Learn how to make a perfect Oreo cookie crust from just three ingredients (Oreo cookies, butter, and a little salt). This easy recipe creates a baked chocolate cookie crust that is the perfect base for cheesecakes, pies, and tarts.
Back in 2023, Nabisco and Mr. Christie discontinued their chocolate wafers in North America. These wafers were the chocolate cookies we all used, transforming them into crumbs to make chocolate crusts for cheesecakes.
This Oreo cookie crust is what I make since chocolate wafers are impossible to find. This cheesecake crust recipe uses whole Oreo cookies. No need to scrape out and separate the white filling!
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Ingredients
It doesn't get any simpler than an Oreo cookie crust with only three ingredients. Here's what you need:
- Oreo cookies—you can use any chocolate sandwich cookies but the taste will vary. I prefer to buy name-brand Oreo cookies to make the best tasting crust
- salt—salt brings out the flavour of this crust, making it more interesting. I bake with Diamond Crystal fine Kosher salt. If using table salt, add half the amount to avoid making the crust overly salty.
- butter—I make this crust with unsalted butter, prefering to add salt myself. If you use salted butter, omit the salt in the recipe to avoid making the crust too salty.
Please see the recipe card for the exact ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
Here are a couple of variations, depending on what you have access to.
- Chocolate wafers - if you still have access to chocolate wafers, replace the whole Oreos with 150 grams of chocolate wafer crumbs and 25 grams of granulated sugar (just like for a baked graham cracker crumb crust). You could also try chocolate Teddy Grahams or chocolate graham crackers instead.
- Speculoos or graham cracker - use speculoos or graham crackers cookies in place of Ores, but follow the graham cracker crumb crust ratios mentioned in the above bullet point).
With any variation, you may have to do some testing to get the recipe just right!
Instructions
You will use a large food processor for this recipe. A small food processor could work, though you may have to grind the Oreos to crumbs in portions to avoid overloading the machine. Here's how to make an Oreo cookie crust from scratch:
Step 1—Start by combining Oreo cookies with salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal S-blade (image 1). Process the mixture until the cookies break down into a fine, even crumb (image 2). Pour the melted butter on top (image 3) and then continue to pulse the mixture until it clumps together (image 4).
Step 2—Transfer the chocolate crumble to your prepared pan (image 5). I generally bake cheesecakes in a 9-inch springform pan lined with parchment paper. Pat out and press the mixture to form a flat, even crust from edge to edge (image 6). Bake the crust until set (image 7). Let cool before using.
Storage
Use immediately according to your recipe. For cheesecakes, I let the crust cool completely before filling them with the cheesecake batter. You can make the crust ahead of time (the day before), and store it in a cool, dry place until you are ready to use it.
Top Tip
Pre-bake your Oreo cookie crusts and graham cracker crusts before filling them to ensure you create a sturdy crust that holds up to the filling.
FAQ
I have found that, with this type of cookie crumb crust, they may leak a little melted butter as they bake, but generally it is after filling during the second bake (like when the cheesecake is baking). I don't find that this affects the texture of the crust. You could experiment with adding less melted butter, but the amount of butter that leaks is just a few grams, negligible compared to the total weight of butter in the crust.
Other Cookie Crumb Crust Recipes
Looking for other crumb crust recipes like this? Try these:
- graham cracker crumb crust (used to make this perfect vanilla cheesecake)
- shortbread cookie crust (for a strawberry cream tart)
- saltine crust (used to make an orange pie that tastes like a creamsicle)
- oat cookie crust (used to make the famous Milk Bar Pie)
If you tried this recipe for baked Oreo cookie crust (or any other recipe on my website), please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
📖 Recipe
Baked Oreo Cookie Crust
Equipment
Ingredients
- 190 grams Oreo cookies
- 0.625 mL Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt
- 58 grams unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C). Line a 9-inch (23 cm) springform pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine the Oreo cookies and salt. Process them together into a find crumb.
- Pour the melted butter over top and stir everything together for a couple of minutes until all the ingredients are evenly moistened with butter and they begin to clump together.
- Transfer the crumbs to the prepared pan and spread them out in an even layer from edge to edge. Use a flat-bottomed glass or the palm of your hand to press them firmly into place and smooth the surface of the crust.
- Bake until the crust is set. This takes about 10–15 minutes.
Notes
- I prefer to use name brand Oreo cookies
- If you have access to chocolate wafers, replace the weight of Oreos with 150 grams of chocolate wafers and 25 grams of granulated sugar.
- I bake with Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt. If using table salt, add half the amount or the recipe may be too salty.
- This makes a flat, 9-inch crust, perfect for a 9-inch cheesecake baked in a springform pan. If you want the crumbs to come up the sides of the pan, you will need to double the recipe to have enough to cover the sides too (if not more!). If you have extra unbaked crust crumbs, freeze them for later.
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