Apple Pie with Graham Cracker Crust

Enjoy the classic taste of apple pie with a delicious and easy-to-make graham cracker crust. It's the perfect complement to a warm cup of tea, or for an afternoon snack with family.

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Apple pie is a classic dessert that everyone seems to love. This apple pie with Graham cracker crust is a unique twist on a classic recipe. It's super easy to make when you don't want to bake a pie crust, and the results are delicious. Get ready to bake a unique and delicious apple pie that everyone will love!

Close up view of apple pie slice with a dollop of ice cream on top, placed on a white plate.

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💭 Why you'll love this recipe

This apple pie with graham cracker crust is the perfect example of taking a classic dish and giving it a little twist!

Super easy to make. This recipe requires basic ingredients and is ready in just a few steps. It is straightforward and great to make with your family!
Perfect crust with a twist. Crust is arguably the most important part of any pie. A little bit of cinnamon gives this Graham cracker crust a warm and inviting flavor that perfectly complements the sweet apple filling! Plus, the crunchy texture makes it irresistible.
Delicious filling. This pie is packed with fresh apples that have been cooked to perfection.

📋 Ingredients and notes

To make this apple pie with Graham cracker crust:

For the Graham cracker crust, you'll need unsalted butter, granulated sugar, egg, and graham crackers.

To make the apple fie filling, you'll need apples, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, flour, lemon juice, and unsalted butter.

Labeled ingredient list for making the apple pie and Graham cracker crust.

For the crumb / streusel topping, you'll be needing all-purpose flour, sugar, ground cinnamon, salt, and butter.

Labeled ingredient list for making the crumble on top of apple pie with Graham cracker crust - check recipe card for details.

Notes and Variations

Gluten-free apple pie. Making a gluten-free apple pie is simple to do; just use gluten-free flour mix (I have tested several and this one works best) and crackers for the crust instead of all-purpose flour or graham crackers.
Type of apples: We recommend using a mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp for the best flavor and texture, but you can use any type. But you can also use a mix of types! Just make sure you pick a variety that is both firm and crisp in texture since softer apples can fall apart when you bake them. Make sure to adjust the sugar accordingly if your apples are particularly sweet or tart!
Make it vegan: Swap regular dairy-based butter with plant-based butter while making the crust. Then, use aquafaba (the brine from a can of chickpeas) as an egg wash substitute, and you're all set!
Substitute sugar: You can also use brown sugar in the apple pie filling and the streusel topping. Brown sugar makes the streusel clump together better because of the higher moisture content!
Add additional flavors: I've kept the filling relatively simple, but you can enhance the flavors with more warm spices (e.g., nutmeg or cloves), vanilla extract or even almond extract for a more nutty flavor.

📖 Make apple pie with Graham cracker crust!

Pie Crust

Process sugar and crackers together until they are integrated in a food processor. Add melted butter and process further until the Graham cracker crumbs + butter mixture is uniform. This roughly takes about 10 seconds.

Overhead view of crackers and sugar mixed in a food processor.

Overhead view of the crackers, sugar, and melted butter mixed in the food processor.

Pour this mixture into a buttered pie plate (I used this 9" plate) and press the crumbs nicely into the pie pan. You can use a glass to help press the crumbs. Then brush the bottom of the pie with egg wash.

Overhead view of the processed crumbs placed on a pie pan.

Overhead view of pressed crumbs brushed with egg and placed on pie pan.

Then bake for about 5 minutes to 350°F or until golden brown.

Overhead view of baked graham cracker crust placed on a pie pan.

Make Filling

Peel and slice the apples. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the apple slices, cinnamon, sugar, lemon, flour, butter, and salt to make the apple mixture. Pour the apple mixture into the Graham cracker pie crust.

Overhead view of apple slices, cinnamon, sugar, lemon, flour, butter, and salt placed in a bowl.

Overhead view of apple slices, cinnamon, sugar, lemon, flour, butter, and salt placed in the baked graham cracker crust placed on a pie pan.

