Digestive Biscuit Pie Crust Recipe
This Digestive biscuit pie crust recipe is perfect for banoffee pie or as a substitute for graham cracker crust. It’s quick, easy, and full of buttery flavor. Because it’s a crumb crust, there’s no rolling or shaping required—just crush, mix, and press. Its light, mildly sweet flavor lets the filling take center stage. Use this crust for any pie that calls for a graham cracker crust, or try it with something new. It’s especially delicious for cream pies, like chocolate cream pie, no-bake cheesecake pies, such as peanut butter pie, and custard pies, such as classic American pumpkin pie.
Table of Contents
A Brief History of Digestive Biscuits
Digestive biscuits are mildly sweetened cookies made with whole wheat flour and baking soda. They were created by two doctors in Scotland in 1839, who hoped they would be easy to digest (hence the name “Digestives”). Their idea came from the belief that baking soda dissolved in water could help with digestion. However, there’s no evidence that baked goods made with baking soda would have the same effect.
Digestives have been manufactured by McVitie’s since 1892 and have remained popular ever since. They were even voted the UK’s favorite dunking biscuit in 2009. In 1925, the company began introducing new flavors, and today, there are all sorts of varieties to choose from. Try experimenting with different flavors in this recipe to find your favorite.
Digestive Biscuit Crust vs Graham Cracker Crust
Digestives vs Graham Crackers
- Graham Crackers:
- Readily available in most grocery stores in the US and Canada
- Hard, dry, cookie-like crackers made with whole wheat flour and often flavored with honey or cinnamon.
- Digestives:
- A great substitute for graham crackers if they aren’t available where you live.
- Softer in texture and slightly less sweet than graham crackers.
- Like graham crackers, they are dry, lightly sweetened cookies that pair well with a wide range of fillings.
Digestives vs Graham Crackers
Both Digestives and graham crackers work extremely well for pie crust. Because they’re only lightly sweetened, neither one overpowers the filling, allowing its flavor to stand out.
Step-by-Step Digestive Biscuit Pie Crust:
Ingredients
- 190g Digestive Biscuit Crumbs (about 12-15 biscuits)
- 60g Unsalted Butter, melted (¼c)
- 50g Granulated Sugar (¼c)
1.
Start by grinding your Digestive biscuits into fine crumbs. The easiest method is to use a food processor, working in small batches so you don’t overfill the bowl. You’ll need about 190g of crumbs in total. If you don’t have a food processor, place the crackers in a large zip-top bag, leave a small opening for air to escape, and crush them evenly with a rolling pin. You can also save time by buying pre-crushed graham cracker crumbs from the store.
2.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the biscuit crumbs with 60g of melted butter and 50g of granulated sugar. Stir with a fork until the crumbs are evenly coated and resemble damp sand.
3.
Press the mixture firmly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie tin. The easiest method is to start by pressing the crumbs into the center, then working outward until they climb up the edges of the pan. A flat-bottomed measuring cup or glass can help pack the crumbs tightly and evenly.
4.
If your filling will be no-bake, you can choose to pre-bake the crust for 5–7 minutes at 175°C (350°F). This step is optional but helps give the crust extra crispness. For baked fillings, the crust will bake as the pie bakes, so pre-baking isn’t necessary.
How to Make Digestive Biscuit Crumbs for Pie Crust:
The quickest and most efficient way to make Digestive biscuit crumbs is with a food processor. Break the biscuits into a few pieces by hand, then pulse them in batches until they’re finely ground. This method gives you even crumbs with minimal effort.
If you don’t have a food processor, you can crush the biscuits with a rolling pin. Place them in a large zip-top bag, leave a small opening so air can escape, and roll over the biscuits until they’re ground to the texture you want. For this technique, a traditional rolling pin with handles works best since they are heavy, making it easier to break the crackers down into fine crumbs.
If you plan on making pies regularly and don’t already have one, investing in a food processor is well worth it. It saves time, produces perfectly even crumbs, and can be used for many other baking tasks. I recommend the Cuisinart 8-cup food processor, which is what I use at home. If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly option, the 4-cup version is a reliable entry-level choice that still gets the job done.
Vegan Digestive Biscuit Crust for Pie:
Since 2019, most non-chocolate varieties of Digestive biscuits have been fully vegan. That makes it incredibly simple to adapt this crust for a plant-based or dairy-free diet. The only ingredient you need to swap is the butter. Replace the melted butter with an equal amount of melted coconut oil or melted vegan butter. Both substitutions create a crust that’s crisp, flavorful, and completely dairy-free.
Using a Digestives for a Banoffee Pie Crust:
Banoffee pie is a popular no-bake Christmas dessert in the UK. It’s simple to make and uses everyday ingredients. Banoffee pie crust is usually a Digestive biscuit crumb crust, which adds a lightly sweet, buttery foundation that balances the richness of the filling. A traditional banoffee pie layers sliced bananas with caramel or dulce de leche, then finishes with a thick topping of whipped cream. My favorite topping is a coffee flavored whipped cream.
