We Tried The New Pumpkin Pie Concrete From Andy's Frozen Custard. Here's How It Went
Now that the leaves are turning colors, the air is getting cooler, and we're well on our way into pumpkin spice season, Andy's Frozen Custard has introduced a new Pumpkin Pie Concrete. After all, pumpkin spice is only a gateway to the real reason for the season: pumpkin pie. Pumpkins and pumpkin pies feature in our decor and desserts from the moment we don our fall boots and sweaters, through Halloween and Thanksgiving, and until we stuff ourselves with that last piece of pumpkin pie at Christmas dinner. A pumpkin spice latte is nice, but what you really want to make all your autumn pumpkin dreams come true is a slice of pumpkin pie. And having a piece of pumpkin pie is entirely possible without having to buy an entire pie — if you get it in your frozen custard.
A concrete from Andy's Frozen Custard is always a decadent treat, stuffed with far more ingredients than you'd think is possible. So we decided to try Andy's seasonal Pumpkin Pie Concrete to see how well it could satisfy our fall pumpkin pie cravings. Spoiler alert: we weren't disappointed.
What's in a Pumpkin Pie Concrete from Andy's Frozen Custard?
There are only two items in a Pumpkin Pie Concrete from Andy's Frozen Custard: vanilla frozen custard and a whole slice of pumpkin pie. Yes, you heard us right. Every Pumpkin Pie Concrete starts with a freshly-baked slice of pie blended together with Andy's frozen custard base — crust and all. A bit of crust is saved for crumbling on top.
If you're not familiar with Andy's, it's more than just a frozen custard shop. It bakes all the baked goods that go into its frozen custard treats. Each store bakes the pumpkin pies fresh daily (via Facebook). Andy's makes its vanilla frozen custard fresh every hour. The chain's vanilla frozen custard contains fresh and dry milk, cream, vanilla, sucrose, corn syrup, water, egg yolks, mono and diglycerides, cellulose gum, guar gum, carrageenan, and dextrose.
Andy's doesn't say exactly what's in its pumpkin pie. However, a classic pumpkin pie contains pumpkin puree, eggs, sweetened condensed milk, pumpkin pie spice, and a crust. Pumpkin spice tends to contain some or all of the following spices: nutmeg, cloves, allspice, ginger, cloves, and cinnamon. A basic pie crust contains flour, salt, and fat. We also thought we could detect baking powder or baking soda in the crust.
How much does an Andy's Pumpkin Pie Concrete cost?
Andy's Pumpkin Pie Concretes are a little on the pricey side. However, when you think about the fact that you get a full slice of pumpkin pie that you didn't have to bake yourself, it's worth it. The small 10.5-ounce concrete starts at $6.29. The medium 14.5-ounce concrete costs a dollar more at $7.29. And you'll pay $2.25 more for a large 21-ounce concrete at $8.54. With a whole slice of pie inside, the small size is probably large enough for most people.
Andy's Frozen Custard also offers the option to purchase Pumpkin Pie Concretes by the quart. A quart costs $8.99. You can also ask for a quart with pecans for $11.99. This option is great to keep in the freezer or for a family to share. It also can be a way to get out of having to bake a pie for a holiday meal. And, honestly, you're less likely to overindulge if you buy Andy's Pumpkin Pie Concrete by the quart and serve yourself a more reasonable portion than the shop does.
One of Andy's pro tips is to try the Pumpkin Pie Concrete with pecans and caramel (via Facebook). Premium toppings like roasted pecans cost an extra $1, while other toppings like caramel cost $0.75.
Where and when can you get an Andy's Pumpkin Pie Concrete?
You'll be happy to know that you can find an Andy's Pumpkin Pie Concrete anywhere you can find an Andy's Frozen Custard shop. Andy's Frozen Custard currently has locations in 15 states. You can find the most Andy's in its home state of Missouri. However, you can also Andy's Frozen Custard shops in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.
