This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure for details.
Hi Bold Bakers!
When it comes to my personal preference for crusts, I choose cookie over pastry any day!! And with all of the cheesecakes and pie recipes I’ve made here on Bigger Bolder Baking, would you believe I have never shown you how to make a plain old cookie pie crust?
I knew I had to get this recipe to you before the Holiday season really kicks in and we are up to our eyes in pies.
What Is A Cookie Pie Crust?
It’s an alternative base to a pie, tart, or cheesecake that isn’t pastry.
A cookie pie crust is fast to make and you don’t need to bake it. I use it often in my no-bake recipes like No-Bake Lemon Meringue Cheesecake, Peanut Butter and Fudge Ice Cream Pie, and, of course, my Pumpkin Cheesecake with Pecan Praline Sauce.
The Cookies Best For A Pie Crusts
This is subjective! In the U.S. we love Graham crackers and Oreos! In Ireland we use digestives and in other European countries, they commonly use Biscoff cookies. All will work and are equally delicious.
P.S. Around the Holidays I use gingersnaps in my cookie crusts for that extra bit of spice and warmth.
What You Need To Make Cookie Pie Crust
You don’t need a pen to write this down, it’s a very short list:
- Plastic bag or a food processor
- Rolling pin
- Cling wrap
- 9 inch Pie Pan
- Mixing bowl
Baked vs. No-Bake Cookie Crust
Often bakers bake their cookie crust to really set the base. I don’t bake my crust because it doesn’t need it. I add in the right amount of butter which sets the crust. Keeping the whole process fast and easy.
How To Make Cookie Pie Crust
- Crush your cookies to a very fine crumb. Do this in a food processor OR put the cookies in a ziplock bag and roll over them with a rolling pin.
-
Melt the butter in a bowl. Add cookie crumbs into the bowl and stir until the mix resembles wet sand. Set aside.
- Grease and line a 9-inch pie pan with cling wrap. I do 3 layers so it is very strong.
- Mold the cookie crumbs into your prepared pan with your hands. Try and get an even thickness all the way around and up the sides.
-
Place the crust in the fridge to set for a minimum of 15 minutes before using in any of my pie or tart recipes. The cookie crust will keep in your fridge for up to 2 day unfilled.
How To Remove A Cookie Crust Without Breaking It
Line that puppy with cling wrap! Lightly butter your pie pan or dish and lay 3 pieces of cling wrap overlapping in the pan. Push down to take the shape of the pan. The layers of cling wrap will allow you to release your crust from the pan with ease and no breaking.
Tips for Making A Cookie Pie Crust
- Don’t add sugar to the crust! It simply doesn’t need it. The cookies are sweet enough.
- Make sure the cookie you use compliments the pie filling — gingersnap cookies pair beautifully with Key Lime Pie.
- I used salted butter in my cookie crust for that little bit of extra flavor. Check out my Salted vs Unsalted Butter guide.
- If you have access to a food processor use that to crush your cookies.
- Want to use homemade cookies for your cookie crust? Check out my Homemade Graham Crackers, Homemade Oreos, and Homemade Digestive Biscuits
How Long Does A Cookie Pie Crust Last?
Your cookie pie crust will keep happily in the fridge for up to 2 days unfilled.
Make More Pie Recipes!
And don’t forget to buy my Bigger Bolder Baking Cookbook!
Full (and printable) recipe below!
Try These Recipes!
Watch The Recipe Video!
How to Make A Cookie Pie Crust Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 sleeves (9oz/252g ) Graham crackers (or any cookie)
- 1/2 cup (4oz/115g) butter melted
Instructions
- Butter and line a 9-inch pie pan with 3 layers of cling wrap. Set aside.
- Crush the cookies to a fine consistency. You can do this in a food processor OR you can put the cookies in a bag and bash them with a rolling pin until fine.
- Add the cookie crumbs into a bowl and stir in the melted butter. Stir until it resembles wet sand.
- Press the cookie crust into your prepared pan with your hands. try and get an even thickness on the base and up the sides.
- Place the crust in the fridge to set for 15 minutes before using it in any of my pie or tart recipes. The cookie crust will keep in your fridge for up to 2 days unfilled.
Why do I need to put the cling wrap in the pan? Can’t I just make the crust in the pan I am going to use and put my filling right in the same pan? Thank you in advance. Love your site!
I would love to see a technique that doesn’t require using and throwing away so much plastic. I’m very conscious of plastic use these days, and this technique uses a lot of it.
I like a very very thin cookie crust. I first melt some butter directly in my pie pan and swirl it around. Next I toss in some cookie crumbs dumping out any excess that hasn’t stuck to the butter. More room for filling!
Gemma, can I line the pan with heavy aluminum foil, or just use a (buttered) disposable aluminum pie pan?
I’m using stauffer’s apple pie crisps for my cookie crust with this recipe for a gingersnap crumb pear pie. I hope it comes out well!
I really want to try this recipe, but am afraid to make the crust, because when I have made graham wafer crust a couple of times before for different recipes, the crust gets rock hard in the fridge and I can barely get a knife through it. I don’t know why that happens.
Do you have a recipe using ginger snaps to make a pumpkin pie. I think it would be terrific.
easy recipe but single use plastic is just wrong.
When do I remove the plastic wrap?
I baked this for the Lemon cheesecake challenge and it was new to me, I liked it very much. It is very easy to make.