The Hands-Down Worst Brand For Frozen Pies

Nothing compares to homemade pie fresh out of the oven, but many local bakeries these days turn out pies that can rival them. Even grocery store bakeries offer decent enough take-and-bake pies. And if you aren't up for using the oven at all, there are always frozen pies to turn to. These packaged pre-made pies are available in classic and unique flavors, and some require no more work than to be thawed before eating. Of course, there are tons of grocery store chains, and each carries a slightly different lineup of frozen pies. Most are sure to do the job, but not all can be winners. We ranked seven frozen dessert pie brands, and Walmart's private brand, Great Value, came in last.

We tried Great Value's frozen s'mores pie in our taste test. S'mores is a pie flavor you won't find from most (if any) of the brand's competition, so Walmart wins for uniqueness. The pie is also visually appealing, with perfectly piped whipped cream and carefully placed marshmallows atop the chocolate filling and graham cracker crust. But the look quickly leads to disappointment after one bite; the crust is bland, and the filling isn't rich or flavorful. The whipped cream on top thaws into an unpleasantly goopy consistency. Overall, the pie is just lacking in texture, flavor, and satiety factor. 

Great Value's frozen apple pie is no better, with only a 2.8-star rating on Walmart's website. Customers complain about the lack of flavor in the filling and crust, even going as far as to compare the pie to cardboard. The "great value" you get for this pie is not reason enough to purchase it; trust us, you'll want to spend the extra few bucks to get a better pie.

If this pie still intrigues you (we can't blame you, it's a s'mores pie!), grab one anyway and doctor it up a little. Torching the top of a store-bought pie makes it look homemade, and in this case, it could just up the flavor. Tie the campfire piece into this s'mores pie by torching the whipped cream and marshmallows just a touch — you don't want to melt the filling! You could also drizzle chocolate sauce or melted chocolate on top of it to add the richness that the filling lacks. Also, washing it down with a glass of red wine wouldn't hurt. A cab or merlot is the best wine pairing for chocolate chess pie, and this pie has a similar flavor profile, so reach for that full-bodied red.

Otherwise, you're better off reaching for a different frozen pie. Marie Callender can do no wrong, and we highly recommend the company's frozen Dutch apple pie, though this one has to be baked. For a no-bake frozen pie option that is worth buying the whole tin, go with the classic: Edward's Baking Company.