Sadly for everyone who loves pumpkin pie, this sweet treat is available for a limited time only. Even though pumpkin pie season lasts all the way through Christmas for many pumpkin-pie lovers, the Pumpkin Pie Concretes at Andy's won't last that long. You can find them now through Thanksgiving (via QSR). So, if you are thinking about getting a quart to serve to your Thanksgiving guests, you'll want to get it into your freezer early.
How does Andy's Pumpkin Pie Concrete compare to other concretes?
Andy's Pumpkin Pie Concrete uses the same base as its regular concretes — vanilla frozen custard. Like other concretes that contain baked goods, the pumpkin pie is baked fresh at the store every day. For example, the James Brownie Funky Jackhammer contains store-baked brownies. And when Andy's sells Apple Pie Concretes, the employees bake the apple pies fresh in the store daily, too.
However, the fact that your Pumpkin Pie Concrete contains an entire piece of pumpkin pie makes it cost a little more than ordinary concretes. It costs a dollar more than most other concretes. But, if you're a pumpkin pie or pumpkin spice lover, it's worth it.
Like every Andy's Concrete, you need to go into the shop with the full expectation that you're going to consume a large portion of your calories for the day and go far over the recommended daily allowance for fat and sugar. Eating any Andy's Concrete can easily take the place of a meal, and the Pumpkin Pie Concrete is no different since you're really getting two desserts in one: frozen custard and a slice of pumpkin pie.
What's the nutritional info for the Pumpkin Pie Concrete?
Andy's doesn't provide nutritional information for its Pumpkin Pie Concrete. The truth is that you probably don't want to know how many calories it has. You certainly shouldn't harbor any delusions that it's a healthy treat, even though you're eating fruit (yes, AgriLife Today confirms that pumpkin is a fruit). After all, you're consuming vanilla frozen custard and a whole slice of pumpkin pie. There's no way combining frozen custard pie adds up to a small amount.
Andy's Frozen Custard says that a plain small vanilla frozen custard is 525 calories, with 26 grams of fat and 45 grams of sugar. Meanwhile, a slice of the ever-popular Costco Pumpkin Pie contains 310 calories, with 11 grams of fat and 30 grams of sugar (via Livestrong). A decent guess concerning the nutritional information for a small Pumpkin Pie Concrete is 835 calories, 37 grams of fat, and 75 grams of sugar. Small concretes with mix-ins have a wide nutritional range. The naughtiest dessert at Andy's is the James Brownie Jackhammer Concrete, which contains peanut butter, fresh brownies, and hot fudge. A small James Brownie Jackhammer Concrete has 1029 calories, 63 grams of fat, and 77 grams of sugar. So, our estimation for the Pumpkin Pie Concrete probably isn't too far from reality. If you're following a 2000-calorie diet, eating a small Pumpkin Pie Concrete will blow nearly half of your calories and all your fat and sugar intake for the day.
The verdict: Andy's Pumpkin Pie Concrete is the real deal
The pie in Andy's Pumpkin Pie Concrete tastes like a standard pumpkin pie that you'd find at a fall holiday gathering. It's not the best pie you've ever had, but it fills the pumpkin pie-shaped hole in your heart you've been harboring in other seasons. The pumpkin spices blend together well enough to not have any one spice stick out. Eating this concrete is like eating the most typical pumpkin pie possible with frozen custard. It's not exceptional, but it definitely hits the spot.
One thing you might find disappointing is that the pie is well-blended into the frozen custard. So, while you might find a couple of small veins of pumpkin filling here and there, you shouldn't expect to find whole chunks of unblended pie inside. However, you will encounter pieces of crust. The crust stays crisp, even as the frozen custard starts to melt. However, we found the taste of baking soda in the crust to sometimes peek through with a bit of bitterness.
Even eating a small one was a challenge since this concrete combines an entire slice of pie with a frozen dessert that's already rich with eggs. So be sure to bring your appetite. Considering the outrageous nutritional content of Andy's concretes, you might be better off taking half of it home and putting it in the freezer for later.