Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free Cookie Crumb Pie Crust Recipe (2024)

Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free Cookie Crumb Pie Crust Recipe (1)

Our family loves having dessert during the holidays, and my Cookie Crumb Pie Crust Recipe allows us to have our pie and eat it too! This crust is gluten-free and one of the easiest crusts you’ll ever make.

For most of us, holidays and special occasions are marked by loved ones, meaningful conversations, and delicious food. Ending your celebratory meal with a sweet treat makes the event extraordinary. Dessert is a must-have for any special day!

Table of Contents:

  1. Why Make Your Own Pie Crust
  2. Healthy Dessert Ingredients 101
  3. My Cookie Crumb Pie Crust Recipe

Why Make Your Own Pie Crust?

Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free Cookie Crumb Pie Crust Recipe (2)

There are a gazillion pie crust recipes out there, many gluten-free. So, why make this one? Here are a few reasons why we love this recipe.

Cookie Crumb Pie Crust is Easy to Make

Many pie crusts are labor-intensive, requiring a lot of mixing, rolling and stretching. This pie crust is easy-peasy! You do all the work in your food processor, so it’s a one-bowl operation. It’s virtually foolproof!

This is a great recipe to have your older children help with. There’s nothing better than making memories in the kitchen!

Cookie Crumb Pie Crust is Easily Customizable

While we share our favorite cookies in this recipe, you can use any gluten-free crunchy cookie you want. Pumpkin pie tastes impressive with a gluten-free gingersnap-based crust, while nut butter or chocolate filling pairs nicely with chocolate cookies.

You should note that soft cookies won’t give you the desired result. You need nice, crunchy cookies to create enough crust.

This crust can be varied for all your favorite seasonal pies. The possibilities are endless! Let us know what combinations you come up with. We’re always looking for new healthy recipes!

Cookie Crumb Pie Crust Fits Your Healthy Goals

Most pie crust recipes (even crumb pie crusts!) are made with processed white flour and sugar, making them full of gluten. These ingredients raise your blood sugar and cause your waistline to expand. Even if you have no gluten issues, you won’t feel your best after eating it.

Gluten-free cookies are usually made with nut flours and coconut sugar, delicious options that will leave you feeling your best!

Healthy Dessert Ingredients 101

Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free Cookie Crumb Pie Crust Recipe (3)

To make this recipe, you need just 4 simple ingredients. You may already have some of them in your pantry!

Cooking Spray: Cooking spray can get a bad reputation, but it’s a handy tool! We recommendavoidingm canola or vegetable oil and sticking with coconut or olive oil-based sprays.

Cookie Crumbs: Our favorite cookies to use in this recipe are crunchy gluten-free cookies.

Our tried and true favorites for this crust are Simple Mills Crunchy Cinnamon or Crunchy Toasted Pecan Cookies. You can also use Hu or Siete cookies.

Butter or Raw Coconut Oil: Butter helps the cookie crumbs crisp up and is good for your body in moderation. In the past (during the margarine era), butter was thought to increase your risk for cardiovascular disease. Studies proved that assumption wrong and presented the world with a new lens: butter can lower your risk for Type 2 diabetes. (1)

If you aren’t interested in using butter, you can use raw coconut oil. Coconut oil is full of healthy medium-chain triglycerides that bypass a few steps and go straight to your liver. (2) Your body processes these triglycerides into energy.

Sea Salt: Did you know that a low-sodium diet is actually harmful to your body? It’s true! Your body needs a certain level of sodium to thrive. Table salt is stripped of all beneficial nutrients, so we prefer using Colima sea salt. It’s hand-harvested and has all the good stuff intact. It tastes incredible, as well!

My Cookie Crumb Pie Crust Recipe

This recipe takes just 10 minutes to make! It makes one 9-inch pie crust. Here’s how to make it.

