We Tasted 7 Frozen Pie Crusts — Here’s the Winner Nobody Saw Coming
Work smarter, not harder.
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As the late writer Nora Ephron once said, “There’s no point in making pie crust from scratch.” While we can’t entirely agree with her on this point (and offer our Master Pie Dough as a rebuttal), Ephron was right that homemade pie crust takes time. And when you don’t have that, there’s frozen pie crust. There are plenty of bland, dry, and crumbly premade crusts out there (we know because we tasted a few), but we found three that taste like labors of love — without the labor. All are worthy of your holiday spread.
Related: 32 Showstopping Thanksgiving Pies and Tarts
How we tested
We chose seven different brands of frozen prepared pie crusts based on popularity and availability. Some came in aluminum tins, while others were rolled up in a package. We chose not to fill any of the crusts and baked them according to the par-bake package directions. While this may seem unusual, we wanted our testers to evaluate the flavor of the crust alone.
We evaluated each crust based on two categories: flavor and texture. When evaluating overall flavor, we asked testers to consider each pie crust’s butteriness, salt level, and richness. For texture, testers evaluated the tenderness and flakiness of the crust. To keep things fair, the brands were concealed from the testers and only revealed after the test was complete.
Related: The Best Type of Crust for Any Kind of Pie, According to a Pro Baker
Of the seven crusts we sampled, four were disappointing in both flavor and texture. They ranged from tasting like crumbly, stale water crackers to bitter and chemical-y. But our top three crusts came close to offering a fresh-baked taste. The best part? No pastry cutter needed, just a trip to the freezer aisle.
Courtesy of Whole Foods Market
Best overall: Wholly Wholesome Organic Traditional Pie Shell
While most of our testers had never heard of Wholly Wholesome before tasting, we can now confidently say it’s the best frozen pie crust we’ve tasted. This crust is well-seasoned with sea salt, and the cane sugar used to sweeten it offers a subtle hint of molasses flavor.
Additionally, it was the easiest crust to remove from the aluminum tin (everyone wants a perfect slice, right?) The texture was beautifully flaky, but also held its shape and didn’t crumble when we cut it. Its balanced flavor would perfectly complement any sweet filling, like for pumpkin, apple, or chocolate chess pie. The company also offers a whole-wheat version of its traditional pie shell.
$7 for two 9-inch pie shells at wholefoodsmarket.com.
Courtesy of Walmart
Most buttery: Great Value Traditional Pie Crust
If you’re looking for a pie crust that rivals a rich, all-butter homemade pie crust, you can count on Walmart’s in-house brand. Although Wholly Wholesome narrowly surpassed this crust for the top spot, we found Great Value’s crust to be well-seasoned, tender, flaky, and buttery but not greasy. (Notably, it doesn’t contain any butter but is instead made with palm oil.) Its nutty, toasty notes would pair beautifully with the toffee-like flavors found in a pecan or caramel apple pie.
$3 for two 9-inch pie crusts at walmart.com.
Courtesy of Amazon
Best classic: Marie Callender’s Pastry Pie Shells
From the 1930s to today, Marie Callender has evolved from the work of a single baker to the most recognizable premade pie brand in the country. Our testers described this crust as “pleasantly light” and “tender, yet crisp.” It offered a sweeter flavor than others, with several testers comparing its taste and texture to a shortbread cookie. While you can use this crust with any filling, its sweet flavor pairs particularly well with savory pies or quiche.
$4 for two 8-ounce pie crusts at amazon.com.
