A serving of four bite-sized apple pies cost $2.91, excluding tax and fees, at my local KFC in Manhattan, New York. When I tried these in August, the pies also came in a 10-count serving.

The apple pie poppers were only added to KFC's menu in April, so I was excited to try them. KFC's menu no longer lists the apple pies, but it did add a cherry pie version in October. The brand did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

I placed an online order through DoorDash and received my pastries within 14 minutes. Despite the quick delivery, when I opened the packet, the pastries were barely lukewarm and already slightly soggy.

Three bites into the tiny pocket pie, I still hadn't gotten the gooey apple taste I love. Instead, I felt like I was eating fried flour.

While these weren't my favorite apple-pie dessert, I could see how they could be a good snack option because of their size. Given that they came in packs of four or 10, I thought groups might enjoy ordering them.

The pie roll cost $2, excluding tax and fees, at a Panda Express I visited in Chicago.

The chain's first-ever dessert option, introduced in 2023, was created to combine the flavors and textures of an American apple pie and a Chinese egg roll.

It's made using a wonton wrapper and apple filling, topped with cinnamon sugar.

I was impressed with the freshness of this roll and liked that it is always served hot. Before I even took a bite, I could tell the pastry had a nice crunchy exterior.

A dessert doesn't need to be doused in sugar, but this one was, putting it fifth in my ranking.

However, I loved the crunch of the pastry, and the serving had the fewest calories of all the pies I tried — 150 calories — so it may be a good sweet option for some diners looking for lower-calorie options.

The cinnamon-coated dessert cost $1.89, without taxes and fees, at the Popeyes I visited in Chicago.

Unlike the pies from KFC, this 240-calorie pie has no slits or holes on either side. It comes wrapped with a few fork-like impressions on its corners to prevent the filling from escaping.

I think spices like cinnamon are less for taste and more for their fragrance — if you add just the right amount, it can be a game changer, but overdo it, as in the case of this Popeyes pie, and it can really throw the whole recipe off-balance.

The one thing Popeyes got right was the flavor of its filling, which had just the right hint of lemon and some apple chunks. I'm obsessed with mixing tangy and sweet flavor profiles, and I think it helped this pie stand out from the rest.

It cost $2.40 at the Arby's I visited in Chicago, excluding tax and fees.

The turnover came in a regular, white-colored pastry packet with no branding. The basic packaging and the sugary drizzle didn't appeal to me at first, but when I did take a bite, I was pleasantly surprised.

The inside had the perfect layer of apple filling, which was molten but still a bit thick. It was encased in crisp pastry.

Despite having only one layer of apple filling, this 430-calorie pie did not taste doughy and was well-balanced.

Most importantly, the apple chunks were missing. The jam-like texture in the filling meant there was a hint of artificialness, which took away from the spirit of the season and the pie for me.

At $1.89 — excluding tax and fees— this apple pie from a Chicago McDonald's was priced similarly to the one at Popeyes.

First launched in 1968, the brand's apple pie was fried in its early days. Over the years, though, it has undergone several transformations. The most significant of these was the switch from frying to baking in 1992. It's now 243 calories.

Although the shape of the pie was pretty standard, I was happy to see McDonald's added patterns to the pastry.

This pie had the right ratio of apples to dough, and I enjoyed the warm and soft interior and its crispy biscuit-like exterior.

At $3.65 — excluding tax and fees— this apple pie from my local Taco Bell in New York, which I ordered via DoorDash, was the most expensive on the list.

Last month, Taco Bell unveiled a new "Decades" menu featuring old favorites. The menu included popular items that had been previously discontinued from each decade since the brand launched.

Four items have been available since Halloween, but the brand recently added its 2004 hit, the caramel apple empanada.

The empanada was first introduced as part of the brand's Big Bell Value Menu but was discontinued in 2019 until now.

As soon as I held the pastry's paper sleeve, I noticed how warm it felt. It had remained hot even though I was trying it about 15 minutes after I received it on a cold day.

As I took my first bite, I could immediately taste the warm and velvety filling alongside the crispy pastry. Its freshness stood out, and unlike the other pies I'd tried, this one got to the star of the dish — the filling — right from the start.

Even the apples had a nice tart and juicy crunch to them and paired nicely with the caramel.

As far as fast-food pies go, this was by far the best I'd tried.

The filling struck a perfect balance and was not overly sweet, and it paired beautifully with the crispy, lightly salted dough. I had every intention of sharing a few bites with a friend but ended up eating the entire pastry myself.

It also felt slightly larger and more satisfying than the other pies on this list, which perhaps explains why it's also the priciest option.

