No-Roll Pie Crusts for Simple Summer Desserts

The perfect pies for lazy days combine buttery press-in crumb shells with no-bake fillings and piles of fresh fruit.

The allure of a homemade fruit pie is real: Just imagine a bubbling double-crusted blueberry number cooling by a breezy window. But the prospect of rolling dough on a steamy day can send even confident cooks packing. To turn out stellar pies showcasing summer’s ripest fruit — without heating up the kitchen — you want the ease of crumb crusts and chilled fillings. Just about anything you can crush into crumbs, you can use for a no-roll crust. Graham crackers are an obvious choice, but other crumbly cookies, salty crackers and even not-too-sugary cereals can build a tender, cookielike foundation strong enough to hold rich, creamy fillings. You can mix and match crusts and fillings with no limit but your imagination. There are a few keys to producing an ideal crust. Make sure crumbs are blitzed into a uniform sandy powder before adding sugar and butter. A flat-bottomed measuring cup, preferably one with a fairly squared-off edge, works best for pressing the crumbs into an even layer. Your hands are fine tools, but a cup helps create a more structurally sound shell. Start by compacting the sides first — it’s easier to knock edge crumbs back into the bottom than it is to work excess bits up the side of a buttery dish. Use your free hand to prevent the crumbs from spilling over the edge. Then, press the remaining crumbs firmly across the bottom of the plate, paying special attention to the corners where gaps can go unnoticed.