Chocolate Cookie Crust
This chocolate cookie crust is made from my homemade chocolate wafer cookies, which deliver a bold, rich flavor from a blend of Dutch process and black cocoa. I’ve perfected the butter-to-crumb ratio for an easy press-in crust that holds together beautifully and provides the perfect texture. It’s not overly sweet, making it the ideal balance for rich fillings. Best of all, you can skip the time-consuming cookie cutouts by using my unique slab-baking shortcut to quickly turn the chocolate wafer sheet into flavorful crumbs, creating a no-fuss crust in no time.
Servings 1 9 inch pie crust; 9.5 inch tart crust, or 10 inch springform pan base
Ingredients
- 1 recipe chocolate wafer cookies bake using slab method
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted (warm, not hot)
- 1-2 Tablespoons granulated sugar optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177° Celsius, Gas mark 4).
- Break up your slab of chocolate wafer cookies and place into the bowl of a food processor.1 recipe chocolate wafer cookies
- Pulse until finely ground. Add melted butter (and sugar, if using) and pulse until incorporated. Scrape bowl to stir in any unmixed melted butter.2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 1-2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- Pour crumb mixture into 9 inch pie plate. You can also use a 9.5 inch tart pan or cover the base of a 10 inch springform pan.
- Using a flat bottomed measuring cup, press crumbs into base and up sides of pie plate.Press the crumbs into the pan firmly enough for the crust to hold its shape without crumbling. It's a medium pressure. Don't do it so firmly that it gets really dense. It will be hard to slice!
- Use your fingers to compress the crust mixture to the side of the pie plate and form a tidy top edge.
- Bake crumb crust for 8-10 minutes in a metal pan, or 10-12 minutes in a glass pan. Cool completely before touching (it's fragile when hot) or adding fillings!
Notes
- Follow the slab baking method in the chocolate wafer cookie recipe to skip cutting out individual cookies.
- Press the crumbs into the pan firmly enough for the crust to hold its shape without crumbling. It's a medium pressure. Don't do it so firmly that it gets really dense. It will be hard to slice!
- Bake the wafer crust for 10-12 minutes in a glass pan, or 8–10 minutes in a metal pan, until the crust looks set, slightly darkened, and dry to the touch. It may still feel a little soft while warm but will firm up as it cools.
- Let the crust cool completely before touching (it will be fragile!) or adding fillings. In a glass pan, this usually takes about 30–40 minutes at room temperature. You can speed cooling by placing it on a wire rack or cooling it in the fridge once the pan is no longer hot.