Learn how to make a thick homemade Oreo cookie crust with this easy recipe and my perfected shaping methods. You need just 2 ingredients, and it tastes so good, I guarantee you’ll never go back to store-bought Oreo crust again. Try it with my cookies & cream pie!
Today we are taking a deep dive into the dark shallows of an Oreo pie crust. This chocolate cookie crust is the base of so many wonderful desserts, like this cookies and cream pie (pictured below), chocolate mousse pie, and these white chocolate raspberry cheesecake bars.
It can also be swapped out for traditional pie crust or graham cracker crust in recipes such as French silk pie, cheesecake, coconut cream pie, and cheesecake pie.
Can’t I Just Buy a Pre-Made Oreo Crust?
Of course you could. But this homemade Oreo crust is really easy to make and tastes approximately 1,200x better. And it’s much thicker too. It weighs over 11 ounces, vs. the packaged crust, which is just 6 ounces. That’s a significant difference!
You Need Only 2 Ingredients
- Oreo Cookies: You need about 22 standard Oreos. The regular kind, not Double-Stuf. Double-Stuf are tasty to eat, but don’t work well for an Oreo crust. Just like when we make Oreo balls, the extra cream filling makes the crust turn out too soft and greasy.
- Butter: 5 Tablespoons, or 72g, of melted butter binds the tiny crumbs together, and makes this crust taste unbelievably delicious.
Can I Use Other Flavor Oreos? Oreos come in so many different flavors. For best results, stick with regular Oreos, and I know peanut butter Oreos or mint Oreos work too. I keep testing a Golden Oreo crust, and it always bakes into mush. You need a lot more cookies if making a Golden Oreo crust.
Oreo Cookie Math
Oreos come in many different size packages, containing different numbers of cookies, which also varies depending on where you are in the world. And—perhaps just to mess with us—occasionally manufacturers change the size of the cookies themselves or the number of cookies you get in a package… which means my team and I have to go through all my recipes that use Oreos and update them. (In case you’re wondering why your printed recipe may no longer match the recipe on the website.)
I used my trusty food scale to do some Oreo math for you (which is, without a doubt, the tastiest kind of math). According to the standard Oreo package nutrition label, a serving size of 3 cookies = 34g.
Therefore, 1 Oreo = 11.333333333333g… oh boy.
Measuring the crumbs can also cause confusion because how finely you grind the crumbs makes a difference. And if you spoon and level the crumbs into a measuring cup, like we do with flour, it’s a lot different than if you pack the crumbs into the cup, like we do when measuring brown sugar.
***Use the packed-into-the-cup method for measuring Oreo crumbs for a crust.***
Here’s what my team and I determined in our lab (aka my messy kitchen counter):
- If a recipe calls for 1 cup Oreo crumbs, you need 11 standard-size Oreos to yield 1 cup, or about 125g, of crumbs (packed).
- For a typical Oreo pie crust, you need 2 cups of Oreo crumbs (packed), so grind up 22 Oreos, which should yield about 2 cups crumbs (250g).
- If a recipe calls for chopped Oreos (not crumbs), like this cookies and cream sheet cake, use 8 Oreos for 1 cup chopped (90g).
How to Make an Oreo Cookie Crust
Grind 22 whole Oreo cookies (including the cream filling) into crumbs. You can use a food processor or blender for this, but if you don’t have one, just put them in a zipped-top bag and crush them with a rolling pin. Keep in mind that the finer the crumb, the better the crust will hold its shape.
You should get about 2 cups of crumbs (packed), or about 250g. Stir in the melted butter, and then press the mixture tightly into a pie dish. See below for some shaping tips.
The Oreo crumb crust will feel more moist than a graham cracker crust; that’s expected, because of the cream filling.
Oreo Cookie Crust Shaping Technique
Pack the crust tightly: Using your hands, press the bottom and around the sides with medium-firm pressure until the crumbs aren’t moving around anymore—you don’t want any loose crumbs. You can use a small flat-bottomed measuring cup to help smooth out the surface if you like.
Make a flat-top edge: I use my thumb on one hand and 4 fingers on my other hand to go around the top and sides.
And, finally, use a spoon to round the inside of an Oreo pie crust: This sounds a bit odd, but you don’t want a right angle at the bottom edges where the sides and the bottom meet. Instead, you want it a little bit rounded so it stays connected when you slice into it—so the side crust doesn’t immediately separate from the bottom crust. Slide the back of a spoon around the inside of the crust where the sides and bottom meet, to get that slightly rounded shape.
Crust Feels Too Greasy
If you are having trouble getting the crust to come together when pressing it into your pie dish or pan, and it’s feeling too moist and sticking to your hands more than to the dish, it’s helpful to add more crumbs. Transfer the mixture back to the mixing bowl, grind up 2 more Oreo cookies, stir them in, and then try again.
FAQ: What Size Pan Does This Oreo Crust Fit?
