6 Store-Bought Pecan Pies, Ranked Worst To Best

Whether you pronounce it pee-can pie or puh-kahn pie, it doesn't matter. We're all talking about the same thing here: that classic fall dessert that starts with a pastry crust, ends with a generous layer of real pecans, and stuffs what can only be described as a sugary goo in between.

It makes an appearance at least once a year, maybe even twice in my family, for Thanksgiving and then again just a few weeks later at Christmas. But every time I have it, I wonder why we don't bring it around more often. The answer is that in the off-season, these deliciously nutty pies get harder to find. But I happened to hit the grocery store bakeries at just the right time, in the middle of fall, to pick up a collection of them to try. What better excuse is there to indulge in an unreasonable amount of slices and to find out which store-bought options really do the Southern-inspired dessert justice?

I wrangled six pecan pies from grocery store bakeries and from the freezer aisle. All of them let you skip the hassle of baking from scratch, crossing one more thing off your holiday to-do list. But are they actually worth serving? I happily dug into each one to find out, ranking by the crusts, sweet fillings, and, of course, the all-important pecans. After all, it is called pecan pie for a reason (no matter how you pronounce it). So, without further ado, here's how each one stacked up.

Honestly, this pie's 1.5-star rating on the Kroger website tells you everything you need to know. I was hoping customers were just being dramatic, or maybe they just got a bad pie. But nope. That's the grade I would give it as well.

Things didn't get off to a great start with the filling. Corn syrup is a core ingredient in many classic pecan pies, so I wasn't surprised to see it listed first on the box. But the saccharine flavor here was a little much, even for a dessert that's known for being especially sweet. The filling itself has an almost applesauce-like consistency, and along with all that sweetness, I also picked up on a distinct maple syrup flavor. That was strange, considering I didn't notice maple syrup listed anywhere in the ingredients. On top, the pecan halves are big and dark, and they seem to be covered in some kind of sugary coating, making the pie even sweeter. They have a decent texture, but there's nothing particularly special about them.

Then there's the crust. It looked dried out from the jump, and the taste was almost reminiscent of something made with whole wheat flour. It didn't have much flavor at all to speak of, and that was really the tipping point for me. I could deal with a mediocre crust if the filling is good, and vice versa. But this pie was baked full of disappointment from top to bottom.

It wouldn't have surprised me if Kroger's and Walmart's pecan pies were pretty similar. I've noticed some overlap in the stores' products before. But as it turns out, these are two clearly different takes on this fall favorite. Walmart's version is, in fact, just a little bit better. That doesn't necessarily mean it's knock-your-socks-off good, either.

The filling is still made from a pretty traditional combination of corn syrup, sugar, and eggs. But this one is much closer to the taste and consistency of a sticky caramel. It's extra sweet, yet it doesn't quite have that butteriness or richness you'd hope for. What helps this pie's case is the pecans. They're chopped into smaller bits and don't seem to be coated in anything like Kroger's were. They essentially just taste like raw nuts, which is actually a good thing because they help balance out the sugary filling underneath.

The crust, on the other hand, is still a problem, but for different reasons than the previous pie. Even though it's thick and has a decent texture, it's extra salty and has a very packaged taste to it. I'd maybe expect that from a frozen pie. But since this one was sitting at room temperature in the store's bakery section, I was hoping for something a bit fresher and tastier.

This is much closer to the kind of pecan pie you would actually find on my Thanksgiving table. I was worried at first because it came out of the tin easily and cleanly — a little too cleanly. When it comes to pecan pie, I actually like a little bit of gooiness, rather than firm, picture-perfect slices. Luckily, the center still ended up having a pleasant texture. It wasn't completely gelatinous like a Jell-O flavor, but rather had a more custard-like consistency that was still soft and slightly wobbly.

Flavor-wise, it seemed to lean heavily into brown sugar, though it's more mellow and less sweet than other grocery store options. Aside from that, I didn't really pick up on any other distinct flavors or spices. The pecans are on the smaller side, though mostly intact. They have an almost candied taste to them and a soft crunch. I like that the soft filling is sandwiched between this layer of pecans and a classically crumbly, lightly salted pie crust. The pastry shell is the slightest bit dry, but we'll let that slide.

