Homemade sugar free graham crackers are a great healthy snack for kids and adults alike. These lightly sweet keto crackers have the perfect crisp texture, just like the real thing. They’re easy to make and have just 2.7g net carbs per serving.
Not to brag or anything, but I am pretty sure I was the first person to ever create a recipe for Keto Graham Crackers. I originally shared this recipe back in January 2011. Oh boy, now that feels like a lifetime ago!
I had only been doing on my low carb journey for about eight months at the time. But I’d always loved graham crackers and I really wanted to enjoy them again. So I set about turning almond flour into something that mimicked my beloved snack.
It took a few tries to get right, of course. The best recipes always do! But the crispy, cinnamon scented results were absolutely worth the effort. And I’ve been making them almost exactly the same way ever since.
It’s one of my oldest keto snack recipes and it remains one of the most popular to this day. You might notice that other recipes bear a striking similarity to mine. I daresay that’s because you can’t improve on the original sugar free graham crackers!
Why you will love this recipe
For people new to the keto diet, it’s an absolute revelation that they can make their own healthier version of a popular snack. I remember that sense of astonishment vividly.
I also remember how utterly delighted I was with myself. The fact that I could take something like almond flour and coax it into a reasonable facsimile of graham crackers was a turning point for me. It made me realize I could commit to a low carb diet for life.
These keto graham crackers are everything you love and nothing you don’t. Crisp and lightly sweet, they have no added sugar, no grains, and are completely gluten free. And they’re easy enough to make so you can whip up a batch any time.
How to use keto graham crackers
I’ve made this recipe countless times over the years because my kids love them. It’s nice to be able to offer a healthy snack option that really holds its own against the store-bought version. And there are so many great ways to use them.
- Add a smear of peanut butter or Sugar Free Nutella.
- Use them for Keto S’mores with my Sugar-Free Marshmallows. The new ChocZero marshmallows are wonderful in them too!
- Crush them up and use them as the crust for Keto Key Lime Pie.
- Crumble them into No Bake Keto Smores Bites.
- Use them as the layers in Keto Eclair Cake.
Reader reviews
“This is a game changer! You see, we can’t get graham crackers in Australia so I’m very excited that not only can I make them myself but they are Keto too!! Thank you so much for yet another winning recipe xx” — Jo
“I am so fortunate I stumbled on to your website. You have done all the hard work I don’t have time for. You are making it easier for me to get back to the low carb lifestyle. I have been diagnosed with pre diabetes. I will take care of this issue with diet, not meds. Thanks for all you do!!” — Linda
“Looking for some special things for a camping trip I found your recipes and spent today wihipping a few things up. These are SOOOO delicious! They have not even the slightest low anything taste! They taste like gourmet graham crackers. I made the coconut macaroons too and they were also supremely special! I can’t wait to get busy on more of your recipes!” — Bonnie C.
Ingredients you need
- Almond flour: I always use almond flour for my keto graham crackers, because it crisps up nicely when rolled out and baked. I don’t recommend coconut flour, as it makes them tough and they don’t have the right snap. See nut-free options in the Expert Tips section
- Sweetener: I like to use an erythritol-based brown sugar replacement for a deeper color and flavor. You must use an erythritol sweetener for these crackers to crisp up properly. Any amount of allulose or BochaSweet will make them soft. So make sure to read the ingredients on your sweetener. See more about sweeteners in the Expert Tips section.
- Egg: The egg helps bind the dough and hold it together properly. A standard large egg is about 3 ½ tablespoons of liquid egg.
- Pantry staples: Butter, baking powder, ground cinnamon, vanilla extract and salt.
Step-by-step directions
1. Mix it up. In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, sweetener, cinnamon, baking powder and salt. Stir in the egg, melted butter, and vanilla extract until the dough comes together.
2. Roll it. Turn the dough out onto a silicone liner and pat into a rough rectangle. Top with a piece piece of parchment and roll out evenly to about ¼ inch thick. You can go thinner, to ⅛ inch, but they will cook through faster.
3. Score it. Remove the parchment and use a sharp knife or a pizza wheel to score into squares of about 2×2 inches. Prick with a fork to make patterns as desired.
4. Bake it. Transfer the silicone mat to a large baking sheet. Bake at 300ºF for 20 to 30 minutes, until just beginning to brown and firm up.
5. Break it. Remove the crackers and turn the oven off. Let the crackers cool for 30 minutes, then break up along score marks and spread out over the pan in a single layer.
6. Bake again. Return to the warm oven (with the oven off. If it has cooled down too much, turn it on and set the temperature at no higher than 200ºF). Let sit inside another 30 minutes or so, then remove and let cool completely.
Expert tips
It is very important to roll the dough out as evenly as possible. It doesn’t matter if you do it thinner than ¼ inch, but an even thickness means they will bake more evenly. Keep your eye on them regardless as every oven bakes differently.
This recipe makes 30 to 40 crackers, depending on how thinly you roll the dough.
