I kept finding graham crackers this weekend. There was half a box in the pantry, a sleeve in the freezer, and a couple in a baggy on the counter. I'm not sure where they all came from or why I'd scattered them around the kitchen, but I was able to use them up by making an old recipe called Crunch Crust Brownies.
Graham Cracker Crust Brownies
Crunch Crust Brownies are a type of brownie that consists of a crunchy crust made with cereal or some type of crumbs and a brownie on top. These are graham cracker crust brownies, and the recipe is perfect for using leftover crumbs since it only calls for ½ cup. I first spotted the recipe in an old Southern Living, but have since seen it on Cooks.com and Tablespoon.com. The original source is unknown, but my guess it's from a company that makes brownie mix.
Steps For Making Crunch Crust Brownies
These brownies are made with brownies mix, but require a few extra steps.
- First, line and grease or just grease an 8 or 9-inch square pan. These are thick brownies. You can use a larger size pan, but it will affect the bake time and thickness of the crunchy crust.
- Mix together the crust ingredients and press into the pan.
- Prepare brownie mix as directed and pour over crust.
- Bake for 40 minutes at 325 degrees F. or however long the brownie mix box says. It's best to use directions designed for the particular pan size and mix.
- Let cool, chill briefly, then cut!
This is a fun recipe, but I need to update the photos a bit and test with different brands of brownie mix. For this batch I used Ghirardelli.
Recipe
Crunch Crust Brownies
Ingredients
Crunch Crust
- ½ cup graham cracker crumbs
- ¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar (50 grams)
- ¼ cup chopped toasted pecans
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, melted (56 grams)
Brownies
- 1 box (19.8 oz) fudge brownie mix – prepare for a 9 inch square pan OR use a mix designed for an 8-inch pan.
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 F (or use whatever setting your mix states – I used Ghirardelli brand brownie mix and the directions stated 325).
- Line a 9 inch square metal pan with foil and spray bottom with cooking spray or grease lightly with butter. You can also use an 8-inch pan for a thicker crust.
- Combine first 4 ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir well. Press very tightly into the pan.
- In the same mixing bowl, combine the brownie mix, hot water, oil, and egg; mix with a wooden spoon until blended, then carefully spoon over crumb mixture.
- Bake using whatever directions the brownie mix box says for the time suggested for that pan. The crust should be fine no matter what. Originally this recipe called for 325 for 40 minutes, but if using a mix it's best to just trust what the box says.
Mackenzie@The Caramel Cookie says
Mmmm...I love anything with a graham cracker crust!
Anna says
"Alexandra. we realize you have a choice when it comes to cookie blogs, thanks for choosing ours."
Or mine, that is.
Just kidding. But thanks!
Alexandra says
I just started following Cookie Madness and I'm hooked. The recipes sound great. Can't wait to make these brownies this weekend with some of my leftover homemade graham crackers. I love graham cracker crust in just about anything.
Therese B. says
Well, that sounds like a brownie challenge. Also, I like the trip that Gloria gave with the small dose of salt.
I guess it is almost time to throw some Halloween candy into the mix.
I love the Simply Caramel candy bars by Milky Way. I keep a stash
in my fridge..their really good!
Anna says
Therese, I rarely use it and when I do it's because I bought some on sale. A lot of times that's Pillsbury or Betty Crocker. I can't say which is my favorite without doing a side-by-side taste test.
Another factor is that when I use brownie mix I tend to doctor it in some way.
Therese B. says
Anna~
What is your favorite box mix? I am just curious...!
Thanks for another great recipe!
Anna says
Vicky, I'm glad I was able to help you find a long lost recipe!
Therese and Gloria, I liked the Ghirardelli, but I can't say it's my favorite. Then again, I'd need to do a side-by-side taste test. I've never tried the salt trick, Gloria. Great idea.
Erin, what made you think to put powdered hot chocolate on the grahams? That's an interesting idea.
Erin says
OOOO sounds yummy. You put some hot chocolate down on the grahams before the batter MMMMMM.
Gloria says
That's funny about the graham crackers hiding in different places..kinda reminds me of squirrels storing food for the winter! These brownies look so good with the color contrasts.. Ghirardelli double chocolate is my favorite boxed mix. Have you ever tried adding a pinch of salt to the mix? I find adding about 1/8 teaspoon or so takes away that boxed mix, sometimes too sweet flavor...
Therese B. says
I am soooo trying these! Well, you had me from HELLO with the Ghiradelli brownie mix. They are the best boxed brownie mixes by far.
And graham crackers...okay, that's it. I am going to get out of my jammies and head on over to the grocery store.
iva says
I love brownies of any kind, when I make them they disappear within minutes...
Vicky says
I was so glad to find this recipe this morning. My mom used to make something so like this and I just couldn't figure out what I wasn't getting. I was only about 5 back then and didn't know ingredients from fractions. And now I know what made her brownies so different: graham crackers!!!! Thanks for sharing.
Cookie Sleuth says
The textures in these brownies sound great!
Adam says
You know, I read this entire post unintentionally replacing "Graham Crackers" with "Golden Grahams" and I just realized my mistake. Unfortunately now I really want a bowl of Golden Grahams and I don't have any :).
And I love the idea of Graham Crackers (or Golden Grahams) in brownies. Both are probably going to be on the grocery list for Saturday :).
vanillasugarblog says
ok now these are up my alley. love crunch in my brownies.
i love when i find money scattered in diff places. lol
Katrina says
These look great. While my mom was here and we were cleaning things out, I found a bag of graham cracker crumbs (it was just from a few weeks ago) in the fridge. I happened to be making granola that morning, so I threw the crumbs in, too. I can't hardly tell they are there, but makes me want to try a granola where that is the more prominent flavor/texture or something. 😉
Lisa Ernst says
That's a fun idea. Never thought of adding a graham cracker crust to brownies. The pecans are another great idea. I'd love to tinker with it to create a graham cracker peanut butter crust. And more chips in the brownies. 🙂