This gluten-free graham cracker crust is so simple to make with just 4 ingredients – homemade or storebought gluten-free graham crackers, butter or plant butter, brown sugar or coconut sugar, and cinnamon. Bake it for extra crunch, or use it as-is for no-bake recipes. Delicious with any pie or cheesecake recipe.
I've also shared my favorite gluten-free graham cracker brands for making crust.
Ever since I shared my favorite gluten-free graham cracker recipe a few years back, I've been wanting to turn them into a gluten-free graham cracker crust. Problem was, a batch makes exactly the right amount of graham crackers for a crust, and I could never resist nibbling a few (or... a lot). Before I knew it, the batch would be gone and I was still crustless.
Finally I smartened up and made a double batch; half for munching with tea, and half for this crust. I'm so glad I did.
Most graham cracker crusts can be meh, but when made with these tasty AF homemade grahams, the result is the deeply flavorful, crunchy, salty-sweet, cinnamon-kissed crust of my dreams.
I love using this crust to make this decadent gluten-free chocolate pie kissed with maple, vanilla, and peanut butter. Despite all that goodness inside, my husband Jay said, upon finishing a slice, said "the crust is *actually* my favorite part!"
High praise indeed!
Ingredients and Substitution Suggestions
- This recipe is all about the graham crackers, so be sure to use ones you love the taste of. I've listed some of my favorite brands below. Here I used my gluten-free graham cracker recipe because I love the flavors and minimal ingredient list. One batch makes the perfect amount of gluten-free graham cracker crumbs for crust, but I recommend doubling the recipe in case you need to snack on some first. (Spoiler: you will.)
- Melted butter brings the crust together. Use vegan butter if you'd like to make the crust dairy-free. Here I used Miyoko's vegan butter.
- A little sugar adds a bit of extra sweetness and richness. I used coconut sugar here to keep the crust refined sugar-free, but any sugar will work.
- A little cinnamon adds extra flavor and salt sharpens the flavors. Feel free to add any other flavors you like: vanilla, nutmeg, cardamom, and ginger would all be delicious!
What are the best gluten-free graham crackers for making crust?
Here are my top picks for storebought gluten-free graham crackers and how they stack up to my homemade GF grahams:
- My favorite gluten-free graham cracker recipe (vegan & refined sugar-free options): Tender and crisp, with rich flavor from oat flour, honey, vanilla, and cinnamon. Friendly to a variety of restricted diets.
- Nairn's Gluten-Free Oat Grahams (vegan): These have a delicate, crisp texture full of oat flavor. Love the minimal ingredient list.
- Schär Honeygrahams (dairy-free): Despite the unusual ingredient list, these taste remarkably similar to classic graham crackers; crisp, airy, and not-too-sweet.
- Pamela's Honey Grahams: Crispy and classic with whole grain flavor and warm notes of molasses and honey.
- Kinnickinnick S'moreables Graham Style Crackers (vegan): Not my favorite texture-wise, but these are easy to find, allergy-friendly, and will do the trick.
Method
Once you have your graham crackers baked or bought, you're almost there!
No-Bake Crust Option
No oven? No problem! Just chill the unbaked crust for an hour or two. This will firm up the butter and allow the starches to absorb moisture. The crust may be more delicate when cut, but it will do the trick!
What to make with graham cracker crust?
Fill this crunchy GF crust with any of your favorite pie fillings. Here are some of mine. Browse my library of pie recipes for more filling ideas.
- vegan key lime pie - creamy, tart lime filling made with cashews, maple syrup, and set with coconut oil
- gluten-free cheesecake - this no-fail formula bakes up rich, creamy, and not too sweet
- gluten-free pumpkin pie - lusciously creamy filling bursting with spice
- pecan-topped sweet potato pie - nutmeg-scented sweet potato filling crowned with crispy candied pecans
- banana cream pie - turn this tart filling into a pie by nestling it in a graham cracker crust
How do you like to fill this gluten-free graham cracker crust? Let me know in the comments below!
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Crunchy 10-Minute Gluten-Free Graham Cracker Crust
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 6 ½ ounces (185 g) graham crackers, vegan if desired (store-bought or 1 batch of my homemade gluten-free graham crackers) (1 ½ cups ground)
- 5 tablespoons (70 g) melted butter (vegan if you like, more or less as needed depending on dryness of graham crackers)
- 1 tablespoon (8 g) sugar (coconut sugar, brown sugar, or granulated sugar)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon salt, if using unsalted butter
Instructions
Prepare Things
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350ºF.
Make the crust
- Break up the graham crackers, place them in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse until ground. If there are any large pieces, use your fingers to break them up. You should have about 1 ½ cups of ground graham cracker crumbs.
- Add 4 tablespoons of the melted butter and all of the sugar, cinnamon (if using), and salt. Pulse to combine.
- Give the dough a squeeze; it should easily hold together. If it feels dry, pulse in another tablespoon or two of melted butter until it holds together well. The amount needed can vary greatly depending on how absorbent your grahams are. My homemade graham crackers needed 5 tablespoons of melted butter.
Shape
- Dump half of the crumb mixture into an ungreased 9-inch pie plate, tart pan, or springform pan. Use your fingers to press the crumbs into the sides of the pan, taking care to make the crust even and flush with the rim. I don’t recommend making a decorative rim as this may make the pie difficult to remove from the pan.
- Add the remaining crumbs to the bottom of the pan and press them into an even layer, keeping the edges square. Using a flat-bottomed glass will make this easier and tidier.
For a no-bake crust
- Chill the unbaked crust while you prepare your filling. This will firm up the butter and allow the starches to absorb moisture. The crust may be more delicate when cut than the baked version.
For a baked crust
- Place the pie plate on a rimmed baking sheet and bake the crust until the edges are beginning to brown and the crust is fragrant, 12-18 minutes. It may puff or bubble slightly.
- Remove the crust from the oven and use the back of a large spoon or a flat-bottomed, heatproof glass to press the crust down. This will help it hold together better when cut.
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