Graham Cracker Crust

Photo: Getty Images

PUBLISHED May 23, 2024

There are times only a crumb crust will do: cheesecakes, for example. It’s also a great option for cream, meringue, or even pumpkin pies. Crumb crusts, including the variations that follow, are almost always prebaked.

 

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Graham Cracker Crust

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Makes one 810 inch pie 1x

Time 20 minutes

Scale

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 6 ounces)
  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted, plus more if needed

Instructions

 

  1. Combine the sugar with the graham cracker pieces in a bowl or food processor. (To make this without a food processor, put the crackers in a zipper bag, seal it, then roll over the bag as necessary with a rolling pin; transfer the crumbs to a bowl and proceed.) Slowly add the butter, processing or stirring until well blended. If the crumbs aren’t all moistened, add a little bit more butter. Press the crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate.
  2. Heat the oven to 350°F. Bake the crust for 8 to 10 minutes, just until it begins to brown. Cool on a wire rack before filling; the crust will harden as it cools.

– Recipe from How to Cook Everything: Completely Revised Twentieth Anniversary Edition 

 

Recipe variations

Gingersnap or Other Crumb Crust
Nearly any plain cookie works here: Reduce the butter by 1 or 2 tablespoons if the cookies are very buttery, and likewise reduce the sugar a bit if they’re sweet. Substitute gingersnaps, vanilla or chocolate wafers, or any crisp cookies for the graham crackers. You can even use saltine or buttery crackers if you like.

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