Graham Cracker Pie Crust
This perfect graham cracker pie crust is buttery, crisp and delicious! This recipe requires just 5 ingredients and has both baked an no-bake options so it’s the best starting point for all kinds of desserts like pie, cheesecake and more!
My favorite homemade graham cracker crust recipe has delicious buttery sweet flavor and a very pleasant crisp texture. It’s a great alternative to traditional pie crust and so much better than store-bought graham cracker crusts!
Use it as a base for desserts like key lime pie or no-bake cheesecake bars. It’s easy to make, so versatile, and works for many of your favorite recipes!
Table of Contents
- Why this graham cracker crust is the best!
- Ingredients for this recipe
- How to make graham cracker pie crust
- Recipe FAQs
- Ways to use graham cracker crust
- Get the recipe
Why this graham cracker crust is the best!
- A few tweaks like using brown sugar and cinnamon make a big difference in flavor, and make this recipe stand out from others.
- It’s a two-for-one! And can be either baked or used as a no-bake crust for chilled desserts.
- It works in a 9-inch pie plate, 9-inch springform pan for cheesecake (though crust only goes up half the sides), and into the bottom of a 9×13-inch rectangle baking pan.
Ingredients for this recipe
Here’s everything to make this graham cracker crust, the full recipe can be found in the recipe card below.
- Graham crackers— Nabisco Honey Maid brand is preferred for best flavor and texture.
- Brown sugar— Using brown sugar instead of granulated sugar is an easy way to add more flavor.
- Melted butter— It binds everything together and creates a nice crisp crust.
- Salt— If you use unsalted butter, definitely don’t skip the added salt. If you use salted butter you can choose to add it or leave it out.
- Cinnamon— This is an optional ingredient that I never skip! It helps improve overall taste.
baking tip:How many graham crackers make a cup of crumbs
How to make graham cracker pie crust
- Crush graham crackers. Use either a food processor or a ziplock bag and rolling pin to finely grind crackers to crumbs.
- Combine with butter, sugar, cinnamon and salt. If you’re using a food processor, no need to dirty another bowl, just add the other ingredients and pulse till combined.
- Press the mixture into your pan. Use your fingers or the bottom of a measuring cup to pack it into an even layer in the bottom of the pan, whether that’s a pie plate, springform pan or 9×13-inch pan. I like to do the edges first, and then the bottom last.
- Bake or chill. Either bake it in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes until fragrant and it starts to brown lightly, OR chill it in the fridge for 1 hour or the freezer for 30 minutes.
- Add filling. Once baked and cooled, or properly chilled, add your desired filling recipe and follow those instructions to finish your pie/dessert.
Recipe FAQs
This graham cracker crust will work in a 9 or 10-inch pie dish or pie pan, 9-inch springform pan (though crust will only go up half the sides), and in the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking pan.
Yes, this recipe will work with both chocolate and cinnamon flavored graham crackers (you may wish to omit cinnamon).
Graham crackers are preferred, but if you can’t find them (if you live outside the US, for example) you can use digestive biscuits with similar results. For a completely different flavor profile you can use this same recipe with store-bought gingersnaps.
To store unfilled crust, cover tightly with plastic wrap. Baked graham cracker crust will keep at room temperature for a week. Un-baked (unfilled) graham cracker crust will keep in the fridge for about 3 days or in the freezer for a month or more. (Store filled crust according to recipe instructions.)
Ways to use graham cracker crust
Get the recipe
Graham Cracker Pie Crust
Ingredients
- 2 cups (225 grams) graham cracker crumbs
- ¼ cup (55 grams) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons (85 grams) butter , melted
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (if you plan to bake the crust).
- Use food processor or ziplock bag and rolling pin to crush graham crackers until finely ground. Add sugar, melted butter, salt and cinnamon (if using) and combine until mixture resembles wet sand.
- Press mixture into desired pan, such as a 9-inch pie pan, 9-inch springform pan, or 9×13-inch pan. Bake until it just starts to turn brown and smells toasty.
- EITHER: Bake crust for 10 minutes until fragrant and crust just starts to turn golden brown. Let it cool slightly before using. OR: Chill crust in the pan for at least 1 hour in the fridge or 30 minutes in the freezer.
- Add desired filling and follow those instructions as needed to finish your pie or dessert.
- To store unfilled crust, cover tightly with plastic wrap. Baked graham cracker crust will keep at room temperature for a week. Un-baked (unfilled) graham cracker crust will keep in the fridge for about 3 days or in the freezer for a month or more.
Notes
- For this recipe you’ll need about 2 cups or 225 grams of finely ground graham cracker crumbs, which is about 14 full sheets or 28 squares (almost 2 sleeve packages) of graham crackers. Different brands of graham crackers will differ, and occasionally brands will change packaging, so using grams is the most accurate measurement.
- If you use salted butter you can omit the salt in this recipe, if desired.
- This crust works in a 9 or 10-inch pie plate, 9-inch springform pan for cheesecake (though crust only goes up half the sides), and into the bottom of a 9×13-inch rectangle baking pan.
