7 Store-Bought Key Lime Pies, Ranked Worst To Best

For those who would rather have a refreshing, citrusy dessert than something super rich, key lime pie is definitely the right call. With a tart yet sweet filling, a pronounced key lime flavor, firm yet buttery crust, and a delicate whipped topping, what's not to love?

However, it's not always easy to find time to make pies from scratch. And even if you do have time, you might not feel confident in making such a delicate dessert like this one. No matter the reason for wanting a pre-made pie, don't fret. There are plenty of grocery store options. Of course, a pre-made one doesn't mean it has to be mediocre. There are some fantastic options — you just have to know where to find them.

Luckily, I did some detective work by gathering and testing several different brands to see how well they stack up against each other — note that prices may vary depending on where you purchase. And since I've been professionally baking for more than a decade, I'm familiar with the qualities a key lime pie should have. When comparing these treats, I focused mostly on taste and texture. Although I did take other factors into consideration. You can find a more detailed breakdown of my methodology at the end of the article.

The Marketside brand pie, which is owned by Walmart, was extremely disappointing. I typically enjoy Walmart bakery items, especially for their price, but this one didn't hit the mark. The first red flag was when I sliced into the pie, and the crust immediately fell apart. It was so crumbly that I wouldn't even consider it a crust, but more of a crumble. At this point, I was still hopeful that the filling would deliver.

Sadly, the key lime flavor was considerably artificial — so much so that it had an unpleasant aftertaste that lingered in my mouth. Although the crust's flavor was okay, it wasn't enough to save the filling. Additionally, the Marketside pie had no topping, so it looked a bit plain in terms of appearance. Unfortunately, this was the worst pie on the list by far, and it costs $10.48, making it one of the most expensive pies on the list.

This key lime pie was just slightly better than the Marketside product because it came with a topping, and it didn't taste as artificial. However, that doesn't mean it's something I would eat again. I will say that as a whole, the pie looked gorgeous. But once I cut into it, each serving immediately began to melt and lose its shape. It's not something I would want to serve to guests if I were trying to impress them.

Although the filling was creamy, it was missing the flan-like mouthfeel that a classic key lime pie should have. It also failed to have a punchy key lime flavor — actually, both the filling and topping were quite bland. Even though the whipped cream lacked sweetness, it did have a nice, thick consistency. The crust was good, but not super noteworthy.

Since Marie Callender's is a well-known brand, I thought this product would be more impressive, but sadly, it was a huge letdown. It costs $9.99 (depending on where you buy), so its price point was middle-of-the-road, but its quality was definitely on the poorer side.

The Crav'n brand key lime pie was one of the cheaper options, priced at $8.99. This pie was better than the Marie Callender's one because the filling and topping had more flavor (granted, the key lime essence was subtle). This pie was the only one that had a meringue topping instead of whipped cream (and in case you're wondering how to make a French meringue, this is it). I loved the decorative design and how large it was around the edges. This pie definitely had an enticing look.

When I sliced into it, I did notice how the filling was gelatinous, and none of the other pies had that texture. It almost seemed as if Crav'n was trying to achieve the consistency of a classic custardy filling, but fell short. The guar gum in the ingredient list, which is an additive and thickening agent, is likely the culprit for the bizarre texture.

The meringue topping tasted pleasant without being too sugary. Oddly, the crust had an ideal texture but almost tasted burnt. It threw off the filling's flavor, which was already quite delicate on its own. The topping, filling, and crust weren't necessarily bad as individual elements, but when brought together, they just didn't complement each other.

Cyrus O'Leary's brand key lime pie was the second most expensive pie, sold for $12.99. This item was better than the Crav'n product because its crust was of higher quality. I enjoyed the buttery, soft base and how it had just the right amount of sweetness. Although it didn't necessarily have a crunch factor to offset the smooth filling, it still paired well with it. Furthermore, I could tell that the whipped topping was made with real cream. None of the components in this pie tasted artificial.

Just like the Crav'n pie, the lime flavor was muted. The pie does contain real key lime juice concentrate, but perhaps not enough. Nevertheless, I did enjoy its silky consistency. Overall, this product wasn't disappointing, but it also didn't have anything to make it stand out. If this were my only option, I would certainly be happy with it; it's just that there are better pies out there.

I wasn't familiar with this brand before trying its key lime pie, so I wasn't sure what to expect, but it pleasantly surprised me. This product ranked higher on the list because the filling had a lovely, citrusy taste; there was no denying that this was a key lime pie. The flavor impressed me, but its consistency was more on the light and airy side rather than being custardy.

Meanwhile, the crust was rich and had a delicate texture; I just wish it had been slightly firmer to compensate for the soft filling. The best part was the beautifully piped topping, which was delicious and paired well with the other ingredients. Don't get me wrong, this was a great dessert that was worth its cost ($10.99). But the top three key lime pies were neck-and-neck — and the textures of the filling and crust on this one were off by a smidge.

At just $5.99, this Trader Joe's pie was the least expensive product on the list, but impressively, it ranks in second place for its remarkable qualities. This pie deserves a higher spot on the list than the Edwards product because the filling had a more distinct lime flavor and also had more thickness to it.

When I think of a traditional key lime pie, this is it — tangy, slightly dense, and velvety. Oh, and with a graham crust that isn't too crunchy or soft, of course. In other words, it was very well-balanced, and I couldn't stop at just one bite. It's no wonder that this is the Trader Joe's summer pie shoppers are loving.

If this pie had a topping, it would've been ranked in first place. A topping, whether whipped cream or meringue, would've provided a nice contrast to the filling. It would also make the pie more visually appealing.

We've arrived at the clear winner: The Private Selection brand (Kroger has several private brands), key lime pie. This is a Kroger brand pie, costing $14.99. This was actually the most expensive pie on this list, so I'm happy that it lived up to its cost. Its tart filling had the perfect amount of key lime zing and just enough sugar to balance it out. The crunchy crust provided a nice contrast in texture, while the simplicity of the fluffy topping allowed the other two components to shine. The whipped cream also elevated its look.

The product had the shortest ingredient list of all the pies and contained mostly whole ingredients. There weren't any shortcuts taken, such as artificial lime flavors attempting to fool you. Although it does contain citric acid as a preservative, it is less than 2% worth, whereas other pies on the list had significantly more additives.

I will say, the only drawback of this product was that after slicing it, it started to soften and lose its firmness. This pie is definitely best when cut and served immediately rather than being sliced and plated ahead of time. However, this wasn't enough to lose its first-place spot. I would certainly purchase this pie over and over again. If you're looking for a high-quality key lime pie that has it all, this is the one.

I purchased these pies from various popular American grocery stores, since I wanted to ensure the items I chose were widely available. The filling's quality was the most important factor in the ranking. However, the crust and toppings also influenced the order, since these elements can either improve or worsen the overall taste.

For each component, I examined its taste and texture. And since we eat with our eyes first, appearance also played a part in the ranking order. Lastly, I made sure to try all of the frozen pies once they were thawed — this gave each product a fair chance since I enjoyed them exactly as the manufacturer recommended.