Grocery Store Pie Crusts, Ranked, According To Customers

Whether you need suitable options for the holiday season or simply want a yummy foundation for your grandmother's old-fashioned pie recipe, knowing how to score a good store-bought pie crust is crucial. And though you'll likely find market shelves stacked with plenty of pie crust options, it may still be hard to know exactly which are actually worth your time.

We've been there and understand entirely. In this post, we've gone through the hassle of scouring customer reviews to help you get your hands on the pie crust of your dreams while also keeping price, texture, taste, and ingredients in mind. We hope that you'll at least find one crust on this list that suits your baking needs without having to unnecessarily spend your hard-earned money on others that simply won't work.

So, if you're ready, let's get ready to slice into the details concerning which store-bought pie crusts are actually worthy of your favorite filling. Let's dig in!

Read more: 12 Popular Ice Cream Brands, Ranked Worst To Best

Favorite Day Graham Cracker Pie Crust

The Favorite Day Graham Cracker Pie Crust is a Target-owned pie crust. It comes attractively packaged, and the pricing is decent, though not as inexpensive as some of the other generic branded graham cracker crusts we've found. That said, we were surprised to see this crust rated as low as it was based on customer reviews. It seems that issues with crumbling crust are what has earned it such an overall low rating. One customer did mention that it's important to refrigerate the crust 2-3 hours before using it, though we aren't sure if this will make a difference, nor does it seem to be a part of the instructions on the packaging.

In any event, these Target-branded graham cracker crust pies, though they look promising, don't quite live up to expectations. As others in the comment section of the product mentioned, it may be best to pick up a brand name, like Keebler pie crusts, instead.

Mi-Del Gluten Free Chocolate Snaps - Pie Crust

A truly good chocolate pie crust is already a decadent buy, but a gluten-free pie crust? Well, that just about takes the cake! With that said, we were excited to see Mi-Del Gluten Free Pie Crust in Chocolate Snap on store shelves and were interested to know how these would fare compared to others. The results? Not so good, we're afraid to say.

It isn't that these Mi-Del chocolate pie crusts aren't good. They are! The problem is with the texture. As many reviewers put it, these pie crusts are basically the texture of sand. Their gritty texture isn't quite able to stand up to fillings and seems to give in before any actual baking or serving can ensue. Some customers have even likened the pie crusts to the "dirt" used in gummy worms dessert, meaning the consistency is more like finely crushed Oreos than anything else.

All in all, this pie crust seemingly tastes good, but don't expect it to actually hold together for traditional pie use. Sigh.

Pillsbury Premade Refrigerated Pie Crusts

Pillsbury is undoubtedly a staple in many homes, and its premade refrigerated pie crusts come in handy, especially when it comes time for a good ole holiday pie. The problem is, though coming in a convenient 2-pack package, these Pillsbury Premade Refrigerated Pie Crusts sometimes fall flat -- depending on who you ask.

If you go searching for them, you'll likely find that these Pillsbury Premade Refrigerated Pie Crusts have varying reviews. On one hand, people seem to love the convenience of the crusts, and many claim them to be the best they've used. On the other hand, many accuse these shells of having many pitfalls, most of which have ruined their pies for upcoming special occasions.

So, which is it? Probably a little of both. If you're used to using this brand, you may still love it since it's what you're already used to. As for those who take ought with the shells, the tearing, small size, shrinkage, and sometimes "off" taste have been enough to cause people to sidestep this popular grab. Try this one and see what you think -- but based on recent reviews, we'd recommend not waiting until the next major holiday to do it.

Pillsbury Deep Dish Pie Crusts

‌When it comes to Pillsbury Deep Dish Pie Crusts, we're sad to inform you that you may need to look elsewhere to get your hands on a good deep dish crust. From what we can tell, customers seem quite disgruntled about what they receive when buying this product, even despite having been avid fans of it in the past.

Has Pillsbury pie crusts gone downhill? We don't know. But one thing's for certain, and that is that customers seem to be accusing them of such after their experiences with this deep dish option. Complaints include claims of foul taste, an unpleasantly hard crust, a non-flaky end product, and difficulty browning. Having said all of that, older reviews stemming from around 2022 give this deep dish crust higher marks when it comes to customer satisfaction. This discrepancy in reviews within a year's span makes us wonder what's really going on here.

