Perfect Graham Cracker Pie Crust (Vegan)

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This Vegan Graham Cracker Pie Crust is so easy to make with only two ingredients, and it’s much healthier than anything you’ll find at the store.

Who knew a vegan pie crust could be so simple to make in your own kitchen? This fabulous crust requires no baking and is completely dairy-free. It’s absolutely delicious with recipes like my Chocolate Mousse No-Bake PieEasy Fruit Pies, or Vegan Pumpkin Pie.

If you’re looking for more vegan pie crust options, try this Gluten-Free Date Crust or my Chocolate Pie Crust.

A big thank you for sharing goes out to LeAnne Campbell, Ph.D., author of The China Study Cookbook and the creator behind this recipe. She also happens to be the daughter of world-renowned, T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D.

Reasons you will love this crust

  • Healthy and Guilt-Free: This vegan, oil-free graham cracker crust is a healthier alternative to traditional crusts, made without butter or oil, allowing you to enjoy your favorite desserts without extra fat and calories.
  • Simple and Easy to Make: With just two plant-based ingredients, this graham cracker crust is quick to prepare, making it perfect for any last-minute pie or cheesecake.
  • Versatile for Any Dessert: It pairs perfectly with a variety of fillings, from healthy fruit pies to vegan pumpkin pie, making it a versatile base for any dessert.
  • Naturally Sweet and Crunchy: Made with whole grain graham crackers, this crust provides a deliciously sweet and crunchy texture, enhancing the overall flavor and experience of your desserts.

Tips and variations

  • Graham crackers- Store-bought graham crackers are often vegan, but I haven’t been able to find any that are oil-free. Make your own homemade graham crackers to keep these completely oil-free. 
  • Cracker crumb measurement- Approximately 10 cracker sheets equal 1.5 cups.
  • Applesauce- Almost every grocery store carries applesauce here in the United States, or it can be ordered online. However, if you have trouble finding it for some reason, it’s pretty easy to make your own Homemade Applesauce.
  • Pan size- A 9″ pie pan works great. A little larger or smaller will also work.
  • Pressing the crust- You can use your hands to press the pie crust into the pan, or try the back of a spoon or measuring cup.

How to make graham cracker crust

Spreading a graham cracker crust in a pie pan.

STEP #1: The first thing you are going to need to do is crumble the graham crackers. This can easily be done by placing them in a food processor or putting them in a large ziplock bag and smashing them up with a rolling pin. Approximately 10 cracker sheets equal 1.5 cups.

STEP #2: Blend the graham cracker crumbs and applesauce in a food processor or blender until a ball forms. If the mixture is dry, add an additional tablespoon of applesauce

STEP #3: Press the mixture into a nonstick pie pan. There is no baking required.

STEP #4: Use with recipes like this Vegan Pumpkin Pie or these Easy Dairy-Free Fruit Pies.

This recipe is from The China Study Cookbook by LeAnne Campbell, Ph.D. Published here with permission. See the ‘About the Chef’ section below.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I find oil-free graham crackers?

I haven’t been able to find any oil-free graham crackers. Even finding a recipe for them has been a challenge. I was able to find one recipe video for making oil-free graham crackers that looks pretty simple.

What if I can’t find applesauce?

Making Homemade Unsweetened Applesauce at home is very simple if you can’t find it in your local grocery store.

Can this be made ahead?

No. This crust needs to be eaten right away. There are other crusts on this website like this chocolate dairy-free pie crust that can be made ahead.

For those of you new to the whole food plant-based lifestyle, we’ve created a FREE 7-Day Plant-Based Menu Planner to help you get started!

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overhead photo of graham cracker crust in white and blue pie pan
4.34 from 9 votes

Graham Cracker Pie Crust

This Graham Cracker Pie Crust is so easy to make with only two ingredients, and it's much healthier than anything you'll find at the store.
Prep: 15 minutes
Total: 15 minutes
Servings: 1 crust

Ingredients 

  • 1.5 cups ground low-fat graham cracker crumbs
  • 6 tablespoons applesauce

Instructions

  • The first thing you are going to need to do is crumble the graham crackers. This can easily be done by placing them in a food processor or putting them in a large ziplock bag and smashing them up with a rolling pin. Approximately 10 crackers sheets equal 1.5 cups.
  • Blend the graham cracker crumbs and applesauce in a food processor or blender until a ball forms. If the mixture is dry, add an additional tablespoon of applesauce
  • Press the mixture into a nonstick pie pan. There is no baking required.
  • Use with recipes like Pumpkin Pie or these Easy Fruit Pies.

Video

Notes

Tips & Variations:
  • Graham crackers- Store-bought graham crackers are often vegan, but I haven’t been able to find any that are oil-free. Make your own homemade graham crackers to keep these completely oil-free. 
  • Cracker crumb measurement- Approximately 10 cracker sheets equal 1.5 cups.
  • Applesauce- Almost every grocery store carries applesauce here in the United States, or it can be ordered online. However, if you have trouble finding it for some reason, it’s pretty easy to make your own Homemade Applesauce.
  • Pan size- A 9″ pie pan works great. A little larger or smaller will also work.
  • Pressing the crust- You can use your hands to press the pie crust into the pie pan, or try the back of a spoon or measuring cup.
A big thank you for sharing goes out to LeAnne Campbell, Ph.D., author of The China Study Cookbook and the creator behind this recipe. She also happens to be the daughter of world-renowned, T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 53kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 48mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g

Disclaimer

To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.

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About the Chef

LeAnne Campbell, (Ph.D.), the author of The China Study Cookbook, is the CEO of the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies (CNS), a not-for-profit organization committed to increasing awareness of the extraordinary impact that food has on the health of our bodies, our communities, and our planet.

With over 30 years of experience working as an educator and developing a wide range of community-based initiatives, LeAnne has founded and directed several organizations, both abroad and in the States. She currently lives in the mountains of the Dominican Republic where she focuses on projects promoting the regenerative and resilient power of food.

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7 Comments

  1. I made this crust according to the recipe (no baking) and chilled it before adding the filling. After adding the filling it went back into the fridge and by the next day the crust was a complete soggy mess. 🫤Bummed
    This happened to no one else??

  2. Great recipe! I used this for a no-bake chocolate mousse pie (the recipe for the chocolate mousse was from the book “The Joy of Vegan Baking” – the recipe is also online). I used ~1 1/4 cups of unsweetened applesauce for 1.5 cups graham cracker crumbs. No need to grease the 9′ glass pie dish. I pre-baked the crust at 350F for 15 min., then let it cool down fully. Afterward, I poured the chocolate mousse into the pie crust and let it chill for an hour. Delicious!

  3. 30 years ago I was presented a crust recipe just like. It was how I learned to use applesauce in baking. Having forgotten it long ago, I have searched until I’m tired of searching for this recipe. Now, thankfully, I have it again.

    This pie crust is so delicious with fruit fillings. I prefer cherry, blackberry, and peach.

    Thank you for emailing this, Terri

    1. Store-bought graham crackers are often vegan, but I haven’t been able to find any that are oil-free. Make your own homemade graham crackers to keep these completely oil-free.

4.34 from 9 votes (7 ratings without comment)

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