How Do I Make A Cf Graham Cracker/cookie Type Crust

[Mango04]

I'm thinking would be as easy at putting the cookies in a food processor, adding a little bit of Spectrum shortening, coconut oil or walnut oil to hold it together, then pressing it into a pan. Is there anything else I should add to it?

[jerseyangel]

Hi Mango

I think that should do it--the cookies and some shortening of some sort. The only other thing might be a little sugar--if you feel it needs it.

[Green12]

That's all my recipe calls for, graham cracker crumbs, butter (shortening), and a little sugar.

It's 1 1/2 c graham cracker crumbs, 5 tbsp butter melted, 1 tbsp sugar (I've seen some recipes that call for more sugar if you want it sweeter).

Mix all that all together and then pat into the bottom of the pan.

This is for a 9" springform pan

Oooh, I just found this vegan recipe (it hasn't been rated however):

Open Original Shared Link

This one looks interesting too:

Open Original Shared Link

[Mango04]

Thanks guys. That tahini idea sure sounds interesting (by interesting I mean a little weird...but I bet it's good!)

Hey, I see Liz. Hi Liz...I'm thinking of making this crust and filling it with that ice creamy, dreamy pumpkin pie recipe (or whatever it's called) you posted.

Now here's my really, really dumb question of the day.

It needs lots of these ----->

Do I have to bake the crust? Can I just food process it, press it into a pan, add the filling and freeze it?

All these recipes I'm reading that use fancy pans with removable bottoms are starting to look complicated. I was thinking food process, press in pan and freeze. Can you all tell I've never made a pie?

[Green12]

Mango, I jumped the gun with my post I saw "graham cracker crust" and posted away.

Just to add, I made a pie crust for my pumpkin pie last year using ginger snap cookies. I processed 1 1/2 c cookie crumbs with 3 tbsp meltd butter/shortening (I didn't add any sugar because I thought the cookies were sweet enough).

If I remember correctly I didn't use the full amount, I pressed about 3/4 of the cookie crumb mixture in the bottom of the pan and that seemed like enough (I guess it depends on the size pan you will be using.)

I pre baked it a little bit to "set it" before putting the filling in.

It came out really well, I don't think you can mess up things like this too much!

edit- it's not a dumb question, I didn't know either! I think I read another post that recommend you freeze the crust a little once you pat it in the pan to set it up, 10 minutes in the oven worked for me.

[Mango04]

Thanks Julie. I'll try the 1 1/2 to 3 tbsp thing and see how it works.

I'm for some reason I'm the designated dessert baker on Thanksgiving. My family is apparantly under the false impression that I know how to bake things I'm excited to try and make this pie though

[jerseyangel]

I'd pre-bake the crust for 5-10 minutes to keep it from possibly getting soggy once you add the filling. I agree with Julie--these crusts are pretty forgiving

[Darn210]

I'll just throw my question into the ring . . .

I tried to make my crust based on my old grahm cracker crust recipe. I used cookies and I cut the sugar in half and kept the same amount of butter. The taste was just fine but the crust didn't stick together. It was just crumbs underneath my filling. Do your crusts stick together? Do you think I need more butter?

[lonewolf]

  Darn210 said:

I'll just throw my question into the ring . . .

I tried to make my crust based on my old grahm cracker crust recipe. I used cookies and I cut the sugar in half and kept the same amount of butter. The taste was just fine but the crust didn't stick together. It was just crumbs underneath my filling. Do your crusts stick together? Do you think I need more butter?

My guess would be that a little more butter might help. My crust seems to stick together pretty well and I put a tad more butter or Spectrum Shortening than Julie does. I think that either freezing it or baking for 5-10 minutes would help it.

Hi Mango!

I hope you like the pumpkin dream pie! I just bought some TJ's Ginger Snaps so I could make it too! We all love it. It will be our dessert on Wednesday night, since we can't possibly eat all the yummy desserts we'd like to make on Thursday. So much for the diet!

[Green12]

  Darn210 said:

I'll just throw my question into the ring . . .

