Good Graham Cracker Crust (Video)

Discover ways to make a thick, buttery do-it-yourself graham cracker crust with this straightforward recipe and my perfected shaping strategies. You want simply 3 elements, and it tastes so good, I assure you’ll by no means return to store-bought graham cracker crust. And if graham crackers aren’t accessible the place you reside, we’ve bought a tested-and-approved biscuit crumb crust different for you!

At the moment I’m instructing you my practiced-and-perfected technique for making a deliciously buttery, candy graham cracker crust that’s splendidly crisp and crumbly, however nonetheless holds form. You should use it for pies, bar desserts, cheesecakes, and extra—like cheesecake pie, banoffee pie, and lemon blueberry cheesecake bars.

Grasp a graham cracker crust, and the remaining is as straightforward as s’mores brownie pie. 🙂

Why Make a Graham Cracker Crust Somewhat Than Purchase a Pre-Made Crust?

Graham cracker crusts are easy and fast to make. Shopping for a pre-made crust from the shop doesn’t prevent a lot time, and people pre-made crusts all the time appear to lack taste and style somewhat stale. 

The style and texture of a do-it-yourself graham cracker crust is simply on a very completely different degree. Perhaps even a distinct planet. Buttery, candy, crispy, crumbly… and created from solely 3 elements. Simply THREE! And right here they’re:

Seize These 3 Elements

1. Graham Crackers: (Properly, clearly.) You want about 12 full sheet graham crackers, to yield about 1 and 1/2 cups (180g) crumbs. You may as well buy graham cracker crumbs in most grocery shops within the baking aisle. Graham crackers are an American pantry staple and are available in traditional honey taste, however you too can discover chocolate, cinnamon, and low-fat variations. Any taste can be fantastic on this graham cracker crust recipe. I want to make use of the Nabisco Honey Maid model authentic graham crackers—extra information on that under.
2. Butter: Melted butter binds the tiny crumbs collectively, and makes this crust style unbelievably buttery and scrumptious. You want 6 Tablespoons (85g) of butter for a pie crust, however solely 5 Tablespoons (71g) for a cheesecake crust. (Full cheesecakes may be actually heavy and moist, so that’s the reason I barely scale back the butter.)
3. Granulated sugar: Because the crust bakes, the sugar crystals help the butter in binding the crumbs collectively. Graham crackers are already candy, so we don’t want so as to add a lot sugar, simply 1/4 cup.

Nabisco Honey Maid Model vs. Retailer Model Graham Crackers

After testing a number of manufacturers, my very scientific conclusion (LOL) is that the most effective graham crackers to make use of for this crumb crust are the Nabisco Honey Maid model. The shop-brand graham crackers we tried have been lighter in coloration and the feel wasn’t fairly as crispy. 

When urgent the crust created from store-brand crackers into the pie dish, it felt extra moist, and a bit mushier. Which is sensible, as a result of the Honey Maid ones really feel tougher/crispier as in the event that they’ve been baked longer, so the store-brand graham cracker crumbs really feel a bit mushier once you add the melted butter.

All that stated, you may actually nonetheless make this crust with any model of graham crackers you’ve! (And I’m not getting paid by Nabisco to inform you to purchase their merchandise, simply genuinely a fan!)

Graham Cracker Math

Graham crackers may also range barely in measurement and weight, and sometimes producers change the dimensions or quantity you get in a package deal—which implies my crew and I’ve to undergo all our recipes that use graham crackers and replace them! (In case you’re questioning why your printed recipe could not match the recipe on the web site.) Some math information it’s possible you’ll discover useful:

• 12 graham crackers ought to yield about 1.5 cups of crumbs after they’re finely floor, or about 180g. (12x15g)
• 1 full sheet graham cracker = 14–16g, or about ½ an oz.
• 12 full sheets = 168–192g 
• 1 and 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs = roughly 180g

Make Your Home made Graham Cracker Crust (It’s Straightforward)

Begin by grinding up your graham crackers. You should use a meals processor or blender for this, however in case you don’t have one, simply put them in a zip-top bag and crush them with a rolling pin. You need actually fantastic crumbs, so be at liberty to take out all of your frustrations on these crackers!