Cookie Crumb Pie Crust

Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free Cookie Crumb Pie Crust Recipe (4)

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Prep time

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Author: Mama Z

Serves: 1 crust

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Mist a 9-inch glass pie pan with cooking spray.
  2. In a food processor, combine the cookie crumbs, butter, and salt and process until evenly mixed. Put aside 2 to 3 tablespoons of the crumb mixture for the topping.
  3. Press the remaining mixture firmly and evenly against the bottom and sides of the pie pan.
  4. Bake for 10 minutes.
  5. Allow to cool on a wire rack for about 20 minutes before adding the pie filling.

Step One: Prep Your Pie Pan

Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free Cookie Crumb Pie Crust Recipe (5)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Mist a 9-inch glass pie pan with cooking spray. We recommend using olive oil or coconut oil-based spray. Since this crust involves melted butter, lightly mist the pan.

Step Two: Combine Ingredients

Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free Cookie Crumb Pie Crust Recipe (6)

In a food processor, combine the cookie crumbs, butter, and salt and process until evenly mixed. Put aside 2 to 3 tablespoons of the crumb mixture for the topping. Press the remaining mixture firmly and evenly against the bottom and sides of the pie pan.

Bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool for about 20 minutes before adding pie filling.

Delicious Ways to Use Cookie Crumb Pie Crust

You have a unique, healthy pie crust. Now you need some ways to use it! Here are a few of our top suggestions.

  • Use it as a topping for our Essentially Delicious Yogurt!
  • Create a decadent, allergy-friendly cheesecake. (One of Dr. Z’s all-time favorites!)
  • Think Spring with a delicious lemon pie!
  • Make ice cream sundaes with ALL the fixings. My coconut milk vanilla ice cream is a great place to start!
  • Need a healthy Thanksgiving dessert? What’s better than pumpkin pie?
  • Make individual pie crusts by using ramekins.

Like swapping your pie crust recipe, small changes are how we began to move to a healthier, toxin-free lifestyle. We’ve never looked back! Simple swapping out an ingredient here or there may not seem like a lot, but it adds up, and before you know it, you’ve completely revamped your eating habits.

You won’t believe how much better your body feels when you choose to avoid chemical-laden foods and fuel yourself with the natural gifts God gave us.

References:

Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free Cookie Crumb Pie Crust Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you make gluten-free cookies less dry and crumbly? ›

Add extra liquid: Gluten-free flours tend to absorb more liquid than regular flour, so you may need to add more liquid to your recipes to compensate. This can help to keep your baked goods moist and prevent them from becoming dry and crumbly.

What are some alternative ingredients that can be used to make a crumb crust? ›

The crumbs can be made out of cookies, crackers, cereal, pretzels, even potato chips! Sometimes sugar or other flavorings are added to the crumbs (here the sugar is optional), and then fat (usually melted butter) is added to bind the mixture to form a crust.

Why does my gluten free pie crust fall apart? ›

Ingredients and Substitutions:

You also want to make sure this flour blend has xantham gum. Xantham gum is what helps hold the flour and pie ingredients together, and mimics what gluten does. Gluten is like glue, and is why doughs stay together. Without xantham gum, it will be crumbly and fall apart.

How can I improve my gluten-free cookie texture? ›

Give xanthan gum a try – This is a very common bonding agent in gluten-free baked foods. If your recipes tend to crumble too much then add some xanthan gum to the ingredients and you will get much better elasticity. These tips are amazing for improving the texture and taste of your gluten-free foods.

How do you make gluten-free cookies less gritty? ›

Let the batter or dough "rest" 30 minutes before baking. This gives the flours time to absorb moisture and soften, minimizing that gritty texture. Baking time and temperature can vary. Start on the low end of baking time and add minutes as needed.

How do you keep gluten-free dough from crumbling? ›

Mix the Additives in Before the Wet Ingredients

The gluten in traditional flour is what gives dough its stickiness. Without it, gluten-free products can be dry and crumbly. There is a way to compensate for this however — use xanthan gum. Some bakers also use gelatin or agar.