Nut-Free Option: If you are allergic to almonds, you can use sunflower seed flour. It can be used to replace almond flour in a 1:1 ratio. Be forewarned, however, that it reacts with leavening agents like baking powder and can produce a green color as it cools. You can offset this by using a tablespoon of acid like lemon juice or apple cider vinegar.
Sweetener Options
As mentioned above, erythritol is the only sweetener that will create a crisp texture in these sugar free graham crackers. Any amount of allulose or BochaSweet will keep them from crisping up properly.
That means that the new versions of Swerve Granular and Swerve Brown won’t work here (the old formulas are just fine). But you can use other erythritol based sweeteners such as Lakanto and PureCane.
If you only have a granular sweetener and want a little of that brown sugar flavor, try adding a teaspoon of molasses along with the egg and butter. It will add less than half a gram of carbs to each serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store-bought graham crackers have 24g of carbs per serving, so they are not recommended for low carb diets. However, it’s easy to make your own healthier version. They’re crispy and delicious, and they satisfy that craving!
These easy sugar free graham crackers are made with almond flour, brown sugar substitute, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, egg, butter and vanilla.
This sugar free graham crackers recipe has 5.4g of carbs and 2.7g of fiber per serving. That comes to 2.7g net carbs per serving of 3 crackers.
Storage Information
These sugar free graham crackers will keep for up to a week in a covered container on the counter. If you live in a humid area, they may soften up. But you can always crisp them up again by placing them back in a warm oven for 20 minutes or so.
You can also freeze the crackers. Once they have cooled, place them in an airtight container. They will last up to 3 months in the freezer.
Keto Graham Crackers Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups almond flour
- ⅓ cup brown sugar replacement
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Pinch salt
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoon butter melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300ºF.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, sweetener, cinnamon, baking powder and salt. Stir in the egg, melted butter, and vanilla extract until the dough comes together.
- Turn the dough out onto a silicone liner and pat into a rough rectangle. Top with a piece piece of parchment and roll out evenly to about ¼ inch thick. You can go thinner, to ⅛ inch, but they will bake through faster.
- Remove the parchment and use a sharp knife or a pizza wheel to score into squares of about 2×2 inches. Prick with a fork to make patterns as desired. Transfer the silicone mat to a large baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until just beginning to brown and firm up.
- Remove the crackers and turn the oven off. Let the crackers cool for 20 minutes, then break up along score marks and spread out over the pan in a single layer.
- Return to the warm oven with the oven off. (If it has cooled down too much, turn it on and set the temperature at no higher than 200ºF). Let sit inside another 30 minutes or so, then remove and let cool completely.
Marcelle says
JUST in time for my next batch of Lime Curd Ice Cream! YIPPEE!!!!
Carolyn says
Yum!!!
Jenny B says
Has anyone tried to make these chocolate. If I want a chocolate pie crust could I add cocoa to the mix and press into the pie shell?
Ron says
I have these in the oven now, I am very excited to try my hand at graham cracker, peanut butter balls!
Tawny says
Have you ever made a graham cracker crust with these?
Carolyn says
You really don’t need to go that far, to be honest. Just mix up about 2/3 of this recipe, press into a pie plate, and bake10 to 12 minutes. Saves the step of baking the crackers and then making the crust. 🙂
Cookie says
I Also wanted to mention the cuisinart ice cream maker. It chrun the cream in twenty minutes. Also, what’s the difference between regular vanilla extract and bourbon vanilla? Can bourbon vanilla sub for plain? Would maple extract work in Graham cracker recipes? These are the only extract I have left. Couldn’t find vanilla extract in 2 stores ????
Carolyn says
You can use any extract you like in either of them!
Cookie says
God bless and thank you!! I’ve been following your recipes for 4 yrs! I’ve spent too much money on ketos ice cream. I got the courage to make yur vanilla ice cream! YESSS! Your a genius! I’ll never buy ice cream from the store again. It was quick and EZ. I didn’t have boca sweet, I used powdered swerve for entire recipe.I also made the condensed milk. I don’t mind taking out ice cream 15 minutes before eating. It is delicious! Going to make maple walnut next, and Graham crackers. I have yur books. LOVE U 2 THE MOON, AND BACK!!!????
Carolyn says
Well glad to hear it!
LadyJ1225 says
AMAZING!!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I was recently putting together a list of dishes for a family birthday celebration and one dish used graham crackers. How was I to make this desset on a keto diet? And BAM there you are with the solution. These are fantastic and the dessert worked out great. Everyone – even non-keto people – loved it! And I now have another tasty snack to enjoy as I adore graham crackers and haven’t had them in years. Thank you for all you do = )
Carolyn says
So glad to hear it!
Chris says
I’m wondering if you could use this recipe for a graham cracker crust?
Carolyn says
Sure, of course.
Melissa says
I am following the F-Factor diet. I made these as a treat and they were delicious! I have a question, though. I have a friend who has an auto immune condition. I would like to make these for him. Unfortunately, he can’t have butter. Is there something else I can substitute? I was thinking that I could try with coconut oil or sugar-free applesauce. Any suggestions?
