The Best Store Bought Pumpkin Pie (Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie, Too!)

I love pumpkin pie. It’s really the one pie about which I am truly passionate. So, every year, I get excited to go to town on a pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving (which never seems to be an issue because for some reason I’m the only person who ever wants pumpkin pie in the first place). But I do not make pumpkin pie. And neither should you. You have enough to do (but if you insist, we did find the best canned pumpkin).

Instead, just check out our ranking of the best grocery store pumpkin pie (which includes frozen pumpkin pie, a shockingly good sugar free pumpkin pie, and two options for gluten free pumpkin pie) for the best pumpkin pie to buy for Thanksgiving, friendsgiving, or just bringing to work and eating at your desk like a boss. (And if you’re looking for the best pumpkin cheesecake, we found that, too.) 

What we looked for in the best pumpkin pie: 

• Buttery, flaky crust. The best pumpkin pie comes with the best pie crust, which should be buttery, flaky, and a little bit salty. 
• True pumpkin flavor. Pumpkin pie should actually taste like pumpkin (or at least some sort of gourd). Not just spiced goop. 
• Balanced spice. We want spice, for sure, but not, like, craft store spice. We’re looking for a balanced blend of nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, etc. that elevates the pumpkin flavor rather than smothering it. 
• Filling that holds together. When you slice a piece of pumpkin pie it should hold together. It shouldn’t immediately collapse into a puddle on a plate. But it also shouldn’t be too firm because of too much gelatin. 

A good number of the pumpkin pies we tasted didn’t check those boxes. But a few did. Thankfully. And, actually, our number one best store bought pumpkin pie is a real home run. You can put down the rolling pin, because the best store bought pumpkin pie is here to help. 

Best store-bought pumpkin pie, ranked

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Best Small Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie

Katz Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie

Sprouts

If there’s only one or two gluten free folks at your Thanksgiving, then this petite gluten free pumpkin pie is the one for you. First of all, you can bake it in the air fryer, so you’re not taking up valuable oven space. Secondly, the flavor of the crust is great—it’s biscuity and salty. The texture is a bit wanting. It turns to paste in your mouth. Less than ideal. But still, the flavor of the crust paired with the squash-forward sweetness of the filling is good. And there’s not so much thick crust that you’ll be overwhelmed by the pastiness. Our resident gluten free Sporker wasn’t even bothered.

Credit: Liv Averett / Sprouts

Rating:

7.5/10

Sporks

Best Big Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie

The Maine Co. Pumpkin Pie

Whole Foods

If you’re feeding a whole table of gluten free folks (or gluten sensitive folks or just folks who aren’t super attached to gluten), then this is the best pumpkin pie to buy. But make sure you plan ahead. This baby cooks for a full hour. And, actually, I’d cook it for a little bit longer—the base was still a bit doughy when we took our pie out. The crust comes out buttery and toasty. The filling is very pumpkin-y—not gelatinous like some of the other pies on this list, but still pleasantly custardy. Could it use more pumpkin spice? It could. But the pumpkin purists will appreciate it.

Credit: Liv Averett / Whole Foods

Rating:

7.5/10

Sporks

Best Not-So-Sweet Frozen Pumpkin Pie

Marie Callender’s Pumpkin Pie

Instacart

Both Marie Callender’s and Sara Lee make the best frozen pumpkin pie—but they’re two very different pies for very different people. Marie Callender’s frozen pumpkin pie has a very squashy flavor and isn’t too sweet at all. It’s heavy on the pumpkin pie spice, too—you gotta love nutmeg. The crust is buttery and it has this wonderful salty flavor that contrasts so well with the filling. It is definitely a looser pie, though. I definitely recommend popping it in the fridge after baking (yes, you do need to bake it) or else you risk slices that won’t hold their form.

Credit: Merc / Instacart

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Best Sweet Frozen Pumpkin Pie

Sara Lee Pumpkin Pie

Vons

If you like a sweeter pumpkin pie, then Sara Lee’s frozen pumpkin pie is the best pumpkin pie to buy. It’s still pumpkin-y, but there’s definitely more sugar in the mix, as well as more vanilla. It’s also much firmer than Marie Callender’s frozen pumpkin pie. You can cut a slice straight out of the oven and it really stays together. The crust is crumbly and buttery and sweet—no noticeable salt in this pie crust. 

Credit: Merc / Vons

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Best Sugar Free Pumpkin Pie

Bakery Fresh Goodness Sugar Free

Ralphs

The second best store bought pumpkin pie is a sugar free pumpkin pie! I thought this would actually be super duper sweet because typically “sugar free” means filled with artificial sweeteners instead. But this Kroger brand sugar free pumpkin pie tastes more like a homemade pumpkin pie than any of the others. It’s really pumpkin forward. The crust is very tender and chewy. And it would be great with some whipped cream (go ahead and buy some canned whipped cream) or even a scoop of pumpkin ice cream. If you have a Kroger or Kroger-owned store near you, this is some of the best grocery store pumpkin pie around.

Credit: Merc / Ralphs

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Best of the Best

Kirkland Signature Pumpkin Pie

Instacart

The celebrated Costco pumpkin pie is a coveted seasonal item for a reason. It’s absolutely massive, it’s ready to eat, and it costs less than $8. Seriously, it’s the size of a tire. And it actually tastes pretty darn good. It’s really heavy on the pumpkin flavor—not too sweet at all. And the texture is firm. It doesn’t collapse into a pool when you cut a slice. The crust is crumbly and buttery with just a touch of salt. It’s a great vehicle for whipped cream or vanilla ice cream since the pie itself is so squashy it’s almost savory. This is definitely the best store bought pumpkin pie for a crowd and the best pumpkin pie to buy, period.  

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

9.5/10

Sporks

Other pumpkin pies we tried:

These pies did not make the list because they were too sweet, had unpleasant crusts, or very gloopy fillings.

Aldi Bake Shop, Sprouts, Freshness Guaranteed, Bakery Fresh Goodness