Marie Callender's Deep Dish Pastry Pie Shells

‌Reviews are all over the place when it comes to Marie Callender Deep Dish Pastry Pie Shells. On the one hand, people seem to really enjoy the flavor. Even so, each reviewer tends to have something negative to say about the shells, with each complaint being different from the one before it.

For example, one customer claims the shells start out well in the beginning but then break apart after cooking. Another says that the crust remains raw on the bottom after baked. Yet another complains that the tin itself caved in after the pie baking was complete.

Another thing to note about these Marie Callender pie crusts is that the price point is a little higher than we've seen on some of the others. Considering the numerous, though confusing, negative reviews surrounding this one, we aren't sure we'd be willing to pay close to $5, at the time of publication, for something that could inevitably go wrong. For that reason, we won't necessarily recommend these, although we're sure they'd do okay if you were in a real pinch.

Diamond Of California Pecan Pie Crust

‌A pie crust made out of -- pecans? Sounds a bit out of left field, doesn't it? Still, this crust may not be what you think. At first blush, it's easy to assume that this Diamond of California Pecan Pie Crust is made exclusively of, well, pecans. In actuality, this crust does include flour, though it may still prove a lower carb than some of your more popular Keebler and Great Value pie crust brands.

So, how does the Diamond of California Pecan Pie Crust get along performance-wise? Seems to be a hit-or-miss with most folks. Reviews are all over the place, with some claiming it makes wildly delicious desserts and others asserting it's beyond terrible. Concerning the unfavorable reviews, commenters noted that the pie crust tastes awful, almost as if the pecans themselves have gone rancid within the crust. Still others claim to have found pecan shell fragments, turning them off of the pie crust completely.

Whatever the case, we aren't sure we'd want to splurge on this pie crust, especially given the fact that people seem split on its flavor and quality. At $3.47 at our local Walmart at publication, this crust costs a little more than some of the others and doesn't have the glowing reviews to help mitigate its expense.

Diamond Of California Walnut Pie Crust

‌This is another pie crust from Diamond of California, though this time, it's made (mostly) of walnuts. Diamond of California Walnut Pie Crust is an interesting and non-traditional option that has fans pretty stoked. Even so, we've noticed some of the same qualms concerning the pecan crust cropping up with this walnut version hailing from the same brand.

One of the most common concerns raised with both the walnut and pecan Diamond of California pie crust varieties is the shell fragments stuck within. With that said, the reviews on the walnut variety seem more satisfactory, as most claim it to have great flavor along with an excellent texture that makes for an impeccable pie base.

One thing we do want to mention about this Diamond of California Walnut Pie Crust is that it is sometimes misunderstood by fans as a keto-friendly or gluten-free option. We want you to know that though this is a "walnut" crust, it, like the pecan crust, also contains flour and, therefore, is not suitable for the gluten-free diet. In terms of keto-friendliness, know that while this pie crust is indeed lower in carbs than other pie crust grabs you'll find on this list, each ⅛ slice of pie will run you 9 carbs. If you love pie as much as we do, you may run over your preferred limit for carbs if you consume too many slices in one day. Just a heads up!

Great Value Reay-To-Bake Pie Crusts

This is yet another pie crust whose reviews have us confused. Though some people have had negative experiences with Great Value 9" Refrigerated Pie Crusts, others seem to love them. To start, Great Value 9" Refrigerated Pie Crusts come two in a pack, unbaked. Unlike the other Great Value pie crusts on this list, they come soft and pliable and can be used either as a single or a two-crust top and bottom option.

As for what you can expect when using these crusts, we aren't quite so sure what to tell you. On one hand, customers seem to love how tasty these crusts bake up. These same people claim that the crusts bake well and are easy to work with. On the other hand, some patrons say that the crusts actually are quite delicate and don't brown well. A few even assert that they give off a bland flavor, thus causing their final recipe to essentially fall flat.

Sigh. Though we'd love to provide you with a conclusive statement on whether or not these are worth your dime, we simply don't know who to believe here. This is one of those cases where you might just have to experiment for yourself; at $2.54 at the time of publication, we think the price point is cheap enough to risk it if you want to.

Diamond Of California Chocolate Nut Pie Crust

‌Another Diamond of California crust, you'll begin to notice a theme here concerning customer reviews. Like other reviews you'll see of this crust, customers tend to note similar experiences, many of which remain the same no matter which type of crust is purchased.

