Why use a store bought crust?
Store bought graham cracker crusts provide a quick and easy base for pies, cheesecakes, and other desserts. They save you the time and effort of making your own crust from scratch. You simply press the pre-made crust into your pie pan and fill it as desired. Store bought crusts are uniform in thickness and texture. They are conveniently available year-round and require no advance preparation.
However, some people find store bought crusts to be bland or lacking in flavor. They want to improve the taste without going through the hassle of making their own. Fortunately, there are several easy ways to make a store bought graham cracker crust more delicious.
Add extra butter
One of the simplest ways to increase the flavor of a store bought crust is to add extra butter. Graham crackers already contain a bit of butter, but increasing the amount gives the crust a richer, toastier taste.
When pressing the crust into the pie pan, dot the bottom and sides with a few extra tablespoons of melted butter. Use softened or melted butter so it easily coats the crust. The extra fat tenderizes the crust and gives it more depth of flavor.
Use brown sugar
Sprinkling brown sugar over the bottom and sides of the crust adds sweetness and a slight caramel flavor. The sugar crystals give the crust more texture too. Any type of brown sugar works well, including light or dark brown sugar, muscovado sugar, or turbinado sugar.
About 1-3 tablespoons of brown sugar is usually enough for a standard 9 inch pie crust. Sprinkle it evenly over the bottom and sides before pressing the crust in. The sugar will blend into the buttery crust as it bakes.
Include cinnamon
Graham crackers are commonly flavored with cinnamon. Adding extra cinnamon builds on the familiar graham flavor and gives the crust a lovely warmth. Simply sprinkle 1⁄2-1 teaspoon ground cinnamon over the crust before adding the pie filling. It adds minimal effort but makes a noticeable difference.
You can combine cinnamon with sugar for an extra impact. Or try a touch of other spices too, like nutmeg or ginger.
Use cookie crumbles
For deeper flavor, coat the pre-made crust with cookie crumbles before baking. Crushed graham crackers, Oreos, gingersnaps, or shortbread cookies work especially well. The cookie crumbs create layers of flavor and texture.
Crush about 1⁄2 cup of cookie pieces in a food processor or zip top bag. Evenly sprinkle the fine crumbs over the bottom and sides of the pressed crust. Pat gently so the crumbs adhere. Proceed with the recipe as usual.
Mix in nuts
Chopped nuts blended into the crust add hearty crunch and richness. Try pecans, walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, or cashews. Chop the nuts finely so they integrate well with the crust.
Stir in about 1⁄4 cup finely chopped nuts before pressing the crust in the pan. Sprinkle a few extras nuts on top too. Nuts pair especially nicely with pies featuring chocolate, caramel, butterscotch, or coconut.
Add espresso powder
A teaspoon of espresso powder or instant coffee powder added to the crust mix imparts a lovely mocha undertone. The coffee flavor is subtle, enhancing the overall taste of the crust without overpowering it. Simply stir a teaspoon of espresso powder into the crust crumbs before pressing into the pie plate.
You can intensify the flavor by drizzling brewed espresso or strong coffee over the baked crust before adding fillings. This works particularly well with chocolate, butterscotch, and banana cream pies.
Use pie spice blend
Buy or make your own pie spice blend to give the crust extra warmth and complexity. Pie spice typically contains cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice. Stir a teaspoon or two of pie spice into the crust mix prior to pressing into the pie plate.
You can also sprinkle pie spice over the crust before baking, or brush the baked crust lightly with butter and dust with pie spice. It adds comforting pie flair with minimal work required.
Bake the crust first
Baking the crust before adding the pie filling amps up the flavor considerably. Blind baking eliminates moisture so the crust becomes fully crisp and golden. The extra caramelized notes make the crust taste so much better.
Once you’ve pressed the crust into the pie plate, prick it all over with a fork and bake in a 375°F oven for 8-10 minutes. Let cool completely before filling so it stays crisp.
Boost vanilla extract
Most pre-made graham crusts don’t contain much vanilla flavor. Bumping up the vanilla provides a more intense, aromatic depth of flavor.
Stir in 1-2 teaspoons of vanilla extract into the crust crumb mixture before pressing it into the pie plate. You can also lightly brush the baked crust with vanilla extract for concentrated flavor.
Vanilla pairs wonderfully with fruit pie fillings, creamy puddings, or sweet nuts. Omit this addition if your particular pie recipe already contains vanilla to prevent clashing.
Use flavored crusts
For the simplest route, purchase a pre-made graham cracker crust with added flavors like chocolate or cinnamon. These tend to have much stronger flavor than plain graham cracker crusts.
Or look for crusts made with cookies like chocolate wafers, ginger snaps, or shortbread for built-in flavor. Cookie crusts provide delicious texture and taste without any extra steps.
Coat with chocolate
Drizzle melted chocolate over the baked pie crust for an indulgent flavor infusion. Milk, dark, or white chocolate all work beautifully. Allow the chocolate to set before adding the pie filling so it hardens into a nice coating.
For the deepest chocolate impact, first brush the baked crust with a little heavy cream or evaporated milk. Then pour a thin, even layer of melted chocolate over it. Let chill in the fridge so the chocolate sets up.
Infuse with extracts
Extracts like almond, coconut, lemon, orange, peppermint, etc. can help punch up the graham flavor. Brush or drizzle your extract of choice over the baked crust and allow to soak in for maximized essence.
Use extracts that complement the particular pie filling you’re making. Such as lemon with lemon meringue pie or peppermint with chocolate or any holiday pie.
Increase crispness
The crisper the crust, the more flavorful it typically becomes. Use these tricks for an ultra crisp crust:
- Press the crust firmly into the pie plate so it’s even and compact
- Prick crust all over generously with a fork before baking
- Weight down the crust with pie weights or dry beans while baking
- Partially bake the crust before adding fillings
- Brush crust lightly with egg white wash to promote browning
The crust will bake up light golden brown, buttery, and deliciously crisp from edge to edge.
Conclusion
With any of these easy ideas, it’s possible to take a bland store bought pie crust from boring to brilliant. A little extra butter, sugar, spice, texture, or flavor can go a long way in making crust as delicious as the filling. Use the options that complement your particular pie recipe. Enjoy the process of personalizing and enhancing boxed crusts!