Graham Cracker Crust

This buttery homemade Graham Cracker Crust is easy to make, simply by combining crushed graham crackers with melted butter and a touch of sugar. The result is a delicious, golden-brown crust that’s the perfect foundation for all your no-bake pie recipes.  

 

Easy Graham Cracker Crust Recipe

We’ve all seen ready-made store-bought graham cracker crust you find on the baking aisle at the grocery store. But have you ever actually tasted them? They have very little taste, and the texture is less like a crust and a little more like cardboard. That’s because most of them contain palm kernel oil and unwanted preservatives to extend the shelf life. That’s not the case with this homemade crust. It’s made fresh, using simple ingredients you probably already have on hand.

Whether you’re making lemon icebox pie, key lime pie, chocolate pudding pie, or a no bake cheesecake, you can count on this homemade graham cracker crust to take any dessert to a whole new level of delicious flavors and textures. The crispy golden crust adds a burst of buttery flavor and a delightful crunch that perfectly complements cream pies or fruity pie filling. It’s amazing with this Lemon Cream Pie and this easy Pumpkin Pie.

Why We Love This Recipe

• Easy to prepare recipe: This buttery crust is made using 3 simple ingredients and just a few easy steps. 
• Better store-bought crusts: Homemade crusts have much better flavor and texture compared to store-bought options that may have been sitting on shelves for a while.
• Easy to customize: Because you control what’s added, you can change up the flavors, textures, and shape of the crust to suit the recipe you’re using it for. 

Ingredients

• Graham Cracker Crumbs
• Salted Butter (or unsalted butter with a pinch of salt added)
• Cup Sugar

How to Make the Best Graham Cracker Crust

If you are making a crust for a no-bake dessert, use 6 tablespoons of butter, if you are baking the dessert use 5 tablespoons. The extra butter in the no-bake version helps the crust stick together better.

Step One: Crush the Crackers

• Add graham cracker sheets to a food processor and mix until they are fine crumbs.

Note: You can also do this step placing them in a large zip top plastic bag and crushing with a mallet or rolling pin.

Step Two: Melt the Butter

• Melt butter in a small microwave-safe bowl or in a small pot over low/med heat.

Step Three: Add the Sugar and Mix

• In a medium bowl combine graham cracker crumbs and sugar, pour in melted butter and stir until well mixed.

Step Four: Add to the Bottom of the Pie Plate

• Press the crust ingredients firmly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. It helps to use the flat bottom of a glass or measuring cup to help press the loose crumb mixture evenly.
• For a chilled crust- place it in the refrigerator for an hour or more.
• For a baked crust- place in a 375 F oven for 20 minutes.

Graham Cracker Pie Crust Recipe Add-ins and Variations

• Chocolate crust – Chocolate crust and banana cream pie go hand in hand. If you want to use a chocolate crust you can just simply use chocolate graham crackers instead. You can also use Oreo cookies, or add a little bit of cocoa powder to the graham cracker mixture for different options. 
• Spiced graham cracker crust – Sprinkle ground cinnamon, ginger, or cloves into the graham cracker mixture for a warm spicy flavor that’s awesome for Fall desserts. Cinnamon graham crackers work well for this version as well. 
• Nutty crunch – Add in finely ground almonds or pecan into the graham cracker and butter mixture. It gives the buttery graham cracker crust extra crunch.
• Epresso powder – Just a pinch of instant espresso powder gives the crust a delicious coffee flavor. Try this version with an ice cream filling. 
• Cookie options – Though not an actual graham cracker crust, you can use vanilla wafers or shortbread cookies for the crust mixture. Just make sure you use enough crumbs until it has a wet sand-like texture. 
• Sugar – Give the crust added depth of flavor by using brown sugar instead of white. It’s perfect for all your fall no bake pies.

 How Long Does This Crust Stay Fresh?

This homemade graham cracker crust can typically last for about 3-4 days when stored wrapped tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil.

Can I Make This Crust in a 9 x 13 Dish?

You sure can. This recipe can easily be doubled for a 13 x 9 pan. It also makes the perfect graham cracker crust for no bake cheesecake when you make it in a springform pan.

Should I Bake Graham Cracker Crusts?

Generally, graham cracker crusts do not have to be baked before adding the pie filling. However, baking the crust will add a little bit more stability which can help with really thick fillings like chocolate fudge pie or with other thick fillings like an ice cream pie. 

Top Tips for Making the Perfect Crust

• Finely crush the graham cracker – You want the crackers to be fine crumbs so they will soak up the butter and stick to the pie pan better.   
• Measure accurately – Though this is a super easy recipe, measuring the ingredients ensures the mixture is not too moist or too dry. It needs to be just moist enough to adhere to the bottom of the pan but dry enough to hold the pie filling.
• Press firmly and evenly – For best results, when adding it to the pan, use the back of a spoon or a flat-bottomed cup to help you get a firm even layer. 
• Chill before adding the filling – To help the no bake graham cracker crust set properly, refrigerate it for at least an hour before adding the pie filling. This will help the butter to solidify again, which firms up the crust. 
• Consider pre-baking – Depending on the pie recipe, you may need to pre-bake the graham cracker crust for a few minutes to make sure it doesn’t end up becoming soggy. This is helpful with loose pie filling, like some cream pies.  
• Let it cool completely – If you do bake it, make sure it is cooled completely before adding the pie filling. 

Delicious Pie Recipes

• Apple Crumble Pie
• Chocolate Cream Pie
• Homemade Blueberry Pie
• Kool Aid Pie
• Orange Creamsicle Pie
• Banana Pudding Pie