It just wouldn't be Thanksgiving without a pumpkin pie on the table. But what happens if you don't have time or energy to make one from scratch? Earlier this month, we tested five store-bought pumpkin pies and ranked them from worst to best. We compared pies from Aldi, Walmart, Costco, Trader Joe’s, and Kroger, in terms of their flavor, texture, crust quality, and overall balance.
To recap, we can say without a doubt that we wouldn't buy the pie from Trader Joe's, Aldi, or Target again. Even though they are at a great price point, we'd be wasting money and food, as we wouldn't eat the leftovers. We were on the fence about the pies from Walmart and Kroger because they are closest in flavor to a typical pumpkin pie. Very likely that we won't be repeating the pie purchase at any of the stores, but the ones from Walmart and Kroger gave us pause to reconsider. Will any of them pass as homemade? Likely not.
So now, it was time to give the fan favorite from Sam's Club a try. The sticker on top of the Sam's Club pumpkin pie container labeled it as the 2025 Winner Shelf Stable Pie by the American Pie Council, so our expectations were high.
Where to purchase
Sam's Club is known for bulk purchases, but it's also a great place to grab seasonal goods. Once you walk in, they have their pumpkin pies in multiple areas for ease of grabbing and buying.
Pick up one at the front of the store, or near the other pies and baked goods, which are typically located in the back. At our Sam's Club, there was plenty on hand, but it was literally flying off the shelves as people grabbed two or three at a time.
There is only one size to choose from, a large 12-inch pie. This size pie serves 11-14 people and is a steal at $5.98. Out of all the pumpkin pies we tried, this one is the best value for the serving size.
The sell-by date is 11/22, giving a 4-day window for eating or freezing. There are instructions on the Sam's Club website for freezing.
Nothing on the pie indicates it is seasonal, but the pie description mentions online that it is a seasonal holiday dessert.
Ingredient list
pumpkin, water, sugar, enriched wheat flour (flour, enzyme, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), palm and soybean oil shortening, palm oil, eggs, nonfat milk, corn syrup, food starch-modified, soybean oil, salt, spices, dextrose, citric acid (preservative), carrageenan, potassium sorbate (preservative), yeast, cornstarch, konjac flour, sodium propionate (preservative), xanthan gum
Several ingredients are used to make this pie. We were surprised to see yeast and konjac flour on the list. The 'spices' were not specified. We really wish commercial pie producers were starting to use butter in the pie crust instead of palm oil and shortening.
The container says to keep refrigerated and use by the best-by date.
Appearance
The pie container is made of clear plastic. It's very sturdy, and you can see the entire pie on the inside.
The nutrition label sticker holds the top and bottom lids together, and the lids also snap into place. Once the lid is removed, it is a bit awkward to take the pie out of the container, as there isn't a good place to put your fingers to lift.
The pie had a good color, with a couple of dark brown spots, indicating it was well-baked. The crust was plain in terms of design but had a good golden-brown color.
Weighing in at 3 lb 10 ounces, this is a large pie size. The 12-inch diameter is a great size for those who host Thanksgiving or want leftovers.
Cutting and slicing
Cutting the pie was a bit difficult. The bottom crust stuck a bit and was thick, so we had to cut a few times in the same spot to cut all the way through. The pie was also very cold when we got it, so it might have been in the freezer area and then moved out onto the floor to sell, making it harder to cut than usual.
The pieces of pie are hefty and well-weighted. The filling didn't crack or separate when cut, but the crust on the edge did. The filling was firm enough to retain its shape after slicing. Given the size of the pie, everyone still gets a nice-sized piece even if dishing out 11+ slices.
The pie smelled really good with hints of cinnamon, but the crust didn't have any scent.
Taste
The first impression was that it was a homemade pie. Our brain literally thought that. It tasted like it was made fresh. The description on the Sam's Club website states that the pumpkin pies are prepared fresh in-store daily, which definitely contributes to their delicious flavor.
The flavor stayed consistent and mellow after a few more bites. Nothing overpowered, and there were no bitter notes.
The pie was subtly sweet, not overpowering. The crust under the filling balanced well with the filling's flavor, but the crust's edge lacked flavor. It honestly didn't taste like anything.
This pumpkin pie could easily be enjoyed without whipped cream and still taste delicious.
Texture
We really liked the texture of this pie. It was smooth, creamy, and thick. It was easy to swallow, without making us feel we needed to take a drink to cleanse our palate.
The crust's texture was good. It does have a thicker crust on the bottom, but it balances well with the pie filling's thickness. The crust on the edge was flaky but had a good crisp texture.
This pie can be eaten with a fork or picked up to eat by hand. It's sturdy and should hold its shape.
Would you buy it again
Without a doubt, yes. While the crust's edge lacked flavor, the rest of the pie was delicious. And honestly, the pie crust wasn't terrible. We wish that it had been sweeter or flakier, but it wasn't horrible.
The $6 price point makes this a fantastic value for the quantity and quality. There would be no way to make this pie for under that price point.
The takeaway
Over the past couple of weeks, we've eaten our way through the world of pumpkin pie. Testing six total pies, with the Sam's Club pumpkin pie shining brightly as the winner. If you're looking for a pie that tastes homemade, without having to do any of the work, head to Sam's Club and stock up. The bulk grocery store pumpkin pie was a 2025 winner for good reason.
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