This super easy gluten free s'mores pie, made as minis or whole, has all the taste of s'mores in a neat little pie. Because straight up traditional s'mores are (unforgivably) messy.
Minis or one single gluten free s'mores pie?
When I first made this recipe, I made it only into miniature pies. My children were quite young, and giving each of the three of them their own pie just seemed like the safest thing to do.
No fighting over the biggest piece! You pick up the whole pie with your hands! The whole idea of making a s'mores pie of any kind was to avoid the messiness of a traditional graham cracker | chocolate | marshmallow s'more.
But it's more work to make miniature pies, and the miniature recipe really works best if you have a 6-well cake panel pan that you see pictured below. They really are adorable.
No bake or (low) bake cookie pie crusts
The pie shells that I prefer to use here are baked, but in a very low oven (just 300°F). I've included a no-bake option, though, because a no-bake cookie crust is a classic.
I prefer the low-baked pie crust because it's a bit more stable and easy to handle. If you're making a single 9-inch pie, you can confidently use the no-bake crust.
How to make the mini pies
I made my pies in my USA Pans cake panel pan because I love that pan and I like the size. I also made a batch of pies in a standard 12-cup muffin tin and they were lovely, too.
It's a bit more work to make the mini pies in a 12-cup muffin tin. You'll have to press the pie crust into 12 little wells, but it's worth the trouble.
How to make a full 9-inch pie
The best way to make a full gluten free s'mores pie that is easy to slice and serve is using a springform pan. If you don't have a springform pan, you can absolutely use a deep-dish pie pan.
A regular shallow pie pan won't hold all of the chocolate ganache filling. If you'd prefer to make the pie in a standard, more shallow pie pan, just reduce the ganache filling recipe by 30%.
How to make the chocolate ganache filling
Chocolate ganache is the simplest mix of pieces of chocolate and simmering cream. The simmering cream melts the chocolate, and the mixture can be made into chocolate truffles, used as a poured icing over a cake, or whipped into a chocolate frosting.
Place the chocolate, in either chopped or in melting disks, in a heat-safe bowl. Place the cream in a small saucepan, and bring it to a gently boil/vigorous simmer.
While the cream is still simmering, pour it over the chocolate pieces. Allow it to sit until it softens the chocolate, then stir until it's smooth and glossy. The proportions of cream and chocolate will vary, depending upon how firm the ganache is meant to be.
How to make the marshmallow topping
This marshmallow topping is very simple in concept, but it does require a candy thermometer. The idea is to place a bit of powdered gelatin in a small bowl, allow it to gel and then add it to a mixing bowl.
Then, cook sugar and water until it reaches the “softball stage,” or 240°F on an instant read candy thermometer. Add the hot sugar mixture slowly to the wet gelatin, and whip until the mixture triples in size.
This is a low-gelatin mixture, because we want a pourable topping. It will still dry firm enough to slice.
If you're just not willing to break out the candy thermometer to make your own marshmallow topping, you can use store-bought gluten free marshmallows. Most brands at least in the U.S. are gluten free.
Just place them in a microwave-safe bowl with about 1 tablespoon of butter per 8 ounces of marshmallows. Melt the marshmallows and butter in the microwave in 30-second intervals or over a double boiler, and pour the mixture over the top of the filled shells.
Ingredients and substitutions
Dairy
The butter in the pie crust can be replaced with Earth Balance buttery sticks, or really most other butter replacements that are solid at room temperature. The cream in the chocolate ganache can be replaced with canned coconut milk. Just be sure you're using dairy-free chocolate.
Egg
If you can't have eggs, just use the no-bake pie crust recipe. It doesn't call for the egg.
Gelatin
I have just begun experimenting with making marshmallows and other recipes like homemade Jello gelatin with agar agar. I'm not ready to give anyone advice on how to do it yet, though!
There are brands of packaged marshmallows that are vegan. If you would like to make a vegan marshmallow topping, I recommend using those. Instead of a tablespoon of butter, try Earth Balance buttery sticks.
