Our Low FODMAP Pat-In Cereal Pie Crust might be the easiest pie crust you will ever make. And you get to choose from all the many crunchy low FODMAP cereals available to tailor the pie crust to your needs.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This recipe used to be called “Cinnamon Pecan Seeded Pat-In Pie Crust” and was based upon a cereal available through Fody Foods; at this time the cereal is no longer available. I have re-written the recipe to be a general cereal-crumb crust.
What Is A Pat-In Crust?
When you think of pie crust you might think of traditional flour-based pastry crust like you would find with a blueberry pie. We have a fantastic All Butter Pie Crust recipe for you, but this is a pie crust based on ground, crunchy cereal held together with melted butter – just like a graham cracker crust. Very easy to make. No rolling pin required.
Kellogg’s Corn Flakes Are Low FODMAP
Did you know that Kellogg’s Corn Flakes are low FODMAP? They are, along with dozens of other lab tested and certified low FODMAP choices and you can find these on the Monash app and FODMAP Friendly app.
For this basic recipe I used Kellogg’s Corn Flakes.
Can I Use Other Cereals?
Any low FODMAP crunchy cereal could be tried. You want to start with approximately 2 to 2 ½ cups of cereal and 4 to 6 tablespoons of melted butter. The issue with standardizing this recipe is that cereals have wildly different weights and absorb the butter in varying amounts. Some need added sugar, some don’t. Some sense of “feel” and try and error come into play.
To find other low FODMAP cereals, please refer to our Shopping Lists, which have THOUSANDS of products listed compiled by Vanessa Vargas, a Monash University trained Registered Dietitian.
How Do I Know How Much Butter To Use?
My best advice is to grind your cereal finely in a food processor fitted with a metal blade and add the smaller amount of butter first. Turn the machine off and assess the texture of the ground cereal crust. It should be moistened and hold together when pressed between your fingers. If it is too dry, add more butter. Too moist, add more cereal and process again.
Advantages of Cereal Pat-In Pie Crust
There are so many advantages to a pat-in cereal crumb crust:
- Choose the low FODMAP cereal you like for flavor.
- No need to be a skilled pastry chef.
- Rolling pin not required; just pat-in with fingers.
- If you don’t have a food processor, you can place cereal in a plastic bag and crush until it is an even, fine texture. Use a rolling pin (if you have one) or even a wine bottle!
See Our Crust In Action
Make sure to check out our Lactose-Free Cheesecake Pie with Pomegranate. The creamy lemon and vanilla scented cream cheese filling works perfectly with this crispy, crunchy crust. More pies coming, soon!
Pie Crust Tips
For all kinds of pie making tips, read our article Pie Crust 101.
Low FODMAP Pat-In Cereal Pie Crust
We love a pat-in crust; nothing could be easier. This one features ground up Kellogg's Corn Flakes but also acts as a template for cereals in general.
Low FODMAP Serving Size Info: Makes 1, 9-inch (23 cm) crust; up to 12 servings
Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 cups (70g) Kellogg's Corn Flakes
- 1/4 cup (25 g) toasted pecan halves; other low FODMAP nuts may be used
- 4 tablespoons (57 g) melted unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt; optional
Preparation:
-
Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Coat the inside of a 9-inch (23 cm) pie plate, preferably ovenproof glass such as Pyrex, with nonstick spray.
-
Fit your food processor with the metal blade attachment and pulverize the cereal and pecans to a fine, even crumb. Add melted butter, brown sugar and salt (if using) and pulse on and off until combined. The mixture should be just moist enough to hold together. Press crumb mixture into prepared pie plate creating an even layer along the bottom and sides.
-
Bake for about 6 to 10 minutes until firm and dry to the touch. The crust will take on a little color. Use the lesser amount of time if your crust will be going in the oven again with a filling. Use the longer amount of time if you need a fully baked crust. Cool on wire rack and proceed with individual pie recipe.
Notes:
Tips
- In lieu of using a food processor, place cereal and nuts in a sturdy zip-top bag and use a rolling pin or mallet to crush the cereal within the bag. We’ve even used a wine bottle in a pinch! Pour ground mixture into a mixing bowl, then continue adding the remaining ingredients and proceed with the recipe.
FODMAP Information
Our recipes are based on Monash University and FODMAP Friendly science.
- Butter: Both Monash University and FODMAP Friendly have lab tested butter. Monash states that a low FODMAP Green Light portion is 1 tablespoon or 19 g and also states that “butter is high in fat and does not contain carbohydrates (FODMAPs)”. FODMAP Friendly gives it a “Pass” at 1 tablespoon or 19 g. Both recommended serving sizes are presented as part of healthy eating guidelines, not as maximum FODMAP serving size. Fat can affect guy motility and trigger IBS symptoms in some people. Eat to your tolerance.
- Pecans: Monash and FODMAP Friendly have both lab tested pecans. Monash says that a low FODMAP serving size is 10 pecan halves or 20g. The small print tells us that they are not High FODMAP until they reach a 100 g serving size, or about 40 halves. You might notice that on the FODMAP Friendly app the image is for pecans in the shell. We have asked FODMAP Friendly for clarification and they told us that the ¼ cup (30 g) low FODMAP serving size is for nuts OUT of the shell and is approximately 15 pecan halves.
- Sugar: Monash University and FODMAP Friendly have both lab tested white, granulated sugar. Monash states that a Green Light low FODMAP serving size of white sugar is ¼ cup (50 g). FODMAP Friendly simply states that they have tested 1 tablespoon and that it is low FODMAP. Regular granulated white sugar is sucrose, which is a disaccharide made up of equal parts glucose and fructose. Sucrose is broken down and absorbed efficiently in the small intestine.
Please always refer to the Monash University & FODMAP Friendly smartphone apps for the most up-to-date lab tested information. As always, your tolerance is what counts; please eat accordingly. The ultimate goal of the low FODMAP diet is to eat as broadly as possible, without triggering symptoms, for the healthiest microbiome.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more. For a more detailed explanation, please read our article Understanding The Nutrition Panel Within Our Recipes.
I cannot find: FODY Cinnamon Seed Crunch breakfast cereal. Not even on their website. Can you recommend a replacement?
Thank you
The cereal says it is Out of Stock on their site. I would contact Fody to see when it might come back in stock. The recipe was developed with this cereal specifically. You could try the recipe with another low FODMAP flake-type cereal, but because every cereal will vary I cannot vouch for the flavor, texture or FODMAP content of the finished crust.