This graham cracker crust recipe is easy to make and ready in as little as 15 minutes! Made from scratch with only four ingredients, it won’t fall apart and is perfect for baked pies, no bake pies and cheesecakes.
Graham cracker crusts are a classic. They’re used for so many pies and cheesecakes and it’s one of the easiest crusts to make and work with. It’s the base of so many of my popular cheesecake recipes, from my classic New York Style Cheesecake to Pistachio Cheesecake. I’ve always made my graham cracker crusts from scratch, so today I’m sharing everything I’ve learned over the years.
I like to have a decently thick crust on my pies and cheesecakes. Not so much that it takes over, but not so little that it doesn’t add the natural flair that it should. I typically use more crust in cheesecakes than pies, since they are taller and require more to cover the sides. Not to mention that, with their height, they can handle a littler thicker crust without taking over. So to make sure we have measurements correct and avoid confusion, I separated out the two crusts in the recipe below – one for pie and one for cheesecake.
Why This Graham Cracker Crust Recipe Is My Absolute Favorite
- Best cheesecake crust. Graham cracker crust is my go-to cheesecake crust. I use it in the majority of my recipes, whether it’s Coconut Cheesecake, Blueberry Cheesecake, or my Easy Cheesecake Recipe. The light, sweet flavor offers the perfect contrast to the tangy cheesecake filling.
- Only 4 ingredients. Graham crackers, butter, salt, and sugar – that’s it. I always keep graham cracker crumbs (or a box of graham crackers) on hand, so I never have to go to the store to whip this up. It really couldn’t be any easier!
- Bake (or not). This graham cracker pie crust works for any pie or cheesecake, whether it gets baked or not. I personally prefer to bake it most of the time, just because it helps prevent any crumbling, but it works great as a no bake pie crust too.
Key Ingredients
Here’s an overview of the 4 super simple ingredients needed to make this recipe. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the exact measurements of each.
- Graham cracker crumbs – You can buy graham cracker crumbs or grind your own from graham crackers. I used to love the fact that I could buy the crumbs, but after years of going back and forth between the two options, I’ve decided that grinding your own from actual graham crackers actually tastes better and seems to lend a better crust. You can still go either way, but if I have the time, I make my own.
- Sugar – Both regular granulated sugar and brown sugar work in this graham cracker pie crust recipe. I most often use granulated, but when making something that seems like a good fit for brown sugar, like this Bananas Foster Cheesecake, I will use it.
- Butter – I like to use unsalted butter and add a pinch of salt myself, just because some brands of salted butter have more salt than I prefer.
- Salt – If using salted butter, skip adding any extra salt. But a pinch of unsalted butter does really make the overall flavor of the crust even better.
Make Your Own Graham Cracker Crumbs
Making your own graham cracker crumbs is super easy. It takes about 11 full sheets of graham crackers to make 1 1/2 cups of crumbs. Just put them into a food processor and grind them up!
If you don’t have a food processor, you can also use a ziploc bag and a rolling pin to crush them. Just be sure to crush them evenly and not leave any bigger pieces behind. A solid crust’s enemy is big chunks that can cause crumbling.
How To Make Graham Cracker Crust
This is one of the easiest homemade cheesecake crusts (or pie crusts) ever. Here’s an overview of how to make it – be sure to check out the recipe card below for the full printable instructions.
Add the graham cracker crumbs, salt, and sugar to a bowl and stir to combine.
Add the melted butter. Stir to combine, until the crumbs are evenly coated.
Transfer the mixture to a pie pan (or springform pan). Spread evenly across the bottom and the sides.
Use a measuring cup or glass to firmly press the crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
For a baked crust, bake at 325F for 8-10 minutes. For a no bake crust, refrigerate until you’re ready to add the filling and then keep it refrigerated until ready to serve. (It’s best to chill for 2-3 hours before trying to slice and serve.)
Do You Have To Bake A Graham Cracker Crust?
You don’t have to bake a graham cracker pie crust, but I always recommend it. It does a much better job of holding together and not getting crumbly.
Why is that? When you bake the crust, the sugar melts then cools and firms up again. If you just refrigerate it, the butter firms up and holds it together, but you don’t get the same double action as with the sugar and butter in the baked crust. This is one of the reasons I use a little more butter in the pie crust than the cheesecake crust – it allows for a no-bake crust to hold together better.
So bottom line is – you don’t have to bake a graham cracker crust, but I always recommend it for a crust that holds together best.
Easy Variation Ideas
Want to get creative? There are lots of ways to customize this graham cracker pie crust! Here are a few ideas that I love:
- Make it gluten free. For a gluten free crust, try gluten free graham crackers/crumbs.
- Make it mini. This cheesecake crust can also be used for mini cheesecakes. The process is the same, the mixture is just pressed into cupcake liners instead of a pie pan. For full directions, see these Mini Cheesecakes.
- Graham cracker alternatives. If you can’t find graham crackers where you live (they seem to be mostly popular in the US), try digestive biscuits or tennis biscuits. The flavor will be slightly different but the concept is the same. You may also need to adjust the amount of butter. Different types of cookies need more or less.
