Coconut-Graham Pie Crust

No oven required for this pie crust. Crushed graham crackers, toasted sweetened coconut, melted butter, and sugar get pressed into a pie plate and microwaved until firm. The whole thing takes about 20 minutes start to finish, and you’ve got a crispy, fragrant shell ready for any chilled or cream filling.

Toasting the coconut in the microwave first is the step that makes this crust special. Stirring every 30 seconds for 4-7 minutes turns raw shredded coconut a deep golden brown with an intense, nutty flavor that raw coconut simply doesn’t have. It can go from golden to burnt fast in the microwave, so the frequent stirring isn’t optional.

The crust firms up as it stands, not in the microwave. Those 10 minutes of resting on a flat surface let the melted butter re-solidify and bind the crumbs into a sturdy shell. Skip the rest and the crust crumbles when you try to slice your pie.

Chef Tips

• Crush the graham crackers into coarse crumbs, not powder. A slightly chunky crumb gives the crust better texture and crunch.
• Press the crumb mixture firmly and evenly up the sides and across the bottom. Use the flat bottom of a measuring cup for a smooth, compact base.
• Place the pie plate on an inverted saucer in the microwave. This raises the crust off the turntable for more even cooking.
• Let the toasted coconut cool completely on a separate plate before mixing with the crumbs. Hot coconut will melt the butter too quickly and make the mixture greasy.

Variations

• Use this crust for coconut cream pie, banana cream pie, or Key lime pie for a tropical twist on classics.
• Swap graham crackers for chocolate wafer cookies for a chocolate-coconut shell that pairs well with mousse fillings.
• Add ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon or cardamom to the crumb mixture for a spiced version.