Overall, each pie I tried had a unique flavor profile and varied textures, ranging from crispy and toasted to soft and molten.

But Taco Bell's caramel apple empanada stood out for its well-balanced flavors: a warm, crispy pie with juicy whole chunks of apple complemented by creamy caramel, setting the perfect tone for the cozy days ahead.

As a professional baker, I know how to make a solid pumpkin pie at home — but sometimes grabbing one from a local grocery store is the best option. 

To find the best store-bought pumpkin pie, I put four desserts — from Costco, Safeway, Kroger, and Walmart — to the test.

There are plenty of pies on display at most grocery stores in the fall, so I didn't call ahead at any of the places I went to and just walked in and grabbed the seasonal treat.

Because pumpkin pies are typically made with a custard filling, which contains milk and eggs, the USDA recommends keeping them refrigerated. At the Costco and Safeway, I went to, the pumpkin pies were kept in a refrigerated area.

At Walmart and Kroger, they were on display at room temperature, which means they likely contain preservatives or artificial ingredients to make them shelf-stable.

With all of these factors in mind, I judged each one for flavor and texture.

Walmart had a huge display of pumpkin pies sitting out at room temperature so I grabbed a 10-inch one.

The pie came in an aluminum pie pan for easy serving and was packaged in a cardboard box.

Walmart's pumpkin pie was easy to cut at room temperature so it was simple to get a clean slice that didn't fall apart. The crust was nice and light with a tasty flavor and the filling had good structure while still being smooth.

The balance of flavors was ideal, as the pie itself wasn't too sweet and the pumpkin-spice flavor wasn't overwhelming.

I found this pie on display at room temperature, which meant that Walmart's pumpkin treat likely had some added ingredients to make it shelf-stable.

Kroger sells pumpkin pies under the store's Bakery Fresh Goodness brand. According to the employees working at Kroger's bakery, the pies are baked and frozen prior to arriving at the store.

I bought an 8-inch pumpkin pie, which was packaged in an aluminum pan and a plastic container.

Kroger's pumpkin pie was the smallest of the four I tried, but it sliced beautifully at room temperature and looked appealing. However, I couldn't enjoy more than one bite.

In my opinion, the crust was lackluster without much flavor, and the taste of the filling was overpowering, with an odd combination of spices. I thought it had a slightly artificial taste to it as well.

Because this pie was shelf-stable, I'd guess that some of the preservative ingredients added to the mixture changed the classic pumpkin-pie taste I was looking for.

I used to work at Safeway's bakery, so I already knew the chain sells pumpkin pies that come prepared and frozen and are then baked in the store.

I had the option to grab pies with or without whipped cream, both of which were kept in a refrigerated case in the bakery section. According to the label on the pie, the whipped cream is made fresh on-site from real heavy whipping cream.

I bought an 11-inch pumpkin pie, which was packaged in an aluminum pan and placed in a plastic container.

By the appearance of Safeway's pumpkin pie, I definitely could tell it was baked fresh in the store. It had a great structure and was easy to slice at room temperature.

The crust was light and flavorful, with a hint of salt that paired well with the filling, which was absolutely delicious. The balance of the pumpkin filling with the cinnamon and other spices was spot on.

You'll need a Costco membership to grab one of the jumbo pumpkin pies, which can be found in a refrigerated case in the bakery section.

When I asked the employees at the bakery, they told me Costco's pumpkin pies are baked at the warehouse.

I bought the 12-inch pumpkin pie, packaged in an aluminum pan and plastic container.

The pumpkin pie I got at Costco was over 3 pounds, so I knew it would certainly dish out plenty of servings. Notably, I found it difficult to get a clean slice out of the Costco pumpkin pie at room temperature, but I had an easier time when it was chilled.

The crust was thin, without much flavor or texture, and the filling was incredibly fluffy, as opposed to other richer, denser pies.

It had a sweeter taste, with notes of vanilla, but it didn't have as much pumpkin-spice flavor as the other pies did. Though it tasted good, I also wanted a bit more cinnamon.

As a baker, a homemade pie will always be at the top of my list. Still, I think some of the store-bought versions I tried were pretty tasty.

The textures of both Costco's and Safeway's pumpkin pies were very good. However, I thought Safeway's was the best store-bought pumpkin pie. Its flavor gave it an edge over Costco's famed dessert.

Though Costco's pie was really good and a great deal, in comparison to Safeway's, it was just a bit dull.

Next time I'm in a rush and want to grab a pumpkin pie, I'll head to Safeway's bakery section.

This story was originally published on November 18, 2022, and most recently updated on November 25, 2024.