Vegetarian Recipes
Graham Cracker Crust
There’s nothing more American than pie, so they say, and nothing more festive if you ask me! The holidays are here, and that means it’s pie season, y’all! It’s SO easy to make a Graham Cracker Crust at home, so save yourself a few bucks and skip the bland, store-bought crusts and try this buttery, sweet, homemade recipe instead! It works for baked and no-bake desserts, and it holds together perfectly when cut. But that’s not all! Even though I only use 3 simple ingredients, this recipe yields not one, but TWO shallow 9″ pie crusts! You can certainly have your pie and eat it, too, when you follow this easy recipe. 🙂
I know making a traditional pie crust can feel a little tricky, especially if you’re new to baking. But you’ve got nothing to worry about with this easy, no-fail graham cracker pie crust recipe. It honestly couldn’t be simpler, and you don’t have to worry about rolling out dough or getting the perfect flaky texture. And you only need a handful of ingredients to make it!
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this 3 ingredient graham cracker pie crust:
- Graham Crackers: You can use name-brand or generic graham crackers for this recipe. I use 18 sheets total (which is equivalent to 279g). You can use ready-made graham cracker crumbs as well, so long as you weigh out the same amount. However, it’s cheaper and just as easy to crush up your own graham crackers!
- Salted Butter: Cut this into little cubes before adding to the food processor. I use salted butter because it adds flavor, and the salt balances out the sweetness of the crust.
- Light Brown Sugar: This melts down in the oven and helps hold the crust together while also adding a slightly caramelized flavor.
Why Should I Make a Homemade Graham Cracker Crust?
I get it. Pre-made crusts are convenient and save time. But trust me, making your own graham cracker crust is worth the small amount of extra effort. Store-bought options always taste a little stale to me, and they’re not as buttery and flavorful as this easy recipe. And it also works out more budget-friendly to make your own crust at home (just $0.71 per crust!)
And not to mention, you can use any leftover crackers to make all sorts of delicious desserts or snacks, like my s’mores dip or our peanut butter fluff cups. So, not only will you have two 9” shallow pie crusts, but you’ll also have extras for another treat! Or, if you have a deep pie dish, this recipe will be enough for one pie crust, with a little leftover for a crumble on top, if desired. Store-bought crusts can’t beat that!
Recipe Tips & Suggestions
- I prebake my crust, even if I use it in a no-bake recipe. I find that it helps the crust hold its shape better and adds a nice, toasty flavor. I recommend baking your crust for 10 minutes if using it in a baked pie recipe and 12-15 minutes for a no-bake dessert.
- Don’t skip the sugar! It’s there to add sweetness AND hold the crust together. If you leave it out, your crust may be too crumbly when you cut into it.
- You can use any flavor of graham cracker you like. Honey, cinnamon, or chocolate options will all work just fine in this recipe for graham cracker crust!
How to Use
You can use this homemade crust in ANY recipe that calls for a graham cracker crust. Our key lime pie bars and no-bake pretzel peanut butter bars both use it, but feel free to get creative and try it with any recipe you like. A classic fruit pie or the filling from my peanut butter pie would be delicious with this crust. I’d also swap out the vanilla wafer crust in our lemon cream pie recipe for this one to switch things up a bit. You could even use it as a base for a cheesecake!
Make it Ahead!
This crust freezes and refrigerates well, so having some prepped and ready to go this time of year is always a pro move! I’d make it up to 2-3 days ahead of time and then keep it in the fridge until ready to use. If you’re freezing it, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and store it for up to 3 months. Make sure your pie dish is freezer-safe before freezing. Thaw completely before using it in your chosen recipe.
Graham Cracker Crust Recipe
Equipment
-
Food Processor
-
Glass Pie Plate
Ingredients
- 18 sheets of graham crackers (279 g) $0.74
- 5 Tbsp salted butter, cut into cubes $0.65
- 1 Tbsp light brown sugar $0.03
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Break apart the graham cracker sheets into a food processor.
-
Add cubes of salted butter and brown sugar on top of graham crackers.
-
Pulse until a fine, crumbly mixture forms (the consistency of coarse sand)
-
Dump half of the graham cracker butter mixture into a 9” deep pie pan and press it down into the pan firmly with clean, dry hands.
-
To make the thickness and coverage of the crust in your pie pan consistent on the bottom and sides, add another tablespoon at a time, if needed.*
-
Bake the crust in the oven for 10-15 minutes**, until golden brown.
