5 Food Experts Agree That This Brand Makes the Best Frozen Pie (It Tastes Homemade)

I pretty much only crave pie during the fall and winter months. It’s hard to resist tender, flaky crust and a warm, gooey filling after a day out in the cold. However, if you’ve baked a pie from scratch, then you know how time-consuming this feat is—particularly if you make the crust yourself. This means that I often turn to the freezer section to grab a pie when I’m craving the sweet treat but don’t have the time—or desire—to bake myself.

Ahead of the holiday season, I decided to ask a handful of food professionals which store-bought frozen pie is best. For well-rounded feedback, I reached out to chefs, recipe developers, and food content creators. Here’s the pie worth saving freezer space for!

The Panel of Food Experts

The Best Frozen Pie, According to the Pros

Everyone agreed that when it comes to frozen pies, no brand does it better than Marie Callender’s—and they recommended several flavors.

For Hill and Clarke, nothing beats the brand’s Lattice Apple Pie. “The crust bakes up flaky, and the apple chunks have a nice texture that’s just soft enough but not mushy,” says Clarke. “If you love cinnamon, this one uses it generously, so you’ll especially enjoy it.” She serves each slice of apple pie with a big scoop of ice cream—whether that be vanilla, cinnamon crunch, or salted caramel.

Hill also loves the flaky crust, non-mushy apples, and another unique feature of the recipe. “This pie is also randomly vegan, so I can serve my friends who eat that way. It’s a great dessert to keep on hand in the freezer,” she says. If not dished up as-is, one of her favorite ways to serve this pie is repurposed in an apple walnut cobbler with caramel topping.

Castillo reaches for something similar: Marie Callender’s Dutch Apple Pie. “Buttery crumble topping, gooey cinnamon apples, and that nostalgic smell that tricks your brain into thinking you actually baked something,” she says. “It’s basically autumn in pie form—and my personal fave.” In addition to serving with a scoop of ice cream, she also drizzles caramel sauce over the whole equation.

For Marris and Ewing, the brand’s Key Lime Pie is a must-grab. “I love the bright, tangy flavor loaded with sweet acidity that is perfectly balanced with the mellow graham cracker crust,” says Marris, who serves a slice of this pie as-is. Ewing says, “I love the creamy tartness with the buttery crust—it’s my go-to for summer.” She makes parfaits with this frozen delight, layered with crushed cookies and whipped cream. I think I have some taste testing to do!