What are the Best Pies for a Digestive Biscuit Crust?
As mentioned above, the quintessential pie made with a Digestive biscuit crust is banoffee pie. British versions of lemon meringue pie also occasionally call for a Digestive crust. Beyond those classics, a Digestive biscuit crust works as a perfect substitute for graham cracker crust, especially if you live somewhere where graham crackers are hard to find.
- Banoffee Pie: A British no-bake dessert made with layers of banana slices, caramel or dulce de leche, and whipped cream.
- Lemon Meringue Pie: Some British recipes for lemon meringue pie call for a Digestive biscuit crumb crust instead of pastry.
- Cheesecake Pies: New York–style and other American cheesecakes often use a graham cracker crust, but Digestive biscuits make an excellent alternative.
- Key Lime Pie: This extremely popular American dessert, along with its variations like sour orange or Meyer lemon pie, is equally delicious with a Digestive biscuit crust.
For an even longer list of pies that use a graham cracker crust, check out my post on graham cracker crusts here.
Other Popular Crumb Crust Recipes
This crust is a type of crumb crust. Crumb crusts are made with crumbs of crackers or biscuits, mixed with melted butter and pressed into a pie tin. Crumb crusts can be made with many different biscuits and crackers. Each variation brings its own unique flavor and texture, which means you can match the crust to the filling for endless combinations. Below are some of the most popular crumb crusts to try!
- Oreo Crust: Crushed Oreo cookies create a rich, chocolatey crust that works especially well for cream pies and cheesecakes. You can leave the cookie filling in or remove it, depending on how sweet you want the base.
- Saltine Crust: Made from crushed saltine crackers, this crust has a lightly salty flavor and is best known for its use in Southern pies like Atlantic Beach Pie.
- Biscoff Cookie Crust: Spiced Biscoff cookies grind into a fragrant, caramel-like crumb that makes an excellent crust for cheesecakes and other creamy pies.
- Gingersnap Crust: Crushed gingersnaps bring warm spice and crunch, making this crust a favorite for holiday pies such as eggnog or pumpkin pie.
- Pretzel Crust: Ground pretzels create a salty-sweet base that pairs beautifully with chocolate or peanut butter pies, offering a slightly savory alternative to cookie crusts for a sweet-and-salty pie.
- Vanilla Wafer Crust: Crushed vanilla wafers produce a light, buttery crust with a subtle sweetness that works well for banana pudding pie, lemon pie, and other creamy desserts.
How to Store and Bake Digestive Biscuit Crusts
One of the best things about crumb crusts for pies is how well they can be made ahead of time. If you’re planning for a holiday meal or a busy baking weekend, you can prepare the crust in advance and have it ready when you need it.
Storing Digestive Biscuit Crusts
Both baked and unbaked Digestive biscuit crusts can be stored in the freezer for up to one month. To prevent freezer burn, wrap the pie or tart pan tightly in plastic wrap, then place it in a large freezer bag. When you’re ready to use the crust, simply let it sit at room temperature for about 15–20 minutes before filling. If the crust gets stale during storage, you can refresh it in a 175°C (350°F) oven for 5–7 minutes to crisp it back up.
When to Bake (and Not to Bake) a Digestive Biscuit Crust
Digestive biscuit crusts can be used baked or unbaked regardless of the pie you’re making. If you’re using the crust unbaked, it can go straight into the refrigerator once it’s pressed into the pan. Chilling firms the butter and helps the crumbs hold together. If you prefer a crispier crust, a short bake of 5–10 minutes at 175°C (350°F) adds extra crispness and helps lock the crumbs in place. For the tastiest banoffee pies, I suggest baking your Digestive biscuit crust.
We’d love to see the pies you make with a Digestive biscuit pie crust! Tag us on social media @doggone_baking so we can share in the baking fun!
Digestive Biscuit Pie Crust
Ingredients
- 190 g Digestive Biscuit Crumbs (~12-15 biscuits)
- 60 g Unsalted Butter, melted (4 tbsp)
- 50 g Granulated Sugar (4 tbsp)
Instructions
- Break Digestive biscuits into pieces and grind into fine crumbs using a food processor. Work in small batches so you don’t overfill. Transfer the crumbs to a medium mixing bowl.
- Add the melted butter and granulated sugar to the crumbs.
- Mix with a fork until the crumbs are evenly coated and the texture resembles wet sand.
- Press the mixture firmly into the bottom and sides of a 23cm pie tin. Start in the center and work outward. A flat-bottomed measuring cup or glass helps pack the crumbs tightly.
- For no-bake fillings, chill the crust in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or pre-bake at 175°C (350℉) for 5–7 minutes if you prefer a crispier crust. For baked pies, fill the crust and bake according to your recipe, no pre-baking required.
