Gingersnap Pie Crust Recipe - The Carefree Kitchen (2024)

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This Gingersnap Pie Crust is perfect for no-bake desserts, cheesecakes, and your favorite holiday pies. It’s quick and easy to throw together, and the wonderfully warm, spicy ginger flavor makes a great alternative to graham cracker crust.

Ready to take your baking game up a notch? This gingersnap pie crust recipe is the perfect way to infuse a touch of warmth and spice into your favorite pie recipes. Follow along and I'll show you how to use gingersnap cookies to create a delectable pie crust that will take your desserts to the next level.

If you're looking for more no bake pie crusts, be sure to try our Biscoff Pie Crust, Nilla Wafer Pie Crust, Oreo Pie Crust, and of course our Classic Graham Cracker No Bake Pie Crust Recipe.

Gingersnap Pie Crust Recipe - The Carefree Kitchen (1)
Jump to:
  • Easy and Delicious Gingersnap Crust Recipe
  • No-Bake Gingersnap Pie Crust
  • Desserts with Gingersnap Crust
  • Best Gingersnap Cookies to Use?
  • Ingredients in This Gingersnap Pie Crust Recipe
  • How to Bake Gingersnap Crust Recipe
  • How to Store Gingersnap Cookie Crust
  • Gingersnap Pie Crust Recipe
  • No-Bake Pie Crust

Easy and Delicious Gingersnap Crust Recipe

If you have ever made a graham cracker pie crust before, you know just how easy it is. The idea of this Gingersnap Pie Crust is exactly the same, only with a few simple substitutions.

You can use a food processor to crush the cookies up, or do it the old-fashioned way with a freezer bag and a rolling pin. Once you’ve got your cookie crumbs, all you need to do is mix together brown sugar, melted butter and a pinch of salt, then press into your pie dish. It really couldn’t be easier!

We absolutely love the warm ginger flavor of this pie crust paired with just about anything pumpkin, chocolate, sweet potato or even lemon. Top it off with freshly whipped cream, give it a try and let us know what you think!

No-Bake Gingersnap Pie Crust

While we have given you instructions on baking this Gingersnap Pie Crust, it works equally well as a no-bake crust for any of your favorite no-bake pies and cheesecakes.

After you have pressed your gingersnap mixture into your pie dish, simply toss into your freezer for as little as 2 hours, or as long as a month. If you need to freeze for longer, you’ll want to wrap the crust well in plastic wrap to keep it protected.

Once you have your filling made, pull the crust from the freezer, fill and ta-da! We like to make this crust first, then slide into the freezer while we make the rest of the pie or cheesecake filling. Easy peasy!

Gingersnap Pie Crust Recipe - The Carefree Kitchen (2)

Desserts with Gingersnap Crust

Try making one of these easy no-bake cheesecake recipes with our gingersnap pie crust. It give a nice flavor balance to just about any cheesecake recipe. This Gingersnap recipe is a great flavor variation with our Chocolate Cheesecake, No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake, Nutella Cheesecake and our Classic No Bake Cheesecake.

Best Gingersnap Cookies to Use?

We really like to use the thin, super crispy gingersnap cookies from the grocery store for pie crust. They crumble well and retain a nice crumbly texture. Honestly, we’ve found the drier, the better!

If you really want to go all out and use homemade Gingersnap Cookies, we recommend pulsing or chopping the cookies, then laying them in a thin even layer on a baking sheet and baking in a 300 degree oven for about 10-15 minutes to help dry them out. Once you remove the cookie pieces from the oven, let them cool completely before pulsing again to make coarse crumbs.

Ingredients in This Gingersnap Pie Crust Recipe

  • Gingersnap Cookies - our favorite gingersnap cookies to use for this recipe are the store bought ones. They are a little drier than freshly baked homemade cookies, so they tend to make a better pie crust.
  • Brown Sugar - we like to use light brown sugar, but you can substitute dark brown sugar if you want an even deeper molasses flavor.
  • Butter - we recommend using unsalted butter.
  • Salt - sea salt tastes best.
Gingersnap Pie Crust Recipe - The Carefree Kitchen (3)

How to Bake Gingersnap Crust Recipe

If you are making a traditional baked pie or cheesecake (we recommend pumpkin pie!), it’s a good idea to par-bake this crust rather than simply freezing it. This will make it less fragile and give it a nice texture once you bake it again with the filling.

