McDonald's Pie Flavors You Can't Get In The US

There are some who would argue that McDonald's is as American as apple pie. So it's fitting that the chain's very first staple dessert item, and still one of its most popular, is the turnover-style handheld apple pie. This humble treat began its life in Knoxville, Tennessee, and, by the 1970s, it had been introduced to McDonald's locations across the United States.

Most apples are not actually native to North America and were introduced by early European settlers, which in turn means that apple pies are not native to the U.S. Even so, McDonald's doesn't exist in just North America and Europe. And as it opened restaurants across the globe, it adjusted its menu to local tastes. Japan has the teriyaki burger, for example, and Venezuela has arepas, flat cornmeal cakes used to make sandwiches.

But adjusting a sandwich to the preferences of a local populace seems pretty simple. What about desserts? What about pies? It's true that McDonald's once sold cherry pies, which may still be available in some regions. And the Golden Arches has experimented with limited edition pies over the years, such as the sweet potato pie in 2013, and the disappearing, reappearing regional blueberry and crème pie. But when you look abroad, you will find a virtual pie paradise. Get your taste buds ready for 16 McDonald's pies that you won't find in the U.S.

In many East Asian countries, naturally sweet red beans, also called adzuki or azuki, are used in many kinds of desserts, usually in the form of a paste made from boiled red beans and sugar. In Japanese, this paste is called anko.) You often find red bean paste stuffed inside things like buns and used as one of the best flavors of mochi. And, as you probably guessed, McDonald's put red beans in a pie.

The red bean pie has popped up in at least Singapore, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. These red bean pies are fried, making them crispy and flaky. For health reasons, the apple pies found in the mainland United States are now baked, not fried. Reviews of the taste have been mixed. Those who grew up with red beans as a dessert item were excited at the pie's introduction. People who didn't are sometimes less than thrilled with the flavor. To each their own.

There is no doubt that the McDonald's red bean pie is a reflection of the regional population's tastes, and we frankly wish it was available in the States.

Although the pineapple is indigenous to South America, many countries in Southeast Asia are top pineapple producers. This includes China and the Philippines where you will find pineapple pies on McDonald's dessert menu. And yes, pineapple pie has been known to pop up on occasion in Hawaii, too, but for everyone located in the rest of the U.S., it is a long trip to indulge their taste buds.

And indulgent it is. According to AndNowUKnow, when the pineapple pie made an appearance in the Malaysian market, McDonald's boasted, "Every mouthful is an unbelievable mix of sweet and zesty pineapple chunks enveloped in our crispy pie crust, absolutely yum!"

With chunks of fresh pineapple used in the warm pie filling, these pineapple pies are both a satisfying snack and a great way to end your meal. Is there a more delicious way to transport your mind to the tropics?

Remember what we just said about savory pies? A hand pie, such as the kind you find at McDonald's, is like a handheld meal in one. How convenient is that? Enter Thailand's chicken lasagna pie, a true fast food meal.

Chunks of chicken, champignon mushrooms, mozzarella cheese, and tomato sauce are all blended together and wrapped in a crispy fried pastry crust. The contrast between the textures of the crust and the soft filling is truly satisfying. This one is perhaps better compared to a calzone than a pie, but either way, it's easy to eat when you are on the go. Just don't burn your fingers or mouth.

You might expect a combination like this to pop up in lasagna's homeland — Italy — or elsewhere in the Western World. But Thailand features often on our list, so we can only assume that the Land of Smiles really loves its hand pies!

Now let us hop back over to the sweet side for a moment as we travel once again to Singapore and talk about the amazing tropical goodness that is McDonald's mango passion fruit pie. Passion fruit is another indigenous South American fruit whose cultivation has spread to tropical climates across the globe. Mangoes are native to South Asia and found in many regional desserts, so it isn't surprising to find them baked into a pie in Singapore.

The jam-like pureed mango and passionfruit filling contained within a crispy pastry crust is pure satisfaction. The mango offers sweetness while the passion fruit brings a little bit of tart to the tongue. Each fruit tempers the other.

Singapore's mango passion fruit pie made its debut on January 1, 2020, just in time to ring in the new year. However, we think this would make a refreshing and delicious summer treat as well.

We aren't just talking about any one chocolate pie here. McDonald's has released multiple takes on a chocolate pie outside of the U.S.

Japanese McDonald's regularly sees the return of its popular Belgian chocolate pie. The brown crust is chocolate flavored, and the dark filling is like a rich chocolate pudding. South Korean McDonald's has the molten chocolate pie, which also has a chocolate pastry crust and chocolate filling. McDonald's in Singapore has a chocolate pie that, like the others, has a chocolate crust and is filled with "molten chocolate goodness," per the paper sleeve that it is served in.

One Instagrammer called the Singaporean chocolate pie "a really satisfying snack." They added that, speaking as a chocolate lover, "the thickness of the chocolate fudge inside the pie checks all the boxes." Another person who posted to Instagram admitted that it is "RICH, but not too sweet," which was something that they appreciated.

That's right, banana pie. And we don't mean banana cream pie, which many readers are likely familiar with. This is just banana pie. Similar to the iconic McDonald's apple pie, the bananas are baked, mashed, flavored with a little bit of cinnamon, then encased in the fried pastry shell people outside the U.S. are accustomed to. You can frequently find banana pies on McDonald's menus in Malaysia and Singapore.

For a nice twist, McDonald's Taiwan has offered Chocolate Banana "Double Stuffing" Pies. The crispy crust for this pie is chocolate, like the chocolate pies that we mentioned above. And like the aforementioned crème brûlée pie, there are two different fillings, one chocolate and one banana. However, this banana looks more like a flavored custard than baked bananas.

Whether they're served alone or paired with chocolate, bananas make a fine pie filling, and we wish we could try both of these varieties!

Malaysia offers another savory option in the form of chicken rendang pie. Rendang is one of many curries from around the world made from meat (in this case chicken), coconut milk, and a blend of several different spices and seasonings.

Unlike the rest of the pies on this list, the chicken rendang pie is made using the same type of crust that is also used to make curry puffs. In fact, one reviewer on Instagram said of the pie's flavor, "It's kinda like a curry puff." You can tell you are getting something different based on looks alone. The crust looks crispy rather than crunchy.

Reactions on Twitter ran from it's good to it's just okay. Some reviewers felt it was overpriced. Rebecca Saw recommended getting a real curry puff from somewhere else. In her opinion, Ikea was preferable to McDonald's. Even so, we'd love to at least have the option to not like it in the U.S.

McDonald's abroad has actually made a few different versions of the cookies and cream pie, and we'll gladly take any one of them.

In Malaysia and Hong Kong, McDonald's partnered with Oreo to create an Oreo brand cookies and cream pie. The chocolate pie crust was filled with sweet cream to offer that genuine Oreo flavor. Inside, there are two different kinds of filling. One is a lightly colored cream, like the filling of a sandwich cookie.

McDonald's Japan took a different approach to this classic combo. The pastry shell appears to be the same fried pastry shell most McDonald's customers are familiar with but in the shape of a triangle. Inside looks like a cream with chunks of chocolate cookie inside. However, there is no indication of this pie being affiliated with the Oreo brand.

Those who tried one or the other of these pies recommended eating them while they were still warm, guaranteeing a satisfyingly gooey center.