Ginger Crumb Crust
Submitted by robincarlson
Triple-ginger crumb crust made with gingersnap crumbs, crystallized ginger, and ground ginger. A spicy, fragrant pie shell that pairs with frozen or chilled fillings.
YIELD
1 crustPREP
20 minCOOK
10 minREADY
30 minThis crust hits you with ginger three ways: gingersnap crumbs for the base, crystallized ginger for chewy, spicy pockets, and ground ginger for an all-over warmth. It’s a serious upgrade from a basic graham cracker crust, and it pairs especially well with citrus, pumpkin, or frozen pie fillings.
The food processor does the important work here, grinding the crystallized ginger and gingersnap crumbs together until everything is uniformly fine. Chunks of candied ginger left too large won’t press evenly and will create weak spots in the crust.
Reserving a quarter cup of the crumb mixture to bake separately is a smart touch. Those loose crumbs become a crunchy garnish for the top of whatever pie you fill this with.
Kitchen Tips
- Press the crumb mixture firmly using the flat bottom of a measuring cup or glass. Loose crumbs crumble when you try to slice the finished pie.
- Cool the baked crust completely before adding any cold or frozen filling. Warm crust will melt a frozen filling at the edges and make it weep.
- Use a deep-dish pie pan. The crust mixture is generous and needs the extra wall height.
- Store-bought gingersnaps vary in spice level. Taste one first, and if they’re mild, bump up the ground ginger to ¾ teaspoon.
Variations
- Swap gingersnap crumbs for speculoos (Biscoff) cookie crumbs for a warmer, more caramel-forward crust.
- Add a tablespoon of finely chopped pecans to the crumb mixture for a nutty crunch.
- Use coconut oil instead of butter for a dairy-free version.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350℉ (180℃) F, with a rack in the middle.
In a food processor, process the crumbs, crystallized ginger, sugar and ground ginger until they’re as fine as possible.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add the melted butter.
Set aside ¼ cup of the crumb mixture for decorating the top of the pie.
Press the rest of the crumb mixture over the bottom and up the sides of a greased 9-inch deep pie pan.
(A greased 8-inch springform pan gives a nicer- looking result for Frozen Lemon Pie.)
Bake the crust for 10 minutes.
On a separate pan or sheet of foil, at the same time, bake the ¼ cup of crumbs.
Cool the pie shell completely before putting a cold filling.
Comments
