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    Home » Recipes » Recipe Index

    Easy Graham Cracker Pie Crust Recipe

    Published: May 6, 2020 · Modified: May 18, 2020 by Jere Cassidy · This post may contain affiliate links. · 27 Comments

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    Make your own Graham Cracker Pie Crust for your next cheesecake or cream pie. Made with four simple ingredients you can make a tasty and buttery made from scratch pie crust in minutes. No need to get a store-bought crust anymore.

    A homemade graham cracker pie crust in a white plate.
    Homemade graham cracker crust

    This page may contain affiliate links, please see my full disclosure for policy details.

    With just four ingredients you can make a buttery homemade graham cracker pie crust just to your liking. Making your own crust just tastes fresher than a store-bought crust and you can adjust the sugar content and flavoring.

    I firmly believe in making life simple and of course tasty so making a homemade crust is always my first option, but I am here to tell you, store-bought will work just the same for your cream pies.

    You can even use different flavors of graham cracker crusts to go with the flavor of your pie.  Chocolate graham crackers with a chocolate cream pie or honey graham crackers with a vanilla cheesecake; both sound delicious.

    Jump to:
    • Four simple ingredients
    • There is nothing easier than making a graham cracker crust
    • Add some spices to your crust
    • Crust FAQs
    • Crust tips
    • Other One Hot Oven Pie Crust Recipes
    • Recipe

    Four simple ingredients

    • Graham crackers
    • Butter
    • Brown Sugar
    • White Sugar
    Graham crackers, sugar and butter for a crust recipe.

    There are so many uses for a graham cracker crust and you can have either a baked crust or an unbaked crust. Once mixed, the cracker crumbs can be pressed into a pie plate, a springform pan, a sheet pan, or any baking pan for cream pies, cheesecakes, and other dreamy and creamy desserts.  Make sure to save extra crumbs to sprinkle on top.

    There is nothing easier than making a graham cracker crust

    Step 1. If using the graham cracker sheets, break up 10 of the sheets and place them in a food processor, and pulse until you have super fine crumbs. You can also place the sheets in a zip-lock bag and crush them with a rolling pin.  Either way, you need 1 ½ cups.  You may have to add some extra graham sheets for the right amount.

    Grinding graham crackers in a food processor.
    Crushing graham crackers with a rolling pin.

    Step 2. Pour the crumbs into a bowl and add the melted butter and the sugars.  Mix well with a fork until the crumbs are coated with butter and the mixture looks sandy and crumbly.

    Adding sugar and butter to cracker crumbs.

    Step 3. Pour the graham mixture into a 9" - 10" pie plate and using your hands or the bottom of a cup press the crumbs on the bottom and sides of the pie plate. For a baking dish or springform pan just press the crumbs on the bottom.

    Crushed graham cracker crumbs in a green pie plate.

    Take your time pressing down the crumbs. Try using a measuring cup for the bottom and I like using a spoon to go around the sides of the pie pan and pushing down the top to form a nice edge at the top of the pie crust.

    Pressing graham cracker crumbs into pie plate.

    Step 4. For an unbaked pie crust, place the pie pan in the refrigerator for 1 hour to set the butter.

    For a baked pie crust, baked in a 325-degree F. oven for 8 minutes.

    Fill the pie crust as directed for your pie recipe

    Add some spices to your crust

    Everybody likes different flavors

    • Cinnamon - for a Banana Cream Pie
    • Vanilla beans - perfect for any cream pie or cheesecake
    • Nutmeg - with an Eggnog Cheesecake
    • Cardamom - I love this flavor with a citrus cream pie
    • Red pepper - for a bold flavor in a Mexican Chocolate Cream Pie
    • so many variations

    Crust FAQs

    Why is my crust crumbling

    Your crust might crumble if there isn't enough butter in the crumbs, or it wasn't pressed down enough

    The crust is rock hard and I can't cut it, why?

    1. Overbaking the crust
    2. Compacting the crumbs too much, they need to be pressed hard but don't go crazy
    3. Adding too much butter which will harden both the baked and unbaked crusts.
    4. Before serving your pie, wet a dish towel in hot water and wring it dry then set the pie plate on the hot, wet towel.  This will soften the butter in the crust and help it release easily.

    Do I have to bake the crust?

    This is up to you. Baking the crust adds a depth of flavor from the melted sugar in the graham cracker crumbs, and the melted sugar is what will hold the crumbs together.  I prefer the baked crusts because they don't crumble as much and have a nice toasty flavor.

