Crispy, tasty and slightly sweet, these low carb gluten free graham crackers are the scrumptious way to enjoy a grain free snack that's not filled with carbs. Plus these anytime -crackers are dairy free too.
It's a great recipe for kids to help with since there's no mixer required, just a sturdy spoon. And it's a one bowl prep!
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If you’ve never made graham crackers before, this no-compromise graham cracker recipe is exactly what you need. It's easy to mix together, rolls out smoothly and bakes up crisp. And no one would ever guess they're low carb too! (By the way, if you're looking for a good low carb bread, check out this low carb, flour-free bread recipe!)
Why this recipe is the best!
These graham crackers get a punch of flavor from none other than almond flour. This grain free flour gives a nice nutty flavor to the graham crackers. And the golden brown color and kick of sweetness comes from the Swerve brown sugar. Swerve is a sugar substitute that had been on my must-try list for a while. It tastes and functions just like brown sugar. Only with zero net carbs! And if you buy the regular size bag, you'll have enough for these delicious lemon blueberry muffins or this sandwich bread! Win-win!
Pro tips for making these crackers
There are few things as frustrating as a recipe that flops! Don't let that happen to you - while this recipe is fairly simple, make sure to follow these pro tips for the absolute best graham crackers...
1. Measure by weight
Accuracy is super important in baking (especially in gluten free baking!). And the best way to ensure you have just the right amount of flour or starch is to measure by weight rather than cups. Use a digital scale like this one that runs about $10, and set it to grams. Then just pour the flour or starch into a bowl till you reach the exact amount you need. No leveling cups or guessing.
And the end result is great tasting cracker or some beautifully textured loaves like this sorghum bread or this oat bread!
2. Use room temperature ingredients
Even though there's only 1 egg in this recipe, make sure to bring it to room temperature before mixing it into the batter. Cold ingredients resist incorporating into batter and we want the egg to be fully mixed so the crackers stick together.
A quick way to bring eggs to room temperature: Fill a measuring glass with ½ cup water. Microwave the water for 30 seconds. Float the egg in the warm water for 5-10 minutes.
3. Use parchment paper and wax paper for the dough
Each paper does a different job... you could just go with the parchment paper if you had to choose between the two. But definitely do not go without the parchment paper, it is a must for baking the crackers.
Here's what the process looks like:
- Dough goes on the parchment paper
- Top with wax paper
- Roll out to the right size (details below)
- Transfer into the oven to bake
The parchment and wax paper prevent the dough from sticking.
Helpful tools
These kitchen and baking tools will help make prep and baking these crackers a whole lot easier - I've linked to what I use and recommend on the items below...
How to make these gluten free graham crackers
Ingredients & substitutions
The ingredients list for these graham crackers is short... just like for these Gluten Free Biscuits... a shorter list means quicker prep! I'll list the ingredients and brands I recommend and then the options for a substitute if you'd like to substitute an ingredient.
Almond flour - I highly recommend the almond flour from Nuts.com. They have the best pricing (which is a big deal with expensive flours like almond flour!) and the quality is excellent. There's free shipping if you use my link too. If you'd like to substitute the almond flour, I'd recommend starting with my substitution guide first. I go over exactly what substitutes to use and when. Find that in the link above.
Swerve brown sugar (check it out here) - Swerve is an excellent option for lowering the sugar content in recipes. If you'd rather use regular brown sugar, that is perfectly fine. Light or dark brown sugar work equally well.
Ground cinnamon - This brand is a wonderful option, plus it's from Thrive Market, which is one of my new favorite places! And unfortunately, there's not a good substitute for the cinnamon.
Baking powder - I use Clabber Girl baking powder since it's certified GF. And, often you can substitute xanthan gum for the baking powder. (If it sounds strange, reference the article I linked to, it can absolutely function like baking powder!) However, in this case, there is no substitute that works as well as the baking powder.
Egg - I use a regular organic egg in this recipe, but if you need to substitute the egg, reference my substitutions guide for the best option.
Vegan butter - Earth Balance has been my go-to for a while. It works well and taste like real butter. But if you want to use Melt or Country Crock Vegan Sticks, those would work great too - or regular butter if you can tolerate dairy.
Vanilla extract - The vanilla extract I use is this brand. I recommend using a high quality vanilla extract when the recipe relies on the flavor. For example, in these crackers and this gluten free dairy free cheesecake, the vanilla flavor adds a lot to the final product. Where as in something like this pumpkin bread, where the pumpkin is so strong anyway, you could get away with a lower quality vanilla.