Crumb Topping / Streusel

In a small mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Add the butter cubes and use your hands to form clumps.

Overhead view of a bowl with combined flour, sugar, salt, and cinnamon.

Overhead view of a bowl with combined flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and cubed butter.

Add the streusel topping on top of the baked crust as well as the cooked apples in the apple pie filling.

Overhead view of uncooked apple pie with graham cracker crust placed on a pie pan.

Bake at 350°F for about 45 to 50 minutes or until the apples are tender. Serve and enjoy with a giant dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Overhead view of cooked apple pie with graham cracker crust placed on a pie pan.

👩🏽‍🍳Top Tips for Making the Perfect Apple Pie With Graham Crust!

Here are seven tips to ensure your apple pie always turns out looking and tasting amazing.

Choose the right apples. For tart apple pies, opt for apples like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Braeburn. For sweet/tart pies, go with Golden Delicious, Jonathan Apples, or Rome. For sweet apple pies, go with Fuji, Gala, or Red Delicious.
Combine apples for a more complex flavor. Combine apples that are sweet and soft with apples with a tart flavor to balance taste. Combine semi-firm apples with those that are more firm to balance textures. Granny Smith and Honeycrisp are a great combination. I also love Golden Delicious apples in this apple pie recipe!
Peel the apples: I'm all for using apples as they are (like in this Instant Pot apple butter). But pie is one dish where apple peels are not super appealing. Peel them ahead of time if you wish!
Pile them higher than you think. The apples will cook down a lot, so use more apples than you think you need.
Poke a fork into the pie. A little trick I use to tell if my apple pie is done is by sticking a fork in the center. If it slides in easily and the apples are mushy then voila! You have yourself a delicious and perfectly baked apple pie.
Let the pie cool completely. Once your pie is out of the oven, let it cool on a wire rack for at least two hours before slicing it. This allows all those delicious juices to set up and thicken so you get clean slices that aren’t runny.
Serve it à la mode. Apple pie just isn’t complete without a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Serve it à la mode and watch as your guests swoon over every bite.

👩🏽‍🍳Troubleshooting FAQs

What are the best apples for apple pie?

When choosing apples for pie, it is important to consider both the flavor and the texture. For instance, you may want to use a mix of different types of apples to get the right balance of sweetness and acidity. Granny Smith apples are tart and firm, making them a good choice for pies that are not too sweet. Other popular varieties include Golden Delicious, Jonathan Apples, and Braeburns.

Can I substitute graham cracker crust for pie crust?

Yes, and that's why this recipe is awesome! Sometimes you don't have the time or energy to prepare a pie crust from scratch. Fortunately, graham cracker crust works. This crust is easy to make with graham crackers, sugar, and butter. This is a terrific alternative for apple pies, or whether you're creating cream pies or cheesecake.

Can I bake this apple pie in advance?

You certainly can, but you should keep in mind that the finished product of this recipe will be good for two days after it has been cooked.

🍴 Serving and storage suggestions

This apple pie is a perfect dessert to serve at any get-together. It can be stored in the refrigerator 1-2 days after baking.

I love serving this apple pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top, although it may be eaten as a standalone dessert! If you like non-traditional crusts, you have to try this peach cobbler with cookie crust too. Tastes super delicious with ice cream too.

Make ahead instructions / shortcuts:

Crust: You can swap a store-bought Graham cracker crust instead of a homemade crust. Or alternatively, you can make the Graham cracker crust up to 3 to 4 days in advance and freeze it. When you're ready to bake it, just brush with eggs and follow the rest of the recipe.
Filling: You can prepare your apples 1-2 days ahead of time (I typically do this the night before). You can peel, slice, soak them in water with some lemon juice and then store them in an airtight container in your fridge. Soaking them in the water with lemon juice will help avoid browning of the apples.
Crumble topping: You can make this a day ahead! Prepare the streusel and store it in an airtight container in the fridge.

If you're looking for other easy desserts, try these awesome recipes:

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A close-up of a sliced apple pie with graham cracker crust on a white plate, topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

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