Gluten Free S’mores Pie | No Bake Option
Ingredients
For the pie shell
1 1/2 cups (300 g) gluten free graham crackers crumbs or other crispy gluten free cookies crushed into crumbs
4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter, melted
1 egg (50 g, weighed out of shell) at room temperature, beaten*
For the chocolate filling
3/4 cup (6 fluid ounces) heavy whipping cream
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
Chocolate shavings, for sprinkling (optional)
For the marshmallow topping
Scant 2 teaspoons (4 g) unflavored powdered gelatin
1/2 cup (4 fluid oounces) cool water
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
No-bake crust: Omit the egg and add another tablespoon (14 g) melted unsalted butter to the pie shell. Follow the recipe instructions for pressing the pie shell into the greased individual muffin/cake panel wells or 9-inch pan, and place in the refrigerator (for about 1 hour) or the freezer (for about 15 minutes) to chill until firm. Proceed with the rest of the recipe, and keep the pies chilled before serving.
Instructions
Make the pie shell(s). Preheat your oven to 300°F. Grease the wells of a 6-panel cake pan, standard 12-cup muffin tin, 9-inch deep dish pie pan or 9-inch springform pan, and set it aside. Place the cookie/cracker crumbs in a medium-size bowl and create a well in the center. Pour in the melted butter and beaten egg, and mix to combine. Divide the mixture evenly among the prepared wells and press into an even layer on the bottom and up the sides of the wells or the pie or springform pan. To get a smooth bottom, try covering the bottom of a glass with plastic wrap and pressing evenly into the bottom of the wells. Place the shells in the center of the preheated oven and bake until slightly puffed and dry to the touch (about 10 minutes—slightly less for the standard 12-cup muffin tin). Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the filling and fill the shell(s). Place the cooled shell(s) on a parchment-lined baking sheet and set aside. Place the chocolate in a medium-size, heatproof bowl and set it aside. Place the cream in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Pour the warm cream over the chopped chocolate and allow to sit until the chocolate begins to melt. Stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth, and then pour to divide evenly among the prepared shells or into the single shell. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator to set while you make the topping.
Prepare the marshmallow topping and finish the pies. This marshmallow topping has less gelatin for a pourable consistency that still sets properly. Bloom the gelatin in 2 fluid ounces (1/4 cup) of the cool water by placing them together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or a large bowl with a hand mixer, and mix them gently to combine. The gelatin will swell as it sits. In a small, heavy-bottom saucepan, place the remaining 2 ounces of cool water plus the sugar and cream of tartar, and stir gently to combine. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the saucepan, and cook over medium heat until the mixture reaches 240°F, the softball stage. Pour the hot sugar mixture down the side of the mixer bowl of bloomed gelatin and allow to cool briefly, until no longer hot to the touch. Add the vanilla and salt, and beat on medium speed until the marshmallow becomes thick, white and glossy (about 3 minutes). It should nearly triple in size. Spoon or pour about 1/4 cup of the marshmallow topping in the center of the chocolate filling in each pie or as much as will comfortably fit on top of the single pie. Spread the marshmallow topping into an even layer on top of the filling, stopping about 1-inch from the edge. Sprinkle lightly with the optional chocolate shavings, and allow to chill in the refrigerator until set (about 30 minutes) before serving. Keep chilled.
Originally published on the blog in 2015. Whole pie instructions, video, and photos all new. Recipe mostly unchanged.
Debbie says
I feel like there’s too much butter in this recipe. I did exactly what was called for, but the crust didn’t hold its shape. When I baked them it just all puddled in the middle of the 6 panel cake pan wells. Very disappointed
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Debbie, I’m sorry you’re disappointed in the way the recipe turned out but there are only 4 tablespoons of butter, plus an egg and quite a lot of graham cracker crumbs in the crust. It’s hard to imagine using less butter, but if you didn’t measure your crumbs by weight, or used a different sort of base, then your balance of ingredients might have been off.
