Last Updated on 31st January 2023 by
Pumpkin pie crust usually comes in one of two varieties. You will find pumpkin pie neatly seated in a soft, flaky pastry pie crust or in a crispy, crunchy graham cracker pie crust. You get two very different experiences, and neither one is bad. I like to mix it up and switch between the two every so often.
There are a few ways to make a pumpkin pie crust on your own from scratch. You could buy it in the store, but where is the fun in that? It’s not a tough crust to make. The pastry dough crust is difficult to make, I think, but the graham cracker crust pumpkin pie is pretty easy. At least, that has been my experience.
Maybe you have never had pumpkin pie in graham cracker crust, and if that is the case, then you are seriously missing out. It’s time to stop missing out and experience this delightful way to have pumpkin pie.
Topping it off with whipped topping and just a dash of cinnamon powder is perfection and always makes me think of fall and Thanksgiving in particular. Don’t wait for the holidays, though, to give this a try. It’s so good you will want to have it all throughout the year.
Pumpkin Pie Recipe with Graham Cracker Crust
There are plenty of ways to make a graham cracker crust and the pie filling. This is just one version, and I have seen versions that avoid using graham crackers at all but use something similar, like digestive biscuits (British cookies), and of course you can substitute sweet potato pie filling for pumpkin pie filling.
Pumpkin Pie with Graham Cracker Crust
Ingredients
Pie Crust
- 1 1/2 cups graham crackers
- 6 tbsp butter melted
Pie Filling
- 450 g pureed pumpkin
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup cream
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch cloves/all spice
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- To make the pumpkin pie graham cracker crust, crush the graham crackers with a rolling pin. Then, mix the melted butter and graham crackers together until they start to look like wet, mushy sand.
- Press the crust mix against the sides and bottom of a 9-inch pie pan. Glass or aluminium foil pans work great.
- Bake the crust for 10 minutes, and then set the crust aside.
- To make the filling, mix together sugar and pumpkin puree.
- Add in eggs one at a time, mixing the eggs in thoroughly with each one.
- Mix in cream and sour cream. Do not beat.
- Mix in salt and spices, and then mix everything together until it becomes creamy.
- Pour your pie mix into the pie dish
- Bake the pumpkin pie for 45 minutes, still at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Allow the pumpkin pie to cool and then place in the fridge for a few hours before serving. Garnish with whipped topping and ground cinnamon powder.
No Bake Pumpkin Pie
You can use your graham cracker crust on a no bake version for pumpkin pie as well. Let me show you an easy way to make this delicious and simple pie.
You will need vanilla pudding mix to go with your pumpkin puree. You don’t need all the spices we used for the pumpkin pie above. For this no bake pumpkin pie with graham cracker crust, you can season it with pumpkin pie spice mix, and then you just whip it all together. Be sure to make the vanilla pudding according to the packaging instructions, probably using milk.
This all whips together in just a few minutes, and to save even more time, you can make your pumpkin pie with store bought graham cracker crust. You’ll have a decent version of pumpkin pie in just minutes rather than in a little over an hour like the other method would take.
Pumpkin Pie Bars
One way to use your graham cracker pie crust and pumpkin puree to make something else that’s delicious and not quite a pumpkin pie is to make dessert bars. Pumpkin pie bars with graham cracker crust are a dessert that you don’t want to miss.
The trick to making these bars and what makes them different from the regular pumpkin pie slices is that they have a shortening base. On top of the pumpkin pie crust, you just make a shortening crust, creating a little thicker dessert and one that is filling on its own.
You don’t need to add whipped topping for this one, and they are best served very chilled. There are some variations on how to make it, but you can keep things simple and use a pre-made pie mix or use the same recipe we used above for pumpkin pie.
Tips for Pumpkin Pie Making
The fastest way to make a pumpkin pie is to use a pre-made graham cracker crust for pumpkin pie and pre-made pie filling. You can get these two in most grocery stores, and they make for a fast and easy pumpkin pie with minimal ingredients. Be sure to follow a recipe that calls for a pre-made pie mix, though, as it will be slightly different from making it from scratch.
You can make your own whipped topping too, if you want. By mixing together cold whipping cream, powdered sugar, and cream cheese, you can make a light and delicious whipped topping. Control the ingredients and the healthiness of this topping by using low fat, dairy free or other versions of the ingredients to make it your way.
You can also make a pumpkin cream cheese pie with graham cracker crust, which may be more like a cheesecake than traditional pumpkin pie. This is a sweeter version that probably doesn’t need whipped topping, and it’s a great way to vary your pumpkin pie experience a bit.
There are versions that call for using bourbon, like Bobby’s Flay’s pumpkin pie or ones that call for using pumpkin pie with graham cracker crust Libby’s pumpkin puree. Some people swear by a particular brand of pumpkin puree or graham cracker, and you will have to be the judge of what tastes best to you.
I'm Pauline, a mother of four grown children, my passion for cooking stemmed from the joy i get cooking for my family. I love to try new dishes, especially when dining out but creating and sharing my own recipes is my favourite thing to do!