Easy homemade Graham Cracker Crust made with 3 ingredients and ready in 5 minutes! This failproof recipe can be used for pies, tarts, cheesecakes, and more!
The perfect crust for my Key Lime Pie, KK’s Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie, and No-Bake Lemon Cream Pie is one that I turn to time and again! It never fails me!
You’ll never need to buy store-bought crust again after you make this perfect graham cracker crust.
It is one of the first pie crust recipes that I made on my own. I was in the seventh grade and was determined to make a pie for my Daddy. After watching Mama make what seemed like a million pies in my lifetime at that point, I knew exactly what to do. It didn’t hurt that I’d written out the recipe in a notebook while I watched her make it.
Table of Contents
How to Make a Perfect Graham Cracker Crust
Graham cracker crust is so quick and easy to make. With only three ingredients, it comes together for the perfect no-fail recipe every time!
Ingredients
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.
- Graham cracker crumbs – you’ll need 2 cups of graham cracker crumbs for this recipe. If making your own crumbs, this will be 14 and 1/2 sheets of graham crackers.
- Sugar – use granulated sugar or brown sugar or even a half and half of each, if you prefer.
- Butter – melted helps to hold the crust together. I recommend using salted butter, but you can use unsalted butter if you prefer.
How to Make Graham Cracker Crumbs
- With a food processor. Add broken graham cracker sheets to a food processor and pulse until crumbs are formed.
- Without a food processor. Add graham cracker sheets to a zip-top bag and roll with a rolling pin until crumbs are formed.
Step-by-Step Instructions
It is so easy to make and one of the most versatile crusts! I’ve included step-by-step photographs to help as you make it!
Add your crumbs and sugar to a medium bowl and stir to combine well.
Pour in your melted butter.
And stir to combine well.
Pour the crust mixture into your pie plate and firmly press with a dry measuring cup into the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate.
Use the homemade graham cracker crust as directed for your recipe! If the recipe you are using is for a no-bake recipe, I recommend chilling your graham cracker crust in the freezer or refrigerator prior to filling.
No Bake Graham Cracker Crust
Once you have your crust pressed into your pie plate, place in the refrigerator or freezer for at least one hour to chill completely. As the butter hardens, it will hold the crust together. This crust is perfect to use for no-bake desserts and at times when you prefer not to use an oven or one isn’t available to you. The crust will be crumbly as you cut slices.
Baked Graham Cracker Crust
I prefer to bake my crust for a few minutes for a firmer crust that holds together well as you cut slices and serve. Once your crust has been pressed into your pie plate, bake until the crust is lightly golden brown and fragrant, about 6-8 minutes at 375º F. Then, remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before adding a no-bake type pie filling.
Storage Tips
For a no-bake crust, wrap well with plastic wrap and keep your crust stored in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
For a baked crust, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and store in a cool, dry place for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Note: When freezing, I like to slide my pie plate into a very large zip-top freezer bag as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
It will depend on the recipe. You will want to check the recipe instructions for the recipe you are using to see if prebaking the graham cracker crust is required before filling it with the pie or cheesecake filling. However, pre-baking this crust isn’t usually necessary.
Double-check to make sure that you aren’t reducing the amount or making substitutions for the sugar or the butter. Additionally, make sure the butter has not cooled before mixing it with the graham cracker crumbs and firmly pressing it into the pie plate, tart pan, or springform pan.
Some of My Favorite Desserts Using Graham Cracker Crust Include
KK’s Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie
Frozen Cherry Pineapple Dessert
Here’s my Graham Cracker Crust recipe. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Easy Graham Cracker Crust Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs, or 14 1/2 graham cracker sheets pulverized
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons salted butter, melted
Instructions
- Add the graham cracker crumbs and the sugar to a medium bowl. Stir well to combine. Pour in the melted butter and stir into the graham cracker crumb mixture until well combined.
- Pour the graham cracker mixture into a pie plate and press firmly into the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate.
No Bake Graham Cracker Crust
- Once the graham cracker mixture has been pressed into the pie plate, place in the refrigerator to chill until firm, about 1 hour.
Baked Graham Cracker Crust
- Preheat the oven to 375º F. Once the graham cracker mixture has been pressed into the pie plate, place in the oven to bake until lightly golden brown and fragrant, about 6-8 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before adding filling.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
Hi Robyn
Love your recipes, love your blog! Wanted to ask, are graham crackers the same as digestive biscuits?In the UK, everyone makes cheesecakes and key like pie with crushed McVities Digestive biscuits (the rest of the recipe is the same).
Many thanks!
Hi Robyn,
Graham crackers aren’t so readily available in Australia, so I was wondering if you could recommend another type of sweet biscuit to use instead? And roughly how many grams of graham crackers makes up 2 cups of crumbs?
I have shared so many of your recipes with future brides. They love them, and you!
Thanks, Kathy. That is so sweet!
Perfect Graham cracker crust!
This has become my go to pie crust. I always just made it the way a recipe said or the box said. Since I found your recipe it’s the only one I use. Thank you.