Make Your Best Pie Ever

June 01, 2012
Create your best pie ever with our 45 recipes for favorites including chocolate, pecan, lemon, cherry and pumpkin.
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True Butterscotch Pie

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The trick to the filling in this Iowa State Fair prizewinning recipe? Stirring and stirring while it cooks. The recipe comes from Louise Piper of Garner.

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Millionaire's Pie

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This pie might be the ultimate comfort food: a gooey chocolate-pecan filling nestled in a flaky piecrust.

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Peanut Butter Chiffon Pie

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Peanut butter lovers, rejoice. This pie is so good, and it has a twist: Melba toast replaces graham cracker crumbs for a crisp, salty foil to the decadent filling.

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Toasted Marshmallow Sweet Potato Pie

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This pie is a bit of a time commitment, but what a showstopper! The recipe comes from the Sister Pie cafe in Detroit. Note that you'll need pie weights or a couple pounds of dried beans for blind-baking the crust. Also, if you don't have a broiler-safe pie plate (metal is safest), you will need a kitchen torch to toast the topping. They are quite inexpensive.

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S'more Pie a la Marshmallow Crème

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Cream cheese brings body and richness to so-chocolatey mousse filling. More wow comes from the blend of marshmallow crème and crème de cacao draped over the top.

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Chocolate Cream Pie

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The filling of this chocolate-crust pie is luscious, but not too rich. (Think old-fashioned chocolate pudding.) A bit of sour cream in the whipped topping balances the chocolate perfectly.

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Lemon-Cream Cheese Pie

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This longtime reader-favorite recipe makes two pies; if you like, freeze one. To thaw, let the frozen pie stand in the fridge overnight.

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Cranberry Crumble Pie

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Lisa Ludwinski of Sister Pie in Detroit says this sweet-tart recipe, which she shares in her new Sister Pie cookbook, might be her all-time favorite-especially served with vanilla ice cream. Note: There is a step of blind-baking the crust (par-baking it before filling so that the crust gets nice and crispy). You'll need pie weights or a couple pounds of dried beans.

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USS Missouri Buttermilk Pie

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This recipe for this creamy, pecan-custard pie takes its name from the battleship Missouri, where it was said to be served to President Harry Truman. When the president requested the recipe, the chief steward refused, but decided to share it after retiring in 1970.The recipe was submitted by a Columbia, Missouri, reader for a Midwest Living® pie contest. "I fix it a lot for company," says the reader. "Almost everybody asks for the recipe after they try it." 

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Fantasy Chocolate Pie

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Dream about all the ingredients you'd like to see in a dessert, and you'll see why we named this Fantasy Chocolate Pie. It's made with three kinds of chocolate pieces (milk chocolate, semisweet and semisweet-and-white-chocolate swirled)-plus coconut, pecans and almonds. For extra indulgence, top with whipped cream and chocolate curls.

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Bittersweet Chocolate and Pear Pie

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This rich, chocolate-y pie's flavor really depends on ripe, flavorful pears. (In other words, if they're still rock-hard, don't bother.) For a topping idea, try making homemade whipped cream with a dollop of sour cream whipped in; the slight acidity nicely cuts through the pie's chocolatey richness.

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Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

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A spiced filling, made from whipped cream, creates a lighter-tasting version of traditional pumpkin pie. The gingersnap crust adds more kick than classic crusts.

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Redemption Hazelnut Pie

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This über-sweet pie is essentially a traditional pecan pie made with hazelnuts. This recipe comes from Patty Pinner's cookbook Sweety Pies.

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Banana and Peanut Butter Pie

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Sliced bananas hide under a rich filling of peanut butter, cream cheese and honey. Chopped peanuts and a graham cracker crust lend the perfect crunch.

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Wisconsin Harvest Pie

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This almond-kissed, fruit-packed pie comes from David Harper, of Richland Center, Wisconsin. He likes to serve it with a wedge of Wisconsin cheese, but it's just as good with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream! The recipe was a finalist in our annual recipe contest.

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Peanut Butter-Fudge Pie

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Vanilla ice cream, gooey fudge sauce and peanuts sit on a chewy rice-cereal crust. Trust us, it's out of this world-perfect for potlucks or family dinners.

