The Best No-Bake Vanilla Pie Crust

Out of sheer accident because I was out of graham crackers that I was supposed to use for a crust a couple years ago, I came across my favorite pie crust for no-bake desserts. I decided to use Golden Oreos instead of graham crackers that you typically use for a vanilla-based pie crust and it is probably the best mistake I’ve ever made! As an alternative to graham crackers, I have also seen recipes that call for Nilla wafer cookies to make a crust and while that is also delicious, these Golden Oreos really just take it to a whole new level.


Maybe it is because of the sweet filling in the middle and pairing that with butter just creates a sinful sweet/salty combo. It is almost summertime and it is the season to make no-bake desserts! This seems to be what we gravitate more toward in my house with desserts like no-bake cheesecakes, chocolate lasagna, and pudding pies with Oreo crusts like chocolate, coconut and banana. These always seem to hit the spot for our family after a long, hot summer day.

There are two desserts that I absolutely love making with this Golden Oreo crust that I wanted to share today. The first dessert is a big batch of banana cream pie.

Big Batch Banana Cream Pie


My husband has been requesting this for his birthday every year since the first time I made it for him a couple years ago with this crust. And I always make a huge batch of it in a 9x13 inch baking dish so we have lots of leftovers (which get gobbled up quickly!). 

I use the family size package of Golden Oreos, which has 48 cookies and melt 1 cube of butter. I pulse the Oreos in my blender until they are quite fine, then mix with the butter until it is all combined well. Press into the bottom and up the sides a bit of a greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Slice a good layer of bananas over that and add prepared pudding mix with 3 small boxes of pudding, (using the package directions with milk). I typically use 1-2 boxes of the banana cream flavor and for the other box I will use vanilla or cheesecake flavor. Add another layer of sliced bananas and top with a good layer of homemade whipped cream. Enjoy!

Orange Creamsicle Cheesecake


This other recipe is another family favorite of ours and is always a hit in the summertime. It really does remind me of a classic orange creamsicle. It is light and refreshing—everything you would want a citrus dessert to be! I will share the recipe for this beloved dessert at the bottom.

Perfect Oreo Crust Ratios

Here are the ratios that work really well if you are using a typical 9-inch pie pan or 9-inch springform pan that you would use for cheesecake. The cheesecake version has a little bit more because you want a little bit thicker crust for the cheesecake. Keep in mind that you can of course use this to make a crust from any Oreo flavor--original chocolate, golden, birthday cake, etc. The sky is the limit!

Pie Crust:

24 Oreos (2 cups | 268 g Oreo crumbs)
4 Tbsp (56 g) butter, melted (salted or unsalted is fine)

Cheesecake Crust:

35 Oreos (3 cups | 403 g Oreo crumbs)
5 Tbsp (70 g) butter, melted (salted or unsalted is fine)

What is your favorite pie crust to use for no-bake desserts? What are a couple of your favorite desserts to make in the summertime on a hot day? I know we are not quite there and I am jumping ahead, but I haven’t changed since I was a kid--I just cannot WAIT for summertime! :)

No Bake Orange Creamsicle Cheesecake - CincyShopper

If you are a fan of Creamsicles, you are going to want to make this No Bake Orange Creamsicle Cheesecake this summer. You will find a delicious Nilla Cookie crust with layers of orange creamy cheeseca Author: Jen

Serving size: 4
Calories per serving: 767

Ingredients:
11 ounces vanilla wafer cookies
1 1/2 cups sugar (divided)
4 tbsp melted butter
16 ounces cream cheese (softened)
16 ounces heavy cream
1 33 ounces 1 3.3 box orange gelatin
1 cup boiling water
zest from 1 orange
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup powdered sugar


Directions:
1. Put vanilla wafers in food processor and pulse until finely chopped.

2. Add ¾ cup sugar and melted butter and pulse to incorporate.

3. Grease bottom and sides of 9” spring form pan.

4. Press mixture into bottom and slightly up sides of pan.

5. Place in freezer for 30 minutes.

6. Beat cream cheese and remaining sugar until smooth.

7. In a medium bowl, combine gelatin and boiling water. Whisk until dissolved.

8. Set aside.

9. Zest orange and set aside.

10. Whip heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form.

11. Add ½ of whipped cream mixture to cooled gelatin and add orange zest. Whisk to blend. Set aside.

12. Fold remainder of whipped cream mixture into cream cheese mixture.

13. Spread ½ cream cheese mixture over crust.

14. Pour 2 cups of orange whipped cream mixture over cream cheese mixture.

15. Gently spread remaining cream cheese mixture over orange mixture.

16. Pour remaining orange whipped cream mixture over cream cheese mixture.

17. If desired, take a butter knife and gently glide through cream cheese layers to swirl.

18. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours.



Source: cincyshopper.com


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Sources:
  •   www.flickr.com
  •   www.tastespotting.com
  •   www.cincyshopper.com
  •   www.lifeloveandsugar.com

    Mary Richardson
    Weekly Newsletter Contributor since 2014
    Email the author! mary@dvo.com


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