Basic Crumb Crust Recipes

HOW TO MAKE A CRUMB CRUST

Steps:

• Stir the ingredients together. Press into an ungreased pie or springform pan. Optional: For a crispier crust, bake at 350ºF for 5 minutes. Cool before filling.

BASIC CRUMB CRUST

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, stir the crumbs, sugar, if using, and salt together to combine. Stir in the melted butter and mix to combine. The crust should easily hold together in clumps when you press it together between your fingers (if it doesn't, add a little more melted butter, 14 g / 1 tablespoon at a time, until it does).
• Press the crust evenly into the bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 9-inch / 23-cm pie plate: First make an even layer in the bottom of the pan, then press the rest of the crumbs up the sides. Sometimes I use the bottom of a small dry measuring cup to help press the crust in evenly; this is especially helpful in the corners of the pan.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C (don't use a Baking Steel/stone when baking a crumb crust). To parbake the crust, bake (no docking or pie weights required) for 10 to 12 minutes, until it begins to lightly brown at the edges (or, for darker crumbs, smells lightly toasty). To blind-bake the crust, bake for 15 to 17 minutes, until it is deeply golden brown and/or smells toasty.
• Do Ahead: This crust is best used the day it's made but can be parbaked or blind-baked up to 1 day ahead and stored at room temperature.
• Variations:
• Mini (Two-Bite) Crumb Crusts: Grease the cavities of a mini muffin pan with nonstick spray. Crumble or spoon 15 g / 1 tablespoon of the prepared crust mixture into each of the cavities. Press each portion with your fingers to be flush against the base and up the sides, taking care to press evenly all the way around. Chill the pan in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes, before baking at 350°F / 175°C for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool completely, then use a small offset spatula to unmold the shells before filling. Alternatively, the mini crusts can be frozen for 2 hours after assembling before using a small offset spatula to unmold the pie shells. Keep frozen until ready to fill.
• Unbaked Crumb Crust: For cream, chiffon, and cold-set pies, the crust doesn't need to be baked at all! After lining the pan with the crust, freeze it for at least 15 minutes before adding the filling.
• Pie Pep Talk
• What to do when a crumb crust shrinks: One of the most common problems I've seen with crumb crusts is that they can shrink or slump down the side of the pie plate when the crust is parbaked. Luckily, this is easily corrected. If you notice that your crust is starting to shrink, remove it from the oven and use a crust tamper or a small metal measuring cup to press the crust that slumped down back up the sides of the pie plate. If this happens consistently when you make crumb crusts, try tamping them down more aggressively and/or refrigerating for 30 minutes before baking.

CRUMB CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grind the cookies and sugar in a food processor. Add the melted butter and pulse until moist. Press into a 9-inch pie plate and bake until firm, 18 to 22 minutes. Let cool before filling.

CRUMB CRUST

Steps:

• Stir together crust ingredients and press onto bottom and 1 inch up side of a buttered 24-centimeter springform pan. Fill right away or chill up to 2 hours.

QUICK CRUMBLE MIX

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Mix together the fruit and granulated sugar (you will need less sugar for canned fruit) so it's evenly coated. Tip into a pie dish where it fits snugly.
• Rub the butter into the flour to make a light breadcrumb texture. Do not overwork it or the crumble will become heavy. Add in the demerara sugar until combined and spread over the fruit until completely covered.
• Bake for 35-50 mins until golden brown and bubbling, and the fruit is tender. Leave to cool for 5 mins before serving.

BASIC GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST

Steps:

• Mix the graham crackers and sugar, then add butter and mix with a fork until completely moistened.
• Press mixture into the bottom and up 1/3rd of the side of a 9-inch springform pan.
• Refrigerate for 1 hour.

HOMEMADE GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the crumbs and sugar; add butter and blend well. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 9-in. pie plate., Refrigerate for 30 minutes before filling, or bake at 375° until crust is lightly browned, 8-10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack before filling.

CRUMB TOPPING FOR PIES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix together the sugar and flour. Mix in butter with a fork or stand mixer just until the topping is crumbly. Top your pie before baking.

CRUMBLE TOPPING

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix flour, light-brown sugar, granulated sugar, and salt. With your hands, work in butter until large, moist clumps form. Chill, covered, until ready to use.

CRUMB TOPPING

Steps:

• In a bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup light-brown sugar, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and cinnamon.
• Cut 1 1/2 sticks chilled unsalted butter into pieces. With your hands, work in butter pieces, until large clumps form. Divide mixture in half; freeze in plastic storage bags.