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If you’re responsible for dessert at Thanksgiving, either as a host or as a guest, you know you’re on the hook for pie. You can make your own (time-consuming) or buy from a bakery (expensive). But luckily, there’s a third option—your local grocery store.
Grocery stores are convenient, less pricey than bakeries, and usually offer plenty of options to suit any taste. Of course, supermarket pies vary wildly in quality, and you don’t want to be the person who serves suboptimal pie at Thanksgiving.
So here are the best choices at major supermarket chains, from apple to pumpkin and beyond. (Note: If you’re shopping last-minute, make sure your supermarket is open on Thanksgiving.)
We’ll let you in on a secret: Many fruit pies freeze really well, and taste pretty close to fresh when heated up, so a frozen option is convenient, economical and delicious if apple is your jam. At around $6, this pie is a great value and also stacks up well against other frozen options. Pick one up at your local grocery store, Target, or Walmart.
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Though at $10 it’s pricier than other supermarket pies, this Thanksgiving must is worth it. In a 2020 taste test against other supermarket pumpkin pies, Wegmans’ was by far the favorite, with a flaky crust, creamy filling and a good balance of spice and pumpkin flavor.
A classic holiday treat, pecan pie also freezes well—and with this well-reviewed, $7 option available at Walmart, all you have to do is let it thaw and you’re good to go. Pro tip: To balance the sweetness of pecan pie, try sprinkling it with a little bit of flaky sea salt, such as Maldon.
If cake, cobbler, and pie had a baby, it would be this popular dessert, loaded with tart cranberries on a hearty walnut crust, all for $6.50. It comes frozen, so thaw or warm it, then flip it over onto a serving platter so the colorful fruit is on top.
Make it your own: While you’re at the store, pick up a container of heavy cream and DIY some whipped cream to give your store-bought pie some hassle-free homemade flair. You can sweeten it, add vanilla, or just whip the cream by itself and serve as is.
