Oatmeal pie crust is easy to prepare and makes a great substitute for graham cracker crust. All you need are 6 ingredients and 15 minutes of prep time, then simply press it into a pie plate and bake! Ideal for no-bake pie fillings like key lime, chocolate, cheesecake, and cream pies.
This oat pie crust recipe is gluten-free, vegan, and nut-free.
Why You'll Love It
This homemade oatmeal pie crust tastes amazing - like oatmeal cookies! - and the crisp-yet-chewy texture is the perfect contrast to creamy pie fillings.
It's lightly sweetened, with a hint of cinnamon and vanilla, and bakes up in just 15 minutes. No rolling pin or pre-chilling involved!
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For years, this vegan gluten-free pie crust has been my go-to. It's not only delicious and ridiculously easy to make, but since it's made from almond flour and contains no extracted oils, it's also healthier than your average pie crust.
In fact, that pie crust has been so popular with my readers I also created a nut-free version: sunflower seed crust.
But recently I wanted to test a new recipe idea for a no-bake cheesecake. A graham cracker crust would have been perfect, but ideally I wanted to keep the dessert both vegan AND gluten-free.
Since vegan gluten-free graham crackers are pretty much impossible to find, I decided a pie crust made with oats would be perfect!
Ingredients
- rolled oats - look for regular, old fashioned rolled oats. I suspect quick oats will also work, but I haven't tested that yet.
- vegan butter - I used Earth Balance unsalted sticks. If using salted butter, you can omit the salt. If you're one of my regular oil-free readers, I'm happy to report that applesauce can be used instead, though it does affect the texture of the crust. Or try one of these: healthy pie crust, seed pie crust, or nut and date crust.
- maple syrup - or agave; this adds just a touch of stickiness and moisture, plus great flavor!
- sugar - regular granulated sugar sweetens the crust, adds crispness, and helps it brown.
- cinnamon - optional but recommended; since oats don't taste like much on their own, just a touch of cinnamon really takes the flavor up a notch. Bonus: cinnamon tastes lovely with pretty much any pie filling, like chocolate, vanilla, cheesecake, berries, apples, pears, peaches, etc.
See the recipe card below for quantities and complete instructions.
How to Make Oatmeal Pie Crust
Add the oats and other dry ingredients to a large food processor. Let it run for about 10 seconds, then pulse until the oats are mostly broken down. A few larger pieces are fine.
Add the melted butter, vanilla, and syrup, then pulse until fully combined.
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The mixture should look moist and lightly stick together when squeezed between your fingers.
Spoon the oat mixture into a glass pie plate, evenly spreading it around the dish.
Starting in the center and working toward the edges, firmly press the crust mixture into the pie dish using your hands or the flat bottom of a measuring cup or glass.
Bake in a preheated 350 degree (177 C) oven for 16 to 18 minutes or until lightly golden.
Tip: During the last few minutes of baking the crust may begin to puff up slightly. After removing the pie crust from the oven, use the measuring cup or a large spoon to gently press it down.
Substitutions
- maple syrup - agave nectar is an easy swap, or use an additional tablespoon of sugar plus 1 tablespoon of water or non-dairy milk.
- sugar - regular granulated sugar is the only sweetener I've tested so far. Light brown sugar or coconut sugar should also be fine. I'm not sure whether low-calorie, alternative sweeteners would work.
- vegan butter - it's possible other fats could work, such as coconut oil, vegetable shortening, but vegan butter is the only one I've tested so far.
*If you're one of my regular oil-free readers, I've also successfully made the recipe with ½ cup applesauce replacing the vegan butter. Obviously, this changes the texture to be more chewy than crisp, but it's actually quite delicious!
I also have three other crust options that are made without extracted oils: healthy pie crust, seed pie crust, and nut and date crust. - oats - since this is an oatmeal pie crust, obviously oats are an important ingredient. I also tested it once with oat flour, but found it much less forgiving. I love oat flour for baking, but for pie crust, it would have needed other flours and ingredients to get the proper texture.
Fat-Free Pie Crust Variation
Recently while finalizing this tofu cheesecake recipe, I tested the oatmeal crust with applesauce instead of vegan butter. It worked surprisingly well!
With applesauce the texture is more chewy than crisp, but that's to be expected. It held to gether perfectly, didn't stick to the pie plate (even without oiling the dish), and tasted great.
So if you're watching your fat intake, or baking a treat for someone who is, this is a great option. Here's how to do it:
- replace the vegan butter with ½ cup applesauce
- omit the maple syrup
- and increase the bake time to 20 minutes
Frequently Asked Questions
A straight swap doesn't work in this recipe because oat flour absorbs more moisture than the pulsed/chopped oats do. If all you have is oat flour, it's probably best to search online for an oat flour pie crust.
Not necessarily. You could pulse the oats in a blender, then combine with the other ingredients in a bowl. Just be careful not to blend the oats too long - we don't want fine oat flour. It's best when there's some variety in the texture.
This oatmeal crust isn't the best option for baked pies, especially ones with longer bake times like pumpkin, because the edges will burn. A pie shield might help, but this vegan gluten-free pie crust is a better option.
Absolutely! After removing the pie crust from the oven, cool completely then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days before using. It also holds up well for a couple of days once filled. Keep in mind, any type of filling that contain an excessive amount of liquid will affect the texture.
Top Tip
Since the pie crust contains no flour or gluten, it tends to be a tad crumbly, sort of like graham cracker crust. Just make sure the oats are well processed and that you firmly press the mixture into the pie dish, and it will hold together beautifully.
Pie Fillings
Pair this oatmeal pie crust with no-bake pie fillings like:
Recipe Video
I hope you enjoy this easy, no-roll oatmeal pie crust. If you try the recipe be sure to comment below and let us know!
Recipe
Oatmeal Pie Crust
Ingredients
- 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats - certified GF if needed; tap Metric above for weight
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, optional - omit if using salted butter
- 6 tablespoons vegan butter, melted - see Notes for fat-free option
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or agave
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
- In the bowl of a large food processor, combine the oats, sugar, cinnamon, and salt, if using. Process for about 10 seconds, then pulse until the oats are mostly broken down but still coarse.
- Add the melted butter, syrup, and vanilla. Process again until everything is well combined. The mixture should be moist and easily clump together.
- Spoon the oat mixture into a 9-inch glass or ceramic pie plate, evenly distributing it around the dish. Starting in the center and working out toward the sides, firmly press the mixture into the bottom and sides. I like to use the flat bottom of a glass or measuring cup. Use your hands to make sure the sides are pressed in firmly.
- Bake for 16 to 18 minutes or until set and lightly golden. During the last few minutes in the oven, the crust may puff up slightly. After removing from the oven, use the measuring cup (or a large spoon) to gently press it down.
- Cool completely, then add your favorite no-bake filling. See Notes for tips.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used.
And since this blog is basically an outlet for my obsession with oats, I have more favorites for you:
- the best oat milk
- oat milk creamer
- oat flour pancakes
- oat flour banana bread
- spiced tahini oatmeal cookies
- oatmeal mug cake
- oat breakfast drink
Plus, multiple oat-based ice creams, granola, overnight oats, and oatmeal recipes. If any of that sounds good to you, just use the handy little search magnifying glass to browse by ingredient.
Dorothy says
Such an amazing recipe for gluten free low fat diet!!! Thankyou
Elaine says
Can I use coconut oil? I have a large tub of it and don't have vegan butter. I don't normally use it.
Lori Rasmussen says
Hi Elaine - Yes, that should be fine, but I would also add 1 tablespoon of water for texture. Otherwise, it may end up being *too* crisp.
Gee says