Key lime pie, banana cream pie, and cheesecake are among the more popular ways to showcase a homemade graham cracker crust, but they’re hardly your only options. This no-bake pie crust recipe is as versatile as it is easy to make. Pop whole graham crackers into a food processor and blitz into fine crumbs. Stir the graham cracker crumbs into melted butter, granulated sugar, and a pinch of salt and then press the crumb mixture into a pie plate, springform pan, or tart pan. That’s it. Without so much as glancing at your oven or a rolling pin, you’ve already got the makings of a stellar dessert.
Fill your graham cracker pie crust with pretty much any flavor of softened ice cream—strawberry is nice, but it’s up to you—and chill for two hours for a delightfully retro summertime treat. Spoon in store-bought or homemade chocolate pudding for an easy dessert recipe that hardly qualifies as a recipe at all. Swap in chocolate graham crackers and marshmallow whip to make a s’mores-inspired pie, or use cinnamon grahams to give classic pumpkin pie a kicky twist. Ditch the graham crackers entirely and try this pie crust recipe with Oreos, gingersnaps, digestive biscuits, or any other crisp cookies you like.
Some people choose to bake graham cracker crusts for a toastier flavor (and because doing so melts the sugar, which, when cooled, helps hold the crust together). It’s not strictly necessary, but if you’d like, slide the crust into an oven preheated to 350° and bake for 8–10 minutes.
Recipe information
Total Time
10 minutes
Yield
Makes enough for one 9" pie pan, 24-cm springform pan, or 10" tart pan
Ingredients
Preparation
Combine 1½ cups (5 oz.) finely ground graham crackers, 5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted, ⅓ cup (67 g) sugar, and ⅛ tsp. kosher salt in a medium mixing bowl. Transfer to a 9" pie dish, 24-cm springform pan, or 10" tart pan and press crumbs onto bottom and up sides of the pan (if using springform, the crust will only go about 1" up the sides). To even out the crust, press it down using the bottom of a measuring cup. Fill right away or chill up to 2 hours.
Variations: Swap the graham cracker crumbs for an equal amount of cookie crumbs such as chocolate or vanilla wafers or gingersnaps; swap the granulated sugar for light brown sugar; or add up to 1 tsp. spice such as ground cinnamon.
Editor’s note: This recipe was first printed in the November 1999 issue of ‘Gourmet’ as ‘Crumb Crust.’ Head this way for our favorite easy pie recipes →
Recipe notes
Back to topSee Related Recipes and Cooking Tips
61 Easy Thanksgiving Recipes for a Less-Stressful Feast
These easy-to-prepare recipes will ensure a delicious holiday.15 Desserts With a Graham Cracker Crust
Whether homemade or store-bought, a simple graham-cracker crust is a nutty and sweet base for many creamy desserts.A Pie Crust For Every Occasion
From all-butter to press-in to cookie crumb, these crusts win.