I tried to make my crust based on my old grahm cracker crust recipe. I used cookies and I cut the sugar in half and kept the same amount of butter. The taste was just fine but the crust didn't stick together. It was just crumbs underneath my filling. Do your crusts stick together? Do you think I need more butter?

Hi Janet!

How much butter did you use? I've seen some recipes call for 5 tbsp. The 3 worked ok for me.

I am with Liz, maybe just a little more butter will work. You don't want the crumbs saturated with butter, but you do want it to stick together obviously , add a little at a time until you achieve the desired result.

[jerseyangel]

  Darn210 said:

I'll just throw my question into the ring . . .

I tried to make my crust based on my old grahm cracker crust recipe. I used cookies and I cut the sugar in half and kept the same amount of butter. The taste was just fine but the crust didn't stick together. It was just crumbs underneath my filling. Do your crusts stick together? Do you think I need more butter?

Hi Janet Imaging bumping into you over here!

I would say you need more shortening or butter to make it stick together. Gluten free cookies and crackers tend to soak up more of anything we try to mix them with. That pesky rice flour and all....

[Mango04]

  juliem said:

Mango, I jumped the gun with my post I saw "graham cracker crust" and posted away.

Well it's been a productive day at work....learning about pie crusts I was thinking graham cracker and cookie crusts were pretty much the same thing, but I guess not quite LOL. Same concept though I guess.

  Quote

Hi Mango!

I hope you like the pumpkin dream pie! I just bought some TJ's Ginger Snaps so I could make it too! We all love it. It will be our dessert on Wednesday night, since we can't possibly eat all the yummy desserts we'd like to make on Thursday. So much for the diet!

I want to go home and make it right now! I want to do a test run, but I'll try to refrain..

Do you think the diet thread people are reading this? LOL

So are you going to use butter when you make the crust?

[Green12]

  Mango04 said:

I was thinking graham cracker and cookie crusts were pretty much the same thing, but I guess not quite LOL. Same concept though I guess.

Well, they pretty much are (crumbs, butter/shortening, sugar) but when I read you were using ginger snaps I wanted to share my experiences from last year. They do make a tasty crust, with a little zip!

[Darn210]

  juliem said:

Hi Janet!

How much butter did you use? I've seen some recipes call for 5 tbsp. The 3 worked ok for me.

I am with Liz, maybe just a little more butter will work. You don't want the crumbs saturated with butter, but you do want it to stick together obviously , add a little at a time until you achieve the desired result.

Hmmm - I'm pretty sure it was 4 tbsp. It pressed in OK - not as "sticky" as when I used grahm crackers in the past. I did cook it. I didn't know if I needed more sticky (sugar) or more moisture (butter).

Sounds like the consensus is more butter.

[Green12]

  Darn210 said:

Hmmm - I'm pretty sure it was 4 tbsp. It pressed in OK - not as "sticky" as when I used grahm crackers in the past. I did cook it. I didn't know if I needed more sticky (sugar) or more moisture (butter).

Sounds like the consensus is more butter.

Ok, just a quick update...I just made my crust and I used 1 1/2 c. of crumbs, 5 tbsp. melted butter/margarine, and I put in 1 tbsp. of brown sugar. The crumbs were just slightly coated with butter, but still kind of loose. I did a spoon test, patted some in a spoon and it all stuck together and didn't fall out of the spoon.

I prebaked it for 5 minutes at 350 degrees.

Mango, I pulsed my cookies ahead of time in the food processor, then put them in a mixing bowl and added the butter/margerine and optional sugar and just mixed it with my hands.

[Mango04]

  juliem said:

Mango, I pulsed my cookies ahead of time in the food processor, then put them in a mixing bowl and added the butter/margerine and optional sugar and just mixed it with my hands.

Thanks for the info I was actually wondering if I should process the cookies first, then add the oil, or just put it all together in the blender.

I was going to use Spectrum shortening...now I'm wondering if coconut oil would be better, or even a more neutral walnut oil? Such complicated decisions...LOL