All in all, not bad for a Midwestern grocer. I really don't have any complaints here. There were just a few other pies I tried that felt more indulgent, and that had more defining features. This one plays it a bit safe.

In my ranking of all Edwards pies, pecan took second place. And I stand by that placement. This is a yummy choice, especially when pitted against the brand's lineup of cold cream pies. It's just perhaps not the absolute best pecan pie recipe you can find at the grocery store.

I do think this one benefited from its trip through the oven. You can either let the frozen pie thaw completely before serving or bake it straight from frozen in just about 20 minutes. I chose the expedited route, and I'm glad I did. It came out with a flaky yet tender crust and that fresh-from-the-oven warmth that makes the whole thing feel infinitely cozier. The pecans are specifically described as caramelized here, and they taste just like those delicious roasted nuts you'd get at a fair. A hearty helping of them sits on top of a thick and squishy filling that's almost jam-like in consistency. It was that much more flavorful than Meijer's offering, and taste-wise, I actually thought it bore some resemblance to marshmallow fluff.

Between the filling, pecans, and crust, it's a great combination of sweet and salty. It might not be the ultimate pecan pie, but there's something to be said for the convenience of having one tucked away in your freezer. You can pick it up when it rolls around in stores each autumn, then save it for any time of year when those pecan pie cravings strike.

The queen of frozen pies pulls through with another good one. Marie Callender's calls this a true Southern pecan pie, and I feel like it lives up to that title.

One of the best parts is that it really loads up on the pecan halves. I even dug through a few just to find more hiding underneath. I like this commitment to the main ingredient. Pecans should be the star of the show, and here they absolutely are. It's more of a 50/50 split between nuts and filling, which is a great pie ratio, in my opinion. You get all that texture and toastiness from the pecans paired with the sticky-sweet filling, which tastes richer than any of the others I've tried up to this point. Then, of course, there's the crust, which Marie Callender's does exceptionally well. It's more of a pastry shell that's buttery and so delicately crumbly that it practically melts in your mouth.

Like Edwards, this is another frozen pie that you'll have to either let thaw or bake. But I would absolutely recommend it for your pecan pie needs, especially considering its affordability. It cost me just $5.97 for this 8-incher. And at that price, I thought Marie had everyone beat, but another even better pie swooped in at the last second. A last slice upset.

It's from Whole Foods, but it's only half a pie. I looked around the bakery for a full version, but this was all I could find. I probably don't need an entire pie anyway, but this one wouldn't look quite as pretty sitting on a dessert table.

As it turns out, none of that really matters. This pie is delicious enough that I'd still pick it over all the others, half-sized and all. The deep color of the entire thing should have been my first hint at just how rich this pie would be. The gooey center is extra sticky, to the point that it actually clings to your teeth. But what really made me fall in love was the flavor. It's extra buttery, and this was the first pie that really hit that essential note for me. In a bite with the crisped and candied nuts, there's a depth to the sweetness that reminds me of something you'd get freshly made at a Southern candy shop. The crust was also unique. It goes beyond your standard pie crust and tastes almost like a less-sweet cookie. Think something along the lines of shortbread with a butteriness of its own.

This pie just feels a little more decadent than the rest. The perfect ode to the winter holidays. It does cost just about as much as (or even more than) a whole pie from some other brands and grocery stores. But it's well worth it.

I raided the bakery and frozen food sections at four different grocery stores to round up these six pecan pies. I also made a special trip to Trader Joe's in search of the market's version, but came up empty-handed. Maybe next year on that one. Back at home, I tried all the bakery pies at room temperature. For the two frozen options from Marie Callender's and Edwards, I baked them for about 20 minutes rather than letting them thaw completely before serving (but that's also an option if you'd rather go that route).

From there, I evaluated the three key parts of any good pecan pie: the crust, the filling, and, of course, the pecans. I wanted a classic pie crust that was flaky and buttery, along with a filling that held its shape but still had that traditional gooiness and rich, buttery flavor. As for the pecans, I wanted enough to cover the entire pie. The size of the individual pieces didn't matter much, as long as they maintained their natural flavor and a light crunch. I didn't mind a sweet glaze either, just as long as it didn't send the pie into a sugar overload.

With those criteria in mind, I ranked all six pies from least favorite to favorite. Other factors, including price, didn't influence my picks.