- Try flavored graham crackers. Any flavor of graham crackers works in this recipe. Try flavored ones like cinnamon or chocolate to switch it up! (I’m thinking of this Chocolate Cheesecake with a chocolate graham cracker crust)
- Add some cinnamon. For a little something extra, add a teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the graham cracker crumbs.
Tips for the Perfect Crust
It’s pretty hard to mess this recipe up but there are a few things to keep in mind to make it even better.
- Firmly pack the crumbs. The biggest mistake I see with this recipe is not pressing the crumbs into the pan firmly. If they’re not packed tightly, the crust will just fall apart when it’s sliced. I like to use a glass with sharp corners and straight sides or a measuring cup to firmly press them down and my fingers to help with the sides.
- No big chunks. You don’t want any big chunks of graham cracker in your crust. Those have a tendency to make the crust loose in spots and more likely to crumble when sliced and serve.
- Look for a coarse, damp sand texture. Once the butter is mixed in with the graham cracker crumbs, it should resemble coarse, damp sand – not super wet but with enough moisture that it easily packs together.
- A note on butter. I use a touch more butter in the pie crust recipe compared to the cheesecake crust. I find a little less butter is better with a cheesecake crust, so that it doesn’t drip out of the springform pan. Plus, cheesecakes tend to slice a little better since you remove the springform pan sides. Pie pans are tricky little beasts, so a little extra butter to hold things together is helpful – especially if it’s a no bake pie.
- Keep no bake crust cold. If you go the no bake route, keep in mind that the butter needs to stay cold to keep the crust together. So don’t let the dessert sit out before serving it! You don’t necessarily need to refrigerate the crust before adding the filling, but you should definitely refrigerate the no bake pie or cheesecake for at least 2-3 hours before serving.
Ways To Use Graham Cracker Crust
This recipe can be used in any dessert that calls for a graham cracker crust. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Cheesecake: As I mentioned before, this is my favorite cheesecake crust! I use it in everything from my Classic Vanilla Cheesecake to my popular Turtle Cheesecake. It’s even the base of my No Bake Cheesecake recipe.
- Pie: There are so many pies that pair perfectly with graham cracker pie crust. A few of my favorites include Banoffee Pie, Key Lime Pie, and Lemon Icebox Pie.
- Other Desserts: Don’t limit yourself to pies and cheesecake! This crust makes a great base for dessert bars, like these Magic Cookie Bars, and s’mores desserts, like S’mores Cupcakes.
Proper Storage
- Fridge. Cover the graham cracker crust with plastic and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days before filling it.
- Freezer. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months. If you plan to do this, it’s easiest to bake it in the pan you can freeze it in. Then you can just thaw on the counter, add the filling, and go!
More Pie & Cheesecake Essentials
Graham Cracker Crust Recipe
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Ingredients
Pie Crust (baked or no bake)
- 1 ½ cups (201g) graham cracker crumbs (about 11 full sheet graham crackers)
- 3 tablespoons (39g) sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (112g) unsalted butter (melted)
Cheesecake Crust (baked or no bake)
- 2 ¼ cups (302g) graham cracker crumbs (about 17 full sheet graham crackers)
- 5 tablespoons (65g) sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 10 tablespoons (140g) unsalted butter (melted)
Instructions
- Add the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and salt to a large bowl and stir to combine.
- Add the melted butter and stir until well combined.
- Pour the mixture into the pie pan or cheesecake springform pan and spread the crumbs around so that they are evenly dispersed.
- Press the crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Pack it firmly. Use a measuring cup or glass with sharp corners and straight edges to help and use your fingers for the sides of the pie pan.
- For a baked crust, bake at 325 degrees for 8-10 minutes. For a no bake crust, refrigerate until ready to add the filling, then keep refrigerated for 2-3 hours before serving. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
Notes
- Graham cracker crumbs – You can buy graham cracker crumbs or grind your own from graham crackers. I used to love the fact that I could buy the crumbs, but after years of going back and forth between the two options, I’ve decided that grinding your own from actual graham crackers actually tastes better and seems to lend a better crust. You can still go either way, but if I have the time, I make my own.
- Sugar: You can use granulated sugar or brown sugar.
- Pan size: The amount of crust listed for a pie is best for a 9 to 10 inch pie pan. The amount listed for a cheesecake is best for a 9 inch cheesecake.
- Refrigerate: Keep a no bake crust refrigerated until serving. The cold butter is what keeps the crust together, if it sits out and the butter softens, so will the crust.
- Nutrition facts: The nutrition facts shown are for the cheesecake crust.
Nutrition
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
Enjoy!
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Some recipes from friends:
French Silk Pie
Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie
I recently cooked a basque cheesecake and loved it I’ve been thinking if I could use your recipe to bake with a basque cheesecake mix ? It’s known to be a cheesecake that has no crust but I would love to try if it’s possible , please let me know ?????
You could add a crust to a basque cheesecake, I suppose. Just keep in mind that adding the crust may also add to the bake time.
