Do You Have a Favorite Frozen Apple Pie?
We are preparing for our next taste test installment: frozen apple pie. Though we're fans of grandma's labor-intensive kind, we're curious if a great frozen one exists. Do you have a favorite brand?
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18 Comments:
Sorry, if I were reduced eating a frozen pie I just skip the aggravation and go straight to Hostess. It's cheaper and has few leftovers to throw away. Honestly, pie is not that hard to do right.
tankwatkins at 4:02PM on 10/12/09
Many years ago (at least 20), Mrs Smiths Natural Juice pies were not awful. But after a few corporate reworkings, their pies are crap.
According to Cook's Illustrated, the only premade crust worth eating are the Pillsbury ready to roll crusts (which although bland, are ok). They found all the frozen crusts awful.
The best frozen pie I can think of are the McDonalds fried pies which are frozen before being dumped into hot fat to get that delicious crispy crust.
peekpoke at 4:16PM on 10/12/09
No thanks, I'll pass on any frozen pie.
dmcavanagh at 4:26PM on 10/12/09
Vermont Mystic Pie Company's Apple is extraordinary - almost like homemade. As far as I know, they use a special King Arthur Flour blend, several varieties of apples, and pure butter. Whole Foods used to carry them. Now I can't find them anywhere!
Soren at 4:59PM on 10/12/09
The picture on the front of the Marie Calendar's looks good, but I've never tried them. Hmmm....my MIL produced an apple pie one day, and it was surprisingly edible. I'm thinking Sara Lee, because that's likely to be the least expensive, no? Not saying it was great. But given my low expectations, it exceeded those my a wide margin.
dbcurrie at 5:24PM on 10/12/09
Marie Callendar's
townfam at 5:31PM on 10/12/09
Yes, for $6 the Marie Calendar's is a decent choice for when your need for hot apple pie outweighs the time you have to make one. There are two options: a straight crust and a crumb, which are both good for different reasons. I always pair pie with vanilla ice cream, and the slight over-sweetness of these definitely needs a cold creamy balance.
AnaPowell at 5:44PM on 10/12/09
Marie Callendars is my favorite!!
debrabrooman at 5:58PM on 10/12/09
@peekpoke-I agree with you..Mrs. Smith's Natural Juice pies were actually good but I don't know what they did to that recipe but it tastes like crap now..
@debrabrooman & townfam---although I never had Marie Callendars-I've heard good things about it
I usually don't do frozen & I love to bake when I have time However, I am gonna take a trip to the Little Pie Company in Hell's Kitchen for their sour cream apple walnut pie...
Italiancupcake at 6:47PM on 10/12/09
MS. SMITH'S APPLE PIE!!!!
It's so good! You have to be able to make a fantastic apple pie, to beat this frozen pie.
A-Buddy at 9:01PM on 10/12/09
Schwan's. It's one of my sons' go-to dessert when company's coming. It's pretty good, tart-sweet, and he says the crust is flaky like mine.
betteirene at 10:43PM on 10/12/09
My grandmother made pies (of all kinds) that people would drive 30 miles for a slice. I've not tried their Apple pie, but Marie Callendar's deep dish wild Blueberry pie is to die for. I'd suggest you buy one just to try, even though this is about apples.
Tom M at 2:21AM on 10/13/09
NO!!!!!!!!
ghc630 at 4:41AM on 10/13/09
I just made a batch of mini apple pies with a pie crust recipe from King Arthur Flour, froze them, then vacuum sealed them. I get so disappointed when I buy a frozen pie that I just gave up and started making small ones for when you want just a bit of pie.
CaliAnn at 9:28AM on 10/13/09
Please excuse my ignorance - I didn't know there was such a thing as frozen pies.
piccola at 9:37AM on 10/13/09
If you go to Apple Hill above Sacramento, Bodhaine Ranch makes delicious take and bake frozen pies. Or they used to - I haven't been there for years. Of course, that doesn't help with the taste test.
disbelief11 at 1:01PM on 10/13/09
Nana's pies were always so...uniform. But she swears that they're home made. Nana lies a lot.
Kerosena at 3:43PM on 10/13/09
@disbelief I just googled Bodhaine and they are still around in Apple Hill! Their pies look divine and well worth the trip up! Time for a work break!
mcanna at 6:06PM on 10/13/09