I’m happy to say that you do not have to make your kitchen into a gigantic, sticky mess this holiday season. Because the best store bought pecan pie is really, very good and no one will notice that you didn’t spend an hour plus chopping nuts.
We lined the Sporked countertops with six different pecan pies in search of the best pecan pie to buy from the grocery store and were impressed by four. Each one brought something unique to the table—like a caramelized layer of nuts or an incredible amount of goo—but they all had a few things in common. Here’s what we look for in the best pecan pie: quality crust, crunchy nuts, sweet, gooey filling. Whether you’re looking for the best pecan pie (classic style), the best frozen pecan pie, or even the best mini pecan pies, this list of the best pecan pies has a pecan pie for you. (And, if you’re wondering, I’m saying pe-cawn, but go ahead and say pee-can. It’s cute. You’re cute. Wanna come over for some pie?)
- Marketside Pecan Pie
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Walmart’s Marketside pecan pie is all about the goo. The filling is very, very gooey—the most goo of any of the pies we tried. It’s nutty, caramelized goo. It’s good goo. But it’s a lot of goo. If you’re in it for the goo, then this is definitely the best store bought pecan pie for you. Not to be overshadowed, the crust is extremely buttery. This is a pecan pie of extremes.
Credit: Merc / Walmart
- Marie Callender’s Southern Pecan Pie
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Even though this is a frozen pecan pie, it still won’t take up precious oven space. It’s a thaw-and-enjoy frozen pecan pie—love that. But do let it thaw! There’s a lot of goo in this baby and it needs time to settle and ooze. (If you try to bite into it too early you’ll be met with a firm texture that does not work for pecan pie.) It’s very, very carmelly with a buttery crust that’s savory but not salty. It’s topped with lots of crumbled pieces of pecans and a crackly, caramelized layer of sugar. You definitely get a good, toasty pecan flavor in each bite. Our resident expat Southerner, Jordan Myrick, did not think it was a good representation of a traditional Southern pecan pie, but they still loved how gooey and indulgent it is.
Credit: Merc / Walmart
- Table Talk Pies Old Fashioned Pecan Pie
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I love these mini pecan pies. I’m not a huge goo fan, and by making the pecan pie smaller, you increase the ratio of crust to filling, resulting in less goo. It’s more sticky than gooey, and that’s just right for me. The filling is rich and caramelized. The crust is buttery and crumbly and just a touch salty. Each of the mini pecan pies comes topped with lots of chopped pecans on top for terrific texture. These mini pecan pies are the best pecan pies to serve as individual desserts, topped with a really good vanilla ice cream. Or, skip the ice cream and you can just pick them up and eat them like big ol’ cookies.
Credit: Merc / Instacart
- Bakery Fresh Goodness Pecan Pie
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The more I taste baked goods from Kroger’s Bakery Fresh Goodness line, the more I’m impressed. They’ve all been pretty decent, at least. But Kroger’s store brand pecan pie is particularly good. The crust is buttery, but the filling is what really does it for me. It’s nutty and gooey and not insanely sweet (sometimes, pecan pie can be so sweet it hurts), and it tastes like cookie butter. It comes topped with plenty of whole, crunchy pecans on top, and looks like a classic, homemade pecan pie. It’s the best store bought pecan pie for a classic pecan pie experience without the classic pecan pie hassle.
Credit: Merc / Ralphs
Best Gooey Pecan Pie
Best Frozen Pecan Pie
Best Mini Pecan Pies
Best of the Best
Other pecan pies we tried: Sprouts Chocolate Pecan Pie, Freshness Guaranteed Pecan Pie