In this case, the Diamond of California Chocolate Nut Pie Crust is definitely delicious and may prove a better pick than even the Mi-Del gluten-free chocolate pie crust mentioned earlier. Though it isn't actually gluten-free (we know, bummer), there aren't as many complaints about this one losing its shape. Instead, patrons seem most disappointed in the fact that the crust is filled with pecan and walnut shells, both of which make for a very unpleasant mouthfeel after the perfect pie is baked.

Despite‌ these concerning findings, some people do seem to love these, particularly because of the nutty flavor the pecans and walnuts yield. We're willing to bet you could try these out and really like it, but if you find nut shells lingering in the crust, try not to be surprised; it's seemingly a common trend with this brand.

Mi-Del GlutenFree Graham Style Pie Crust

‌The Mi-Del Gluten Free Graham Style Pie Crust is a wonderful option for people with gluten-related dietary restrictions. Whether you're dealing with Celiac Disease, are gluten-sensitive, or simply would rather avoid gluten-containing ingredients, know that Mi-Del's graham-style pie crust is made for you.

With that said, you may be wondering how the taste of this product fares; after all, the rice flour used in this pie crust recipe is a far cry from the typical graham cracker base. According to reviews, we're finding that while people tend to enjoy the taste of this gluten-free pie, the biggest complaint is usually concerning its texture. For people already accustomed to eating gluten-free cuisine, it'll come as no surprise that the pie crust can sometimes have a slightly gritty mouthfeel. But wait -- there's more.

Customers also complain that the pie crust breaks easily, which causes problems when transporting and eating. This happens whether the pie crust has been baked or is unbaked. Still, from what we can tell, it'll maintain a good flavor despite its crumbly texture; take that for what it's worth when deciding if this is the best gluten-free pie crust for you.

Pillsbury Frozen Pie Crusts & Pans

We're not so sure what makes this crust so much better than the other Pillsbury pie crust options out there -- but hey, we'll take it! Those who have tried the Pillsbury Frozen Pie Crusts declare that they taste great and make a wonderful foundation for pies. Assuming you follow the baking instructions, these pies apparently end up being an easy substitute for homemade, saving both time and effort. They come two in a pack, and for around $3, we think it's well worth the buy.

As far as complaints go, we do see a few, although not many are necessarily associated with how the product performs. Some aren't happy with the artificial coloring in these, which bothers us as well. Some also claim these break easily, so be sure to handle them cautiously before using them for your next treat. All in all, if you want a solid option for baking up delicious pies and don't necessarily want to whip out the equipment to do it yourself, we think this is a good grab to get the job done.

Great Value Graham 9 Pie Crust

We didn't expect it, but Walmart seems to have outdone itself when it comes to offering up a great graham cracker pie crust for its customers to enjoy. Though most may instinctively reach for brand name options, in this case, the quality, taste, and price point are all worthy of giving this generic brand a second look.

Great Value 9-inch Graham Pie Crust is an amazing choice for several reasons. Not only is it priced at only a little over a dollar at the time of publication, but it also offers showstopping performance and flavor. Reviewers claim it performed well for options like cheesecake and key lime pie and even worked for other options not often associated with graham cracker crusts like apple, berry, or peach pie.

Sure, you'll read a few less-than-stellar reviews about this Great Value 9-inch Graham Pie Crust, but if you read them closely, you'll note that most people are commenting on the fact that they break up easily when shipped or transported. As long as you aren't dropping, crushing, or smashing them before they get home, these pie crusts will likely prove a win for your next baking opportunity.

Keebler Ready Crust Pie Crust Graham

When you hear the word "Keebler," you likely think of two things: cookies and graham cracker pie crusts. And while we were pleasantly surprised even by generic brands on our search for the perfect pie base, one thing's for certain, and that is that Keebler seems to now and forever be a reliable and delicious pie crust staple in American home kitchens.

Keebler Ready Crust Pie Crust is loaded with delicious graham flavor; it was priced at around $2.94 per crust at publication and is already baked and ready to eat. Of course, if you need to bake it further, given your recipe, you totally can, but know that if you are using any no-bake recipe, you won't necessarily need to complete this step. Fans love this tried-and-true pie, claiming it tastes and performs heads above the rest while remaining a quick option that helps save the time and headache of making the crust homemade.

From what we can tell, the only downside to this pie is the price, and even that isn't steep. But when compared to the Great Value brand, it is slightly more expensive, and for some, the price difference for the Keebler brand name may or may not be worth it.

Read the original article on Mashed.