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I tried 5 pies from Trader Joe's ahead of Thanksgiving and most of them tasted homemade

I tried 5 pies from Trader Joe's ahead of Thanksgiving and most of them tasted homemade
The five pies I compared from Trader Joe's.Erin McDowell/Business Insider
  • I compared five pies I found in the bakery and frozen sections of Trader Joe's.
  • The French apple tart and apple crumble pie both impressed me with their tart, crisp apple flavor.

With Thanksgiving quickly approaching, you might be wondering how stores like Trader Joe's can help you create the most delicious dinner possible.

I decided to compare pies from the chain to see if any might be the perfect option for a holiday dessert. I tried five different pies from my local Trader Joe's store in Queens, New York: pumpkin pie, French apple tart, apple crumble pie, pecan pie, and Nantucket-style cranberry pie.

Here's my ranking of all the Trader Joe's pies, from worst to best.

My least favorite pie out of the ones I tried was Trader Joe's pecan pie.

My least favorite pie out of the ones I tried was Trader Joe
Trader Joe's pecan pie.      Erin McDowell/Business Insider

The pie weighed 24 ounces and cost $8.99.

The pie was topped with a layer of large pecans.

The pie was topped with a layer of large pecans.
Trader Joe's pecan pie.      Erin McDowell/Business Insider

It's worth noting that I've never been a huge fan of pecan pie. So, while this pie might personally be my least-favorite, many people could love it.

The pie was easy to slice, and the crust was flaky.

The pie was easy to slice, and the crust was flaky.
Trader Joe's pecan pie.      Erin McDowell/Business Insider

I made sure to get a few pecans on my slice.

There was lots to love about this pie, but the flavor of the filling fell a little short for me.

There was lots to love about this pie, but the flavor of the filling fell a little short for me.
Trader Joe's pecan pie.      Erin McDowell/Business Insider

I appreciate a balance of textures in my food, so I loved the contrast between the smooth filling and the crunchy nuts.

However, while I enjoyed the brown-sugar flavor of the filling, there was a note of bitterness that I didn't particularly love.

I ultimately preferred the other pies I tried, so the pecan ranked last for me.

The pumpkin pie from Trader Joe's also ranked low on my list, but only because it had steep competition.

The pumpkin pie from Trader Joe
Trader Joe's pumpkin pie.      Erin McDowell/Business Insider

The 27-ounce pie cost $6.99.

The pie doesn't require being heated up, but you could put it in the oven for a few minutes if you prefer your pie warm.

The pie doesn
Trader Joe's pumpkin pie.      Erin McDowell/Business Insider

I've tried Trader Joe's pumpkin pie before, and I enjoyed it just as much the second time around.

The pie was very easy to slice. The crust and filling stayed together very nicely.

The pie was very easy to slice. The crust and filling stayed together very nicely.
Trader Joe's pumpkin pie.      Erin McDowell/Business Insider

I thought the pie served very well at room temperature.

The filling tasted strongly of cinnamon and cloves.

The filling tasted strongly of cinnamon and cloves.
Trader Joe's pumpkin pie.      Erin McDowell/Business Insider

I thought it was a good store-bought pumpkin pie, but nothing groundbreaking.

The crust impressed me with its flavor — it was almost cookie-like — but I would have preferred a flakier texture in order to believe this pie was homemade.

The Nantucket-style cranberry pie was the only pie I tried from the frozen section.

The Nantucket-style cranberry pie was the only pie I tried from the frozen section.
Trader Joe's Nantucket-style cranberry pie.      Erin McDowell/Business Insider

The 16.5-ounce pie cost $6.49, making it the least expensive pie I tried.

The pie required being baked in the oven, which added an extra step.

The pie required being baked in the oven, which added an extra step.
Trader Joe's Nantucket-style cranberry pie.      Erin McDowell/Business Insider

I baked the pie in the oven for 20 minutes at 350 degrees, then flipped the pie upside down onto a plate once it was done.

The cranberries tasted fresh and tart, and I liked the texture of the crust.

The cranberries tasted fresh and tart, and I liked the texture of the crust.
Trader Joe's Nantucket-style cranberry pie.      Erin McDowell/Business Insider

The crust was slightly buttery, and the fact that the pie was warm was a bonus. It tasted homemade, in my opinion.

It also sliced well, with the piece holding together nicely.

If someone had told me this pie came out of the freezer, I wouldn't have believed them.

If someone had told me this pie came out of the freezer, I wouldn
Trader Joe's Nantucket-style cranberry pie.      Erin McDowell/Business Insider

The balance of the slightly sour cranberries and the sweet, buttery crust made this a dessert I would definitely serve at my Thanksgiving meal.

My second-favorite dessert I tried was Trader Joe's French apple tart.

My second-favorite dessert I tried was Trader Joe
Trader Joe's French apple tart.      Erin McDowell/Business Insider

The 20-ounce tart cost $7.99.

The tart looked beautiful. In terms of presentation, this dessert was the winner, by far.

The tart looked beautiful. In terms of presentation, this dessert was the winner, by far.
Trader Joe's French apple tart.      Erin McDowell/Business Insider

The sliced apples were layered in a perfect swirl around the tart.

The crust was flaky, but the tart stayed together perfectly when served.

The crust was flaky, but the tart stayed together perfectly when served.
Trader Joe's French apple tart.      Erin McDowell/Business Insider

I was interested to see whether I would enjoy the shortbread crust compared to the pumpkin pie's crust, which was more crumbly and cookie-like. I can confirm: This was delicious.

This dessert blew me away.

This dessert blew me away.
Trader Joe's French apple tart.      Erin McDowell/Business Insider

The notes of vanilla and apricot came through, balanced out by the tart, crisp slices of apples and the sweet, flaky crust.

This dessert arguably tasted better than a homemade dessert — it tasted like it came from a fancy patisserie, not a grocery store.

It was a tough call, but I thought the apple crumble pie was the best pie from Trader Joe's.

It was a tough call, but I thought the apple crumble pie was the best pie from Trader Joe
Trader Joe's apple crumble pie.      Erin McDowell/Business Insider

The 27.16-ounce pie cost $7.99. It was the heaviest pie that I tried.

This pie also required being heated in the oven.

This pie also required being heated in the oven.
Trader Joe's apple crumble pie.      Erin McDowell/Business Insider

I cooked it at the same time as the cranberry pie for 20 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

The pie was a touch difficult to serve.

The pie was a touch difficult to serve.
Trader Joe's apple crumble pie.      Erin McDowell/Business Insider

The warm apples and oat topping separated slightly from the crust, making it a little messy to serve.

But this pie had the best flavor out of all the pies I tried.

But this pie had the best flavor out of all the pies I tried.
Trader Joe's apple crumble pie.      Erin McDowell/Business Insider

The warm, cinnamon apples made this pie the ultimate comfort food. The apples had a nice tartness to them, while the oat crumble was buttery and added a crunchy texture.

I couldn't stop eating it, which sealed this pie as the winner in my books. It tasted homemade, like something my mother or grandmother would make.

One thing is for certain — whether you serve this apple crumble pie on its own or with vanilla ice cream, this dessert is sure to impress everyone at your Thanksgiving dinner.


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