Best 10 Cream Cheese Pie Crust Recipes

THE PERFECT CREAM CHEESE PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Cream together the cream cheese, butter, and salt in a large mixing bowl until evenly blended. Mix in the flour until a dough forms; divide into 6 balls. Use immediately or wrap tightly and freeze until needed.

NO-CRUST CREAM CHEESE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Grease (or spray w/ nonstick cooking spray) a 10-inch pie dish.
• In a mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese, eggs, 1/2 cup sugar and vanilla until creamy. Pour into greased pie dish. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for about 10 minutes (Don't turn off oven). In a small bowl, mix together sour cream and 3 Tbsp sugar---pour on top of pie.
• Return to 350 degree oven for additional 10 minutes. Cool 1 hour then chill. May top with fresh fruit or pie filling.

FLAKY CREAM CHEESE PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Food processor method:
• Cut the butter into small (about 3/4-inch) cubes. Wrap it in plastic wrap and freeze it until frozen solid, at least 30 minutes. Place the flour, salt, and baking powder in a reclosable gallon-size freezer bag and freeze for at least 30 minutes.
• Place the flour mixture in a food processor with the metal blade and process for a few seconds to combine. Set the bag aside.
• Cut the cream cheese into 3 or 4 pieces and add it to the flour. Process for about 20 seconds or until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the frozen butter cubes and pulse until none of the butter is larger than the size of a pea. (Toss with a fork to see it better.) Remove the cover and add the water and vinegar. Pulse until most of the butter is reduced to the size of small peas. The mixture will be in particles and will not hold together. Spoon it into the plastic bag. (For a double-crust pie, it is easiest to divide the mixture in half at this point.)
• Holding both ends of the bag opening with your fingers, knead the mixture by alternately pressing it, from the outside of the bag with the knuckles and heels of your hands until the mixture holds together in one piece and feels slightly stretchy when pulled.
• Wrap the dough with the plastic wrap, flatten it into a disc (or discs) and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes, preferably overnight. (For a pie shell and lattice, divide it in a ratio of two thirds:one third - use about 9.5 ounces for the shell and the rest for the lattice, flattening the smaller part into a rectangle.)
• Hand method:
• Place a medium mixing bowl in the freezer to chill.
• Cut the butter into small (about 3/4-inch) cubes. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes.
• Place the flour, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Add the cream cheese and rub the mixture between your fingers to blend the cream cheese into the flour until it resembles coarse meal. Spoon the mixture, together with the cold butter, into a reclosable gallon-size freezer bag. Expel any air from the bag and close it. Use a rolling pin to flatten the butter into thin flakes. Place the bag in the freezer for at least 10 minutes or until the butter is very firm.
• Transfer the mixture to the chilled bowl, scraping the sides of the bag. Set the bag aside. Sprinkle the mixture with the water and vinegar, tossing lightly with a rubber spatula. Spoon it into the plastic bag. (For a two-crust pie, it is easiest to divide the mixture in half at this point.)
• Holding both ends of the bag opening with your fingers, knead the mixture by alternately pressing it, from the outside of the bag, with the knuckles and heels of your hands until the mixture holds together in one piece and feels slightly stretchy when pulled.
• Wrap the dough with plastic wrap, flatten it into a disc (or discs), and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes, preferably overnight. (For a pie shell and lattice, divide it in a ratio of two thirds:one third - use about 9.5 ounces for the shell and the rest for the lattice, flattening the smaller part into a rectangle.)
• Store:
• Refrigerated, up to 2 days; frozen, up to 3 months.
• Understanding
• A classic cream cheese crust contains no water and is more tender than an all-butter crust but not at all flaky. I have found it to be so tender it is impossible to use for a lattice top and the bottom crust often develops cracks through which a filling will leak and stick to the bottom of the pan. Very little water is needed, because the cream cheese contains 51 percent water. The addition of a small amount of water connects the two gluten-forming proteins in the flour, producing the rubbery, stretchy gluten that strenghtens the structure just enough to prevent cracking when the crust bakes. This pie crust does not shrink or distort as much as an all-butter crust because there is less development of gluten. The acidity of the vinegar weakens the gluten that forms, making the crust still more tender and less likely to shrink. If desired, it can be replaced with water.
• Cream cheese is 51 percent water and 37.7 percent fat, so 3 ounces contain 1.53 ounces (about 3 tablespoons) or water and 1.13 ounces of fat. That means that the pie crust with 6.5 ounces of flour contains the equivalent of about 4 1/2 tablespoons of water. Compared to the all-butter crust, this crust has about 1 tablespoon more water, 1.13 ounces more of fat, and .34 ounce more milk solids. The extra fat in the cream cheese coats some of the proteins in the flour, limiting the development of gluten, which would make it tougher. The milk solids add both flavor and smoothness of texture.
• The baking powder lifts and aerates the dough slightly without weakening it, but it also makes it seem more tender.
• In developing this recipe, I found that if not using the vinegar and baking powder to tenderize the crust, it is advisable to add one quarter of the butter together with the cream cheese when using all-purpose flour. This helps to moisture-proof it but, of course, takes away a little from the flakiness, as there is less butter available to add in larger pieces to create layers.

