to milk and any food products made from milk, such as cheese, cream, butter and yogurt. Here's a helpful article: https://www.delish.com/food-news/a21605943/are-eggs-dairy/

        Reply
    5. Tom Gibb says

      December 12, 2018 at 9:53 pm

      I made this for an apple pie...which my eleven turning twelve year old wanted instead of a birthday cake. Also found the mixture was too dry. I mixed it very gently by hand and it it was breadcrumb like - similar to normal pastry after mixing flour and butter, before adding the water or juice. So I dribbled in juice from an orange until it felt right to roll...and it worked perfectly. Better than normal shortcrust pastry........thanks!

      Reply
    6. Janet Castro says

      October 26, 2018 at 4:39 pm

      Has anyone tried this recipe using wholewheat flour or any other non-white flour? I'm looking for a really nutritious but delicious pastry recipe and this sounds good but not sure how to adapt. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Andrea says

        October 27, 2018 at 9:35 am

        Hi Janet! I've recently tried it with wholewheat flour and the dough was a bit on the dry side, very crumbly. I've added an extra egg white and it seemed to work well, so you might want to give it a try!

        Reply
    7. Tania says

      October 20, 2018 at 4:43 am

      I wanted to made a dairy free pastry dessert for a friend and came across this recipe. I made this in a food processor and found it was a bit dry and didn't come together well so l added a little water. I refrigerated it for 24 hours then when l went to roll it, it kept crumbling. I managed to press it into the base of a baking dish and the top l basically patched up small pieces till it covered the filling. It didn't look the best but the taste and texture were amazing. So delicious and crumbly in the mouth. Will definitely use this recipe again but will try mixing by hand rather than food processor next time. Thank for sharing.

      Reply
      • Sarah says

        June 21, 2021 at 6:36 am

        4 stars
        I can say that I made this recipe by hand and on the counter, but I did have to add quite a bit of hot water to it just a little at a time. When I added too much water I just added a pinch or two of flour until I got to the right texture.

        Reply
    8. Genevieve D says

      September 24, 2018 at 8:52 am

      Hi! I tried this recipe yesterday. It may have been because I used gluten free flour, but it was too crumbly for me to roll out to use as a pie crust. However, I ended up just crumbling it all up with my hands and making apple crumble instead, and it was delicious!

      Reply
      • Andrea says

        September 24, 2018 at 9:07 am

        Hi Genevieve, thank you so much for your feedback! I'm sorry to hear the dough didn't come out quite right, I've never tried it with rice flour, but I've made this endless times with regular all purpose flour and never failed, so I suspect it's all down to the flour (or maybe you used small eggs?) 🙁 I'm glad to hear that at least it tastes good! Hope you give it another try! Andrea

        Reply
      • Rebecca Mclaughlin says

        October 12, 2018 at 8:42 am

        Hey, did you try again and have better luck? I'm thinking to try it but my flour is glutenfree too. I wonder if adding an extra egg or more oil would help? I find the flour more dry and much heavier in general.

        Reply
    9. heidymccllum says

      August 15, 2018 at 5:18 pm

      Oh, my gosh, I think this shortcrust pastry looks to die for, however, I am totally loving that rolling pin ! Beautiful!!!

      Reply
    10. Marie – Not Enough Cinnamon says

      August 15, 2018 at 5:11 pm

      I've never heard of shortcrust pastry made with olive oil before – it sounds so delicious! Perfect for savory tarts + dairy free needs! Yum 🙂

      Reply
    11. Danielle says

      August 15, 2018 at 5:00 pm

      I have never tried making my own pastry, but this looks really simple.

      Reply
    12. Rebecca | Nourish Nutrition Co says

      August 15, 2018 at 4:59 pm

      Gotta try this! I also can't get over how absolutely adorable your rolling pin is!

      Reply
    13. Jenni says

      August 15, 2018 at 4:14 pm

      I love ho simple and clean this recipe is. It sounds fantastic!

      Reply
    14. Emma says

      September 12, 2017 at 5:21 pm

      I am definitely intrigued I hate making pastry but this one does sound lovely.

