graham cracker crust - substitutions

Jem

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 6, 2018
Messages
5,573
Purraise
11,246
Has anyone ever made a graham cracker crust (for a no bake cheese cake) with brown sugar instead of white? Any good?
I've really started to like using brown sugar in a lot of my baking...IDK, it's just a richer flavor and adds some chewiness with cookies. I was wondering if it would help hold the crust together better, without having to really compact it too much which would help with cutting and serving...more of a "fluffy" and "chewy" (yet firm) crust rather than a "dense" crust...
 

Winchester

In the kitchen with my cookies
Veteran
Joined
Aug 28, 2009
Messages
29,730
Purraise
28,024
Location
In the kitchen
Yes, but it might be a little sweeter than using white sugar. I've not done it, so I can't say as to whether it would make your crust fluffier than white sugar. I've read about it, so I know you can do it.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #3

Jem

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 6, 2018
Messages
5,573
Purraise
11,246
I can't say as to whether it would make your crust fluffier than white sugar.
Fluffier is not quite the right word I should have used...I was more thinking that I wouldn't have to pack the crumbs quite as much...so it would hold but would be more....crumbly????


I'm going to give it a go....maybe do half and half, white and brown.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #4

Jem

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 6, 2018
Messages
5,573
Purraise
11,246
My no bake cheese cake recipe has sour cream in it, which really makes it creamy yet cuts the sweetness down a bit. I've also decided to use a strawberry/rhubarb preserve as the topping which will be a bit more tart. I figure a rich and perhaps a bit more sweet crust would complement it...
 

hybriseris

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Jan 21, 2022
Messages
91
Purraise
136
Yes! This is super common in Italian cooking, my grandmother did it a lot. If you fully sub out for brown sugar you may want to reduce the liquid called for in your recipe JUST slightly due to the moisture content of brown sugar, but if you're replacing half the white sugar with brown it should be fine. AND delicious! Post results!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #6

Jem

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 6, 2018
Messages
5,573
Purraise
11,246
Well....I WAS going to do half and half...but I boo booed and measured the full 1/4 cup of brown and dumped it in....then realized...oops, I didn't half it...not thinking well this morning...
Oh well...too late now, it's mixed, it's nice and soft and I'm sure will be delicious. It's in the oven now for just a few minutes to set.

Edit: It's cooling now...the oven beeped as I was about to post.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #7

Jem

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 6, 2018
Messages
5,573
Purraise
11,246
Brown sugar is fantastic in graham crumb crust! Such a nice rich flavor, and not really too sweet either...The texture turned out exactly like I wanted! This is my go to from now on!
 

susanm9006

Willow
Top Cat
Joined
Feb 20, 2011
Messages
13,152
Purraise
30,220
Location
Minnesota
I always use brown sugar instead of white in a cheesecake crust. If you want a different but totally delicious crust, I have a cheesecake bar recipe that uses butter, finely ground walnuts and brown sugar for the crust. There might be some flour in it, don’t recall. Happy to post the recipe if you want it,
 
  • Purraise
Reactions: Jem
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #9

Jem

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 6, 2018
Messages
5,573
Purraise
11,246
I have a cheesecake bar recipe that uses butter, finely ground walnuts and brown sugar for the crust. There might be some flour in it, don’t recall. Happy to post the recipe if you want it,
That would be great! YUM!
 

susanm9006

Willow
Top Cat
Joined
Feb 20, 2011
Messages
13,152
Purraise
30,220
Location
Minnesota
Here you go

Cheesecake Bars

Crust/topping:
1 cup flour
1/3 cup light brown sugar
½ cup walnuts, chopped very fine
1/3 cup butter, melted

Filling:
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese (room temp)
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
l Tablespoon lemon juice
2 Tablespoons milk
1 tsp vanilla

Mix crust ingredients and reserve one cup. Press remainder into 8x8 pan and bake at 350 degree preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes. Beat together filling ingredients until blended. Pour onto baked crust then sprinkle evenly with reserved crust mixture. Return to oven and bake for additional 25 minutes. Cool completely and cut into bars. Store in fridge.
 
  • Purraise
Reactions: Jem
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #11

Jem

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 6, 2018
Messages
5,573
Purraise
11,246
Top