The Graham Cracker Crust that never lets me down. It’s sweet, sturdy, and buttery with the perfect ratio—and I’m sharing all the tricks to make it flawless every time.

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

Overhead image of the Graham Cracker Crust
chelsea

author’s note

Golden, Buttery, and Gone in Seconds!

I grew up on my mom’s “famous” ice cream pie—she made it all the time, sometimes even weekly. She always used a store-bought graham cracker crust, and I remember picking around it because I just didn’t love it. But I’ll never forget the first time she made it with a homemade graham cracker crust—I was hooked. It was a total game-changer.

Everyone needs a homemade graham cracker crust recipe in their back pocket. It takes just minutes to make, tastes so much better, and works with tons of different desserts. This one has the perfect butter-to-crumb ratio and just the right amount of sweetness.

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Process shots-- images of the graham crackers being blended and it being added to a bowl along with sugar and salt and it all being mixed together

How To Make Graham Cracker Crust

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

  • Cool the butter: Let melted butter come to room temp before using. Hot butter melts the sugar and crumbs, causing a greasy crust.
  • Measure the crumbs: Don’t count graham cracker sheets—brands vary. Blend first, then measure for accuracy.
  • Blend well: Crush graham crackers into fine, even crumbs. Re-blend any chunks for a smoother, cleaner crust.
  • Press up the sides: Start with the bottom, then press crumbs up the sides evenly so the crust holds together when sliced.

Quick Tip

Use leftover graham cracker crumbs in my favorite graham cracker cookies!

Process shots of the Graham Cracker Crust-- images of the butter being added and it all being mixed together and pressed into the pie pan

Variations

Switch Things Up

  • Mini crusts: Grease or line mini muffin tin. Press 1 tbsp crust into each cavity and up the sides. Use a bottle cap to flatten. Chill 15–20 mins, bake at 350°F for 10 mins. Cool fully, then gently remove and fill.
  • No-bake crust: Freeze for 10 mins or chill for 20 to firm up before filling.
  • Chocolate crust: Use chocolate or cinnamon grahams instead of honey.

How To Make Graham Cracker Crust For Cheesecake

The method stays the same—only the amounts and bake vs. chill time change based on the pan.

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 rom the lined pan to easily and cleanly remove the dessert. Then cut into clean slices.

Process shots of the Graham Cracker Crust-- images of the center being pressed down with a measuring up to make sure its firm

Storage

Storage

Use this crust the same day it’s made or bake it up to a day ahead and store tightly covered at room temperature. Avoid leaving unbaked crust uncovered for more than a few hours to prevent drying.

 Graham Cracker Crust Desserts

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Graham Cracker Crust

This Graham Cracker Crust is perfectly sweet and foolproof, with all the tips you need to nail it every time!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 23 minutes
Servings: 1 pie crust, 8 servings (see note 3 for larger quantities)

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1-3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs about 12–13 full graham cracker sheets—see note 1
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar or light brown sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Instructions 

  • Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Once melted, set aside to cool for 5 minutes. (Hot butter will cause a greasy crust.) If you will be baking the crust, preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
  • In a blender or food processor, process the graham crackers until they are all fine crumbs (re-blend any large chunks). Measure to get a level 1 and 3/4 cups of graham cracker crumbs (see note 2) and add to a large bowl.
  • Add in sugar and salt. Use a spatula to scrape every bit of the melted and cooled butter into the bowl. Gently stir with a wooden spoon until well combined. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan.
  • Using your fingers, press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan and up the sides. Use the bottom of a flat 1-cup measuring cup to thoroughly compress the graham cracker crumbs into a firm crust.
  • Bake or Chill: Bake in the preheated oven for 8 minutes and set aside to cool or chill the crust. (If baking, allow the crust to fully cool before adding the filling.) To chill: Cover formed crust tightly and freeze for 10 minutes or refrigerate for 20 minutes before filling to allow time for the crust to firm up and butter to re-solidify.

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: While it’s easiest to just add graham cracker sheets to the blender, there can be a good amount of variation among brands. Measure the crumbs instead of counting out graham cracker sheets.
Note 2: Slightly overfill the measuring cups and level off the top with the back of a table knife for the perfect measurement.
Note 3: Scaling up the recipe: 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 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.
  • Muffin tin crumb crust: Grease or line cavities of a miniature muffin tin. Add 1 tbsp of the prepared crust mixture into each cavity and press against the base and barely up the sides. Use the top of a milk bottle cap to firmly press the bottom. Chill the pan for 15–20 minutes, then bake at 350°F for 10 minutes. Fully cool before using an off-set spatula to carefully remove the shells.
Storage: Store the Graham Cracker Crust in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, keep it in the fridge for up to a week.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 212kcal | Carbohydrates: 26.3g | Protein: 1.9g | Fat: 11.3g | Cholesterol: 22.9mg | Sodium: 174.2mg | Fiber: 0.9g | Sugar: 12.3g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

How to avoid a crumbly graham cracker crust?

To keep the crust from crumbling, here are my top tips:
Thoroughly crush the graham crackers into fine crumbs (larger pieces will make the crust fall apart).
-Use melted butter.
Compress the crust tightly (I like to use the bottom of a flat measuring cup).

Why is my graham cracker crust soggy?

Graham cracker crusts can get soggy fast. For wet fillings, bake and fully cool the crust first. Also, let melted butter cool slightly before mixing—it helps prevent a greasy, soggy base.

Can you bake a graham cracker crust?

While no ingredient in the graham cracker crust needs to be baked, you can and often should bake the crust.
Baking the crust is solely to enhance flavors and/or ensure the crust does not get too soggy when the filling is added in.

Meet Chelsea


Hello, and welcome to Chelseaโ€™s Messy Apron! Iโ€™m Chelsea, the recipe developer, food photographer, and writer behind the site. Iโ€™m passionate about creating simple, reliable, and delicious recipes that anyone can make.

Thanks for stopping byโ€”I hope you find something delicious to make!

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