This homemade graham cracker crust is easy to make with graham cracker crumbs, butter and sugar. Much better than store-bought and holds its shape for any pie filling!
Learning how to make a crust with graham crackers is handy when making cheesecake bars, lemon icebox pie or mini cheesecakes with a graham cracker crust!
Table of Contents
Perfect Graham Cracker Crust
I love a graham cracker crust because it’s so versatile in all types of desserts and can be used year round whether you are making key lime pie or 7-layer bars. I especially love to use them for baked or no-bake pies, like banana cream pie and no-bake cheesecakes.
I enjoy making a homemade pie crust every now and then, but sometimes I need an easier alternative and this homemade graham cracker crust is made in less than 20 minutes with only 3 ingredients. Plus it tastes way better than store-bought!
Homemade Graham Cracker Crust Ingredients
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Graham cracker crumbs: Either use whole graham crackers processed into crumbs or buy store-bought crumbs, usually found in the baking aisle.
- Sugar: Just a little extra sweetness never hurt, but the sugar also helps the butter bind the crumbs together as it bakes.
- Salted butter: This is the binder that helps hold the crust together, and the salt adds balances the sugar with a sweet and salty flavor profile. If using unsalted butter, add a pinch of salt.
Graham Cracker Crumbs
It’s easy to make your own graham cracker crumbs to make this homemade crust! You’ll need about 10 to 12 whole graham crackers to equal 1 1/2 cups fine crumbs. I love to use Nabisco but any brand works.
Add graham crackers to your blender or food processor and pulse a few times until the consistency is fine and crumb-like. Another option is to place the graham cracker cookies in a plastic bag and roll with a rolling pin until you get fine graham cracker crumbs.
How to Make Graham Cracker Crust
This recipe takes less than 20 minutes to make, which is always a win in my book.
- Mix all ingredients in a bowl until well combined.
- Press mixture into a 9 inch pie plate or springform pan. Then use bottom of a 1/4 measuring cup to firmly press the crumbs into the pan. Use fingers to firmly press on the sides.
- Bake at 375°F for 6-8 minutes. If using for another recipe, bake as directed. If using for a no-bake dessert, allow crust to cool before filling.
Mixing and Shaping Tips
- Melted butter: Melted butter is the key ingredient that helps hold the crust together. When you mix the crumbs, sugar and butter in your bowl, it will make a thick mixture that’s easy to mold to your pie plate or pan. The texture should resemble coarse sand.
- Use the bottom of a measuring cup. To make your graham cracker pie crust stick together use the bottom of a measuring cup and firmly press the crumbs into your pan. This is what creates that perfect crust consistency and compacts all the crumbs together. Just be sure to smooth out any bumps and create an even surface!
- Best type of pan. The best size of pan to use is a 9-inch pie pan or springform pan. This recipe will also fit a tart pan. I try to avoid non-stick metal pans with sloped sides as the crust just slips down the sides. Pans with straight edges, glass pie pans or ceramic pie pans work best.
Using a Graham Cracker Crust
There are so many ways to use this crust! Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Need more pie crust recipes? Try this all-butter pie crust or lattice pie crust!
More Pie Crust Recipes
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Graham Cracker Crust Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups finely crushed graham crackers (10-12 graham crackers)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 6 Tablespoons salted butter , melted
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Combine. In a medium bowl, stir together 1 1/2 cups graham crackers, 1/4 cup sugar, and 6 Tablespoons butter until well combined.
- Shape into crust. In a 9-inch pie plate or springform pan, pour the crumb mixture and firmly press into the bottom using a 1/4 measuring cup. Use your fingers to press the crumb mixture firmly onto the sides.
- Bake. Bake 6 to 8 minutes. If using for another recipe, bake as directed. If using for a no-bake dessert, allow crust to cool before filling.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Recipe FAQs
Sure. If making ahead of time, let cool completely and then wrap in aluminum foil or plastic wrap until ready to use. If making a no-bake dessert, I like to make my graham cracker crust a couple of hours ahead of time anyways. This gives it plenty of time to cool so that the crust is no longer warm when adding the filling.
That’s the beauty of this recipe. It’s completely up to you! I typically use the honey graham crackers since they taste great with so many different fillings, but cinnamon can be great with apple filling and chocolate graham crackers are a favorite for this Reese’s no-bake chocolate peanut butter cheesecake.
If you are outside of the US, digestive biscuits may work but may need additional butter to hold them together. Any other cookie will work as well, shortbread cookies, Oreos, vanilla wafers etc. For sweeter cookies, reduce the added sugar.
You can keep the prepared crust in its pie dish in the refrigerator up to 3 days before filling. If you would like to store it in the freezer, freeze the prepared crust in its pie pan up to 3 months. Thaw before using.
Categorized as: American, Desserts, Pies + Tarts
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
Good but I used vanilla wafers for crust
I can already think of at least a dozen fillings I want to put into this delicious crust!
One of our go-to crust! It’s so easy to make and comes together quickly!
I used this recipe to make a cheesecake and it was perfect! Thanks!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Was looking for a better recipe than my Betty Crocker cookbook. Turns out, this is the exact same recipe. Any ideas why mine ended up in a mush in the bottom of the pie plate? The sides slid down while cooking.
Hi Holly! I haven’t had an issue with it sliding down while baking. My only guess is that your butter was too warm when you began.
Love how easy this is! Cannot wait to try it out!
Sounds amazing! Love how easy and tasty this recipe is, need to put this on my menu!
Hope you enjoy! Homemade crust is the best!
To make it more diabetic friendly can you cut out the sugar completely? I’ve got a recipe of Cheesecake that is no bake for diabetics….it’s really yummy and fast.
You definitely could, it just won’t taste as sweet!
YUM!!! I love this delicious version!!!
Easy and delicious! This will be my new favorite for sure!
This is perfect!! I LOVE it!
I adore this recipe. It’s super easy to do and quickly. One of my favorites.
So glad you enjoy it! Homemade crust is so much better than store bought!
Sooooo much better than store bought! Now I am thinking of what I would to fill it with!!
I totally agree! Homemade is so much better!
Sounds great! Definitely using this recipe with the next pie I make!
Hope you enjoy! :)