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GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST

Course Desserts, Pie Crust, Pies & Crisps

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup butter melted

Instructions

  • If you're starting out with full-sheet graham crackers, you can use a food processor or blender to grind them up. Or crush them in a zipped top bag with a rolling pin.
  • Mix the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and granulated sugar together with a rubber spatula in a medium bowl until combined. The mixture will be thick, coarse, and sandy. Press the mixture into the bottom of the dish or pan and slightly up the sides. This crust will fit into a 9 - 10-inch pan. Make sure it is tight and compact. Use the bottom of a flat measuring cup as I do in these photos. It helps! The crust will be thick.
  • For a baked dessert, pre-bake this crust per your recipe's directions. I usually pre-bake for 10 minutes at 300°F (149°C) or 7-8 minutes at 350°F (177°C). For a no-bake dessert, chill the crust for 2 hours before using it in your recipe.
  • Make-ahead tip: It's freezer friendly! Freeze the prepared crust in your pan for up to 3 months. Thaw before using in your recipe. For shorter storage, keep the prepared crust in the refrigerator for a few days before using it in your recipe.

Notes

Variations: use cinnamon, honey, or chocolate flavor graham crackers depending on your dessert recipe. I usually use honey flavor because it is the mildest. If I'm baking a chocolate treat, I like to switch things up and use the chocolate graham crackers. Try using brown sugar instead of granulated sugar for a hint of molasses flavor. (End)
5 Fun Alternatives to Graham Cracker Crusts
  1. Crisp Cookies -Remember that graham crackers are really just cookies, so anything in that family will work well. Go with speculoos or gingersnaps for a spicy kick that works well with cheesecake or cream pies, vanilla wafers or animal crackers if you want something more subtle, or chocolate wafers or even Oreo cookies for something dark and chocolatey. Don’t forget that nut-flavored cookies also work well, like Italian amaretti.
  2. Ice Cream Cones -When I saw that people were using sugar cones as pie crust, especially for ice cream pies, all I could think was, “Genius!” Sugar cones stay nice and crisp and if you can get your hands on waffle cones, even better since those taste more like cookies.
  3. Cold Cereal - Look no further than breakfast for lots of crunchy options for the pie crust. Grind up granola, crispy rice cereal, or cornflakes together, and if you top it with a yogurt filling, that means you can have pie for breakfast, right?
  4. Pretzels -If you like sweet-savory combinations, pretzels make a great pie crust. They’re salty, crunchy, but just a tiny bit buttery to make a great contrast with a rich filling like chocolate mousse and peanut butter. And if you want to go all-savory, a pretzel crust would be a delicious base for a quiche.
  5. Coconut Macaroons -If you like coconut macaroons, why not try them as pie crust? This flour-free crust of egg whites and shredded coconut offers a sweet, chewy contrast to the filling above. Pair it with something tart like key limes or go for the tried-and-true chocolate and coconut combination instead.