This is the BEST Graham cracker crust recipe for any baked or no bake pie, cheesecake, or bar!!! Plenty of variations including bread crumbs, cake crumbs, cookie crumbs, and more! You'll never buy a store-bought crust again!
Even easier?? Try my easy, 2 ingredient Oreo Cookie Crust!
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❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- You can make an infinite variety of unique, no bake pie crusts to fit any flavor pie.
- No need to heat up the kitchen during the summer.
- Make graham cracker crust for cheesecake, chocolate crumb crusts for chocolate pie, pretzel crust for peanut butter pie, and so on!
This is really a super easy, no fail recipe that can be adapted to any flavor or preference.
🥘 Ingredients
The ingredients for this crumb crust couldn't be easier! Remember you can use whatever type of crumbs you like - even bread crumbs or cake crumbs!
Make sure you have a total of 1 ½ cups.
- Crumbs (graham cracker, pretzel, bread, cake, cookie, etc)
- Butter
- Sugar
🔪 Instructions
- Melt the butter. Blend graham crackers or cookies in a blender or food processor to make fine crumbs.
- Put graham cracker crumbs in a large bowl.
- Add sugar and stir.
- Add the melted butter.
- Stir well to combine.
- Stir until all the crumbs are moistened and they hold together when squeezed firmly in your hand.
- Gently press the mixture over the bottom of a 9-inch pie dish.
- Press up the sides and even out the top with your finger.
- Chill for one hour minimum or bake at 325F for 10 minutes.
📖 Variations
Here are some of the crusts I've made with this recipe just to give you some inspiration...
- Ritz
- Goldfish (so good with an apple cheesecake pie!)
- Lemon cookies and gingersnaps combined
- Gingersnaps
- Pecan Sandies
- Oreos
- Nutter Butters
- Graham crackers
- Lorna Doones
- Pretzels (especially good with lime pie)
- Oreos and Pecan Sandies combined
- Oreos and Nutter Butters combined
- Dry bread crumbs
- Dry cake crumbs
- You can even use finely ground nuts as part of the crumbs!
Don't be afraid to add ½ teaspoon of cinnamon, cloves, ginger, or another favorite spice. Vanilla extract and other flavorings can be added with the butter, too.
You get the idea. You'll think of so many more!
💭 Tips
Expert Tip: Use a flat bottom cup to press the crumbs into the pie plate. It packs them down better than your fingers.
- If you use bread or cake crumbs make sure they are dry and crispy. You can toast them in a 375F oven to dry them out - watch carefully!
- Spray the pie pan with nonstick spray to help the crust slip out easily when serving.
- If your crust doesn't hold together dump it back in the bowl and add a tablespoon or two more melted butter.
- Freeze the prepared crust right in the pan, tightly covered, for up to 3 months. No need to thaw before using.
👩🏻🍳 FAQs
Here are the questions I am most frequently asked about this recipe.
The sugar helps to hold the crust together so you need to add it to keep your crust from being too crumbly.
You need to add a bit more melted butter.
Use 1-½ times the recipe and it should be perfect for that size pan.
You've probably pressed the crumbs in too hard. Firm, medium pressure should be just right.
📚 Related recipes
📞 The last word
This no bake crumb crust is absolutely perfect for pies, cheesecakes, and bars. You can make it out of any type of cookie or cracker plus you can combine different kinds of crumbs to get unique and personalized flavors.
For example, I made a lemon icebox pie with this recipe and I used pretzels and Nilla wafers for the crumb mixture. It was sweet and salty goodness!
This is a blank canvas crust recipe, y'all. Don't be afraid to make it your way!
This easy crumb crust recipe is completely unbaked. Freeze it for 30 minutes or so before filling it and be sure to chill your pie thoroughly after filling.
📖 Recipe
Easy, No Bake Crumb Crust Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs, or other crumbs. 33 crackers or so
- ¼ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup butter, you may need a bit more
Instructions
- Melt the butter.
- Put graham cracker crumbs and sugar in a bowl.
- Add the melted butter and stir well to combine.
- Firmly press the mixture over the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate.
- Chill for one hour minimum or bake at 325F for 10 minutes.
Notes
- If you use bread or cake crumbs make sure they are dry and crispy. You can toast them in a 375F oven to dry them out - watch carefully!
- The actual amount of cookies/crackers needed will be different for each variety of cookie or cracker.
- Spray the pie pan with nonstick spray to help the crust slip out easily when serving.
- If your crust doesn't hold together dump it back in the bowl and add a tablespoon or two more melted butter.
- Freeze the prepared crust right in the pan, tightly covered, for up to 3 months. No need to thaw before using.
Nutrition Facts
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We'll never share your email or send you spam. Pinkie swear.First published May 29, 2015. Last updated June 22, 2021 to add more tips.
Jennie
Lorna doone cookies might be good just set inside your pan without crumbling they will be pre cut for you.
Stephanie
I would like to make mini pumpkin pie. Similar size to two bite brownies. I read that the pie crust may crumble a bit when cutting. Since I wont be cutting these but essentially popping them out of the small tray do you think the crust will crumble or hold firm since its in a smaller base with no cutting? Any suggestions?
Marye Audet
I'd use regular pastry.