Making chocolate cookie crumbs is fast & easy. No need to make the chocolate cookies first. Great for mix-ins & pie crust, & better than store bought!
Missing a key ingredient?
Does your recipe call for chocolate cookie crumbs, but you don't have chocolate cookies at hand?
Want to make a chocolate pie crust, but can't get to the store?
Not to worry! You can make your own chocolate cookie crumbs using common ingredients.
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Make it yourself
Making chocolate cookie crumbs is fast and easy, and you don't even have to make the chocolate cookies first!
These cookie crumbs hold their texture well, and are perfect as a mix-in for trifle or ice cream. For variety, you can flavor the cookie crumbs...mint or orange flavors go really well with chocolate.
The process starts like you're making cookies, except the dough is much drier (there's really no liquid being added besides that in the butter). Cream the butter and sugar together, add the dry ingredients, and then bake.
Bake the cookie crumbs for 10 minutes, stir them up, then return them to the oven for another 10 minutes.
After they cool a bit, pop them in the food processor to make sure they're small and uniform.
Want a chocolate pie crust?
If you want to make a chocolate pie crust, use the same method as you would for a Graham Cracker Crust, just omitting the extra sugar and adjusting the butter. I give the instructions for a 6-inch pie pan and for a 9-inch pie pan in the Recipe Notes.
That's it! You'll have chocolate cookie crumbs for whatever purpose suits your fancy whenever you need them...no shopping trip needed!
Slainté! L’chaim! Cheers!
Tammy
More recipes for pie crust & more
Need a base for a recipe? No problem! I've got recipes for pie crusts, graham cracker crusts, tart shells, and shortbread. Plus how to make a lattice pie crust!
- No Recipe Pie Crust: Can't beat a basic pie crust recipe, especially if it's easy to remember
- Graham Cracker Crust: A popular choice for cheesecakes
- Chocolate Cookie Crumbs: Use this quick recipe to make the base for this variation on the Graham Cracker Crust
- Basic Short Crust Pastry: Pie crust enriched with egg, sturdy short crust pastry is perfect for tart shells
- Shortbread: Many a bar cookie starts with a shortbread crust
- Lattice Pie Crust instructions: Want to learn how to weave a lattice crust? I've got you!
How to make Chocolate Cookie Crumbs
Special Equipment
- hand mixer
- food processor
Ingredients
- 3½ Tbsp butter, softened (1¾ oz, 50g)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar, (2⅓ oz, 66g)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour, sifted (2 oz, 60g)
- ¼ cup cocoa powder, sifted (¾ oz, 21g)
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- ⅛ tsp mint extract, or another flavor extract, optional
Procedure
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a half sheet baking sheet with a Silpat silicone mat or parchment paper and set aside. Sift the flour and cocoa powder to remove any lumps.
- In a bowl medium bowl, cream the butter and sugar together using a hand mixer on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and mint extract (if using). Use a spatula to mix everything together, then use the mixer on low and mix until uniform. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. The mixture will feel very dry and crumbly. Pour the mixture onto the prepared pan and spread it out so it's approximately ½-inch thick.
- Bake for 10 minutes, rotating halfway. Remove the pan from the oven and stir the crumbs around, mixing and turning well so it bakes evenly. Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Cool completely on the pan for about 10 minutes.
- In the bowl of a food processor, pulse to crush the cookie crumbles until they are a small uniform crumbs, about 20 seconds. Use as needed.
- This recipe makes 1½ cups of cookie crumbs, enough to mix into ice cream. See the Recipe Notes to make a cookie crumb crust.
Video
Recipe Notes
- For a 6-inch pie pan: use the same ingredient amounts and use 1-1/2 Tbsps of melted and cooled butter.
- For a 9-inch pie pan: double the ingredients and use 3 Tbsp of melted and cooled butter.