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. In a food processor, pulse the gingersnap cookies until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine the gingersnap cookie crumbs, brown sugar, melted butter and salt and mix with a spatula until well combined.
  4. Using your fingers, or a cup with a flat bottom, press the cookie crumb mixture evenly onto the sides and bottom of a 9-inch pie plate.
  5. Bake your crust in a preheated oven for about 10 minutes just to set the crust and make it less fragile. Remove from the oven and let the crust cool completely before filling.

How to Store Gingersnap Cookie Crust

You can make your gingersnap crumbs ahead of time and store them in a freezer bag at room temperature for up to a week, or the freezer for up to 2 months.

Otherwise, the best way to store this crust is in the freezer. Once you have pressed your gingersnap mixture into the pie dish, wrap well in plastic wrap and toss into a freezer bag. It can be stored frozen for up to 1 month. To use, pull from the freezer and fill immediately.

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Gingersnap Pie Crust Recipe

This Gingersnap Pie Crust is perfect for no-bake desserts, cheesecakes and holiday pies. It’s quick and easy to throw together and the wonderfully warm, spicy ginger flavor makes a great alternative to graham cracker crust.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 1 9-inch pie crust

Calories 223kcal

Author The Carefree Kitchen

Ingredients

  • 2 Cups Gingersnap Cookies crushed into coarse crumbs
  • 4 Tablespoons Light Brown Sugar
  • 6 Tablespoons Butter melted
  • 1 pinch Sea Salt

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

  • In a food processor, pulse the gingersnap cookies until the mixture resembles coarse sand.

  • In a medium bowl, combine the gingersnap cookie crumbs, brown sugar, melted butter and salt and mix with a spatula until well combined.

  • Using your fingers, or a cup with a flat bottom, press the cookie crumb mixture evenly onto the sides and bottom of a 9" pie dish.

  • Bake your crust in a preheated oven for about 10 minutes just to set the crust and make it less fragile. Remove from the oven and let the crust cool completely before filling.

Notes

No-Bake Pie Crust

You can also freeze your pie crust for a minimum of 2 hours (or up to a week) instead of par-baking. Just be sure and fill your crust straight from the freezer, then use with your favorite no-bake pie filling.

Nutrition

Calories: 223kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 207mg | Potassium: 32mg | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 285IU | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 0.7mg

Here are some more no-bake desserts that we love!

  • Edible Cookie Dough
  • Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Dip
  • Nutella No-Bake Cookies
  • No-Bake Peanut Butter S'mores Bars
  • No-Bake Peanut Butter Cornflake Cookies

More of the Best Pie Recipes

  • Homemade Blackberry Pie
  • Homemade Razzleberry Pie
  • Best Pumpkin Pie
  • Homemade Whipped Cream
  • More Gingersnap Recipes
  • More Pie Recipes
  • More Dessert Recipes

This gingersnap crust is perfect for a no-bake pie crust, pumpkin cheesecake or any of your favorite holiday pies! It's so easy to make and comes together in just a few minutes!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Gina

    What an easy crust recipe! Love how many different recipes I can use this for, perfect for all the upcoming holiday baking!

    Reply

  2. Natalie

    That's a lovely pie crust. So flavorful. I will have to bake something with this crust this weekend. Thanks!

    Reply

  3. Beth

    This looks sooo good! I love the suggestion of using this crust for a nutella cheesecake! Never tried it but I'm confident I'll love it!

    Reply

  4. Liz

    I loooove gingersnaps and I'm not usually a big fan of regular pie crust so this is going to be a new favorite! I'm going to fill mine with chocolate pudding!

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Gingersnap Pie Crust Recipe - The Carefree Kitchen (2024)

FAQs

Should I bake the bottom pie crust first? ›

You do not need to pre-bake a pie crust for an apple pie or any baked fruit pie really, but we do freeze the dough to help it stay put. Pre-baking the pie crust is only required when making a custard pie OR when making a fresh fruit pie. you should probably get: Pie weights are super helpful to have for pre-baking.

