How to Make Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust from Scratch
Learn how to make Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust from scratch with this easy recipe! Use this Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust for cream pies, pudding pies, or mousse pies.
If you’re looking for more chocolate pie recipes, be sure to check out some of my other favorites like Chocolate Peanut Butter Tart With Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust, Cherry Chocolate Chip Pie, or Dark Chocolate Sweet Cream Pie.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- Recipe Name: How to Make Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust from Scratch
- Ready In: 15 minutes
- Makes: 9-inch pie crust
- Main Ingredients: salted butter, cane sugar, Dutch cocoa, graham crackers
- Flavor Profile: chocolate flavor with graham crackers
- Dietary Info: eggless, gluten free swap available
- Difficulty: Easy!
- Why You’ll Love It: the chocolate graham cracker crust recipe from my bakery!
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Why You'll Love This Organic Graham Cracker Crust
- Homemade: This Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust is a homemade version of one you could buy at the grocery store. Making a homemade graham cracker crust allows you to enjoy this delicious organic pie crust but without any of the preservatives or artificial ingredients in the store bought variety. If you're looking for traditional graham cracker crust, try my recipe The Best Homemade Graham Cracker Crust that we served at my bake shop for over a decade.
- Easy: This Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust is so easy to make! With only 4 ingredients, this easy pie crust comes together quickly so you can use it any recipe you like! Create a simple pudding by and fill this with my Chocolate Protein Pudding With Bone Broth!
- Use in Other Recipes: You can use this Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust in any organic pie recipe that calls for a graham cracker crust. You can also create your own recipes with this crust by filling this with your favorite custard, pudding, or ice cream! For an ice cream pie, try adding my Raspberry Chocolate Chip Ice Cream to this crust!
Jump to:
- A Quick Look At The Recipe
- Why You’ll Love This Organic Graham Cracker Crust
- Ingredients
- Allergy Friendly Substitutions
- Baker’s Tips for Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust From Scratch
- How to Make Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust From Scratch
- Filling Ideas
- Recipe FAQ’s
- More Homemade Pie Crust Recipes
- How to Make Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust from Scratch
- The Bake Shop
Ingredients
- Graham Crackers: I use organic honey graham crackers to make the crust. We used Annie's Organic at my bakery, that's what I use here. They have the best flavor. If you want to use chocolate graham crackers, that works too, but you still should add the Dutch cocoa powder for the best chocolate crust.
- Butter: I use organic salted butter, but you can use unsalted if you prefer. Just add 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the crust.
- Cocoa Powder: I use organic Dutch cocoa powder for a rich chocolatey flavor that is not bitter. You can use natural or unsweetened cocoa powder if you prefer, but it's not as sweet as Dutch.
*For a full list of ingredients and measurements, visit the recipe card below.
Allergy Friendly Substitutions
- Gluten Free: Use your favorite gluten free graham crackers. But, be sure to weigh them so you have the right amount!
- Vegan: Replace the butter with your favorite vegan butter, I recommend Miyoko's.
- Lower Sugar: Use coconut sugar in place of cane sugar. This will still result in a tasty homemade pie crust, but coconut sugar has a low GI.
- Brown Sugar: Use brown sugar in place of cane sugar for a little richer flavor.
Baker's Tips for Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust From Scratch
- Make sure your butter is soft! This is crucial for making the best chocolate graham cracker pie crust from scratch. I like to leave butter out on the counter overnight to soften naturally as it’s the best method.
- I use salted butter in this recipe, but if you only have unsalted butter, then just add 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the recipe.
- You do not have to sift the cocoa when making this recipe. Usually, I always say to have cocoa sifted, as it can clump easily. But, with this recipe, since you are blending everything up in the food processor, there is no need to sift it beforehand as it will be blended up in the food processor.
- Save your butter wrapper and use that to grease your pie pan.
- My top tip for making graham cracker crust is to shake your food processor. You may think it’s funny, but I’m serious! This helps break up the graham crackers and get the blades to hit them all! (Watch the video below).
- You can make this pie crust up to 3 days in advance of when you would like to use it for a recipe. Just store it at room temperature in a cool dry place.
- This recipe makes 1 crust for a 9 to 11-inch pie pan. If you want to make 2 at a time, you can just double the recipe.
- Use it in place of traditional graham cracker crust to give any pie some chocolatey goodness. Try using it in my American Flag Cream Pie with Graham Cracker Crust for a chocolate twist!
How to Make Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust From Scratch
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a food processor, add half the graham crackers and the butter.
- Next, add the cane sugar and Dutch cocoa on top of the butter.
- Last, add the remaining half of graham crackers. This helps coat the butter ensuring it doesn't stick to the sides of the food processor and comes together quick!
- Pulse, and then mix until you have a uniform mixture of chocolate graham cracker crumbs and there are no chunks of graham crackers or butter.