    Crust tips

    Make sure the crumbs are chopped or crushed very fine

    Having finely chopped crumbs help the crust hold together better.  If large chunks of graham crackers are in the crust it doesn't look as pretty and will also be harder to cut a clean slice.

    Cut with a warm knife

    If your crust is very hard, try this technique, hold your knife under hot water to heat up the blade, dry it off then cut your pie or dessert.

    Other One Hot Oven Pie Crust Recipes

    How to Make A Short Crust Tart Dough

    How to Make A Flaky Pie Crust

    How to Blind Bake A Pie Crust

    Pinterest pin for crust

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    Recipe

    A homemade graham cracker pie crust in a white plate.

    Easy Graham Cracker Pie Crust

    Jere' Cassidy
    Make this simple Graham Cracker Pie Crust for your next cream pie or cheesecake. You will love the fresh flavor of graham crackers with a hint of brown sugar. So much better than store-bought.
    4.90 from 48 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 8 mins
    Total Time 18 mins
    Course Pie
    Cuisine American
    Servings 1 9" pie crust
    Calories 163 kcal

    Equipment

    • Cream pie plate
    • Food chopper
    • Measuring cups

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 ½ cups graham crackers Use approximately 10 sheets or use boxed graham cracker crumbs. You can also use digestive biscuits.
    • 3 tablespoon sugar
    • 3 tablespoon brown sugar
    • 5 tablespoon butter, melted

    Instructions
     

    • If using graham cracker sheets, break them up and grind in a small food processor. You can also place the graham cracker sheets in a ziplock back and crush with a rolling pin.
    • Transfer the crumbs to a mixing bowl and add the melted butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Mix all together with a fork until the mixture is coated in the butter and looks crumbly.
    • Pour the graham cracker crumbs into a 9" or 10" pie plate. and using the bottom of a measuring cup start pressing down on the crumbs to
    • With your fingers or the bottom of a cup press the crumbs evenly all around the pie plate; bottom and sides. You can use a spoon to press in the sides of the crust. You want the crumbs to be compact so the crust does not crumble when cut.

    No-Bake Graham Cracker Crust

    • Make the crust a directed and place in the refrigerator for one hour before filling.

    For a Baked Graham Cracker Crust

    • Preheat the oven to 325° F. Bake the crust for 8 minutes.

    Notes

    Tips
    • For the sugar in the recipe - instead of using half brown sugar and half white sugar, you can make the recipe using just one type of sugar.
    • Digestive biscuits can be used instead of graham cracker crumbs.
    • When pressing down on the cracker crumbs in the pie plate, you want them compressed enough to be firm, but if they are too compressed you won't be able to cut the crust once it is baked.
     
    Variations
    • You can use different flavors of graham crackers such as honey or chocolate
    •  Add spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, apple pie spice, cardamom
    Prepare ahead and chill or freeze
    You can make the pie crust in the pan and freeze a baked and unbaked crust. Cover the pan with foil and place in the freezer.  To use just set out on the counter and let the crust thaw.
    You can also place the covered pie plate in the refrigerator for 3 days.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1sliceCalories: 163kcalCarbohydrates: 20.8gFat: 8.7gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 192mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Thank you for stopping by the One Hot Oven blog.  Please leave a comment to say Hello or just let me know what you are baking these days, I always love hearing from fellow bakers. Have any questions or just want to chat about the recipe? Please visit my about page for information, and I’ll be happy to help!

    About Jere’                                                                                                                                       

    From learning to cook on a farm in Indiana to culinary school in California, my passion for food is never-ending.  Turning on my oven to bake something for friends and family is my happy place, and I am glad to be here at One Hot Oven sharing both sweet and savory family-friendly recipes for your cooking and baking inspiration.

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Veronika

      May 29, 2022 at 11:37 am

      5 stars
      I usually use store-bought crust but this one was really easy to make and tasted so much better! I'll be making only my own from now on!

      Reply
    2. Kushigalu

      November 30, 2020 at 9:04 pm

      Love this four ingredient crust recipe. Looks so perfect. Can't wait to try this out with cheesecake. Thanks for sharing

      Reply
      • Jere Cassidy

        December 03, 2020 at 9:01 am

        Yes, you gotta have a good graham cracker crust for cheesecake.

        Reply
    3. Chef Dennis

      November 30, 2020 at 5:10 pm

      5 stars
      I love a good graham cracker crust! thanks for sharing your easy to make foolproof recipe

      Reply
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