Graham cracker crusts are the base for so many delicious desserts from cheesecakes and pies to dessert bars of all types. You can enjoy them baked or unbaked and they only need a few ingredients you probably have in your pantry already.
What You’ll Need for This Recipe
Sugar: Use white granulated or brown sugar as desired, both work well.
Graham Crackers: You can use whole or crushed Graham crackers for this crust.
Salt: This is optional but adds a hit of flavor to the crust.
How to Make a Graham Cracker Crust
1. Start off by preheating your oven to 350F and crushing your Graham crackers. You can use a food processor or crush them in a bag using a rolling pin or can. You want to end up with a fine crumb and no big pieces, especially if you’re doing this by hand. You can also buy Graham cracker crumbs at most markets and skip this step.
2. Add the sugar and salt to the crumbs and pulse the food processor until combined. If you’re making this by hand then transfer the crumbs to a bowl and mix in the sugar etc.
3. Pour in the melted butter. If you’re using a food processor then drizzle in while pulsing.
4. Mix well until there are no dry bits. If your mixture seems dry you can mix in an extra tablespoon of melted butter or egg white to help it bind together. If you’re using a food processor, then remove the blade and use a spatula to finish mixing things up as it seems there’s always a little pool of butter on the bottom.
5. Dump the mixture into your pie dish or baking pan and spread the crumbs out with a spatula. It’s easier to get even coverage if you move things around before you start pressing.
6. Use a flat-bottomed glass or measuring cup to press the crumbs together. If you’re using this crust for a pie and want to have the crust go up the side then use your thumb to press down while the measuring cup presses the side. You need to really compact the crust so it’s not crumbly. Bake for about 10 minutes at 350F. The edge will be slightly golden but the main thing you’ll notice is a nice fragrant aroma wafting out of the oven.
Pro Tips for this Recipe
- Try adding 1/2 tsp of cinnamon for a nice depth of flavor in step #2 above.
- PRESS, press, press that mixture into the baking dish. These crusts can be crumbly if you don’t compact them down.
- Many different cookies/biscuits will work for this type of crust. You can, for example, use Oreos, Biscoff cookies, or shortbread cookies.
- Try adding 1/2 cup of toasted pecans to the mix. You’ll love the added flavor and texture.
- Your crust can be frozen before baking for up to 2 months if wrapped well. You could also make it a few days in advance and bake before using.
- If you’re using this crust in a square or rectangular dish then I highly recommend lining it with parchment paper for ease of removing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you make it from scratch?
To make this easy crust all you need are Graham crackers and butter. Adding a little sugar, a pinch of salt and some spices makes everything all the better. You’ll be crushing the crackers and mixing with the remaining ingredients to make a delicious and QUICK crust.
Why does my crust crumble?
If it’s crumbly you may have either needed a bit more moisture to act as a binding agent or the crust needed to be compressed more. Next time try adding a bit more butter or a bit of egg white and REALLY press it in before baking.
How do you keep it from getting soggy?
Baking your graham cracker crust will definitely help keep it crisp but if you’re using a no bake filling then you can consider brushing the inside with melted white or dark chocolate to create a barrier between the filling and the crust.
How many grams is a graham cracker?
17 grams. If you’re making a recipe that requires Graham crackers you can use this number to substitute an equivalent amount of something else in. I love using Biscoff cookies but there are so many different ones that work!
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this Graham Cracker Crust recipe then don’t forget to leave a rating and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Graham Cracker Crust
Ingredients
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs 170g
- 8 Tbsp. unsalted butter 113g, melted
- ¼ cup sugar 50g
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a medium bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, brown sugar, and salt.
- Firmly press mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate.
- Bake until aromatic and golden at edge, about 8-10 minutes. Set aside.
