If there is a way I can incorporate more nuts into our meals, I will find it! I love the nutty, rich flavor they add, and they complement so many different ingredients. That is what I love about this almond graham cracker pie crust recipe.
The added almonds pair perfectly with so many other ingredients and help your pies stand out from the crowd!
This pie crust works with summer fruit pies, ice cream pies, or fall-flavored pies. I created it for my strawberry pie, but now I have so many other ideas for what else I can create with this recipe as the base.
What You Will Need to Make This Pie Crust
Graham Crackers
Whole graham crackers get blended with the almonds. You can use graham cracker crumbs, but you have to blend them anyway, so it’s just as fast (and cheaper) to buy a box of graham crackers.
Whole Almonds
The skin on the almonds gives this a bit of added flavor and well, at least a little nutrition as well. Almonds are rich in unsaturated fats and provide a little calcium too. So, while pies are what I call “sometimes foods,” I do like to find ways to make them a little healthier, and the bonus here is that they also add a delicious nutty flavor!
Butter
There are some recipes where real butter is the only option, and pie crust is one. While you could try margarine, I find they add too much water and not enough richness, so this is one place I will only use real, unsalted butter and enjoy every bite.
After all, as much as you may like to, you don’t eat pie every day, right? In the end, you’ll end up with about 1 tablespoon of butter per slice of pie. I’ve tried making the crust with less, and it just doesn’t hold together the way it should, so I prefer to enjoy this when I have it and not skimp.
Sugar
Granulated sugar in a graham cracker pie crust allows the crackers and, in this one, the almonds to shine. It adds sweetness but no extra flavor that a brown sugar might add. You could use brown sugar if you want a hint of molasses flavor, but for the base pie crust, I use granulated sugar.
Cinnamon (optional)
If you do want a little extra burst of flavor, a spice like cinnamon or nutmeg is a nice touch.
How to Make The Pie Crust
This pie crust takes about 5 minutes to make. The majority of work is done in a food processor, and the rest is done by mixing and packing by hand.
Step 1 – Process the Graham Crackers and Almonds
Start by processing the Graham crackers in a food processor. When they are mostly broken up, add the almonds and process by pulsing until the crackers and almonds have the consistency of crumbs. Don’t over-process, but make sure you have a cracker crumb texture.
Step 2 – Mix the Ingredients
Place the graham cracker crumbs and almond pieces in a medium bowl. Add the sugar and cinnamon (if you are using cinnamon) and mix with the crackers and almonds.
Stir in the melted butter and mix well until the crumbs are coated and the mixture holds together when pressed between your fingers.
Step 3 – Form the Crust and Bake
Press the mixture into a 9-inch pie plate and press along the sides to form a pie crust.
Place in the preheated oven and bake for 10 – 15 minutes, until just slightly browned and crisp. You should smell the baking crust.
To increase the flavor intensity of the almonds, you can toast the nuts before processing them with the graham crackers.
Variations
What I love about this almond graham cracker pie crust recipe is that it is so easy to modify and vary for different flavors and fillings.
You can use almost any nut in this recipe, but almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, or pecans work the best.
Instead of Graham crackers, you could use ginger snaps for a spicy crust or shortbread cookies for a buttery, sweet crust. If using shortbread, I’d suggest cutting the butter back to ½ – ¾ of a stick. Shortbread already has a lot of fat.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use a liquid oil like canola oil or vegetable oil in this crust, but you will lose the flavor that the butter provides. If you need a vegetarian crust or plant-based crust, these mild-flavored oils would be a good substitute.
Stick margarine may work, but check the ingredient list as many have added water, which will lead to a crust that doesn’t hold together well. Shortening can also be used, but you will sacrifice a lot of flavor. Butter really is the best oil to use in a graham cracker crust.
You can make an unbaked graham cracker crust ahead. Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for a couple of days or freeze it for a couple of months. Bring it to room temperature before baking.
Yes, you can certainly use already-made graham cracker crumbs. You’ll need about 2 cups of crumbs to replace the 12 sheets of graham crackers.
Walnuts would be delicious in this pie crust. You could also try hazelnuts or pecans, as they would also work well and add a different flavor.
Berries, like strawberries or raspberries, work well in a graham cracker pie crust. Pudding fillings, such as a chocolate or vanilla pudding pie filling, are also good. A chiffon pie or key lime pie is also traditionally made using a graham cracker pie crust.
Storage Tips
Store the unbaked pie crust, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, in the refrigerator for 1 – 2 days or in the freezer for 2-3 months. Bring it to room temperature before baking.
Store the baked crust for a day or two in the refrigerator. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap.
Almond Graham Cracker Pie Crust
Equipment
- 1 9-inch pie plate
- 1 rubber spatula
Ingredients
- 12 each Graham cracker sheets (2 square crackers per sheet)
- ½ cup almonds
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ cup butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉.
- Place the graham crackers in the bowl of a food processor and process until completely broken up but not yet into crumbs. Add the almonds and continue processing (use the pulse function if you need to) until the crackers are small crumbs and the almonds are tiny pieces.
- Place the cracker and almond crumbs into a medium bowl. With a rubber spatula, stir in the sugar and cinnamon until completely blended.
- Gently stir in the melted butter and stir until the butter coats all the crumbs and the mixture holds together when pressed between your fingers.
- Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan and then press it up the sides to the edge of the pie pan. Place it in the middle of your preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. You should start to smell the toasted crackers!
- Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool. Once cooled, it is ready for your filling!
