GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST

This is our favorite Graham Cracker Crust — with the perfect proportions and just the right amount of sweetness! Plus all the tips and tricks you need to make a perfect crust anytime you need one.

For when you don’t want to whip out the food processor for this buttery Pie Crust Recipe, you can depend on this Graham Cracker Crust recipe!

Give this recipe a try with our favorite Lemon Pie, this sweet Coconut Cream Pie, an easy Ice Cream Pie, or these Magic Bars.

What Is Graham Cracker Crust?

In case you aren’t familiar, this is a style of pie crust made primarily from crushed graham crackers which are sweet American crackers. The crust is usually sweetened with sugar and stiffened with butter. This crust is delicious right after being made (without baking), and then there are times you’ll want to bake it up before adding in the filling — we’ll break all this down below!

This Graham Cracker Crust recipe is our all-time favorite — just the right amount of butter to crumbs with the perfect amount of sweetness. If you’ve ever had problems with a cracker crust coming together, be sure to check out the FAQs for common questions and troubleshooting.

How To Make Graham Cracker Crust

These tips below will help to ensure a perfect crust every single time!

Let the melted butter cool. Once the butter is melted, it needs to cool back to room temperature. If the butter is hot, it will melt the sugar and crushed crackers, which will cause a greasy crust.
Measure the crumbs. While it's easiest to just add graham cracker sheets to the blender and hope for the best, there can be a good amount of variation from cracker to cracker and brand to brand. Measure the crumbs instead of counting out graham cracker sheets.
Blend graham crackers thoroughly. To ensure there aren't large chunks of graham cracker in the crust, which will affect how nicely pies or bars cut out, thoroughly blend the graham crackers until they are fine crumbs. Add anything that didn't blend completely back into the blender and blend again.
Press up the sides. Start by pressing the majority of the crumbs into the bottom of the pan and then start working the crumbs up the sides. Ensure the sides have an even amount of crumbs so the side crust doesn't crumble away once slices are cut.

QUICK TIP: Use leftover graham cracker crumbs in our favorite graham cracker cookies!

Fun Variation Ideas

Muffin tin crumb crust: Grease or line cavities of a miniature muffin tin. Add 1 tablespoon of the prepared crust mixture into each cavity and firmly press down against the base and barely up the sides with your fingers. Use the top of a milk bottle cap to firm the bottom. Chill the pan for 15-20 minutes and then bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes. Fully cool before then using an offset spatula to carefully and gently remove the shells. Then fill with filling.
Graham cracker crust no-bake: Don't want/need to bake? Cover tightly and freeze for 10 minutes or refracting for 20 minutes before filling. This allows time for the crust to firm up and butter to re-solidify before adding in the pie filling.
Graham cracker crust with brown sugar: Replace the white sugar with brown sugar in equal quantities! You could even use dark brown sugar for a deeper molasses flavor.
Chocolate graham cracker crust: Use chocolate graham crackers (or another flavor like cinnamon) instead of honey graham crackers.

How To Make Graham Cracker Crust For Cheesecake

The way you make this crust is the same from dessert to dessert; the only things that will change are quantities, depending on pan size and whether you need to bake or chill the crust.

Here’s a quick reference guide for different sized pans:

8×8-inch square pan: Double the recipe.
9×9-inch pan: double the recipe.
Graham Cracker crust for a 9×13-inch pan: Triple the recipe.
Jelly Roll Pan (10.5×15.5): Quadruple the recipe.
Half-Sheet Pan (18×13): Quadruple the recipe.

QUICK TIP

Before adding in the crumbs, line whatever pan you're using with parchment paper. Once the dessert is done, you can use pull the parchment paper overhang from the lined pan to easily and cleanly remove the dessert. Then cut into clean slices.

STORAGE

Storage

This crust is best used the same day it’s made, but it can be baked up to a day ahead and stored, tightly covered, at room temperature. Don’t store an unbaked crust, uncovered, for more than a few hours — it will start to dry out and can become crumbly.

Graham Cracker Crust Desserts

Frosted Honey Graham Cookies with a drizzle of honey
S’mores Cookie Bars with chocolate and marshmallow fluff
Cheesecake Bars vanilla with berry sauce
S’mores Energy Bites with cashew butter
Frozen Pumpkin Pie with graham cracker crust

FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram, Youtobe for the latest updates, recipes and content.