- A thin layer of crushed graham crackers under fruit filling keeps the pie crust from getting soggy.
- Graham crackers soak up juices, thicken the filling and add a warm, sweet flavor to every bite.
- This easy pie trick comes from a family recipe passed down through generations.
I am the first to admit that I’m not an expert baker. I actually love baking, especially fruit pies, galettes and tarts, but I’m definitely not trained in pastries like I am in culinary arts. My 3-week block of baking classes in culinary school taught me the bare minimum, like the basics of making sourdough breads, meringues, pastry cream and delicate cakes. But I always defer to the experts when baking. For me, that typically means finding tried-and-trusted recipes or techniques.
One such tip I learned about making the best fruit pies—I’m talking bold flavors and a juicy filling without a soggy bottom—comes from an unlikely source. It turns out my father-in-law, Dan, a retired statistician, is quite the baker. He came to visit us here in Vermont one fall, and as you do at that time of year, we went apple-picking with the family. We ended up with so many extra apples that Dan made us Omi’s apple pie. And when he did, he incorporated a trick of adding crushed graham crackers on top of the dough before filling the pie to keep the crust from getting soggy, among other benefits.
Omi’s Long-Lasting Tradition
This apple pie was a treat like none other, not just for its exceptional taste and texture, but because the recipe survived the occupation of Austria in World War II, a family fleeing to Palestine (what is now Israel) and the immigration of my wife’s family to America. There are likely countless recipes and culinary techniques that were lost, and are currently being lost, as a result of war and the displacement of a people, but this one survived and is cherished by those still living.
Omi here refers to Judith, Dan’s mother, who was classically trained in pastry and baking in Holland. She was, from my father-in-law’s stories, an exceptional baker, and he held on to some of her equipment and recipes all these years later. In fact, he gave us his mom’s pastry tips as a wedding gift. While she passed well before I met my wife, Omi left quite the mark on her family; so much, in fact, that our first daughter Juliet is named, in part, in honor of her.
Simple Tip for Great Fruit Pies
There is some debate in the family about how to make Omi’s apple pie, but according to Dan, whom I regard as the expert in this matter, graham crackers are essential. No, it’s not a graham-cracker-crust fruit pie. Rather, a thin layer of crushed graham crackers goes directly on the pie crust, just below the fruit filling.
Photographer: Diana Christruga
Again, I’m not a baking and pastry expert, but I know enough culinary science to understand that the graham crackers likely do a few important things in fruit pies. Most critically, the graham crackers absorb some of the liquid from the fruit filling. Capturing that liquid ensures that the bottom crust doesn’t get soggy. The graham crackers also help thicken the filling without making it the least bit gummy, like some thickening agents can do. And, of course, they add a delicious yet familiar flavor without overpowering the essence of the fruit.
Borrowing from an Expert
Since watching Dan make his mom’s apple pie, and absolutely loving every bite, I’ve borrowed the technique of using graham cracker crumbs under the filling for all my fruit pie applications. This includes the more freeform, rustic galettes, hand pies and even mini tartlets. And it works well for more than just apples. I use it for berry, peach, nectarine, cherry and even rhubarb pies—whatever fruit I have lying around that needs to be turned into pie before it goes bad. Anytime the juice from fresh fruit could potentially spoil the bottom crust, I add a small amount of graham cracker crumbs, thanks to Omi’s apple pie.
If you too fall into more of the beginner baker category, this is a great way to take your baking to the next level. You can get similar results by using fresh breadcrumbs, but the flavor is much better when you use graham crackers. Simply crush a couple crackers by hand—no need for the crumb to be fine—and add them right on top of the pie crust once it’s rolled out into the pie plate. Use just enough to cover the bottom in a thin, even layer. If your recipe calls for parbaking the pie crust first, add the cracker crumbs just before pouring in the filling. It’s a simple yet effective way to add a hint of warm, familiar flavor while thickening the filling a bit and helping prevent the bottom crust from getting soggy.
The Bottom Line
Adding a thin layer of graham cracker crumbs between the bottom crust and filling of a fruit pie helps thicken the filling, introduces a delicious and familiar flavor and reduces the chances of a soggy bottom. It’s a method passed down by generations of bakers, from a professionally trained Austrian mother to her baking enthusiast son and now to his food writer and recipe developer son-in-law.