Carolyn says
Coconut oil will make them too soft. Try avocado oil.
Momma G says
Wow! Im a convert!!! We are new to Diabetes and consequently Keto. I Made the graham crackers tonight so my Type 1 kid can partake in s’mores tomorrow with all the other kids. The whole time I was making them, I was warning her that these “wouldn’t taste rhe same,” “don’t get your hopes too high”, “we are just trying it…”.
Our response NOW is WOW. These are better than the “other” graham crackers! By far! She was THRILLED and excited to go to campfire again! I will be eating these ones too! And easy enough for even this non-baker to make!!
I will be making more things stat! Thank you for all your work!
Carolyn says
I am beyond happy to hear that. They don’t taste exactly the same but they are so great on their own. That’s the way with most keto foods… it’s not an EXACT replica, but it’s delicious and can be loved and appreciated for exactly what it is without feeling deprived.
Marcia W says
I have Sukrin Gold in my pantry. Could you substitute the Sukrin Gold for the Swerve Brown?
Carolyn says
Sure, that would work.
Transplant west says
Can’t wait to try these with Skinny pumpkin Dip …. Woooooo hoooooo !
Melanie Thompson says
Love these, but I always seem to overcook them.
Duane Wiley says
Have you tried using Nutritional Yeast in your crackers or Psyllium Husks? One of those two seem to make the buns have some of the graham consistency. Haven’t tried this recipe yet but will be doing so once I get some Brown Swerve!
Barbara says
I made the old version many times and love it. Thank you for all your wonderful recipes. You are a genius and I never hesitate to make anything of yours.
Might want to take a look at the updated wording. The molasses is an option in the ingredient list but is added in the instructions. Might be confusing to some.
John-Mark says
Hi Carolyn!
Your recipe has two sets of nutritional information. While one is clearly labeled, “3 crackers,” and I THINK the other might be per 2″ square cracker, could you please help unconfuse me? Thanks.
Carolyn says
I deleted the other info… that was from a previous time when I couldn’t add the nutritional info directly to the recipe card. Hope that helps!
Amy T says
I feel like I’m not doing something right when I use swerve. Things taste great out of the oven but once it cools it’s like eating sugar that has not desolved. All I noticed is the crunch of raw sugar. Any suggestions?
Carolyn says
I have had that in a few recipes but not in this one.
Erica B says
Hi Amy, erythritol has a tendency to recrystallize. I don’t like that texture either, and can suggest a few options that often mitigate the crystallization.
1. Try using part powdered Swerve and part granulated.
2. Be sure to incorporate your sweetener into the recipe properly. For example, if a recipe instructs to “cream sweetener and butter,” be sure to beat the two together until light and fluffy. This can take several minutes.
3. Try substituting allulose for a small portion of the Swerve (probably no more than 1/4 of it or so, since allulose keeps things softer than erythritol).
4. If it’s safe to do so, keep the finished baked good on the counter. (Use common sense for this one, please! Don’t let them sit out more than a couple days, especially if your climate is on the warm side.) Alternatively, warm it slightly if it was kept in the fridge.
5. Consider exploring other erythritol-based sweeteners; some have a tendency to recrystallize a little less, despite the similar ingredients. Find one you enjoy using and eating.
Carolyn says
Please don’t sub allulose here. Your crackers will never crisp up properly. Even if you use a tiny bit. I’ve been experimenting a lot with it and it’s just not going to produce a crisp cookie.
Erica B says
Thanks Carolyn; I was thinking more in terms of cakey items than hard, crispy ones, since erythritol crystals are more noticeable in softer baked goods. I’m sorry if my response was confusing. I’m definitely no expert, and I defer to the recipe author for further graham cracker-related issues!
Carolyn says
No worries! It’s funny but I rarely get the crystals in my baked goods. Only in frostings and custards and such. But the grahams need erythritol for sure. Bocha sweet or allulose will keep them from crisping up.
Kim Smyth says
I used to love graham crackers and cream cheese with jelly-these would be perfect for that, you could just add homemade sugar-free jelly or even store bought if the carbs were low. I don’t have the brown swerve yet or yacon syrup, but I will get some at some point and try this recipe. It sounds pretty easy if you have the time!
Sandi says
I am a diabetic who pee’s her sugars out rather than put my kidneys through too much, but because I pee my sugar out( sorry for this) I’m wary of causing a uti…. it happened onceChristmas 2018 and it was no fun at all. So I can’t put molasses or (whatever yacon is)and of course honey is out of the question too so what can I use? Keep in mind that there are very few keto ingredients available to us in the backward country of Australia!! ????☹️????
Carolyn says
You can just skip it. It won’t be quite the same but should still be tasty.
Joan says
Hi!! Can i use stevia instead?
Carolyn says
Stevia doesn’t crisp up the way Swerve does so your crackers may never be very crisp.