This recipe makes enough for an 8-inch, 9-inch, or 10-inch pie dish, round cake pan, springform pan, or square pan. It’s not enough for a 9×13-inch baking pan. If you’re making a 9×13-inch dessert, such as these chocolate peanut butter cheesecake bars, I recommend using 30 Oreos (340g) + 8 Tablespoons (1/2 cup, or 115g) butter.
FAQ: Do I Have to Pre-Bake This Oreo Crust?
Unless your filling/topping recipe specifies otherwise, you should bake the Oreo crust. Cheesecake and baked pies usually instruct you to pre-bake the crust, which is around 8–10 minutes before adding your filling. (Follow your filling’s recipe instructions.)
Side note: I do not pre-bake the crust for my caramel brownie turtle pie. The filling is so heavy that it really helps set the crust; pre-baking is unnecessary.
Some frozen pie/dessert recipes may instruct you to freeze the crust instead of baking it, like this peanut butter ice cream pie. And you can see I scaled up the recipe for the 9×13-inch size, and froze the crust, for this ice cream cake.
FAQ: Do I Bake This Oreo Crust for a No-Bake Filling?
If you’re using this crust for a no-bake dessert, such as this cookies & cream pie, bake it for 10–12 minutes. You usually need to wait for the crust to cool before adding a no-bake filling.
You can absolutely use this Oreo crust with many of my no-bake pie fillings, such as banana cream pie, coconut cream pie, and French silk pie (pictured below). Simply skip all the regular pie crust steps in those recipes, use the Oreo crust recipe below, bake it for 10–12 minutes, cool completely, and then add the filling!
More Oreo Crust FAQs
FAQ: Can I Use Generic/Other Brands of Chocolate Sandwich Cookies Instead of Oreos? You can, but keep in mind that other brands may not be the same size/weight, and that could change the amount of crumbs you get. For this crust you need 2 (packed) cups, or 250g, of cookie crumbs, so that may be more or less than 22 cookies if you’re using another brand.
FAQ: Can I Make a Gluten-Free Oreo Crust? I haven’t tested a gluten-free version of this crust with gluten-free Oreos, but if you try it, leave a comment on the post letting us know how it turns out!
FAQ: What if I Don’t Have a Food Processor? If you don’t have a food processor or blender, place the Oreo cookies in a large zipped-top bag and crush with a rolling pin. Keep in mind that the finer the crumb, the better the crust will hold its shape, so go ahead and take your frustrations out on those cookies!
Print
Perfect Oreo Cookie Crust
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes (if needed)
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 9-inch pie crust
- Category: Pie
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Learn how to make a thick Oreo cookie crust with only 2 ingredients.
Ingredients
- 22 regular Oreo cookies
- 5 Tablespoons (72g) unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Make the crust: In a food processor or blender, pulse 22 Oreos (including the cream filling) into a fine crumb. You can also place them in a zip-top bag and crush them into fine crumbs with a little arm muscle and a rolling pin. You should have about 2 cups (packed) crumbs, or 250g. Pour crumbs into a large bowl.
- Add the melted butter and stir to combine. The mixture will be thick and quite wet. Try to smash/break up any large chunks.
- Pour the mixture into an ungreased 8-inch, 9-inch, or 10-inch pie dish, cake pan, springform pan, or square pan. With medium pressure using your hand, pat the crumbs down into the bottom and up the sides to make a compact, thick crust. If the mixture seems really wet and is not forming a nice crust, grind up 2 more Oreos and mix those crumbs in. Tip: You can use a small flat-bottomed measuring cup to help press down the bottom crust and smooth out the surface, but do not pack down too hard. If making a pie, run a spoon around the bottom “corner” where the edge and bottom meet to help make a rounded crust—this helps prevent the crust from falling apart when you cut slices.
- For a baked dessert, pre-bake this crust per your filling recipe directions. I usually pre-bake for 8–10 minutes at 350°F (177°C). For a no-bake filling such as cookies & cream pie, bake for 10–12 minutes at 350°F (177°C). Cool the crust completely before using, unless your no-bake filling recipe instructs otherwise.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: It’s freezer friendly! Freeze the prepared crust in your pan for up to 3 months. Thaw before using in your recipe. For shorter storage, keep the prepared crust in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before using in your recipe.
- Other Types of Oreos: Do not use Double-Stuf Oreos. Golden Oreos aren’t ideal either, because the mixture turns into mush. It’s best to stick with regular Oreos, or you can use peanut butter- or mint-flavor Oreos.
- Other Brands of Chocolate Sandwich Cookies: You can use generic/other brands. Keep in mind that other brands of chocolate sandwich cookies may not be the same size/weight, and that could change the amount of crumbs you get. For this crust you need 2 (packed) cups, or 250g, of cookie crumbs, so that may be more or less than 22 cookies if you’re using another brand.
- What Size Pan Does This Crust Fit? Use an 8-inch, 9-inch, or 10-inch pie dish, cake pan, springform pan, or square pan for this recipe. It’s not enough for a 9×13-inch pan. If you’re making a 9×13-inch dessert, such as these chocolate peanut butter cheesecake bars, I recommend using 30 Oreos (340g) + 8 Tablespoons (1/2 cup, or 115g) butter.
