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How to keep a graham cracker crust from getting soggy

Keep a graham cracker crust from getting soggy

Graham cracker crusts are easy to use, whether you bake them yourself or buy them at the store, because they take a lot less prep time and quite a bit less baking time than more traditional pastry crusts do. The drawback to them is that they got soggy very easily, a problem that is usually only made worse by the fact that the fillings placed in graham cracker shells tend to be custards, puddings and creams.

Fortunately, there are a couple of quick fixes that can prevent a graham cracker crust from getting soggy. When you have a no-bake filling, such as the one on this Caramel Banana Cream Pie or this Fresh Strawberry Pie, you can line the inside of the graham cracker crust with melted chocolate. This creates a waterproof barrier between the crust and filling, and will keep the crust in perfect condition even after the pie is sliced. You can use any kind of chocolate, simply brush it on with a pastry brush (or spread it very thinly) the chill it for a few minutes to set before filling.

If you have a pie that doesn’t go well with chocolate, or one that needs to be baked with its filling already in place, there is another trick to use. This time, brush the inside of an already baked (or store bought) graham cracker crust with a lightly beaten egg white and pop it into the oven at about 350F 3-5 minutes to let it dry. The crust has to be cool before you brush in the egg white to ensure that it is firm enough to allow you to brush it. The egg white has the same effect as the melted chocolate (although chocolate is sturdier overall), keeping moisture out of the crust.

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17 Comments
  • Lauren
    April 29, 2010

    What a great tip! I’ll have to remember this the next time I make a cheesecake.

  • Melissa
    April 29, 2010

    Of course! Chocolate is almost always the answer, isn’t it? 🙂

    Thanks for the tip.

  • Deelish Dish
    April 29, 2010

    Genius! I make banoffee pie all the time (British, banana + toffee) and have this problem. I’m adding chocolate next time!

  • Karen
    April 29, 2010

    Great idea. Now if I could find a way to keep my fruit pie pastry from getting soggy. Does it make sense to use the egg white for a traditional pastry?

  • Chris Mower
    April 29, 2010

    Brilliant idea! And yummy too! I want to go home and make pie now.

  • draw traffic to website
    April 29, 2010

    THANKS FOR THE ARTICLE YOU BLOG….

  • Cheryl
    April 29, 2010

    Thanks for the egg white tip, I am making Lemon Chess Pie for Mom and will try that. Should of known, I have put meringue on cracks in my regular pie crust before pouring in the hot lemon filling.

  • thanks for the effort

  • steve
    March 22, 2012

    Chocolate is always the answer. I make rice crisp treat crust for my cherry cheese cake pie. It gets soggy if not eaten rite away. Chocolate sealer a taste addition.

  • brucegirl
    March 24, 2013

    The best trick for keeping crusts from getting soggy (when using precooked fillings) is to wait until the filling is completely cooled off, and almost fully set, before adding it to the crust.

  • michelle
    November 17, 2013

    I tried the egg white trick, but how do you keep from pulling up your crust? The act of trying to brush my crust with the egg whites ended up pulling up crust and leaving holes which were really hard to fill back in with graham cracker mixture. Half the crumbs stuck to my pastry brush. :/

  • Nicole
    November 18, 2013

    Michelle – Good question. The crust needs to be baked and completely cooled before brushing in the egg white, then re-baked with the egg white “glaze” in place. Store bought crusts and pre-baked crusts should be firm enough to handle the motion of a pastry brush. I also find that silicone brushes (and even some silicone basting brushes) allow a lighter touch than a traditional pastry brush.

  • Joan
    October 19, 2014

    My pizza stone is always in my oven. Last time I made an apple pie I placed it on the stone and the bottom came out crispy. Worked beautifully with quiche as well Happy baking!

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