Learn how to make the best graham cracker crust for cheesecake and all types of pies and other desserts. Bookmark this graham crust to make with all your favorite fillings.
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I love making pies, but I generally reserve pies with actual pie crust made of dough for fall and winter.
The rest of the time?
Graham cracker crusts or variations there of are where it’s at for me!
They are so easy to make and super beginner friendly, making them a perfect pie crust to make for new bakers or to make with kids.
Ingredients and Kitchen Supplies
You’ll need:
- Graham cracker crumbs– You can buy premade graham cracker crumbs or you can make your own by running whole graham crackers through a food processor.
- Butter– Melted, unsalted butter.
- Sugar– Granulated unless making something like a pumpkin pie that would taste really good with brown sugar
- Salt
Kitchen supplies you’ll need include:
How to Make
1. Pulse all the ingredients together.
Add the melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, and sugar to the food processor. Pulse it together until it forms a texture like wet sand.
2. Put the crust into a pie plate or springform pan or other dish.
Transfer the mixture into the pie plate. Press the graham cracker mixture into a pie plate or springform pan you’ve sprayed with nonstick spray. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to press the crust down into an even layer in the bottom of the dish and up the sides of the dish as well.
3. Bake or chill.
Once you’ve spread out the crust, either bake it for 6 to 8 minutes at 350 degrees OR let it chill in the fridge for an hour to set.
4. Fill and enjoy!
Fill the crust with your desired filling and enjoy!
What types of pies have graham cracker crust?
So many!
This graham cracker crust is the best crust for cheesecakes of almost any variety.
You could use it for:
- Italian Limoncello Cheesecake (with Ricotta and Mascarpone)
- No Bake Italian Cheesecake
- No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Italian Style Pumpkin Cheesecake
- or even in place of the Oreo crust for No Bake Chocolate Cheesecake with Oreo Crust
It’s also a delicious option for fruit pies like:
- Dutch Apple Pie
- Blueberry Pie
- Triple Berry Pie
And of course, you can’t forget pudding pies or even No Bake Loaded Peanut Butter Pie.
FAQs
Is it better to bake or chill graham cracker crust?
It depends on what kind of pie you are making. If you are making a no bake pie, then chilling the crust works. But for something like a baked cheesecake, you want to bake the crust first to prevent it from getting soggy.
Why is my graham cracker crust soggy?
If you chill the pie crust instead of baking it, your crust won’t have quite the same crunch to it. This is especially true if you use it for a baked pie. The other culprit could be substituting a low fat spread for the butter.
Why is my graham cracker crust sticking to the pan?
Did you add more butter than the recipe calls for? While I generally agree that more butter is mostly a good thing, that’s not the case for graham cracker crusts. Too much butter can make the crust stick. The other reason your crust might be sticking? Not spraying your pie plate with nonstick spray.
Why is my crust falling apart?
To get a graham cracker crust that doesn’t crumble apart immediately, you need to use enough butter. Too little and the crust won’t stick together and will be too dry.
Tips and Tricks
- The butter is key. You want to use actual butter and not a butter substitute and the proper amount, Most of the things that go wrong with graham cracker crusts happen because of too much or too little butter or using a butter substitute.
- For the crispiest crust, bake the crust even if you are using it for a no bake pie.
- If you are using it for a no bake pie and baking the crust first, let it cool completely prior to filling the pie.
- Don’t skip the sugar in the crust even if your filling is very sweet. The sugar helps hold the crust together.
- If you can’t find graham cracker crumbs at the store, you can substitute about 12 graham crackers (the whole sheet) and food process them to make your own graham cracker crumbs.
- Don’t have a food processor or graham cracker crumbs? Put the whole graham crackers in a sealable bag and crush them with a rolling pin until finely ground.
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Ingredients
- 2 cups of graham cracker crumbs
- 1 stick 8 tabelespoons of unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons of sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Add the melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, and sugar to the food processor. Pulse it together until it forms a texture like wet sand.
- Transfer the mixture into the pie plate and press the graham cracker mixture into a pie plate or springform pan you've sprayed with nonstick spray. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to press the crust down into an even layer in the bottom of the dish and up the sides of the dish as well.
- Once you've spread out the crust, either bake it for 6 to 8 minutes at 350 degrees OR let it chill in the fridge for an hour to set.
- If you've baked the crust, remove it from the oven and let it cool to room temperature.
- Fill and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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