Mixing
Just 4 easy steps! In step 1 in the image above, use a whisk to mix the dry ingredients together. After adding the wet ingredients, switch to a sturdy spoon (step 2 above) because the dough will get thick. You should be able to touch it without it sticking to your hands.
Slicing into squares
Place the mound of dough onto a sheet of parchment paper the size of the baking pan and top it with a sheet of wax paper. Make sure you use parchment on the bottom so you can easily transfer it to the baking sheet. Roll the dough to a 9" x 10.5" square, ⅛ inch thick (as in step 3 above).
Tip: Roll the dough out to roughly a 10" x 12" size then just slice the sides off to get it into a square shape. And use a pizza cutter for easy slicing.
After slicing, move the whole sheet of dough to the baking pan (like in step 4 above).
Baking
After the crackers are done baking, then the wait time starts... Immediately after removing them from the oven, gently prick each cracker three times with the tines of a fork. Let them cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then break the crackers up along the cut lines.
Return the pan to the oven for another 30 minutes. (All the cooling time is important because it helps the crackers firm up.) Remove the pan from the oven and let them cool completely.
Break them up and enjoy immediately or store them in a plastic bag for up to a week.
Tip: These also freeze well, so they can always be on hand for that next graham cracker pie crust!
FAQ's
Yes, but it will change the low carb nature of the recipe. Find a good substitute for the flour in my substitution guide.
They crackers are easy to store - after they've cooled completely, store them in a plastic bag for up to a week. Then, for longer storage, freeze them!
Absolutely! Follow this recipe for making a graham cracker crust!
It will be tough. The parchment paper acts as a guide in both cutting and transferring the crackers to a baking pan. The best bet would be to place the dough right into the ungreased pan and roll and cut them there.
And if you enjoyed this recipe, will you give it a rating?!
Recipe originally published 9/2016, updated with new information and new photos 9/2019.
Low Carb Graham Crackers: Gluten Free and Grain Free
scrumptious way to enjoy a grain free snack that's not filled with carbs.
Ingredients
- 2 cups almond flour 225 g
- ½ cup Swerve brown sugar
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 1 large egg
- 2 Tbsp. butter melted
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300F.
- In a large bowl, whisk together almond flour, Swerve, cinnamon, baking powder and salt. Stir in egg, melted butter and vanilla extract until dough comes together. You might need a wooden spoon as the dough will be firm.
- Turn the dough out onto a large piece of parchment paper. Top with a piece of wax paper. Roll out the dough as evenly as possible to about ⅛ inch thickness. The dough should measure roughly 9” x 10.5”, ⅛ inch thick.
- Remove top piece of wax paper and use a sharp knife or a pizza wheel to score into 4 pieces across and 4 pieces down. The crackers should measure about 2 x 2.5 inches. Transfer the entire piece of parchment onto a baking sheet.
- Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until just beginning to brown and firm up. Remove crackers and prick each warm cracker, in 3 rows, with the tines of a fork.
- Let cool 30 minutes, then break up along score marks. Return the entire pan to the warm oven. Let the crackers sit in the oven another 30 minutes, then remove the pan from the oven to cool completely (they will crisp up as they cool).
Notes
- Roll the dough out on a piece of parchment paper so they transfer easily to the baking sheet.
- Use a pizza slicer for slicing each cracker.
- Cooling time is important for the crackers to get nice and crispy.
Nutrition
For more Gluten Free Bread Recipes, check out:
- Gluten Free Artisan Bread
- The Best Gluten Free Garlic Bread with Cheese
- Gluten Free Pumpkin Scones
- Gluten Free Focaccia Bread
And don't miss these helpful Gluten Free Baking Tips:
Holly
I was wondering if you could use coconut oil instead of butter. I am allergic to dairy. Thanks
C.J. Brady
Hi Holly,
I haven't used it, but I bet it would work well. I would love to know how it turned out!
~Christine
Barb
Can I use regular brown sugar?
Christine
Hi Barb,
I haven't tested it, but I'm sure you can. I bet the results would be right about the same.
Hope that helps!
Christine
Patricia
I cannot have egg. Do you think a flax egg would work in these?
Therese
These sound delish! When putting the crackers back into the "warm oven" for the last 30 minutes should the oven still be on? Or is it sitting in the residual heat?
Christine
Hi Therese,
Thanks! And yes, just the residual heat. They'll be pretty tender when you first take them out - they need time to crisp up!
Christine
Teresa
Why a plastic whisk? Thank you for sharing this recipe, looks easy to do!
Christine
Hi Teresa,
Thanks! Really, any type of whisk is fine, as long as it's a larger one. The almond flour gets stuck in the smaller whisks too easily.
Hope that helps!
~Christine