I Tried 4 Sam's Club Fall Pies & the Best Was Fresh and Bright

Fall is synonymous with picking fresh apples, sipping on pumpkin spice lattes, pulling on cozy sweaters, and of course, eating pie! Arguably the quintessential fall dessert, pie is definitely what you're having after Thanksgiving dinner, but thankfully, you don't have to wait that long to dig in.

Right now at Sam's Club, you'll find some serious fall pies for purchase and all of them are huge and cheap! In the interest of figuring out which of these Member's Mark-brand pies is the very best one that you'll want to treat friends and family to after a long day of apple picking and hay rides, I purchased all the pies at Sam's we could get our hands on and sampled each one to find the winner.

While people are divided on which fall flavor makes the best pie, there's no denying that a good slice of pie must have certain qualities. It absolutely must have a great balance of fruit and sweetness (no super sugary pies, please). It needs to have a sturdy yet, flaky crust that compliments the filling. And finally, it needs to partner well with a fresh dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream (always the correct choice).

Before you go buck wild tossing all the pies at Sam's Club into your cart, read on to see which one is a must-buy and which ones you might want to take a pass on. Here's how each pie ranked in descending order from my least favorite to the overall pie.

Member's Mark Pecan Pie

This Southern-style pecan pie features lots of crunchy nuts sprinkled over a caramel filling, and nestled inside a buttery, flaky crust. The 12-inch pie cost me $12.98.

The look: This huge pie had a shiny bed of giant nuts covering the top and was framed by a light tan crust. Cutting in, I was a little taken aback by the filling. Underneath the top layer of pecan was what looked like a brown gel. It was not the most appetizing look, but I bravely bit in.

The taste: This pie had a strange, gelatinous consistency. The top layer of pecans tasted overly sweet, and the crust fell apart too easily. This is one pie I'd definitely take a pass on.

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Member's Mark Pumpkin Pie

This pumpkin pie is made with a flaky crust and a filling composed of brown sugar, 100% pumpkin puree, cinnamon, and other spices. It cost me about half as much as the pecan variety at $5.98.

The look: The first thing my son noticed about this pie were the tiny holes on top. I assured him they were probably there due to the moisture on top of the pie (kind of like little air holes) but he was right. It didn't make the pie look very appetizing. The pie did have a perfect orange-brown color.

The taste: The balance of spices in this pumpkin pie was nice—not overwhelming but still strong—but I couldn't get past the consistency. The filling of this pumpkin pie tasted like eating mushy baby food. If that's your jam (er, filling) then this might be for you, but it was a hard pass for me.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

 I Tried 4 Grocery Store Pumpkin Pies & the Most Decadent Prevailed

Member's Mark Apple Lattice Pie

This pie featured a freshly baked apple filling in a hand-laid lattice crust. It was also apparently a Blue-Ribbon Winner at the 2019 National Pie Championships! The apple pie was a bit larger than the pecan or pumpkin, weighing a hefty 72 ounces and serving 16. It cost me $10.98.

The look: This pie had a homemade look, and the lattice perfectly showcased all the syrupy, oozy apples inside. The apple filling had a great brownish orange color. Everything about the way this pie looked made me want to dig in.

The taste: Biting in, it was obvious why this pie had won a prize. The apple flavor was front and center and while the pie filling was sweet, it wasn't overly so. The lattice on top was sugared, which made it taste almost doughnut-like. This pie would definitely please any crowd—and you could totally pass it off as your own homemade creation! Yet, as good as it was, there was another pie that I liked even better.

 I Tried 4 Store-Bought Apple Pies & the Winner Had the Flakiest Crust

Member's Mark Mixed Berry Pie

This mixed berry pie featured a buttery, flaky crust filled with a blend of strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries, and it came topped with a cinnamon streusel topping. At 73 ounces, it was the biggest of the bunch and tied for the priciest at $12.98.

The look: Since this pie is not one of the traditional fall-pie trifecta, I almost didn't pick it up. I was slightly put off by the super crumbly looking topping on the pie and the fact that it was so heavy that the center was sunken. When I cut a slice, the whole thing fell apart, making me think it was more of a crumble than an actual pie.

The taste: Wow! The filling of this pie was just the right balance of sweet and tart. The berries tasted fresh and bright, and some visible seeds made it even more authentic. While the streusel topping was surprisingly not sweet, I was okay with that. This problem could easily be fixed by putting a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on top.

While you can't go wrong with a Sam's Club apple pie, if you want some variety and a real showstopper of a dessert, the mixed berry pie is the way to go!

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