Cookie 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.

CHOCOLATE COOKIE CRUMB CRUST

Steps:

• Place rack to middle position and pre heat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place cookies in large zip-lock plastic bag and crush with rolling pin.
• (Or use food processor) Transfer crumbs to medium bowl, drizzle with butter, and mix with fingers until well combined Pour crumbs into 9-inch Pyrex pie plate.
• Press crumbs evenly onto bottom and up sides of pie plate.
• Refrigerate for 20 minutes to firm crumbs, Bake until crumbs are set, about 10 minutes.
• Cool on wire rack.

BUTTER COOKIE CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl combine the cookie crumbs, sugar, butter or margarine and cinnamon; mix until well blended. Press into a 9 inch pie plate.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 7 minutes. Cool.

CHOCOLATE COOKIE CRUST

Steps:

• Put the cookies in the container of a food processor; process them until they are finely ground.
• Transfer crumbs to a mixing bowl; combine crumbs, butter, salt, and vanilla; stir until the crumbs are moistened.
• Press mixture evenly across the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate and all the way up the sides of the pan; pack tightly so crust is even and compacted.
• Bake in a 350° oven for 6-8 minutes or until crisp.
• Let cool completely before filling.
• May wrap crust in plastic wrap and freeze for 1 month.

CHOCOLATE COOKIE CRUMB CRUST

Steps:

• Place cookies in large resealable plastic bag; press bag to remove excess air, then seal bag. Use rolling pin to crush cookies to form fine crumbs.
• Add butter; squeeze bag to evenly moisten crumbs.
• Press crumb mixture onto bottom and up side of 9-inch pie plate sprayed with cooking spray. Use immediately or refrigerate until ready to fill.