This Is Hands Down The Best Grocery Store Apple Pie

There's nothing like the aroma of a freshly baked apple pie wafting from the kitchen — the warmth of the spices, the almost savory scent of a golden brown pie crust. It's no wonder the all-American classic came out on top in Mashed's survey of readers' favorite pies.

But when you don't have the time or energy to whip one up from scratch, a solid store-bought option is the next best thing. But, dessert lovers, be forewarned: Not all pre-made pies are created equal. Lucky, Mashed has tried and ranked 10 of the most popular grocery store apple pies. Our taste tester found that Albertsons' apple pie is the best you can get off the shelf.

The grocery chain, which can be found primarily in the Western United States, boasts an impressive bakery section. Albertsons has an in-house team that bakes many of its goods, and its lineup of pies is no exception. In fact, the company states that it uses fruit from its own produce department to craft fresh treats, so you're likely in for some locally sourced apples whenever you pick up an apple pie at your closest outpost. As a bonus, the store's bakery section also sells the pie in half sizes, so you don't need to throw a whole holiday dinner party to find an excuse to pick one up.

While many diners might judge an apple pie based on how it compares to their mom's or grandmother's, there are a few objective factors our taste tester considered when evaluating store-bought options: freshness, flavor, and texture. And Albertsons' offering nailed it on every front. The pie crust is beautifully buttery, finished with a sprinkling of sugar that takes the whole thing up a notch.

As for the all-important fruit filling? Our reviewer felt the apple slices tasted fresh as if they'd just been plucked off the tree, while their gel coating delivered rich flavors of cinnamon and nutmeg. The filling's consistency was more thick and caramel-like than liquidy and gooey (an all-too-common issue you can run into with this dessert).

Served warm alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream, Albertsons apple pie could be what fall dessert dreams are made of. But if you don't have an Albertsons in your area, we highly recommend our third runner up: Marie Callender's. The company's frozen pies are available at most grocery stores nationwide, so you should have no trouble finding it in your supermarket's freezer aisle. Its heat-and-eat apple pie comes in a personal size that's ideal for some solo indulgence, and flavor-wise, it's as rich, buttery, and apple-y as any pie fanatic can hope for. Better yet, it smells just as yummy as a homemade one when taking it out of the oven.