Start crushing up those Oreos – it’s time to make an easy, no-bake, homemade Oreo Cookie Crust! Skip the premade crusts and make one yourself with just oreos and melted butter. So easy, a 2.5 year old can do it! Plus, suggestions for what to put in your newly made Oreo crust.
As part of my Pie of the Month series, it only seems fitting to also share recipes for my favorite pie crusts.
I’ve already shared my No Fail Pie Crust (for a perfect pie every time!). Today, we’re going in an easier… darker… chocolatier direction with an Oreo cookie crust recipe.
Oreo cookie crusts are super easy to make at home, but there are a few tips and tricks necessary. Have you ever tried one and found that it was super greasy? Or maybe a cookie crust that was so dry, it immediately crumbled?
We’ll tackle all those questions and more with my recipe for a PERFECT Oreo cookie crust!
This recipe is designed for frosting-stuffed cookie sandwiches. It doesn’t have to be Oreo brand, obviously (looking at you, Hydrox or JoeJoe’s!), but it does require a frosting filling. And only one layer of filling! Double Stuff Oreos need not apply.
(Also, it’s actually Double Stuf Oreos. What happened to that extra f? Why does leaving off an f imply twice the filling?)
The appropriate amount of frosting in the sandwich cookie plays a big role in making sure your cookie crumbs are appropriately hydrated.
Using chocolate animal crackers instead of Oreos? You’ll need more butter to hold everything together.
Accidentally bought “Double Stuf” Oreos? You need to use less butter, or else you’ll wind up with a greasy crust.
So keep in mind, this recipe calls for chocolate sandwich cookies with a regular amount of frosting!
Okay, now that we have the technical details out of the way, let’s talk about how dang easy this is! So easy, my 2.5-year-old made this Oreo cookie crust by himself!
He likes to push the button on the food processor, so we grind up all our crumbs that way. No food processor? No problem. Grab a gallon-sized freezer bag and a rolling pin or a heavy frying pan, and start smashing.
Once all your crumbs are finely processed to the point that you can’t see any chunks (and can’t distinguish between cookie and frosting), you’re good to go!
Melt your butter in the microwave and mix in the cookie crumbs. Once everything is thoroughly mixed, dump it into your pie tin. No need to grease the pan – the butter in the crust takes care of this for you.
Then all you need to do is press the crumbs into place along the bottom and sides of the pan. Ryan is ready to demonstrate: ↓↓↓
You can do this hand if you prefer, but I find a metal measuring cup or the bottom of a small juice glass works even better. Really squish those crumbs in there!
You should get a very compact crust along the bottom, but the sides will be a little looser, especially if you’re dealing with a deep dish pie crust. Whatever you bake/chill in the Oreo cookie crust will help hold the sides together.
A cookie crust always gets a little crumbly when you cut it, but most of it will stay together!
As far as baking the crust or not: totally up to you! This can be a truly no-bake pie crust. After pressing the crust into the pie plate, you can chill it for 20 minutes to solidify the butter or bake it at 350 °F for 10-12 minutes to set the pie.
There’s no need to bake this crust for structural reasons: the butter acts as a “glue” for the crumbs and will hold them together. You can pour your ingredients right in, unless a recipe specifies that you should bake the crust.
Personally, I always prefer to bake my crust. Why do I like it more, and why do some recipes specify that you should bake the crust? It’s time for my favorite subject… kitchen chemistry!
Kitchen Chemistry
When the crust hits the hot oven, the water in the butter is heated and starts to evaporate, leaving behind the milk solids mixed in with the cookie crumbs. Evaporating out this moisture results in a crispier crust.
See? Super easy. No need to ever buy a store-bought Oreo cookie crust again – make your own whenever you want one!
The world is your oyster when it comes to Oreo cookie crusts, which is to say that there are endless opinions! With so many different Oreo flavors and lots of add-in ideas, you truly and customize an Oreo cookie crust for absolutely anything!
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
And of course, you can easily make this crust gluten-free and/or dairy-free by using gluten-free Oreos and mixing with vegan butter or margarine.
Start crushing up those Oreos - it's time to make an easy, no-bake, homemade Oreo Cookie Crust! Skip the premade crusts and make one yourself with just Oreos and melted butter.
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