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Mom's Oatmeal Pie

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We love the nutty oatmeal taste of this sweet treat, and it's a healthier alternative to most desserts. If you're watching calories, serve this pie with a berry topping instead of whipped cream.

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Peanut Butter Pie

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Creamy peanut butter filling with a swirl of meringue on top makes this dessert irresistible at Tonka Hills Restaurant in Linn Creek, Missouri.

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Raspberry Pie

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Blend just four ingredients, including either fresh or frozen raspberries, for this super-easy two-crust pie. The recipe comes from The Clarmont restaurant in Columbus, Ohio.

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Gooey Chocolate-Caramel Fantasy

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This luscious dessert includes a chocolate crumb crust and caramel-pecan filling crowned with melted chocolate. It's like a big candy bar on a plate!

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Triple Lemon Pie

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This pie earns its triple-lemon name from lemon zest, lemon juice and lemon extract. (You can add lemon slices and whipped cream on top of the baked pie for even more lemony goodness.) A store-bought piecrust speeds prep time.

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Coconut Cream Pie

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The recipe for this classic meringue-topped specialty comes from The Overlook Restaurant in Leavenworth, Indiana. The light meringue is a perfect topping for the rich-and-creamy coconut filling.

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Chocolate Pecan Pie

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This chocolate version of pecan pie always disappears fast at Historic Clifton Mills restaurant in Clifton, Ohio.

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Mile-High Chocolate Pie

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Whipping cream, semisweet chocolate and bittersweet chocolate create a rich, tall filling for this gluten-free pie from Murray's restaurant in Minneapolis. A sweet meringue forms the crust.

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Old-Fashioned Sour Cream/Raisin Pie

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A stately meringue tops this creamy pie from the Downing Cafe in Downing, Wisconsin.

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Michigan Cherry-Berry Pie

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Frozen unsweetened tart red cherries, frozen red raspberries and cherry juice or cranberry juice form the heart of this recipe inspired by the Cherry-Berry Pie served at Jesperson's Restaurant in Petoskey, Michigan.

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Kansas-Style Lime Pie

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Line zest and lime juice combine in this light, airy and easy-to-make dessert from a Kansas bakery. The recipe gives instructions for an orange variation, too.

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Triple Pear Pie with Walnut Crust

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You can't mistake the fruit in this cardamom-spiced beauty. Pear nectar and dried pears complement thick slices of fresh, juicy Bosc pears.

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Paradise Pumpkin Pie

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A cheesecake layer and nut topping help this pumpkin pie stand out from its peers. This recipe was a winner at the Morton, Illinois, Pumpkin Festival baking competition.

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Decadent Caramel-Pecan Pie

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This pie offers a great a blend of pecans, chocolate and butterscotch. The recipe comes from the Horse and Plow restaurant at The American Club in Kohler, Wisconsin.

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Classic Sweet Potato Pie

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Nutmeg and cinnamon spice up a classic sweet potato pie mix of eggs, sugar, butter and evaporated milk.

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Chocolate Chess Pie

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Fort Wayne, Indiana, cookbook author Marcia Adams loves this standout treat. "It's so easy to prepare," she says. This is Marcia's rendition of the Southern classic chess pie: a basic dessert made with eggs, sugar, butter and a little flour.

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North Dakota Sunflower Pie

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This sunflower pie, from a North Dakota restaurant, has the texture of pecan pie. It's rich and sweet, with a sunflower crunch.

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Peoria Rhubarb Cream Pie

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Who needs strawberries? Rhubarb shines alone in this wonderfully old-fashioned streusel-topped pie.

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Something Special Apple-Cherry Pie

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This recipe combines favorite pie fillings apple and cherry into one mouthwatering pie. A layer of toasted almonds adds a nutty crunch.

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Peppermint Brownie Pie

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Can't find mint-flavored pieces? Use regular chocolate chips and add ½ teaspoon peppermint extract to the batter.

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Apple Butter Pumpkin Pie

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The classic pumpkin pie gets even better with the addition of apple butter, which gives extra sweetness and a slightly softer texture to the dessert. A streusel topping adds a bit of crunch.

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