-
Remove crust from oven, allowing it to cool completely. Use this homemade graham cracker crust with any pie recipe you like.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Notes
**This crust holds together better and has a more pronounced flavor with a quick bake in the oven. I recommend baking for 10 minutes if you plan to bake the crust again with a filling (ex: a cooked fruit pie) or 12-15 minutes if you’re adding a cold filling to finish your pie (ex: a pudding or cream pie).
Nutrition
how to make a Graham Cracker Crust – step by step photos
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Break apart 18 graham cracker sheets (279g total) into a food processor. Add 5 Tbsp of salted butter (cut into cubes) and 1 Tbsp brown sugar on top of graham crackers.
Pulse until a fine, crumbly mixture forms (the consistency of coarse sand).
Dump half of the graham cracker butter mixture into a 9” deep pie pan and press it down into the pan firmly with clean, dry hands. To make the thickness and coverage of the crust in your pie pan consistent on the bottom and sides, add another tablespoon at a time, if needed.
Bake the crust in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown. Remove crust from oven, allowing it to cool completely.
You can use this homemade graham cracker crust with any pie recipe you like!
More Easy Pie Recipes
The post Graham Cracker Crust appeared first on Budget Bytes.
Vegetarian Recipes
Cherry Blondies
Whenever I’m craving something sweet, but I’m sick of the same old same old, I whip up a batch of these fudgy, chewy, fragrant Cherry Blondies! The creamy white chocolate, tart cherries, and crunchy almonds make this recipe stand out. This is not your typical blondie! I don’t use almond extract too often, but pairing its flavor with cherries and white chocolate is just a no-brainer to me. (But a little goes a long way, so use it sparingly!)
Easy Recipe for Cherry Blondies
Blondies are like brownies, just without the cocoa. Instead, they’re made with brown sugar and vanilla, and have the BEST buttery flavor and chewy texture.
For these cherry blondies, I mix in canned cherry pie filling (it adds a sweet-tart cherry flavor without a lot of fuss or cost), slivered almonds, and white chocolate chips. I also brown the butter first to bring out a nutty, almost toffee-like richness that’s totally worth the extra few minutes. A mix of brown and white sugar strikes the perfect balance of moisture and structure, while a splash of almond extract adds a frangipane-style flavor. Bake them once, and you’ll see why I keep coming back to this combo. 😋
Cherry Blondies
Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.
Equipment
-
8×8” Baking Dish
-
Parchment Paper
-
3 Mixing Bowls
-
Sauce Pan
-
Hand Mixer
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour $0.28
- ½ tsp baking powder $0.02
- ¼ tsp salt $0.01
- 1 large egg $0.29
- 1 tsp vanilla extract $0.47
- ½ tsp almond extract $0.15
- ½ cup cherry pie filling $0.73*
- 1½ sticks salted butter cut into cubes, $1.48
- ½ cup granulated sugar $0.19
- 1 cup brown sugar $0.91
- ¼ cup white chocolate chips $0.42
- ¼ cup slivered almonds $0.87
Instructions
-
Grease and line an 8×8” baking dish with parchment paper and preheat oven to 350℉.
-
Mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Set aside.
-
In a separate mixing bowl, combine the egg, vanilla, almond extract, and cherry pie filling. Mix together and set aside.
-
Cube the butter and melt over medium heat until frothy, whisking once in a while to make sure the milk solids don’t stick to the bottom of the pan and burn.
-
Once butter is browned, it will have a nutty aroma and darken in color. (Babysit it! Don’t let it burn!) Remove from heat.
-
Combine browned butter with granulated and brown sugar.
-
Mix with a hand mixer on low until combined. Then, add the wet cherry mixture and continue to mix until combined.
-
Finally, gently mix in the dry flour mixture little by little until a batter forms.
-
Fold in white chocolate and almond slivers.
-
Transfer batter to greased and line baking dish and add some extra white chocolate and almonds on top, if you have them.
-
Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
-
Let cool for 20 minutes before cutting. The interior may still be a little gooey. These are chewier than your typical brownie! Enjoy.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Notes
Nutrition
how to make Cherry Blondies step-by-step photos
Gather all of your ingredients and preheat your oven to 350℉. Grease and line an 8×8” baking dish with parchment paper. Set this aside for now.