PEANUT BUTTER MOON PIE: CHOCOLATE CAKE, GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST, PEANUT BUTTER CREAM CHEESE FILLING, MARSHMALLOW FROSTING

Steps:

• For the crust: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line muffin pans with 36 muffin liners. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar and butter in a bowl. Mix with your hands until well combined. Press 2 tablespoons of the mixture into the cupcake liners and bake for 7 minutes. Remove and let cool.
• For the chocolate cake: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. In the bowl of an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt until well combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping the bowl as needed. Add the buttermilk, vegetable oil, vanilla and coffee and mix for about a minute until well combined. Fill the 36 muffin pans with the pre-baked graham cracker crust three-quarters full with batter and bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
• For the peanut butter cream cheese filling: Whip the cream cheese and butter in an electric mixer with the paddle attachment until fully incorporated. With the mixer on low, gradually add the powdered sugar until combined. Add the vanilla and mix until combined. Finally, add the peanut butter and mix until fully incorporated.
• For the marshmallow frosting: In small saucepan, combine the granulated sugar, 5 ounces water and the cream of tarter and boil until the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and vanilla until firm peaks form. With mixer on high, slowly stream the hot sugar mixture into the egg whites and mix for about 3 minutes.
• To assemble: Use a knife to cut a hole out of the center of the cupcakes. Fill with peanut butter cream cheese filling with a spoon and frost with marshmallow frosting.

FLAKY CREAM CHEESE PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Place a medium bowl into freezer to chill.
• Wrap cubed butter in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Place 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour in a medium bowl; add salt and whisk to combine. Rub in cream cheese using clean fingers until mixture develops coarse crumbs. Place cream cheese mixture and chilled butter into a gallon-size resealable plastic bag.
• Flatten the cream cheese-butter mixture into thin flakes through the bag, using a rolling pin. Freeze until mixture is firm, about 10 minutes. Pour mixture into the chilled bowl. Sprinkle with water and vinegar, tossing lightly with a spatula. Knead until dough holds together and is slightly elastic.
• Place dough back into the plastic bag and flatten into a disk. Refrigerate, 45 minutes to overnight, before using.

STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE PIE WITH GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST

Steps:

• Combine strawberries, tapioca and 1/4 cup granulated sugar in 2 quart saucepan.
• Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens.
• Remove from heat and let cool.
• Combine graham cracker crumbs and 1/4 cup granulated sugar.
• Add melted butter to the cracker/sugar mixture until evenly coated.
• Press into pie tins.
• Bake for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees.
• Let cool.
• Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla until well blended.
• Whip cream until stiff.
• Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture.
• Pour cream cheese filling into cooled pie crusts, spreading evenly on bottoms and sides, creating a shallow depression.
• Store in refrigerator until strawberry topping is cooled.
• Carefully spoon strawberry topping into the depression previously made in the filling.
• Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.

PECAN PIE WITH CREAM CHEESE CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Set aside 16 pecan halves for garnish; coarsely chop remaining pecans. Stir together eggs, sugar, corn syrup, butter, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl until well combined. Stir in chopped pecans, and pour mixture into prepared piecrust, spreading evenly. Garnish edges with remaining pecan halves.
• Place dish on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake, rotating halfway through, until filling is just set and crust is golden brown, about 90 minutes. (Tent with foil if nuts are getting too dark.) Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool completely.

CREAM CHEESE PUMPKIN PIE WITH PECAN CRUST

Steps:

• For Crust: Butter 9 inch diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Blend flour, sugar, and salt in processor using on/off turns. Add butter and process until mixture resembles coarse corn meal. Add water and process just until moist clumps form. Transfer to large bowl. Add pecans and knead gently until pecans are incorporated and dough comes together. Press dough on bottom and up sides of prepared pan. Refrigerate until dough is firm, about 30 minutes. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Wrap tightly and keep refrigerated.) Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375. Line crust with foil; fill with beans or pie weights. Back until crust sides are firm, about 10 minutes. Remove beans and foil and bake until crust begins to brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer crust to rack. Maintain oven temperature. For filling: Beat cream cheese and sour cream in large bowl until smooth. Gradually add sugar and beat until blended. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating just to blend after each addition. Transfer 1/3 cup cheese mixture to small bowl. Add pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger and cloves to cheese mixture in large bowl and beat until blended. Spread pumpkin filling in crust. Drop reserved 1/3 cup cheese mixture by teaspoonfuls over pumpkin filling. Using tip of small sharp knife, gently swirl cheese mixture into pumpkin mixture in decorative pattern. Bake pie until filling is firm in center, about 30 minutes. Cool pie on rack. Cover and chill. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.)

CREAM CHEESE PIE CRUST

Steps:

• 1. Combine softened cream cheese and margarine, mixing until well blended. Add flour and salt; mix well. Form into ball; chill thoroughly. On lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 12 inch circle. Place in 9-inch pie plate. Trim and flute edge; prick bottom and sides with fork. Bake at 400^ for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
• 2. For tart shells, divide dough into 24 balls; press into mini muffin pan. Bake at 400^ , 10-12 minutes. --- For pies that bake longer that 40 minutes, cover rims of pie with foil to prevent excess browning.

THE PERFECT CREAM CHEESE PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Cream together the cream cheese, butter, and salt in a large mixing bowl until evenly blended. Mix in the flour until a dough forms; divide into 6 balls.
• Use immediately or wrap tightly and freeze until needed.