If you’ve struggled to create a gluten-free graham cracker crust that stacks up to the regular version, your wait it over!
The first time I made a gluten-free graham cracker crust several years back, I simply replaced the regular graham cracker crumbs in my traditional recipe with a gluten-free alternative. Cup-for-cup gluten-free flours tend to do a good job filling in for wheat flour in cakes, quick breads, and the like, so I figured a similar swap would work in this application.
I was wrong,
Everything looked fine, until I removed the crust from the oven. It promptly slumped down in the pie plate. The edges were no longer high enough to hold the filling, and though I tried to nudge them back up, they preferred to stay slumped.
Clearly, further adjustments were needed.
Happily, taste was not an issue, but the texture and structure needed attention. Less butter seemed like an effective way to reduce slumping, but that alone didn’t solve the problem.
After some trial and error, I discovered that a mere tablespoon of gluten-free flour provided the necessary structure, preventing the sad slump and delivering the crisp texture we expect from a good graham cracker crust.
My husband, by the way, likes my graham cracker crusts so much that he thinks I should make a cookie recipe out of the crust!
Over time, I have made gluten-free crusts with the three brands of graham crackers that are most widely available, and while all work, there are differences…and I do have a favorite.
Which is the best gluten-free graham cracker to use for a crust?
The boxes above are three of the most widely available brands of gluten-free graham crackers. They all taste good, and while they all work in the crust recipe, there are notable differences. See details and recommendations below.
Schär Honeygrams: These are my favorite for a few reasons. First, the texture. The cracker is light and crisp and will create a crust that rivals its glutenous counterpart. As an added bonus, the size of the package is exactly the amount needed for the crust. No counting crackers, no weighing crumbs. Just use the whole package and the results will be fantastic. (But that also means there’s no room for snacking on crackers.)
Kinnikinnick S’moreables: A thicker, denser cracker, these make for tasty snacking (great for dipping in coffee or tea too). That texture, however, translates into a harder crust. So while a crust made with Kinnikinnick’s crackers tastes great, you need to use some pressure with your fork to crack it – i.e., the crust may be crunchier than you’d like it. You will have some crackers leftover with this box.
Also of note: Although they are called S’moreables, these crackers are thicker than you’d likely want for s’mores.
Pamela’s Honey Grahams: These are closer in look to the Kinnikinnick graham crackers (a little thicker), but they have a less dense texture that is more like Schär’s crackers. They are a great alternative for a gluten-free graham cracker crust, and you will have a few leftover.
I’ve tried a few of my pie recipes with this crust, all of which worked beautifully, including:
- White Chocolate Pecan
- Maple Pumpkin
- Mini Lemon Pies (can be made as one larger pie too)
- Hot Fudge Peanut Butter Ice Cream
- Aunt Barb’s Strawberry Chiffon
- Chindeep Buttermilk
- Mud Pie (Oreo crust is my go-to here, but you could mix it up…and create new desserts by varying the ice cream flavors)
What size pie plate will the crust accommodate? I most often use this crust for standard 9- x 1½-inch pies, and there are enough crumbs to make a nice thick edge. There will be enough of the crumb mixture, however, to press into a 10-inch pie plate or a 9-inch deep dish plate. In this case, the edges will be somewhat thinner.
The creamy, sweet-tart filling used in this recipe for Mini Lemon Pies will fit perfectly into this graham cracker crust.
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Gluten-Free Graham Cracker CrustPrep Time: 5 minutesCook Time: 10 minutesTotal Time: 15 minutesYield: 1 pie crust
If you've struggled to create a gluten-free graham cracker crust that stacks up to the regular version, your wait it over!
Ingredients
- 1½ cups (150 grams) gluten-free graham crackers*
- ¼ cup (56g) melted butter (I use salted; unsalted works well too)
- ¼ cup (48g) granulated sugar**
- 1 tablespoon (8g) all-purpose gluten-free flour
InstructionsPre-heat the oven to 350℉.
If you’re starting with graham crackers, use a food processor or blender to grind them into fine crumbs (I break them up a bit before adding to the processor). Alternatively, you can put the crackers in a zip-top bag and crush them into fine crumbs with rolling pin.
In a mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs with the gluten-free flour, and then mix in the butter and sugar. The mixture will be thick and sandy.
