Sometimes people don't believe me when I tell them all the things you can turn into pie crust, but here we are today with a pretzel pie crust recipe. And if you're skeptical, you really need to try it because it's a crunchy, salty base that is a great alternative to graham cracker crust in sweet and creamy pies.
This easy no bake pie crust option can be made with gluten free pretzels, as I've done here, or with regular pretzels if you're not gluten free. It would be a great crust for ice cream pies, cheesecake, or even caramel or peanut butter pies.
If you love pies as much as I do, be sure to check out my other gluten free pie recipes or get a copy of my gluten free cookbook - Perfect Gluten Free Pies.
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Ingredient Notes
This is a super easy pretzel crust recipe that only requires three ingredients. It's easily made gluten free and vegan, as I've done here. If you don't have any dietary restrictions the substitutions are straight forward.
- Gluten Free Pretzels - You will need most of a bag of mini pretzels. Although any pretzel shape will work fine here, except the big fat ones. If you're not gluten free, just use regular pretzels.
- Vegan Butter - I used Country Crock plant butter, but any vegan stick butter will do. If you're not dairy free or vegan, use unsalted butter in the same measure.
See recipe card below for full ingredient list with quantities.
How to make a Pretzel Pie Crust
The process for making this easy pie crust is very similar to my Oreo cookie crust. You can use a food processor or place your pretzels in a large ziploc bag and smash them by hand.
Because brands of pretzels differ in how much butter they will absorb, you may need to fine tune the measurements as you're mixing. The goal is for the consistency to resemble wet sand.
STEP 1: Place the pretzels in a food processor and pulse until it is mostly crumbs. It's okay if there are some small bits that still resemble pretzels, but too many big chunks will prevent the crust from sticking together.
STEP 2: Place the crushed pretzels, sugar and melted butter in a large bowl. Stir to mix well.
The mixture should resemble wet sand. If it's too dry add another tablespoon of melted butter. If it's too wet, add a little more crushed pretzels.
STEP 3: Transfer the pretzel mixture to your pie plate or spring form pan. Press it into an even layer using a flat bottomed cup.
Recipe FAQs
Place the pretzels in a large ziploc bag. I think freezer bags work the best because they are made of thicker plastic. Use a rolling pin to crush the pretzels.
More gluten free pie recipes to consider:
If you try this recipe, please leave a 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the comments below.
Recipe
Pretzel Pie Crust
Ingredients
- 5 ounces Gluten Free Pretzels about 4 cups of whole pretzels
- ¼ Cup Sugar
- 6 Tablespoons Vegan Butter melted
Instructions
- Add the pretzels to a food processor and pulse until they are mostly crumbs. Alternatively, you can place them in a freezer ziploc bag and smash them with a rolling pin. You want the pretzels to be mostly crumbs with a few small pieces. Too many large bits will cause the crust to fall apart.5 ounces Gluten Free Pretzels
- Add the pretzel crumbs, sugar and melted butter to a large bowl. Stir well to combine.¼ Cup Sugar, 6 Tablespoons Vegan Butter
- The pretzel mixture should resemble wet sand, but the mix will vary based on pretzel brand. If it's too dry, add 1 tablespoon melted butter at a time to get the desired consistency. If it's too wet, add a little more pretzel crumbs.
- Transfer the pretzel mixture to a pie plate or spring form pan. Press it into an even layer using a flat bottomed cup.
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F (177 °C). Bake the crust for 10 minutes and cool completely before adding the filling. Alternatively, you can freeze the crust for 30 minutes in place of baking. A frozen crust will work fine for a no bake dessert, but it will be a little more crumbly than the baked version.
Notes
- Not gluten free - use regular pretzels in the same measure. Any shape of pretzel will work fine, other than the really thick ones.
- Not dairy free - use unsalted butter in place of the vegan butter.
Tiffany is the recipe developer, stylist and food photographer behind Well Fed Baker. As a lifelong baker who had to go gluten free and dairy free in 2016, Tiffany strives to share allergen friendly recipes that never feel like they are free from anything.
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