The No-Frills Method To Turn Leftover Cookies Into Pie Crust

Anyone who's attempted to make a pie crust from scratch knows it can be a tricky process. You have to get the ratios of ingredients right, use water at the right temperature, roll it out, and shape it. Then, you have to worry about blind-baking it. Even if you follow all of those steps, it's still possible the texture may not come out the way you intended.

For many home cooks, the process of baking a pie crust from scratch requires too much time and effort. One option is to purchase a pre-made crust. This is easy enough when you're planning ahead at the store and don't mind spending a few extra dollars. However, what if there was a way to casually whip up a pie crust with ingredients that were already sitting in your pantry? It turns out that leftover cookies can be made into a crust with minimal effort — all it takes is a bag or food processor, butter, and a pie plate.

To turn old cookies into a crust, start by crumbling them. You can do this by placing them in a plastic bag and using a rolling pin or your hands to break them down. If you have a food processor, this is even easier. Once your cookies have turned to crumbs, mix them with butter. "Joy of Cooking" recommends using 6 tablespoons of melted butter for every 1½ cups of cookie crumbs. The Pioneer Woman favors 1¾ cups cookie crumbs, but cautions that for graham cracker crumbs, you'll want to upgrade to 8 tablespoons since they absorb more butter. If your recipe calls for graham crackers but you don't have any on hand, America's Test Kitchen found animals crackers to be the most sensible replacement based on their fat and sugar content.

Press the mixture into a pie plate, using your hands or a utensil to flatten it on the bottom and up the edges of the pan until it takes its shape and your desired thickness. You can add a pie filling that needs to be baked, such as apple or key lime, or you can add a filling that will set in the fridge. If you want more of a crisp crust, try baking it prior to filling, which "Joy of Cooking" recommends doing for 10 to 12 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. This crust will taste great with either option.

One of the biggest upsides of using leftover cookies to create a cookie crust is that it prevents food waste. If you know you won't be able to finish a batch or box of cookies before they go stale, this is a great way to repurpose them into something tasty. In addition, there is another strength of cookie crusts: you can choose their flavor via the variety of cookies you use. Shortbread, Oreo, chocolate chip, snickerdoodle, and many more options would make for an excellent pie crust with a unique character. When pairing cookie types and pie fillings, the possibilities are seemingly endless.

The best benefit of cookie crusts, however, is that they are incredibly quick to make with just a few household ingredients. Whether you're looking to impress last-minute guests or simply craving something sweet one evening, it's simple to create a pie crust with cookies, butter, and just a few minutes. Consider this recipe the next time you're looking to whip up something homemade and see just how easy dessert can come together without much fuss.