Rilke says
What amount of store bought marshmallows would you recommend for the full pie?
Nicole Hunn says
Good question, Rilke! I suggest melting 3 to 4 ounces marshmallows (that would be about 12 to 16 large marshmallows) over very low heat, and adding butter once they’re melted, then immediately pour over top of the pie. But really really consider trying to make the marshmallow topping. You can see from Karen’s comment below that it really is as easy as I say. :)
Karen says
The crust and chocolate taste great, but the marshmallows had a weird flavor that didn’t taste like marshmallows. I’m thinking it would be better with much less vanilla or even without vanilla which seems to be over-powering. Either that or the sugar got too caramelized. I’m not sure – maybe this is the intended flavor?
Nicole Hunn says
Well, “weird” is definitely not the intended taste, Karen, but I’m afraid I don’t know what you expect homemade marshmallows to taste like. They don’t taste the same as store-bought ones, if that is your point of comparison.
NurseTurnedBaker says
Nicole,
How long will these keep refrigerated? I have made s’more cups before, but they never lasted the night!
Karen says
Oh Nicole, you have outdone yourself on this one. It is a fantastic recipe! We just finished the s’mores pie. I cannot praise it enough. I was a little intimidated by the marshmallow topping but just followed the instructions and it came out perfect. As easy as you said it would be. I made it in the spring form pan. I’m off to make your banana pudding now! Love your wit, sense of humor and your tested recipes. You are my “go to” when I need to find a recipe. I was a pretty good cook before needing to go gluten free. Now I am feeling my way through a new learning process. You are a life saver!!
Nicole Hunn says
That’s so great to hear, Karen! Thank you so much for letting me know. I’m so glad you decided to make the marshmallow topping, and now that you see how easy it really is, you’ll start trying to dream up new ways to use homemade marshmallows! I know that cooking sugar can be a non-starter for a lot of people, but I stubbornly insist upon continuing to post recipes every now and again that call for it, in hopes that someone will give it a shot. And you did!!
Judi says
My my my… ? i can’t wait to make these for my grandsons.
Nicole Hunn says
They will be grateful, Judi! I bribe my son to do things with the promise of this pie.
Aimee says
I’ve just assembled the pie. Cannot wait to try it! For aesthetics sake would it work to pop it under the broiler for a minute to get the top brown?
Nicole Hunn says
I’m afraid the broiler would melt the chocolate ganache filling, Aimee! If you have a torch, definitely use that. But otherwise I don’t think I’d risk it!
sharon says
the advertisement stays at the bottom of the page I would like to have the option to get rid of it instead of it staying there while I am trying to watch and read a recipe thank u for your time love the recipes just not all the advertisement Sharon
Nicole Hunn says
Sharon, the only way I make money from this blog is with the ads. They are only a few in number, and only load after all the free content has loaded. If you’d like, you can use an ad blocker but I don’t think that would be very fair.
PrettyPolymath says
oh myy….you are speaking my language here…they look delicious!!
Gemma Gonzalez says
I’ve just discovered your recipe through Foodgawker and it’s been love at first sight! They look so perfect! <3
Gf mommy says
How do you store these?
Nicole Hunn says
I have stored them in the refrigerator, because I like them chilled, but they can also be stored in a sealed glass container at room temperature or frozen.
Carolyn says
Do you think we could use marshmallow cream instead of making the topping? :)
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Carolyn, I don’t recommend that, as it won’t set. You want the marshmallow topping to be stable or it will just run off the top and make a mess. The topping is so, so easy I promise. Or you can follow the instructions in the post for using packaged marshmallows.
youngbaker2002 says
What a great idea! These look so yummy! These will be great on those days when we were going to roast marshmallows and it ends up raining ( happens alll thee tiiime :( )
thank you!
Laura says
MMM! I love everyrthing s’mores!! I will def make these this summer!!