If you want to make cheesecake but you do not have graham crackers on hand, or if you are simply bored of using them for your cheesecake’s crust, you will be pleased to find out that there are various substitutes for a graham cracker crust.
This article will detail three different recipes for cheesecake that each use a crust that does not involve graham crackers whatsoever. After you try out one or all of these delicious varieties of cheesecake, it is likely that you will never return to using a plain old graham cracker crust for your cheesecakes.
Brownie Crust Cheesecake
Brownie and cheesecake could be one of the best food combinations ever invented. The smoothness of the cream cheese with that rich chocolate brownie is hard to beat.
For this brownie crust cheesecake recipe, you will need these ingredients for the brownie portion:
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1 cup sugar
- ¾ cup flour
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the cheesecake, you need the following:
- 1 16-ounce package cream cheese, softened
- 3 eggs, beaten
- ⅔ cup sour cream
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Brownie Crust
The first step for making the brownie crust is to preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Next, combine the cocoa powder, flour, and salt in a bowl, and then melt the chopped chocolate and butter in a pan over medium heat.
After that, let the mixture cool off for about 10 minutes before adding the eggs and sugar, combining them with the mixture, then adding the dry ingredients following that. Mix the ingredients up, and pour the batter into a 10-inch pan before baking it in the oven for around a half hour.
Cheesecake Portion
For the cheesecake, you need to first use an electric mixer to whip the cream cheese. Once it is smooth, you can beat in the sugar for about two minutes, or until it appears fluffy.
Next, mix in the sour cream until it is combined, then use your hand to stir in the vanilla extract and eggs. Be sure that you do not accidentally over-mix the batter.
You can now spoon the cheesecake batter onto your brownie layer, and bake it in the oven set to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about an hour, or until the center is able to slightly jiggle while the outside is sturdy. You should leave the cheesecake in the oven for roughly a half hour after shutting off the heat, and then transfer it to your fridge to chill for eight hours or so.
Cookie Crust Cheesecake
Homemade cookies can be made even more delicious when used as a crust for your cheesecake, but you can also utilize store bought cookies for your crust. To crush them, an easy method is to throw the cookies in a sealable freezer bag and utilize a rolling pin (or an alternative) to smash them to tiny bits.
This particular recipe calls for chocolate chip cookies, but you can use any variety of cookie you wish. Here is what you will need for the crust:
- 2 cups cookie crumbs
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons sugar
For the cheesecake, you need these ingredients:
- 5 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
- 5 eggs, beaten
- 2 egg yolks, beaten
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1¼ cups sugar
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon cookie crumbs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon orange zest, grated
Cookie Crumb Crust
For the crust portion, simply combine the cookie crumbs, butter, and sugar before pressing it flat and evenly to cover the bottom of a springboard pan a couple inches thick. Your crust is now ready for the cheesecake batter.
Cheesecake Layer
First, preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. To make the cheesecake batter, you need to whip the cream cheese, flour, and sugar in a bowl until the ingredients are combined into a smooth mixture.
Next, beat in the eggs and egg yolks on low until they are incorporated into the mixture. Now, add the vanilla extract and sour cream, stirring them into the other ingredients, and then fold in the orange zest and chocolate chips.
You can now pour the cheesecake batter on top of your cookie crumb crust, and place it into the oven for between an hour and 75 minutes. Let the cheesecake sit out of the oven for about an hour, then place it in your fridge to cool overnight or for eight hours.
Banana Bread Crust Cheesecake
It may seem like an unlikely candidate for a cheesecake crust, but banana bread can truly bring your cheesecake to the next level while also adding a unique flair to it. Below is a recipe for a banana bread crust cheesecake that you are sure to love.
The ingredients you will need for the banana bread are as follows:
- 4 ripe bananas
- 1 egg
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1½ cups flour
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the cheesecake portion of the recipe, you need the following ingredients:
- 4 8-ounce packages cream cheese
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin powder
Banana Bread
The first step is to preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a bowl, take your bananas, and use a fork to mash them together into a mush.
Next, stir the vanilla extract, oil, sugar, and egg into the banana until it is all mixed together. After that, add the flour, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, and baking soda, combining it all.
Grease a springform pan, and pour the banana bread batter into it. Bake the bread for 35 to 40 minutes, and set it aside while you whip up your cheesecake batter.
Cheesecake Batter
To make the cheesecake batter, whip the sugar, cream cheese, and vanilla extract together. In a small bowl, heat the milk for a couple minutes in your microwave, then stir the gelatin powder into it until it is dissolved.
After letting the gelatin mixture sit for five minutes, beat it into the cream cheese and sugar until all of the ingredients are combined into a smooth mixture. Finally, pour the cheesecake batter onto the banana bread crust and let the cheesecake sit in your fridge overnight to set.
You can also make a quick and easy delicious homemade whipped cream to top your cheesecake with only two cups of heavy whipping cream, a half-cup of confectioner’s sugar, and a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Simply beat all of the ingredients together until stiff peaks have started to form.
Final Thoughts
There are three easy recipes in this article that show you how to make a delicious cheesecake that does not include graham crackers in any form, but there are so many others you can find in addition to these, such as cheesecake crusts made of crushed ice cream cones, cereal, and shortbread.
You could even do some experimentation and come up with your own recipes for cheesecake. You might end up finding a new way to make a cheesecake crust without using graham crackers that is superior to all the others.
Sarah is the founder of Baking Kneads, LLC, a blog sharing guides, tips, and recipes for those learning how to bake. Growing up as the daughter of a baker, she spent much of her childhood learning the basics in a local bakery.