Graham Cracker Crust

Recipe by King Arthur Test Kitchen
13 Reviews 3.2 out of 5 stars

Graham cracker crust is a familiar base for many a cheesecake or cream pie. But any crunchy cookie can be turned into a pie crust, allowing you to mix and match crusts and fillings to suit your taste and imagination. Here are some of our favorite cookie crusts, starting with the perennial classic: graham cracker. See "tips" (at the bottom of this page) for more.

Prep
20 mins
Bake
10 to 12 mins
Total
40 mins
Yield
one 9" crust
Cookie Pie Crusts

Instructions

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  1. To make the crust: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the crumbs, sugar, and butter.

  2. Press the mixture into the bottom and partway up the sides of a 9" springform pan, 9" cheesecake pan, or 9" deep dish pie pan.

  3. If you're using a 9" x 1 1/2" pan, you'll have 1/4 to 1/2 cup of extra crumb mixture. This can become a garnish for the pie, if you like.

  4. To prebake the crust: Place it in a preheated 375°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes, just until set and you smell the cookies toasting. Remove the crust from the oven, cool on a rack, and finish with the filling of your choice.

Tips from our Bakers

  • To make a chocolate cookie crust: Replace the graham crackers with 2 cups of chocolate cookie crumbs (about 40 chocolate wafer cookies).

  • To make a vanilla cookie crust: Replace the graham crackers with an equal amount of vanilla wafer cookie crumbs (about 62 vanilla wafer cookies).

  • To make a gingersnap crust: Replace the graham crackers with 2 cups of crushed gingersnaps (about 43 small gingersnap cookies).

Baker’s Resources