The Best Store-Bought Pecan Pie We Tried Is Worth The $15.99 Price Tag

There are so many varieties of pies that come out in grocery stores every holiday season, which makes it hard to land on just one (the decision fatigue is real). Whether it is a fruity apple pie or a creamy pumpkin, the real sleeper is and always will be a gloriously rich pecan pie. So, instead of bringing a less-than-ideal dessert to your next gathering, the experts at Food Republic ranked six store-bought pecan pie options to reveal our winner — the one from Whole Foods Market. While it does run $15.99 per 14-ounce pie, it is well worth the investment for happy taste buds.

This pie, quite literally, leaves the others behind. For one, ingredient-wise, Whole Foods Market's decadent treat promises unbleached flour, cage-free eggs, and no artificial colors or flavors, resulting in an above-average slice made with ingredients bakers have in their own kitchens. Additionally, a solid pie should start with a great crust — and this one does just that. It uses flour, butter, palm oil, sugar, and salt to curate a snappy, buttery, flaky texture, serving as a delicious base for the contents. 

As for the filling, ingredients include pecans, sweet corn syrup, more butter, brown sugar, fragrant vanilla extract, and sea salt, allowing the nuts' flavor to shine without unnecessary additives. As pecans are toasted, they release oils that are slightly sweet, richly flavored, nutty, and sometimes even have a savory appeal.

Since the Whole Foods Market pie uses unflavored pecans, the natural nut flavor becomes the star of the show. When combined with brown sugar (not just corn syrup like many other grocery store pies), this creates a fantastic pair. The sugary mix delivers a more decadent, caramelized flavor throughout the dessert. Better yet, after it's baked, the sugar forms a crunchy layer on the surface. When it's time to dig in, you're met with that toffee-like portion and a gooey, rich filling beneath for an amazingly textured bite that further elevates this pie as the cream of the crop.

If this sounds delicious, but the price tag is somewhat of a deterrent, take a moment to consider the cost of making your own versus opting for this mouthwatering treat. Typically, a homemade pecan pie requires between 1 to 2.5 cups of nuts. When a 10-ounce bag of pecans (roughly 2.5 cups) costs around $10 at affordable stores like Walmart, this cost doesn't even include the other crust and filling ingredients — such as butter, corn syrup, vanilla extract, or even bourbon for a spiked version — which quickly add up. With all this in mind, $15.99 for a homemade-tasting dessert (and a stress-free Thanksgiving) feels like a more than worthy price.