- Grease a 9-inch pie pan with butter. Transfer the graham cracker mixture to the pie pan, and lightly press it into the sides first. Use the remaining crust and press it down into the bottom of the pan.
- Bake for 5 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Allow to cool completely before using. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Filling Ideas
- Try my Homemade Vanilla Malt Pudding and add Homemade Organic Whipped Cream on top.
- Fill with ice cream like Salted Caramel No Churn Ice Cream or Cookies and Cream Coffee Ice Cream and top with Organic Magic Shell With Coconut Oil for an ice cream pie.
- This is the pie crust I use for Dark Chocolate Sweet Cream Pie, give it a try!
- Try filling it with Chocolate Protein Pudding With Bone Broth or Eggless Chocolate Peanut Butter Pudding , add a drizzle of Homemade Caramel Sauce with Bone Broth and top it with Homemade Organic Whipped Cream.
- You can also use this for cheesecakes or no bake cheesecake fillings as well for a chocolate-y flavor that is so delicious with cheesecake.
Recipe FAQ's
The only difference is Dutch cocoa powder. If you are looking for a regular graham cracker crust, check out The Best Homemade Graham Cracker Crust.
You can, but I don't think chocolate graham crackers alone will give you the best chocolate flavor. I would still use the Dutch cocoa powder even if you are using chocolate graham crackers.
Yes, if you want to use gluten free graham crackers you can. You should use the weight measurement to ensure you get the right ratios when using gluten free.
Yes, you can just use your favorite vegan butter in place of butter. I recommend using the Miyoko's for the best results.
While you can not bake a graham cracker pie crust, I always think it tastes better when you do. The butter cooks just the slightest and the graham crackers toast a little bit for a delicious crispy texture. Take the extra 5 minutes and bake it!
Yes, you can use this in a springform pan or even in an 8-inch or 9-inch square pan or round pan too! If you are using this for a dessert bar in an 8-inch or 9-inch square or round pan, I just recommend lining it with parchment paper or it will be very difficult to remove what you're making.
Yes, absolutely! I've done this many times. If you have mini tart pans or mini pie pans, you can just form the crust into the pans that you want to use.
Yes, a tart pan works great for this. I use this recipe for my Chocolate Peanut Butter Tart With Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust.
If you didn't butter and grease it well, your pie crust will stick. Greasing it is super important, so don't skip that step!
If you didn't let it cool completely, it can easily fall apart, so cooling is key. If it's falling apart after cooled and sliced, then you didn't mix the ingredients together enough to make the mixture uniform. Or, you could have measured incorrectly and had too many graham crackers compared to butter as this will make it dry and crumbly.
You need to let the crust cool until it's room temperature before adding any fillings. It shouldn't be hot, especially because may fillings for this type of pie are custard or pudding.
This Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust is perfect for pudding pies, ice cream pies, or custard pies!
Yes, if you want to make this chocolate graham cracker in advance of when you need it, you can do it up to 3 days in advance. Just leave it on your counter. You can also just make the graham cracker mixture in advance, place it on a bowl and cover with plastic wrap or foil. Then you can transfer it to your pie pan or whatever pan you're using the following day.
More Homemade Pie Crust Recipes
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How to Make Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust from Scratch
Equipment
- Digital Food Scale
- Food Processor
- 9-Inch Pie Pan
Ingredients
- 204 grams honey graham crackers (crushed)
- 113 grams salted butter
- 57 grams cane sugar
- 21 grams Dutch cocoa powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a food processor, add half the graham crackers and the butter.
- Next, add the cane sugar and Dutch cocoa on top of the butter.
- Last, add the remaining half of graham crackers. This helps coat the butter ensuring it doesn't stick to the sides of the food processor and comes together quick!
- Pulse, and then mix until you have a uniform mixture of chocolate graham cracker crumbs and there are no chunks of graham crackers or butter.
- Grease a 9-inch pie pan with butter. Transfer the graham cracker mixture to the pie pan, and lightly press it into the sides first. Use the remaining crust and press it down into the bottom of the pan.
- Bake for 5 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Allow to cool completely before using.
- Store at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Video
Notes
- Be sure your butter is soft! If it's not soft, it will be challenging to food processor this as you'll have chunks that won't mix in.
- Use Dutch process cocoa powder for the best flavor.
- You can use this for a traditional 9-inch pie, or even for pie bars if you want to use a 8×8 or 9×9-inch square pan too! You can even make pie jars, like I did at my bakery.
- Make up to 3 days in advance, just store on the countertop until ready to use.
- High Altitude – Follow the recipe as noted.
Nutrition
The Bake Shop
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This is the chocolate graham cracker crust I made at my bakery for over a decade and it’s my go to for pies and cheesecakes!