How to Make Easy Graham Cracker Crust
Updated: Jul. 11, 2022
It's sooo easy.
Who wants homemade pie?! Everybody. But mixing pastry dough and rolling out pie crust can be intimidating—even after scouring through Grandma’s secrets for perfect pie crust. Luckily, Food Editor Gina Nistico has perfected a no-fail and delicious graham cracker crust recipe. “This is an uncomplicated approach to making a company-worthy pie crust without feeling as if you’re in dessert jail,” says Gina. “It requires no rolling and comes together with three ingredients—melted butter, sugar and coarsely crushed graham crackers.”
This recipe is a dessert game-changer for new bakers because it’s so fast and forgiving. It creates a generous buttery base that works with all kinds of pie fillings—but we especially love it for cream pies and no-bake pies. Here’s our step-by-step guide for how to make it.
How to Make Super-Fast (and Buttery-Good) Graham Cracker Crust
Ingredients
- 2-3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1/4 cup sugar
Step 1: Crank up the heat
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Test Kitchen tip: Are your baked goods constantly coming out inconsistent? You may want to consider giving your oven an emergency check-up.
Step 2: Crush those crackers
Place about 14 whole graham crackers inside a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Using a rolling pin or the bottom of a glass measuring cup, roll or tap the crackers to crush. We like to leave the crumbs a bit coarse to give the crust more texture and crunch. Crush enough graham crackers to make 2-3/4 cups crumbs.
Step 3: Combine crumbs and butter
Mix the crumbs in a large bowl with 1/2 cup melted butter and 1/4 cup sugar until the crumbs are well-coated.
Step 4: Get hands-on with your pie plate
Transfer the mixture to an ungreased 9-in. deep-dish pie plate. Press crumbs onto the bottom and up the sides. Use the bottom of a glass or jar to gently pat the mixture into shape. The crust will be thick, which is part of what makes it so awesome!
Step 5: Get baking!
Bake until crust is lightly browned, 10 minutes or so. These few minutes in the oven will toast and set the crust. Cool on a wire rack.
Now you’re ready to turn this crust into pie! Graham cracker crust is the perfect base for a no-bake vanilla filling. It’s cool, luscious and simply delicious.
Now, Master 5 More Easy Crumb Crusts
We experimented with different pantry items to create a whole team of crunchy crusts. There’s something here for everyone.
1. Saltine Cracker Crust
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Crush about 60 saltine crackers in a zip-top bag to make 2-3/4 cups crumbs. Mix crumbs with 1/2 cup melted butter and 1/4 cup sugar. Transfer to an ungreased 9-in. deep-dish pie plate. Press on the bottom and up the sides. Bake 15-18 minutes.
Saltine crust is amazing with a no-bake, tart-sweet strawberry lemonade filling.
2. Sugar Cone Crust
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Crush about 18 sugar cones in a zip-top bag to make 2-3/4 cups crumbs. Mix crumbs with 1/2 cup melted butter and 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake 12-15 minutes.
Sugar cone crust makes a pie that tastes like birthday cake when you add a colorful, no-bake confetti filling.
3. Cap’n Crunch Crust
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Crush about 4 cups Cap’n Crunch cereal in a zip-top bag to make 2-3/4 cups crumbs. Mix crumbs with 1/2 cup melted butter. (No sugar is needed.) Bake 10-12 minutes.
Cap’n Crunch crust goes great with a mixed berry no-bake filling.
4. Pretzel Crust
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix 2-3/4 cups crushed pretzel sticks with 3/4 cup melted butter and 1/3 cup sugar. Bake 12-15 minutes.
Crispy, salty pretzel crust is just begging for a creamy no-bake peanut butter filling and a layer of chocolate ganache.
5. Teddy Grahams Crust
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Crush enough Teddy Grahams to equal 2-3/4 cups crumbs. (Use most of a 10-oz. box; you’ll have a handful left to snack on.) Mix with 1/2 cup melted butter and 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake 12-15 minutes.
Chocolate Teddy Graham crust is extra special with a cool no-bake mocha filling.
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This easy pie recipe is delicious with either fresh-picked or frozen raspberries. That means you can make it year-round. One bite of raspberry pie will instantly turn winter to summer. —Julie Price, Nashville, Tennessee
Peanut Butter Cream Pie
During the warm months, it's nice to have this fluffy, no-bake peanut butter pie that's a snap to make. Packed with flavor, this pie gets gobbled up even after a big meal! —Jesse & Anne Foust, Bluefield, West Virginia
No-Bake Chocolate Chip Cannoli Cheesecake
I make this cannoli cheesecake in the summer for a flavorful and refreshing treat. I love the added bonus of not having to turn on the oven in hot weather. —Kristen Heigl, Staten Island, New York
Creamy Coconut Peppermint Pie
Garnished with toasted coconut and more peppermint candy, this creamy no-bake pie welcomes the holidays! Look for premade shortbread crusts in the baking aisle of the grocery store. —Cheryl Perry, Hertford, North Carolina
Chocolate Caramel Hazelnut Pie
I love chocolate, caramel and hazelnuts, so I came up with a recipe that has all three. If you don't have a food processor, place crust ingredients in a zip-top freezer bag and smash with a rolling pin. —Debbie Anderson, Mount Angel, Oregon
Frozen Grasshopper Pie
When I first started experimenting with cream pies, this seemed like the right recipe to create for a house of chocolate lovers. I guessed right. This is more of an adult New Year's Eve pie, but some have made it for Christmas dessert—served after the kids have gone to bed! —Lorraine Caland, Shuniah, Ontario
Possum Pie
We found this Possum Pie recipe in a recipe box from the previous cafe owner. It's been on our menu ever since. —David Heilemann, Eureka Springs, Arkansas
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It’s easy to stir mini marshmallows, mini chocolate chips and crushed sandwich cookies into coffee ice cream to create this irresistible easy pie recipe. —Cherron Nagel, Columbus, Ohio
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Whip up this simple chocolaty pie the day before and you’ll feel just like the champ when you serve it on party day. —Addrenne Roth, Donna, Texas
Easy Pink Lemonade Pie
I love bringing something sweet to a potluck, but I don’t like spending all day in the kitchen. Saltine crust is amazing with a no-bake, tart-sweet strawberry lemonade filling. — Gina Nistico, Taste of Home Food Editor
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This creamy pie is perfect for any autumn celebration. A store-bought graham cracker crust makes it such a cinch to whip up. —Maria Regakis, Somerville, Massachusetts
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For a taste of paradise, try this no-bake Key lime pie recipe. It's low in fat, sugar and fuss. It truly is the best Key lime pie recipe ever! —Frances VanFossan, Warren, Michigan
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With only a handful of ingredients, this peanut butter pie promises to deliver well-deserved compliments. Whenever I bring this creamy, make-ahead pie to get-togethers, I'm asked for the recipe. —Christi Gillentine, Tulsa, Oklahoma
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