Combine the crushed graham crackers with the granulated sugar, after which stir within the melted butter. The combination will probably be thick, sandy, and coarse. Attempt to smash/break up any massive chunks.

Stop Your Graham Cracker Crust From Falling Aside

The ratio of elements is vital, however what issues most is the way you press the combination into your pan. The method you employ could make or (actually) break an incredible graham cracker crust:

1. Don’t be nervous that it’s crumbly: The combination inevitably feels too crumbly as you begin urgent it into the pan, however once you begin making use of stress, it should stick collectively.
2. Use your fingers first: Press the underside and across the sides with medium-firm stress till the crumbs aren’t transferring round anymore—you don’t need any free crumbs. You should use a small flat-bottomed measuring cup to assist easy out the floor, simply don’t pack it down too arduous.
3. Don’t pack too tightly: The crust must be compact, so it doesn’t crumble aside, however not so tight that it bakes into a tough, dense crust. You actually simply need to pack it till the form has set and it’s not crumbly.
4. Preserve it rounded if making a pie: This sounds a bit odd, however you don’t need a proper angle on the backside edges the place the perimeters and the underside meet. As an alternative, you need it somewhat bit rounded so it stays linked once you slice into it—so the facet crust doesn’t instantly separate from the underside crust. Slide a spoon across the within the crust the place the perimeters and backside meet, to get that rounded form.

I like to make use of my thumb on one hand and 4 fingers on my different hand to go across the high and sides. You’ll be able to see me do that within the video tutorial under, too.

And, as defined within the 4th success tip above, working a spoon across the inside sides helps the crust preserve a rounded form, so the slices of your pie keep intact:

FAQ: What Measurement Pan Does This Match?

You’ll want to use an ungreased 8-inch, 9-inch, or 10-inch pie dish, cake pan, springform pan, or sq. pan for this recipe. It’s not sufficient for a 9×13-inch pan. For those who’re making a 9×13-inch dessert, I like to recommend 1.5x the recipe.

FAQ: Do You Must Bake a Graham Cracker Crust?

After shaping into your pan, the crust must be baked, and the period of time actually is dependent upon the recipe you’re utilizing, and whether or not it’s a baked or a no-bake filling. Verify the pie or cheesecake recipe you’re utilizing for crust baking and cooling directions.

I often pre-bake this graham cracker crust for a minimum of 10 minutes at 350°F (177°C) earlier than including a filling. For those who’re making a no-bake pie/dessert: cool the crust earlier than filling it, until the no-bake pie recipe you might be utilizing states in any other case.

Digestive Biscuit Crumb Crust Various to Graham Cracker Crust

For non-US readers, my crew and I examined out making this crust with digestive biscuits (we used McVitie’s model), and listed here are our findings:

Although completely different in measurement and form, 1 normal digestive biscuit weighs nearly the identical as 1 full sheet graham cracker, about 15g. Digestives are comparable in taste to graham crackers, however the texture is barely completely different. Digestives aren’t fairly as crispy-crunchy as graham crackers, and disintegrate sooner when moist, as those that wish to dip them into their tea will know. We discovered that we wanted some further crumbs within the crust to assist take up the melted butter.

We’re additionally including a bit extra sugar, as a result of digestive biscuits comprise about half the quantity of sugar as graham crackers. So the ultimate recipe for a digestive biscuit crumb crust that works as an incredible different to this graham cracker crust is:

• 200g digestive crumbs (about 13–14 normal digestive biscuits)
• 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar
• 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, melted

Prebake for a bit longer than the graham crust, 12–quarter-hour at 350°F (177°C).

Graham cracker crust is the bottom of so many unimaginable desserts, so it’s vital to have a extremely strong recipe for this baking staple below your belt (or apron ties). And it’s really easy to grasp. To not point out, unbelievably good. Repeat: It’s buttery! Thick! Crunchy! Graham crackery! Simply the most effective!

Different Crumb Crust Options

You would additionally make this crumb crust with speculoos biscuits (like Biscoff), vanilla wafers, or Ritz crackers as an alternative of graham crackers. For a simple Oreo crust, see this recipe for Cookies & Cream Pie.

Q: Have you ever tried some other options for a graham cracker crumb crust?

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