Keywords: Oreo cookie crust
Question for you. I made this for an layered ice cream pie birthday dessert. The 21-year old birthday boy dished out the pieces and he couldn’t get the Oreo crust layer out of the pie dish. (I thought at first maybe it was just his lack of experience dishing out desserts but I tried to and the crust would barely budge.) Everyone loved the dessert otherwise. Any suggestions?
Hi Lynn, unfortunately this can be quite common when freezing Oreo crust. We haven’t found a great solution for this besides reducing the butter. (Results vary, but it’s helped just a bit.) Try scaling down to 1/4 cup butter. (4 Tbsp). Also, try not to press the crust mixture into the pan/dish too hard. If you press it very hard, it will solidify and can be difficult to cut. You want to press it just so the crust comes together in the pan’s shape. Hope this helps for next time!
Used 250g Great Valu brand gluten free Oreos and 4tbsp butter. Seemed greasy when mixing but texture was good once pie was done. Migh5 try a bit less butter next time.
Love the Oreo crust.Is there a way to keep it from being too hard after freezing for an ice cream pie?
Hi Denise, I haven’t found a great solution for this besides reducing the butter. (Results vary, but it’s helped just a bit.) Try scaling down to 1/4 cup butter. (4 Tbsp)
Your crust turned out like a picture!! I cannot wait to put cheesecake filing in this and top it with mixed berry compote! Thank you so much for a super simple recipe!
★★★★★
Will Oreo Thins work? How do I
Wondering about adjustments if using Oreo Thins. TX!
Hi RLT, we don’t recommend it, since the cookie and cream ratio is much different than regular Oreos. Regular Oreos work best for this crust.
Will the same amount work for cupcakes?
You can use this to press into cupcake liners as a cupcake or mini cheesecake crust, yes.
Love the detailed instructions! A perfect crus Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
This is a great Oreo crust. I use it for the cookies and cream pie, which is our favorite. I am going to try it with a chocolate pudding pie next.
★★★★★
Hey, Sally! Can I use Dark Chocolate Oreos? Thanx!
Can’t see why not!
I’ve made two batches of your recipe for homemade buttery flaky pie crust. My concern is that when the dough is prepared and ready to be refrigerated it has a normal pale color which I expected. After several hours in the ref it has a beige color. This has happened both times and I’m wondering why it turned this darker shade . Is this normal for the dough to change color?
Hi Rosemary, this is completely normal and just what can occur as the flour begins to absorb more of the fat. Happens to me all the time and has no negative effect on the dough.
Hi! I am on my second try of an oreo crust for a cheesecake. I had it so nicely spread in the pan and up the sides and after I baked it (recipe calls for baking) they all slid down and it was a thick bottom crust. Second time I didn’t go all the way up the sides and tried to use less butter, and… put pie weights in. It’s a little better, but still slid down. Any tips on why it does this? I’ve made these before and never had this issue 🙁
Hi Heather, we share your frustration! This has definitely happened to us before too. Instead of using less butter, we recommend adding some more Oreo crumbs. And keep in mind that the finer the crumbs, the better the crust will hold its shape. You can also try chilling the crust in the refrigerator or freezer for about 10-20 minutes before baking, to see if that helps. Please report back and let us know how you get on!
hi! I’m making your Great Pumpkin Pie in about 18 hours for Thanksgiving. What do you think about using the Oreo crust? And would it be okay to use the dark chocolate-filled Oreos instead? Thank you!
I think that would be fantastic! I wouldn’t pre-bake the Oreo crust.
Looking for easy dessert to make with grandson who is a huge Oreo fan.
#1Could I make these in a muffin tin? #2 Could I use a whole cookie for
base and then add filling and freeze?
Any advice on why every oreo crust I make turns out rock solid? I’ve used it for cheesecake and chocolate pies and the crust is always sooo hard.
Hi Rach, it could be either too much butter OR pressing the crust mixture into the pan/dish too hard. If you press it very hard, it will solidify. You want to press it just so the crust comes together in the pan’s shape. Also, reduce the butter by a 1/2 Tablespoon could help.
Do I greased or not greased the pie pan before I add the filling? I am making no bake German Chocolate pie. And wondering if pie pan is not greased it will be hard to cut into the crust?
We do not grease the pan (see step 3) — the crust should not be hard to cut if sticking to the recipe and bake times. Overbaked crusts can get a bit tough and crumbly.
Hi Sally, thanks for much for this recipe! I would like to try to make a pumpkin pie with this Oreo cookie crust. Do I need to pre-bake the crust?
Hi Sai, no need to pre-bake the crust if using with a pumpkin pie filling. Let us know how it turns out for you!
Gluten free oreos, that’s all I use. Can’t tell the difference.
I would like to use a chocolate cookie pie crust with a pumpkin filling. Is this possible?
Hi Annie! We haven’t tested it, but it’s definitely possible. No need to pre-bake the crust. Let us know if you give it a try!
I just made this with gluten free oreos and it’s absolutely perfect. No difference from regular.
Thank you so much for posting. I will be making this for my Gluten Free son in law.
Oh good!