The best store bought pumpkin pie was harder to find than I thought it would be. Great pumpkin pie should have a flaky, buttery crust and a pumpkin/gourd-based filling that’s spiced (but not, like, craft store spiced) and sweet. And that filling should hold together. It shouldn’t gloop into a puddle the second you cut a slice. A good number of the pumpkin pies we tasted didn’t check those boxes. But a few did. Thankfully. So you can put down the rolling pin—the best store bought pumpkin pie does exist.
I love pumpkin pie. It’s really the one pie I am truly passionate about. So, every year, I get excited to go to absolute 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. Instead, just check out our ranking of the best grocery store pumpkin pie (which includes frozen pumpkin pie, and even a shockingly good sugar 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.
- Marie Callender’s Pumpkin Pie
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Both Marie Callender’s and Sara Lee make the best frozen pumpkin pie—but they’re two very different pies for different people. Marie Callender’s frozen pumpkin pie is very squashy in flavor and not 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 or else you risk slices that won’t hold their form.
Credit: Merc / Instacart
- Sara Lee Pumpkin Pie
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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
- Bakery Fresh Goodness Sugar Free
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Can you believe it? The 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 sugar free pumpkin pie we got from Ralphs (a Kroger store) 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 the best grocery store pumpkin pie around.
Credit: Merc / Ralphs
Best Frozen
Also Best Frozen
Best of the Best
Other pumpkin pies we tasted: Sprouts, Freshness Guaranteed, Bakery Fresh Goodness (not sugar free)
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