Mix the dry ingredients: Add 1¾ cups flour, ½ tsp baking powder, and ¼ tsp salt to a mixing bowl and combine. Set this aside.
Mix the wet ingredients: In a different mixing bowl, combine 1 large egg, 1 tsp vanilla, ½ tsp almond extract, and ½ cup of cherry pie filling. Set this aside for now as well.
Brown the butter: Add 1½ sticks of cubed salted butter to a saucepan or skillet over medium heat. Melt the butter until frothy, being sure to whisk it once in a while to avoid the milk solids from burning and sticking to the bottom of the pan. Babysit it, and don’t let it burn! It typically takes about 5-8 minutes for butter to brown.
When the butter is browned, it’ll smell nutty and be darker in color. There will also be flecks of brown throughout (those are toasted milk solids, and they’re full of flavor). Remove it from the heat once done.
Make the batter: Pour the browned butter into a mixing bowl and add ½ cup granulated sugar and 1 cup brown sugar.
Use a hand mixer on low to combine the browned butter and sugars. Once mixed, add the wet cherry pie filling mixture and keep mixing until thoroughly combined.
Now, gently fold in the dry flour mixture a little at a time until a thick batter forms.
Finally, fold in ¼ cup white chocolate chips and ¼ cup slivered almonds.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. If you have any extra, top the batter with a few white chocolate chips and slivered almonds to make it look extra pretty.
Bake: Place the baking dish into the preheated oven and bake for 50-55 minutes. They’re done once a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let your homemade cherry blondies cool for 20 minutes before cutting for the best results. They may still be a little gooey! They’re definitely chewier than your average brownie but just as delicious. Enjoy!
Tips for Browning Butter
I brown the butter in this cherry dessert recipe because it gives the blondies the most amazing, deep, nutty flavor that plain melted butter can’t match. You could skip this step and just melt it, but it definitely wouldn’t taste the same.
It’s honestly so easy to brown butter, and only takes about 5-8 minutes from start to finish! Here’s how to do it right (we also have a step-by-step breakdown with photos on how to brown butter you can check out, too!):
- Use a light-colored pan if you have one. It makes it easier to see the color change.
- Watch it closely. Browning happens fast, and it can burn before you know it. Stay nearby and use medium heat.
- It’ll start to froth. That’s normal. Just keep gently stirring so nothing sticks to the bottom.
- Look for brown flecks. Those are the milk solids toasting, which is exactly what you want.
- Pull it off the heat right away. As soon as it smells nutty and the color deepens, about 5 minutes, take it off the heat! It’s ready to use.
You can even make a big batch of browned butter and keep it in the fridge for 1-2 weeks and use it in future recipes. It’s obviously delicious in my cherry blondies recipe, but it’s also amazing tossed with plain pasta, drizzled over roasted veggies, or mixed into oatmeal.
More Recipe Success Tips
- Line your pan with parchment paper. It makes it way easier to lift the blondies out and slice them cleanly once they’ve cooled.
- Let them cool in the pan. As good as they smell fresh out of the oven, I let my blondies cool for at least 20 minutes to help them set up properly. They’ll slice neater, and the texture will be just right.
- Check for doneness with a toothpick. You’re looking for a mostly clean toothpick when inserted into your white chocolate cherry blondies. If you hit a cherry or a melty white chocolate chip, it might smear a bit, so try a second spot! Don’t forget, they may still be a little gooey on the inside rather than cakey.
Storage Instructions
Personally, I enjoy these cherry pie blondies cold! I like to keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator and grab one whenever I need a sweet pick-me-up. They’ll be good for up to 3-4 days when stored this way. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container.
More Delicous Dessert Recipes
The post Cherry Blondies appeared first on Budget Bytes.
-
Vegetarian Recipes6 years ago22 Best Soup Recipes
-
Indian Vegetarian Recipes5 years ago
avocado salad
-
Vegetarian Recipes6 years ago
Easy Vegetarian Chili
-
Vegetarian Recipes6 years ago
Stuffed Zucchini Boats
-
Vegetarian Recipes6 years ago
Butternut Squash Soup
-
Vegetarian Recipes6 years ago
Pickled Red Onions
-
Vegetarian Recipes6 years ago
Peanut Butter Jelly Bars (Vegan, Gluten Free)
-
Vegetarian Recipes6 years ago
Homemade Garam Masala Spice Blend Recipe