What is a gluten-free substitute for graham cracker crust? ›

If you don't have graham crackers or just want a different variation, substitute gluten-free vanilla wafers, gluten-free gingersnaps, or other gluten-free cookies. Sugar: Swap out the sugar for brown sugar for a deeper flavor. Or, for refined sugar-free, use coconut sugar.

What can I use instead of graham cracker crumb crust? ›

Go with speculoos or crisp ginger snaps for a spicy kick that works well with cheesecake or cream pies, vanilla wafers or animal crackers if you want something more subtle, or chocolate wafers or even Oreo cookies for something dark and chocolate-y.

What is a substitute for graham wafer crumbs? ›

For instance, in place of graham crackers, you can use pretzels, potato chips, finely chopped nuts and flour, oats and flour, toasted cake crumbs, toasted muffin crumbs, crushed ice cream cones, cold cereal (think Rice Krispies® or Wheat Chex®, for instance), granola, coconut macaroons, ginger snaps, vanilla wafers, ...

Does adding vinegar to pie crust stop gluten? ›

Vinegar, buttermilk, lemon juice, and vodka all change the interaction of the liquid and gluten in the dough. But the difference between a dough with acid in it and one without (when made with the same technique) is infinitesimal. In other words, no ingredient can cure poor execution.

Why is my gluten free pie crust hard? ›

Too much water makes pie crusts tough, ESPECIALLY gluten-free crusts. An extra tablespoon or two can make your crust rock hard. Try to use the least amount of water listed.

Does gluten-free crust take longer to bake? ›

Because gluten-free batters contain more liquid than traditional versions, they typically take longer to bake. If you remove them from the oven too soon, you may develop a gummy, mushy texture.

Which gluten-free flour works best in cookies? ›

Almond flour is a grain-free, protein-rich flour that lends well to cookies, cakes, and more! Almond flour is made from blanched almonds, meaning without skins (as opposed to almond meal, which is made from raw almonds with skins). This is why it has a fluffy, light texture and pale golden color.

What gluten-free flour is best for cookies? ›

What's the best gluten-free flour for baking? Bob's Red Mill gluten-free 1-to-1 baking mix is my favorite gluten-free all-purpose flour blend for baking. It has a mild texture and plenty of "stick" thanks to a blend of sweet rice flour, brown rice flour, and sorghum flour, plus some starches and xanthan gum.

Why are my gluten free sugar cookies crumbly? ›

Chilling helps the flours and xanthan gum absorb liquid, which makes the dough sturdier and easier to handle. Without a proper rest, your cookies are likely to crumble. Think of mix-ins as the Spanx of the cookie world. They are a sly way to ensure that your cookies look like cookies, not misshapen gluten-free blobs.

How do you add moisture to gluten-free cookies? ›

Honey and agave as a sugar substitute can enhance moisture as well, but be aware that you should cut down slightly on the other liquids you are using in the recipe, as honey and agave are not solid ingredients. Adding an extra egg or oil can also help, but use caution.

Why are my gluten-free cookies crumbling? ›

Another reason is that gluten-free flours, such as almond flour or coconut flour, can behave differently than wheat flour in baking. They may absorb more liquid, for example, which can result in dry or crumbly cookies.

Why are my gluten-free cookies dry and crumbly? ›

One of the most common gluten-free baking tips is “let your batter rest”. Letting the batter rest gives the gluten-free flours and starches more time to absorb the moisture. In theory, it will turn your dry, crumbly cakes into delicious, moist masterpieces.

Why are my gluten-free cookies so dry? ›

Trying to use only one type of gluten-free flour in your recipe will lead to a dry, crumbly texture. You need to use a blend of flours and starches to replicate the flavor, texture and density of gluten flours. You can buy a gluten-free flour blend or you can make your own.

References

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