Can You Bake a Premade Graham Cracker Crust?
Premade graham cracker crust is a foolproof way to make a delicious pie or cheesecake every time. It’s perfect for making no-bake desserts, but you may wonder if you can also put it in the oven. So, can you bake a premade graham cracker crust?
Yes, you can bake a premade graham cracker crust. All you need is to preheat the oven to 375 °F, whisk 2 eggs and 1 tablespoon of water, brush the crust with it and bake it for 5 or 6 minutes. That is if you wish to make your crust golden brown before filling it with cream.
You can also use it for baked pies and significantly shorten preparation time. If you are wondering what happens when you bake premade graham cracker crust and what are the best ways to use it, I got some tricks and hacks for you.
What Happens If You Bake Premade Graham Cracker Crust?
Baking a premade graham cracker crust is unnecessary, but it will change the dessert’s texture. After sitting in the oven for several minutes, the crust will become flaky, which can be a treat in pies with a mushy center.
Besides that, a prebaked crust brushed with eggs or butter will have a richer taste and golden brown color no sweet tooth can resist. Still, be careful not to overbake it.
Overbaking or burning the crust is not uncommon when you bake the crust and cream together, yet it is not unavoidable either. So, instead of filling the crust with cream and baking it together, try cooking them separately.
How to Use Premade Graham Cracker Crust?
As mentioned earlier, premade graham cracker crust is suitable for both no-bake desserts and ones that need baking. For instance, to make a no-bake cheesecake, you can fill it with cream and let it refrigerate.
To make the most of it, whisk out 2 eggs with a tablespoon of water and brush the crust with it. Bake it at 375 °F for 5-6 minutes, and you will get a nice golden brown crust ready for filling.
If you make a dessert with baked cream, avoid prebaking the crust. Instead of that, follow the recipe’s baking time.
Since store-bought graham cracker crust usually contains palm oil, consider brushing it with melted butter to improve the taste. Aside from that, you can also glaze the bottom of the crust with chocolate to achieve a sweet crunch. If you are up for experimenting, try coating it with colorful candy melts or caramel.
What Pie to Make With Graham Cracker Crust?
You can make a wide range of desserts with a graham cracker crust. Its sandy, wheat-flavored taste adds a unique twist to classic desserts like pumpkin, apple, and key lime pie, but it also goes well with cheesecake and tart fillings.
Even though you must follow the recipe to cover the basics, cream and crust leave some space for experimenting. So, try combining tastes and textures. For instance, you can add candied pomelo or grapefruit peel to the cream for key lime or lemon pie.
No-bake desserts such as peanut butter, banana cream, or a mud pie with premade crust take from 20 to 30 minutes to make, which makes them a perfect solution if you are in a hurry. Baked pies can take an hour or two, depending on the cream and whether you are making your own crust or not.
What Is a Good Premade Graham Cracker Crust?
Keebler Ready Crust is an all-time favorite premade graham cracker crust. It is a fast and delicious solution if you are on a tight schedule. Just fill it with pudding and canned fruits, refrigerate it for half an hour, and your pie will be ready to be served.
This crust has a slightly wheaty taste because it’s made primarily of white flour and palm oil instead of butter. Still, it is savory and easy to cut without crumbling. And you can find it in every store.
If you like your crust sweetened a bit more, Honey Maid Graham Cracker Pie Crust is another good option. Aside from ingredients common for store-bought crusts, it contains honey and 2 percent less salt. That means you should be careful when baking this crust because it may become chewier than you’d like.
Honey Maid Graham Cracker Pie Crust is an ideal match with no-bake chocolate, butternut harvest, and peanut cream pie. Coating it with black chocolate and adding canned cherries filling is an unexpected twist on a classic taste.
Arrowhead Mills Organic Graham Cracker Crust also contains honey, yet it tastes slightly more wheaty. It is made of entirely organic ingredients, which include graham wheat flour and crumbs. Because of that, it is not suitable to put in the oven, so use it to prepare a no-bake cheesecake or a fruit tart.
How to Keep Store-bought Graham Cracker Crust From Getting Soggy?
To keep graham cracker crust from getting soggy, you can bake it dry with egg wash or cover it with saltine cracker crumbs. If you decide to bake it dry, preheat the oven to 375 °F and leave the crust in it for 5-8 minutes. That will eliminate the sogginess, keep the crust dry and make it golden brown.
Baking crust with egg wash will also need an oven set at 375 °F and the same amount of time in the oven. Simply whisk the eggs with a tablespoon of water until frothy and brush it with that mixture. It will dry out the crust and help it keep its form once you add the cream.
If you wish to avoid baking soggy store-bought pie crust, sprinkle the bottom with saltine cracker crumbs before pouring the cream. Crumbs will soak up unnecessary moisture and prevent the crust from becoming too soft and losing its form. They will not change the taste of pie, yet they might turn it into a soft and crunchy dessert.
