Vanilla Wafer Crust is a nostalgic buttery-crips golden crust that has been around for generations. A perfectly sweet vanilla-toasted sensation, perfect for ANY cream pie.
Vanilla wafers are synonymous with bananas, as in Banana Cream Pie. However, if you’re one of those who are not crazy about bananas, like I said, any cream pie is well-suited with a vanilla wafer crust. It’s not just for bananas anymore!
How Many Vanilla Wafers Does It Take?
You will need 1-1/2 cups of ground up vanilla wafer crumbs for a vanilla wafer crust that is 9-inches. This is about 24 cookies (regular size, not minis). An 11 oz box will yield 2-2/3 cups crumbs; which is not enough for two crusts. So, I crush about 30 cookies, so I have extra in case I make a mistake, like being heavy handed on the butter (oh for shame). I have notes below to explain why it’s important to get the amounts very close.
Anyway, as for the rest of box of vanilla wafers, snack time!
If you do not have a food processor a blender works just as well. If you’re roughing it, as in going back to 1970 basics, a plastic bag and a rolling pin does the job. Nothing wrong with a little retro flair. And, if you want to have fun, before you add the melted butter you can make Confetti Crumb Crust.
Combine the vanilla wafer crumbs with 4 tablespoons of melted butter, mix with a fork. It should have the consistency of wet/damp sand.
As mentioned above, I do try to measure the butter & cookie crumbs fairly accurately. If the crust has too much melted butter (pretty wet looking), it will shrink with the melted butter when baking and makes the crust “chewy” if baked too long. If there’s not enough butter and is too crumbly the crust will fall apart when trying to serve it. The “wet sand” test is the very best test for the unbaked crust.
Press the vanilla wafer crust crumb mix into a 9-inch pie plate with a custard cup or measuring cup. Bake at 350 F for 5 minutes, let it cool completely, and it’s ready for your filling of choice.
Vanilla wafers have been around for over 125 years (1898 to be exact). The crust is so easy and simple to make, yet simply delicious, no matter what filling you choose.
My top go to pies with vanilla wafer crust is Banana Cream Pie, Memphis Mafia, Sex on the Beach Icebox Pie, and Strawberry Shortcake Freezer Pie.
Memphis mafia is a pie inspired by Elvis’s Memphis Mafia who would cater to his love of Peanut Butter, Banana, and Bacon sandwich. Read here for a more in depth description of this “sandwich” that only the King could come up with.
Okay pie peeps, I can’t wait to see what you come up with!
Vanilla Wafer Crust
Vanilla Wafer Crust: An old-time classic crust, perfect for any cream pie and of course, superb with banana cream pie and pudding!
8
servings15
minutes5
minutesKeep the screen of your device on
Ingredients
1-1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs (about 24 cookies)
4 tablespoons melted butter
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Place the vanilla wafer cookie crumbs in a medium size bowl. Stir the crumbs as you drizzle in the melted butter.
- Once the butter is thoroughly mixed into the crumb it should have the consistency of damp/wet sand. If too “wet” looking add a couple of tablespoons of cookie crumbs.
- Press the mixture into a 9-inch pie plate, using a custard cup or bottom of a measuring cup. pressing in bottoms and sides.
- Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and completely cool before adding any filling.
