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Biscoff Cookie Pie Crust Recipe (Speculoos Cookie Pie Crust)
A Biscoff cookie pie crust, also called a speculoos cookie crust, is a simple crumb crust made from crushed Biscoff or other speculoos cookies, melted butter, and a little sugar. Almost any cookie or cracker can be crushed into crumbs and turned into an easy pie crust, and Biscoff cookies make one of the best. Crumb crusts come together in minutes, which makes them a great choice if you’re looking for dessert recipes for beginner bakers. This Biscoff cookie pie crust recipe is great for many kinds of pies including Brazilian passionfruit pie and pumpkin pie.
History of Biscoff Cookie Pie Crust
Biscoff pie crust is a relatively new phenomenon. Many other pie recipes date back centuries, and graham cracker crust has been around since the 1930s. Biscoff pie crust, on the other hand, seems to have first appeared in the 2010s.
from before the year 2000 with a pie crust made from crushed speculoos or Biscoff cookies. (If you happen to find one, please send the title my way!) The earliest recipes I could track down online for desserts made with a Biscoff cookie crumb crust were published in 2011. Texanerin Baking published a recipe for cookie butter pie in September 2011, and Cookie Madness published a recipe for cookie butter pumpkin pie squares with a Biscoff crust in October of 2011.
Despite being new to the baking world, speculoos cookie crusts are absolutely delicious and well worth exploring!
A Brief History of Speculoos Cookies
Speculoos cookies got their start in Belgium, and Lotus Bakeries is still a Belgian company today. There’s a bit of debate online about whether Belgian speculoos and Dutch speculaas cookies are the exact same cookie, or whether speculoos is just a milder, less spiced version. According to The Brussels Times, speculoos uses fewer spices than speculaas because spices used to cost more in Belgium than in the Netherlands. But a Substack article directly addressing the question titled “Speculaas or Speculoos, that is the question” claims that the cookies are the same, just with a different name.
Either way, this beloved cookie dates all the way back to the 1600s, when it was originally baked as a Sinterklaas treat. (Sinterklaas is the Dutch figure who inspired Santa Claus, and he’s celebrated every year on December 6.) Back then, the cookies were much fancier than the simple rectangles we know today. Bakers pressed the dough into detailed wooden molds and baked them in the shape of Sinterklaas himself.
Jan Boone Sr., the founder of Lotus Bakeries, started manufacturing speculoos cookies in 1932, and they began showing up on grocery shelves around the world throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Depending on where you live, you might call these cookies Biscoff Cookies or Speculoos. In 2020, the CEO of Lotus Bakeries caused a bit of an online stir when its CEO decided to swap “Speculoos” for “Biscoff” on the packaging.
If you want to dig even deeper into this cookie rivalry, The Brussels Times has more on the topic.
Step-by-Step Biscoff Cookie Pie Crust Recipe
Ingredients
- 1½ cups Cookie Crumbs (~226g)
- ¼ cup Unsalted Butter, melted (2oz)
- 2T Granulated Sugar (25g)
1.
Start by grinding your speculoos cookies into fine crumbs.The easiest method is to use a food processor. You’ll need about 1½ cups of crumbs in total. If you don’t have a food processor, place the cookies in a large zip-top bag, leave a small opening for air to escape, and crush them evenly with a rolling pin.
2.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cookie crumbs with ¼ cup of melted butter and 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar. Stir with a fork until the crumbs are evenly coated.
3.
Press the mixture firmly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie pan. 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 350°F (175°C). 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 Cookie Crumbs for Cookie Crumb Pie Crust
The quickest and most efficient way to make crushed speculoos cookie crumbs is with a food processor. 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 cookies with a rolling pin. Place them in a large zip-top bag, leave a small opening so air can escape, and roll over the speculoos 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 cookies 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.
Best Pies to Make with a Speculoos Cookie Crust
Almost any pie that tastes great with a graham cracker crust will taste just as great with a Biscoff cookie crust. Speculoos cookie crust is a lot like graham cracker crust, just richer, with a bit of a warm caramel flavor. There are also a few pies that are almost always made with a Biscoff crust.
- Brazilian Passionfruit Pie: Brazilian passionfruit pie, also known as torta de maracujá, is rich and dense, kind of like key lime pie, and made with seedless passionfruit pulp. It’s usually served in a cookie crumb crust, and speculoos crumbs happen to be one of my favorites.
- Cookie Butter Pie: This pie is similar to peanut butter pie. Cookie butter pie has a no-bake cheesecake filling made with cookie butter. It’s almost always served in a Biscoff crust, since Biscoff cookie butter is the most popular cookie butter out there.
- Key Lime Pie: The ultra-popular and classic key lime pie is delicious in nearly any kind of crumb crust, and a Biscoff pie crust is no exception.
- Pumpkin Pie: Pumpkin pie is also delicious in any number of crumb crusts from graham cracker crust, to gingersnap cookie crust, to Oreo cookie crust. And Biscoff crust. Give your Thanksgiving dessert a fun twist this year!
Other Popular Crumb Crust Recipes
This crust is a type of crumb crust. Crumb crusts are made with crumbs of cookies or crackers, mixed with melted butter and pressed into a pie tin. Crumb crusts can be made with many different cookies 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!
- Graham Cracker Crust: The most iconic of all crumb crusts and sometimes sold pre-made in grocery stores. Its mild sweetness and flavor make it a perfect all-purpose base.
- 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.
- Digestive Biscuit Crust: Common in the UK and an excellent substitute for graham cracker crust when graham crackers aren’t available. Digestives lend a lightly sweet, nutty flavor that complements creamy and custard fillings.
- Gingersnap Crust: Crushed gingersnaps bring warm spice and crunch, making this crust a favorite for holiday pies such as eggnog or pumpkin 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.
- 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. Pretzel crusts are also the go-to crust for frozen margarita pie.
Storing and Baking Biscoff Cookie Pie Crusts
Baking Biscoff Pie Crusts:
One of the perks of a cookie crust is that it doesn’t have to be baked. If you plan to fill the crust with a baked filling, you can simply freeze the crust until you’re ready to add the filling.
For pies with a stovetop or no-bake filling, like cookie butter pie, you have the option to bake the crust on its own before adding the filling. To do this, place the empty crust in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5-7 minutes. This step is optional, but baking gives the crust a slightly crisper texture, which can be especially nice for creamy or mousse-style pies.
Storing Biscoff Pie Crusts:
Biscoff pie crusts are also easy to make ahead. Once pressed into the pie tin, wrap the crust tightly in plastic wrap or slide it into a large freezer bag to prevent freezer burn. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to use, just pull it out of the freezer. You do not need to wait for the crust to thaw before filling it.
We’d love to see the pies you make with a speculoos cookie pie crust! Tag us on social media @doggone_baking so we can share in the baking fun!
Biscoff Cookie Pie Crust
Ingredients
- 1½ cups Biscoff Cookies, crushed (~226g)
- 2 tbsp Granulated Sugar (25g)
- ¼ cup Unsalted Butter, melted (2oz)
Instructions
- Grind the Biscoff cookies into fine crumbs using a food processor.
- Measure out 1½ cups of crumbs and place them in a medium mixing bowl.
- Add ¼ cup melted unsalted butter and 2 tablespoons of 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 9-inch pie pan. 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 350°F (175℃) 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.
About Me
In 2016, I left my office job and became a professional baker. These days I spend my days testing recipes and baking pies while my two dogs snooze happily nearby.
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