These crusts are used in several cheesecake recipes here as well as others in the next two sections about slab pies. You can pretty well use any one you like for any recipe, although we always tell you what we think works best. Even better, two of them are no-bake crusts.
For a real treat, add up to 1 teaspoon salt with the graham crackers.
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature, plus additional for the sheet pan
One 14.4 ounce box graham crackers, finely ground; or 4 cups graham cracker crumbs
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
1. Generously butter the inside of a 13 × 18-inch lipped sheet pan.
2. Mix the graham cracker crumbs and sugar in a medium bowl until uniform. Stir in the melted butter until moistened.
3. Pour the mixture into the prepared sheet pan. Use clean, dry fingers to press the mixture into an even crust across the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
Because vanilla wafer cookies are drier than graham crackers we upped the butter in this crust.
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature, plus additional for the sheet pan
One 15-ounce box plus 10 extra Nilla Wafer or other vanilla wafer cookies, finely ground; or 4 cups vanilla wafer cookie crumbs
¼ cup confectioners’ sugar
1. Generously butter the inside of a 13 × 18-inch lipped sheet pan.
2. Mix the cookie crumbs and confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl until uniform. Stir in the butter until moistened.
3. Pour the mixture into the prepared sheet pan. Use clean, dry fingers to press the mixture into an even crust across the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
This crust needs to be prebaked. In most cases, it will also need to cool to room temperature before you top it, even if it will then get baked again.
1 pound animal cracker cookies (about 120 cookies), finely ground
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
1. Position the rack in the center of the oven. Heat the oven to 350°F.
2. Stir the cookie crumbs and confectioners’ sugar in a large bowl until uniform. Stir in the melted butter until evenly moistened.
3. Pour this mixture into a 13 × 18-inch lipped sheet pan. Use clean, dry fingers to press the crumb mixture into an even crust across the bottom and up the sides of the pan. (The sides may be a little ragged.
4. Bake for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool to room temperature, at least 1 hour.