Press into the bottom and up the sides of a 9- to 10-inch pie plate. Helpful hints: Use the bottom of a flat measuring cup to more easily press the crumbs into an even layer that’s no longer crumby, making sure to press into the corners too. Pat down firmly, but there’s no need to really mash it, which can make the crust too hard.
Bake the unfilled crust for 8-10 minutes (or according to your recipe’s instructions) and then cool before filling and baking. The crust will firm up as it cools. You can also use the baked and cooled crust for a no-bake dessert, like a pudding or ice cream pie.
Storage: The crust will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Once cooled, wrap it well, being careful not to bump the edges. A well-wrapped crust may also be frozen for up to three months.
NotesWhat gluten-free graham crackers work best? I like Schär Honeygrahams, and conveniently, one of their 5.7-ounce boxes is the exact amount needed for this recipe. Pamela’s makes a good GF graham cracker as well (unlike with Schär, you’ll have some extra). Kinnikinnick’s work but create a very crunchy crust; if using them, take care not to pack to hard. . , mix 1 tablespoon (8g) all-purpose GF flour with the dry ingredients before adding the butter and reduce the butter to 4 tablespoons (56g). 150 grams of GF graham crackers happens to be the same as one 5.7oz box of . Pamela’s Bake for 8-10 minutes. happens to be the same as one 5.7oz box of Schär Honeygrahams
To balance pies with less sweet fillings you may use up to ⅓ cup sugar in this crust recipe. With the ¼ cup sugar, the pie crust is lightly sweet.
Beyond graham crackers: You may use GF gingersnaps, vanilla wafers, or Oreos in place of graham crackers.
Don’t need a gluten-free recipe? Click here for a traditional graham cracker crust recipe. (It’s delicious too!)
Size of pie plate: This recipe contains enough crumbs to cover a standard 10″ pie crust. That said, I most often use it with a standard 9-inch pie plate, and we enjoy the slightly thicker crust that results.
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- 1½ cups (150 grams) gluten-free graham crackers*
- ¼ cup (56g) melted butter (I use salted; unsalted works well too)
- ¼ cup (48g) granulated sugar**
- 1 tablespoon (8g) all-purpose gluten-free flour
Pre-heat the oven to 350℉.
If you’re starting with graham crackers, use a food processor or blender to grind them into fine crumbs (I break them up a bit before adding to the processor). Alternatively, you can put the crackers in a zip-top bag and crush them into fine crumbs with rolling pin.
In a mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs with the gluten-free flour, and then mix in the butter and sugar. The mixture will be thick and sandy.
Press into the bottom and up the sides of a 9- to 10-inch pie plate. Helpful hints: Use the bottom of a flat measuring cup to more easily press the crumbs into an even layer that’s no longer crumby, making sure to press into the corners too. Pat down firmly, but there’s no need to really mash it, which can make the crust too hard.
Bake the unfilled crust for 8-10 minutes (or according to your recipe’s instructions) and then cool before filling and baking. The crust will firm up as it cools. You can also use the baked and cooled crust for a no-bake dessert, like a pudding or ice cream pie.
Storage: The crust will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Once cooled, wrap it well, being careful not to bump the edges. A well-wrapped crust may also be frozen for up to three months.
What gluten-free graham crackers work best? I like Schär Honeygrahams, and conveniently, one of their 5.7-ounce boxes is the exact amount needed for this recipe. Pamela’s makes a good GF graham cracker as well (unlike with Schär, you’ll have some extra). Kinnikinnick’s work but create a very crunchy crust; if using them, take care not to pack to hard. . , mix 1 tablespoon (8g) all-purpose GF flour with the dry ingredients before adding the butter and reduce the butter to 4 tablespoons (56g). 150 grams of GF graham crackers happens to be the same as one 5.7oz box of . Pamela’s Bake for 8-10 minutes. happens to be the same as one 5.7oz box of Schär Honeygrahams
To balance pies with less sweet fillings you may use up to ⅓ cup sugar in this crust recipe. With the ¼ cup sugar, the pie crust is lightly sweet.
Beyond graham crackers: You may use GF gingersnaps, vanilla wafers, or Oreos in place of graham crackers.
Don’t need a gluten-free recipe? Click here for a traditional graham cracker crust recipe. (It’s delicious too!)
Size of pie plate: This recipe contains enough crumbs to cover a standard 10″ pie crust. That said, I most often use it with a standard 9-inch pie plate, and we enjoy the slightly thicker crust that results.