Name: Keto Graham Cracker Crust
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 2 Cups Almond Flour; ½ Cup Pecans; 1/3 Cup Powdered Swerve Sweetener; 8 Tbsp Melted Butter; 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

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This keto graham cracker crust is the perfect low carb, gluten free, sugar free crust recipe for all your favorite pie and dessert bars! It is super easy to make, requires no baking, and it is delicious!

I have always been a huge lover of sweets and so when I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes last year I knew I was going to have to learn to make all of my favorites a sugar free low carb makeover! I don’t follow a strict keto diet but it is important to me to watch my sugar and carbs. Some of my favorite sweet treats are pies so I knew that I would need to find an alternative to a graham cracker crust!

Graham cracker crusts are so versatile and super easy to make and I was a little afraid that a keto version would be labor intensive and full of ingredients that I had no idea what to do with. But thankfully this recipe is almost as easy as a classic graham cracker crust, and all of the simple ingredients are readily available in your local grocery store! If I can find them here in my small town you can probably find them in yours!

Now technically there are not actually graham crackers in this recipe. I did search to see if pre-made low carb graham crackers were a thing but unfortunately I struck out. There are some great recipes out there to make keto friendly homemade graham crackers but I decided it would be silly to make graham crackers just to send them through the food processor to be turned into crumbs! But if you want a keto graham cracker recipe to try this one looks delicious! (I’m planning to make them and pair them with keto marshmallows for some tasty s’mores!)

Even though there aren’t graham crackers in this recipe it has the same texture and flavor of a traditional graham cracker crust. You get the crunch, the hint of sweetness and a little buttery flavor. It is perfect for cheesecake recipes, tarts, pies, or even dessert bars! This keto graham cracker pie crust has the taste and texture of the real deal and you’ll be able to enjoy your favorite desserts and stay within your health goals!

One of the best things about this pie crust is that it only has 2 grams of carbs, and only 1 net carb per serving!

Ingredient checklist-

Find the exact measurements and instructions in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Almond Flour– This is the base of this crust, it mimics the fine crumbs of regular graham crackers beautifully. You can also use almond meal which not as finely ground as almond flour.

Pecans– Finely chopped pecans add a nice texture, crunch, and flavor to this pie crust. If you don’t like pecans you can swap them out for walnuts.

Powdered Swerve Sweetener– I like using the powdered version of Swerve because it mixes really nicely into crust for a nice even distribution.

Butter – I like to use salted butter, if you want to control how much salt is in your low carb pie crust you can use unsalted butter and add salt to taste. You’ll be melting the butter so it doesn’t have to be softened.

Vanilla– Real vanilla extract is a must!

The first thing to making this crust is to chop the pecans. You’ll need to finely chop them with a sharp knife, or put them in the food processor to chip them up.

Next we’re going to cook the pecans and almond flour. This is in place of baking the crust. This process toasts the pecans and almond flour and brings out the flavor and crunch.

Combine almond flour and chopped pecans in a skillet. Heat over medium heat until golden brown stirring frequently. This process takes about 10 minutes for the flour and nuts to be toasted and golden. If you are making a pie with a filling that requires baking you’ll want a lighter golden brown so that if it darkens as it bakes the final product won’t be too dark.

Next melt your butter in a small microwave safe bowl, or a small pan on the stove over low heat.

Now in a large mixing bowl mix together the toasted flour and nuts, Swerve and melted butter . Stir until everything is well mixed.

Press the mixture firmly into the bottom and up the sides of a pie dish.

Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (I like to refrigerate it while I’m making my pie filling)

Additions & substitutions

Add in cocoa powder– Need an chocolate crumb crust that is keto friendly? You can add 2 teaspoons of cocoa powder to this recipe and create an “oreo” graham cracker crust.

Add in cinnamon– If you like to make your graham cracker crusts with cinnamon graham crackers you can dress this crust up a little by adding cinnamon. About1/2 a teaspoon ground cinnamon adds just another layer of flavor to this crust.

Make for a different size pan– This recipe is the perfect amount for a pie crust in a standard pie plate, it is also a good amount for a tart pan, or springform pan (you may have some left over) If you want to use this crust for a 13×9 inch pan you’ll want double it.

Use a different sweetener- I like to use Swerve for this recipe but there are a lot of low carb sweeteners on the market that you can use. Monk fruit, xylitol, and allulose, are all granulated sweeteners that work well in this recipe. Each keto-friendly sweetener is a little different so you may need to tweak the amount a little. Different keto sweeteners and sugar alcohols have different levels of sweetness, some have a “cooling effect” in the mouth, and some can even have a mild laxative effect. So if you are using a sweetener for the first time make sure to taste it first, and not over indulge until you know how it might effect you.

Make this dairy free- I love the taste of butter in this crust but if you want to make a dairy free version you can swap out the butter for coconut oil. Refined coconut oil has a neutral flavor and works well with pretty much any pie. If you want a bit of coconut flavor to compliment a pie like a key lime pie then you can use unrefined coconut oil. Either way coconut oil is full of healthy fats that add to the nutritional value of this pie crust.

Make this a savory crust- Have a recipe that requires a crust that isn’t sweet? You can easily omit the Swerve and add herbs and spices to this crust to create the perfect base for savory pies or tarts.