Costco Thanksgiving Pies, Ranked

To cite cooking icon Ina Garten, store-bought is ok — and we’d argue that’s particularly the case on the largest cooking vacation of the yr, when your oven is occupied by a 16-pound fowl and everybody’s favourite aspect dishes. In the event you’re feeding a crowd on Thanksgiving (otherwise you’ve been tasked with bringing dessert to a Friendsgiving), you’ll be tempted by Costco’s huge Kirkland Signature pies, every weighing in at over three kilos. 

That can assist you to determine which one deserves a spot in your vacation dessert desk, we tried the retailer’s three hottest Thanksgiving pies — apple, pecan, and pumpkin — on the Meals & Wine workplace. Whereas Costco suggests a serving measurement of 12 slices, we discovered that these colossal pies might be lower into squares to yield at the very least 16 servings. That’s a complete lotta pie! Learn on for our critiques of all three Thanksgiving pies, and possibly put money into some extra Tupperware. 

3. Kirkland Signature Pumpkin Pie

This single-crust pumpkin pie was undeniably the steal of the bunch, at simply $5.99 for 68 ounces. (In the event you’re feeding 12 individuals, that’s just a little over 50 cents per particular person) However we discovered the filling to be bland and barely watery, with one taster calling the feel “child food-like.” The crust was unexceptional, however our largest difficulty with this pumpkin pie was the shortage of pumpkin pie spice within the filling. “The place are the spices? The place is the love?” one taster requested. “I really like a typical pumpkin pie however this one was flavorless,” one other added. “I’ve by no means wished for pumpkin spice to be added to one thing, however it will have been welcome right here.”

In the event you like a clear slice, it’s value noting that this pie held its form significantly better when sliced than the apple and pecan, which each was a cobbler scenario as soon as divided. 

2. Kirkland Signature Double Crust Apple Pie

At $12.99 for a whopping 4 kilos and 11 ounces, this double-crust pie was full of cinnamon-spiced apples and adorned with eye-catching vents within the form of a flower. It had our favourite crust of the three pies, because of a crackly sugar topping that gave it a glittery sheen, and no soggy backside in sight; one taster famous the nice “brief” texture. What stored this pie from taking prime honors? Whereas we discovered the apple filling to have a pleasant acidity that balanced out the sweetness of the dessert, we didn’t love its sticky, syrupy texture.

Given its measurement, this apple pie didn’t actually have an opportunity of holding collectively, however no factors have been deducted for this downfall. “I’m truthfully extra cautious of an apple pie that doesn’t collapse if you lower into it,” one taster stated. 

Our favourite: Kirkland Signature Pecan Pie

Weighing in at 4 kilos and 6 ounces, this decadent pie was the most costly of the three, at $16.99, however we discovered it to be value each penny. The crumbly crust was full of a thick filling and a crown of sugary toasted pecans. Tasters famous the beneficiant quantity of pecans on prime of the pie, which have been completely toasted and buttery (pecans are the truth is the second ingredient listed, after corn syrup). “I’m usually cautious of pecan pie because it’s like consuming pecan-topped sugar goo. This one wasn’t a sugar bomb and the pecans had a pleasant texture,” one taster famous. We additionally appreciated the crumbliness of the crust with the gooey filling, which one other in comparison with “graham cracker on prime of pudding.” 

The one draw back: Most tasters discovered the feel to be too thick, and one taster even referred to as it “cheesy.” One other was upset that the pecans weren’t evenly distributed all through the filling.

So, is that this the proper pecan pie? No, however at below $2 per serving, it’s a deal irrespective of the way you slice it.