Graham Cracker Pie Crust

There’s not a lot to say for this Graham Cracker Pie Crust recipe. When you enjoy pie as much as I do, you need a basic crust recipe. I make flaky crusts, which I will post next time I make one.  But graham cracker crusts are my go to.

To start, put your crushed graham crackers in a large enough bowl to make the mixture.  Mix in the sugar. Then, melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl. If you haven’t done this before, the best trick is to cover it and heat in small increments. The butter will pop and spit if it goes too long. So I’ll cover and heat for 10 seconds, stir, heat 10 more seconds, and one more time if absolutely needed.

Don’t melt your butter until you are ready to use it. I made the mistake of melting my butter and then walking away from the kitchen long enough for it to cool, and this was the outcome of my crumb mixture:

If this does happen to you, melt another 2 tablespoons of butter to get the right consistency. After you mix the butter and the graham crackers it should look more like this:

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and press down to cover the bottom. Very gently start from the center, push down with your palms and work in circles from the inside to the outside of the crust.

Using your fingertips, push the outside ring of the crust into the crease in your pan. This will push the extra crust up the wall of your pan, creating the crust edges. You can gently press it in and shape as desired.

Cover and refrigerate for an hour. I do this to allow the crust to harden. You can skip this step, but I’ve found the crust to crumble and come apart a bit when you brush the egg on.  In addition to the hard, refrigerated crust, here are some additional tips:

Make sure you grease the pan well before adding anything.

Use a fork to break the yolk up. Then use a spoon to drizzle the yolk evenly down the walls of the crust, and across the inner part.

Then very quickly, and gently, spread the yolk with the brush.  Be careful not to go over the same spot more than once or twice. The more you go over a part, the softer it will become, which can make it crumble.

Now, preheat the oven to 350°. Allow the pie crust to sit out and come closer to room temperature while the oven is heating. This will probably take about 15-20 minutes. Bake for 10 minutes.

Allow to cool fully before filling. Since this is just a crust, you will need to fill before garnishing. Extra graham cracker crumbs on top of your pie always make a great Garnish.

See my yummy Classic Cheesecake Recipe for a great filling idea!