I know some people were complaining about this recipe in the past. I tried it and absolutely loved it. I used the cheesecake version, used 3 tbsp swerve brown sugar and 2 tbsp regular stevia. I used spray butter for the zero calorie aspect and baked it 8 min before I baked the cheesecake. I probably could have baked it less than that since I baked the cheesecake but the taste was amazing. 100% will make again
I’m glad it worked well for you!
I have no idea why so many are complaining about this recipe…it works every time for me. This is perfect! I love it!
So glad to hear that! Thank you!
I followed this exactly for the cheesecake crust recipe. I’m not sure what happened but there was way too much butter. I thought there was when I was mixing it up but because it was my first time to make a homemade crust, I decided to trust the process and go with it. Butter leaked out of my springform pan all over the bottom of my stove. Then the crust completely fell apart after I took the cheesecake out which I’m guessing is from all the butter. Looks like I’m stopping at the store in the morning to pick up a dessert for work potluck. I’ve made cheesecake filling 1000 times but never made the crust on my own. After looking at other recipes, I see that none used the amount of butter this called for. I guess that’s on me for not doing more research before I tried this.
This is the crust I use all the time without a problem. I’m not sure what happened, but I know this crust works.
i had the same problem with the butter leaking out. i used a different cookbook and scouting around for another recipe that would prevent the butter from leaking out but this is the excact same recipe. Might it be the springform pan is old?
Great cheesecake crust recipe. I just wish I could get it even on sides and bottom.
Proportions between ingredients are wrong. Not a beginner in cooking and I trust in your post even if I have doubts at first. My doubts were confirmed. Crusts are falling apart. I don’t know if you know that but when you post a recipe you have to tell everything you did. Thats a meaning of a recipe. You might think some people may do some things by common sense or something. But something which seems to you common sense (because you do it all the time) its mind reading job for others.
I’m sorry to hear you had trouble, but, respectfully, that doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with the recipe. No need to be condescending. If you’d like to share more about your issue, I can try to help you troubleshoot. This is the recipe I use on all of my cheesecakes and I get no complaints about them falling apart.
I did exactly what you said but nowhere did I see you mention that I needed to catch the melting butter for the ten minute pre bake. 1st timer! As a result: I had to clean the butter up on the cooling bottom of the oven, then run a quick oven clean cycle to burn the rest off before proceeding with the baking of the cheesecake!
I probably wouldn’t be able to stand the smell of the oven for a hour, and perhaps I would be the first to have a BUTTER SMOKED CHEESECAKE. Lol!!
I don’t ever have that problem, which is why it isn’t mentioned. Perhaps you used a little less crumbs or slightly more butter? It sounds like something was a little off. Sorry you had to clean that up!
The reason I’m searching on the website for a other way of making a graham cracker crust with light corn syrup instead of sugar is in the past I’ve made the pie crust like the recipe called for;sugar and melted butter, but when you cut the the cheese cake,the crust when to pieces in the pan and on the plate, so on cook’s country Ashley made a saltine cracker crust for a lemon pie but her crust used light corn syrup and melted butter she said the corn syrup holds the pie crust better and you won’t have pieces of crust all over the place, so that’s what I wanted to know if you could guarantee that a pie crust that doesn’t break to pieces before you could eat it.
I have never used corn syrup in my crust. It does seem like it could hold things together when sliced since it’s quite sticky. But it probably depends on how much you use.
Yo mentioned that you use less butter for the cheesecake but the direction state 10 Tbsp for the cheesecake and 1/2 cup or 8 Tbsp for the pie crust. Please advise, thanks
The cheesecake crust also has a whole additional cup of crumbs. So while it looks like a bigger number, it’s actually less butter for the amount of crumbs.
Any tips for adapting this for a 9×13 pan? I’ve been struggling to get my ratios right!
I use a graham cracker crust in this 9×13 strawberry cheesecake, if you want to check that out.
Ah, perfect! Thank you so much!
I made this crust today for a cheesecake and it was SO DELICIOUS! My husband said he could just eat the crust!! That’s never happened 🙂
Do you have to use cold butter can it be melted
It should be melted.
Do you let the pre-baked crust cool down before pouring the mix?
It depends on what you’re making. What are you trying to make?
Hi I have a question I’m making a cheese cake bake. So do I have to bake the crust even tho I’m going to bake it when I put the cheese part on top??
I recommend pre-baking the crest. It generally helps it hold together better.
Sorry, my original question was have you (not how do you) made this cheesecake with a bottom crust only? If so, was it successful?
I’m not sure what you’re referring to. This recipe is for a crust only.
I think Shannon means crust on the bottom only, not on the sides of the pan.
Ohhh, I don’t know why I didn’t think of that. It’s been a while, but the answer would be yes, you could make this as just a bottom crust. I usually reduce the amount a bit though, by about 1/4. You can see that on this New York Style Cheesecake, for reference.
I make a homemade cheese cake you pour it into a graham cracker crust then bake it for 30 mins at 350. If i make a home-made crust should i pre bake it as well, or just bake it for the 30 mins after i pour in my cheesecake mixture??
I would follow your recipe. If it has you pre-baking the crust, then you should do that with the homemade crust as well. I typically pre-bake my cheesecake crusts.