Try this Graham Cracker Crust recipe, or contribute your own.
- Carbohydrate 5.60526437973575 g
- Cholesterol 22.8773437598108 mg
- Fat 8.63061094120116 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 0.0904453125387867 g
- Saturated Fat 5.46587625234399 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (16g)
- Sodium 61.2900000262837 mg
- Sugar 5.60526437973575 g
- Trans Fat 0.604174687759094 g
- Calories 98 calories
Step-by-step
- Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, melted butter or margarine, and cinnamon until well blended .
- Press mixture into an 8 or 9 inch pie plate.
- Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 7 minutes.
- Cool.
- If recipe calls for unbaked pie shell, just chill for about 1 hour.
Standard measurements on a page cannot convey how the mechanical action of fat coating starch molecules prevents moisture migration from wet pie fillings. Graham crackers originated in the nineteenth century as a dietary health food promoted by Sylvester Graham, who advocated for coarse, unbolted wheat flour. Over decades, commercial manufacturers refined these whole-wheat crackers into sweetened, uniform rectangles. Crushing those crackers breaks down their structural integrity, creating a powder that relies entirely on an external binder to hold its shape against a pie pan.
The Role of Fat and Sugar in Structure
Melted butter coats individual crumbs completely, creating a hydrophobic barrier once cooled or baked. Sugar acts as a secondary adhesive; as it heats in a 375 degree F oven, it melts and recrystallizes upon cooling, cementing the crumb matrix together. Pressing the mixture firmly into an 8-inch or 9-inch pie plate establishes the necessary density. Distribute the crumbs evenly using the flat bottom of a measuring cup to compress the bottom before working the material up the slanted sides of the dish.
Thermal Setting Versus Refrigeration
Baking the crust for exactly 7 minutes drives off excess moisture and toasts the wheat proteins, yielding a toasted flavor profile absent in unbaked versions. Conversely, skipping the heat and chilling the shell in a refrigerator for 1 hour relies solely on the solidification of saturated milk fats to maintain rigidity. Freshly melted butter solidifies predictably under refrigeration, whereas aged or clarified butters alter the final snap of the crust due to differing water content.