How do you keep pie crust from getting soggy with egg whites? ›

Brushing the surface of the unbaked crust with beaten egg or egg white mixed with water before adding the filling means that as it bakes, the proteins in the egg will form a moisture barrier over the crust and provide a layer of protection.

Should you poke holes in the bottom of pie crust? ›

With docking, the holes allow steam to escape, so the crust should stay flat against the baking dish when it isn't held down by pie weights or a filling. Otherwise the crust can puff up, not only impacting appearance but also leaving you with less space for whatever filling you have planned.

Should I egg wash the bottom pie crust? ›

The protein from the egg white creates a seal between the crust and the filling and prevents the filling from making the crust too soggy. I've recently started doing this extra step and while it's not 100% necessary, it does add a little extra reassurance to keep your pie crust firmer.

How long do you prebake bottom pie crust? ›

Line the crust with foil, parchment, or a paper coffee filter. Fill it about two-thirds full with dried beans, uncooked rice (or other uncooked grain berries), pie weights, or granulated sugar. Bake the crust in a preheated 375°F oven for 20 minutes, set on a baking stone or steel if you have one.

How long should I prebake my pie crust? ›

If you are pre-baking a store-bought frozen packaged crust, I recommend following the directions on the package for how to pre-bake that particular crust. Most instructions will have you defrost the crust, prick the bottom of the crust all over with the tines of a fork, and bake at 375°F to 450°F for 10 to 12 minutes.

How long to prebake pie crust at 350? ›

If your recipe doesn't have instructions and you're wondering how long to pre bake the pie, here's what I do: I pre bake the prepped pie crust at 350°F. If the crust is homemade from scratch, I pre bake for 35 minutes. If the crust is store-bought, I pre bake for 30 minutes.

How do you keep pie crust from sticking to the bottom of a pie plate? ›

Non-stick spray, butter, or shortening in the pie dish, on the other hand, will prevent sticking — but since most pie and tart crusts are pretty heavy on the butter already, you shouldn't need a lot of, if any, grease to get the job done. Using too much, or the wrong kind, can change the texture of your pie dough.

Why is my bottom pie crust hard? ›

The pie crust could have a firm or tough texture if you bake your pie before resting your dough. Giving your dough time to rest will allow all the ingredients to chill, help the moisture distribute more evenly throughout the dough, and make it easier to roll out.

Which pie do you prebake the crust? ›

There are a few instances, actually. You need a par-baked or fully baked crust if you're making quiche, no-bake pie, custard pie, cream pie, pudding pie, or simply want an extra-crisp pie crust. If you're making a pie that doesn't require a baked filling, you still need a baked crust.

What does adding an egg to pie crust do? ›

Sugar: Not all pie crusts have sugar, but those that do will be more tender since sugar interferes with gluten development. In our experience, sugar can also make the pie dough so tender that it's hard to roll out and transfer to your pan without breaking. Egg: This makes the dough more pliable and easy to roll out.

What makes a crust crispy? ›

A baking stone, or pizza stone, is a large piece of thick, ceramic tile that sits on the rack of your oven. By preheating the stone along with the oven to a high temperature—think in the 450°F to 500°F range—it picks up and retains a ton of heat that provides exceptional browning for your bottom crust.

How long do you bake the bottom crust of a pie? ›

For a pie that you will cook further, like a quiche, bake the crust until it's dry and just beginning to brown, but still pale in color, 45-50 minutes. For a pie that will need no further baking, like a chocolate cream pie, bake the crust until it's evenly browned and crisp-looking, 60 to 75 minutes.

Why is the bottom of my pie crust hard to cut? ›

The pie crust could have a firm or tough texture if you bake your pie before resting your dough. Giving your dough time to rest will allow all the ingredients to chill, help the moisture distribute more evenly throughout the dough, and make it easier to roll out.

What makes a pie crispy? ›

Mixed Crusts. Pie crusts are made by working fat into flour — when the fat melts during baking, it leaves behind layers of crispy, flaky crust. Yum. But just what fat you use in your pie is a matter of much debate — one that really boils down to personal preference.

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