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 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 easy 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 or mocha chocolate pudding 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 (71g) 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.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Food Processor | Glass Mixing Bowl | 8-inch Pie Dish, 9-inch Pie Dish, 10-inch Pie Dish, Round Cake Pan, Springform Pan, or Square Cake Pan
- 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.
I made this with GF Oreos — half original and half mint. The flavor and texture were perfect. Thanks for such a fabulous and simple recipe.
I made this with Gluten Free Oreos and it worked perfectly. I didn’t change a thing! Thanks for a great easy pie crust, that I can make GF
Can you substitute coconut oil for the butter, for a dairy free option?
Hi Paula, we haven’t tested it, but that *should* work since it’s a fat that is solid at room temperature. The taste, of course, will be different. Let us know if you try it!
I have been looking for an oreo recipe for a while. Glad I found this one! Love!
I used gluten-free Oreos and put in 2 extra cookies. The mix seemed at little too dry so I added another teaspoon melted butter. It came out perfect! I put a no-bake chocolate cherry filling in it and the crust stayed crunchy and held together well! Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
How do you tell when it’s done? I ended up burning mine because it seemed too wet when the time was up
Hi Liz, it will still look a bit “wet” when done, but that goes away as the crust cools and sets. It depends on the particular recipe, but we usually find 8-10 minutes in perfect for baked desserts, and 10-12 minutes for no-bake fillings.
Easy, great recipe! I made it using gluten free Oreos and it was fabulous! Used it to make peanut butter pie!
Hi! I use this recipe all the time and love it. I have to bake up GF tarts whenever I have special requests from clients and this works great for that as well. Sometimes you have to change the ratio slightly because the GF Oreo cookies are a bit drier so I usually add a bit more moisture as when it comes out of the oven it can be really crumbly. So I mix up per Sally’s instruction, then gauge how much moisture and I add half tablespoon of water at a time to help the stick factor. If I add additional butter, it becomes too greasy
This works great with Gluten Free Oreos and nobody could taste the difference!
Can I ask who would ask for a no bake recipe? I’m just curious. Also was instructed, “unless your recipe statutes otherwise “….I cook for a living. I make cheesecakes all week. Never made an oreo. Everything from scratch. Why would anyone make a homemade crust and use instant pie filling?
Hi Heather, there are many different recipes out there for pies. Some use homemade fillings, others have shortcuts. A no bake recipe could include a no-bake cheesecake, a banana cream pie, or other cream pie variations. Sorry if I am misunderstanding your question.
Very tasty! I just thought it was a little TOO sweet. It was sweeter than the chocolate cream I made for the filling. Next time I am going to try removing the cookie filling on half of the cookies. I made a 10-inch pie and there was plenty of crust.
Will removing the creme filling prevent the crust from sticking together and be too dry?
We love leaving the cream filling in and highly recommend it.
Hello! I make an Oreo crust chocolate cream cheese pie every year at Thanksgiving and Christmas for our families. This year I realized that a ready-made Oreo crust is no longer available. I found your post here and followed your instructions exactly to make 2 Oreo crusts. They came out perfect and delicious. So much better than the pre-made crusts I used in the past. I especially appreciated all the tips. Thanks so much for saving the day!!
Absolutely the best chocolate chip cookie recipe I have ever eaten! People rave about the NYTimes Chocolate Chip Cookie which I have made dozens of times but truly this is so much better The addition of molasses gives it a warming homemade flavour and the scant amount of cinnamon is a bonus. You can’t really tasste it but you know there is a little bit of something extra to this cookie Thank you!!
Gluten free Oreo crust was perfect! I followed the directions for regular Oreos and did bake it 12 minutes @ 350 degrees.
I made oreo crust exacting as per recipe baked 12 minutes and cooled well, then put layer hot fudge on top and softened breyers ice cream to fill crust then sprinkled M/M’s and drizzled chocolate magic shell on top. Simple delicious everyone loved it. My kids favorite dessert.
Hey Sally! Thank you for another awesome recipe. I love the hints and details.
I made this crust for pumpkin chocolate cheesecake and it’s delicious, but there was melted butter on the cookie sheet when I took the cheesecake out of the oven. I used an 8” springform pan. Should I wrap the pan with foil next time? Or make any other adjustments?
Hi Jan, we’re so glad you enjoyed the cheesecake! Some springform pans have a tendency to leak a bit, so covering the pan in aluminum foil will definitely help for next time.
I used this tonight with GF Jo-Jo’s. It looked gorgeous going into the oven and after 10 minutes it was all puffed up and half of one side was gone. It looks like it shrunk rather than fell apart. Any ideas?
Hi Matt, thanks for letting me know that this recipe didn’t work with those gluten free Oreos, as I hadn’t tested it. I’m unsure what could help, but perhaps adding more cookie crumbs would help it hold shape better.
Do I need to prebake oreo cookie crust with egg wash before adding in the chocolate for the french silk pie?
Hi Barb, pre-bake the Oreo cookie crust at 350°F (177°C) for 12 minutes. No need for pie weights if using a cookie crust, and no need for an egg wash. Cool completely before filling. Hope it’s a hit!
I wish all recipes were this helpful. The measurement of the cookies to give you a total cookie count, bake vs no bake options, pan size. And to top it off it’s delicious. Thank you!
Can you use gluten-free Oreos?
Yes, you can!
Can I use gluten-free Oreos?
Many readers have reported success doing so!
Going to try this recipe. Curious about using the cream with the cookie vs not. Other recipes say to remove the cream …. thoughts?
Hi Tiff! We love leaving the cream filling in and highly recommend it.
I accidentally bought double stuffed so I’m going to remove the filling from half the cookies. I may also cut down on the butter. I’ll report back!
I used the GF Oreos yesterday. I used a food scale to make sure there were 250g. The only thing I might do next time is add just a tiny bit more butter. The crust holds well but it’s very crunchy. It was very yummy and worked perfectly for my chocolate peanut butter pie.
I make GF recipes often and YES! GF Oreo cookies are amazing! I actually like them better than the original.