      Reply
    15. Karyn Ryan says

      September 12, 2017 at 2:27 am

      The dough looks amazing. .suchicken an easy recipe..definitely one I will try

      Reply
    16. Swathi says

      September 11, 2017 at 11:40 pm

      I like this olive oil short crust pastry because worried about butter amount in the recipes,Your roller is beautiful.

      Reply
    17. Catherine says

      September 11, 2017 at 3:54 pm

      Love the idea of using olive oil in place of butter...the dough looks perfect!

      Reply
    18. Catalina @ Peas & Peonies says

      September 11, 2017 at 12:41 pm

      Never tried shortcrust pastry with olive oil! It is a great idea! I make a lot of tarts during the cold season!

      Reply
    19. Kylee Cooks says

      September 11, 2017 at 4:27 am

      Olive oil would give amazing flavor to this pastry! It looks and sounds so delicious!

      Reply
    20. Buy This Cook That says

      September 11, 2017 at 12:56 am

      I think this is perfect, I've never tried this. I bet this would make perfect tart crust. I'm excited to try this the next time I am baking.

      Reply
    21. Ashley - Forking Up says

      September 11, 2017 at 12:21 am

      I feel like olive oil gives such a classy flavor to things. This would be awesome for a fruit filled tart!

      Reply
    22. Christine says

      September 11, 2017 at 12:09 am

      This looks SO good! I love it!

      Reply
    23. Noel Lizotte says

      September 11, 2017 at 12:01 am

      I'm with Marlynn ... rolling pin jealousy over here! LOL
      The pastry seems easy enough that I could make it ... and I usually buy crusts. sigh. Baker I Am Not. Might be changing my ways ...

      Reply
      • Andrea says

        September 11, 2017 at 7:08 am

        Ahah thank you 🙂 Yes, the pastry is super easy, I used to buy pre-made crusts too, but the results you get with homemade crust is a million times better, give it a try!

        Reply
    24. Dene' V. Alexander says

      September 10, 2017 at 11:08 pm

      I have never seen this type of crust before. Seems quite simple and delicious. I will give this one a shot for my next pastry!!

      Reply
    25. Marisa Franca @ All Our Way says

      September 10, 2017 at 9:43 pm

      I love the idea of using olive oil as part of a crust. As an Italian I make lots of Italian dishes but didn't make a crust using the olive oil. Wonderful idea. Thank you!!

      Reply
    26. Veena Azmanov says

      September 10, 2017 at 7:22 pm

      I love how simple and easy this is. Love the idea of replacing butter with olive oil. SO much more healthier. Can't wait to try.

      Reply
    27. Nadja | Nashi Food says

      September 10, 2017 at 5:56 pm

      I love how easy this recipe is, I usually don't make pastry crusts but I will definitely give this one a try.

      Reply
    28. Gloria Duggan says

      September 09, 2017 at 10:00 pm

      WOW I love using olive oil in place of butter. I have printed this and will certainly be giving it a try. You are correct, store bought is easier...but does not compare to homemade!!

      Reply
    29. Create Kids Club says

      September 09, 2017 at 6:24 pm

      I love how easy this is - and I LOVE your rolling pin! 🙂 I think I'll have to give this homemade version a shot!

      Reply
    30. Joanna Everyday Made Fresh says

      September 09, 2017 at 5:23 pm

      I really like the simplicity of this recipe. Few ingredients, and dairy free, for those with the allergy, or those that may not have any on hand.

      Reply
    31. shobee says

      September 09, 2017 at 4:46 am

      To be honest, it is the first time I heard about this type of pastry. It does looks easy to prepare.

      Reply
    32. Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

      September 09, 2017 at 1:46 am

      Such an easy recipe. I will definitely have to try it. I love your roller, by the way. It's super cute!

      Reply
      • Andrea says

        September 11, 2017 at 7:09 am

        Thank you so much! I found that roller at a sunday fair in Rome, it's one of my favorite things in the kitchen 🙂

        Reply

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