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Walmart is one of the behemoths of the superstore business, supplying shoppers with everything they could possibly need, from home furnishings and clothing to groceries. In addition to matching the price point of competitor goods, it is also a worthy competitor with other grocery store chains for fresh baked goods. To that effect, we tasted and ranked 9 pies from Walmart’s bakery to find the best options. However, there was one Walmart bakery item that we’ll never buy again: The pecan pie.
Pecan pie came in dead last in our ranking, which we based on flavor, texture, and crust-to-filling ratio. The crust-to-filling ratio for this pie was way off. A good and super buttery, crumbly pecan pie crust consists of a filling that has a gooey, burnt-sugar congealed layer topped with crunchy, nutty, toasted pecans. But Walmart’s pecan pie filling was thin, goopy, and overly sweet while the pecans were soft and barely toasted at all. The thinness of the filling and disappointing pecans offered no textural contrast and also made for a deflated ratio of crust to filling. Mind you, we wouldn’t have wanted more of the filling as its sweetness completely dominated the taste, masking any nuttiness from the pecans or buttery, burnt-sugar richness that we would look for in a conventional pecan pie.
Customers weigh in on Walmart’s pecan pie
Walmart customers were as dissatisfied with the pecan pie as we were, giving it a mere 2.8 out of 5 star average score. One bad review summed up our view on the pie’s overwhelming sweetness, by asking, “Is this a pecan or syrup pie?” The review complained that the filling was just a sweet syrup with a few pecans on top that they could hardly taste. While we thought that the pecans were soft, one customer found shell in their topping, giving them a crunch they surely didn’t want. That said, pecan shells might be preferable to the rotten, rancid pecans that one customer found in their order. We think that soft pecans might have been the result of undercooking. But many negative customer reviews bemoaned a totally burnt or tough crust that points to overcooking.
Walmart’s bakery has much better choices for pie that scored higher with us and customers alike. But, if you’re determined to find a delicious pecan pie, you might want to try making it from scratch. We make classic pecan pie easy by using a store-bought pie crust. And if you think going for a frozen pie is the answer, be warned: Walmart’s Great Value brand scored last on our ranking for store-bought frozen pies. Marie Callender’s was our top pick for the best frozen pie brand, and the company sells a Southern pecan pie frozen dessert on Amazon that certainly ticks all the boxes for convenience.
