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  1. Midwest Living
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  4. Pie
  5. Make Your Best Pie Ever

Make Your Best Pie Ever

By Midwest Living editors Updated November 23, 2022
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True Butterscotch Pie
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

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.

Related: Try This Butterscotch Sauce Over Ice Cream

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Millionaire's Pie

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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Lemon-Cream Cheese Pie

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.

Related: Luscious Lemon Desserts

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Peanut Butter Chiffon Pie

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.

Related: Peanut Butter Dessert Recipes

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Toasted Marshmallow Sweet Potato Pie

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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Pecan't Pie

Pecan't Pie
Credit: Adam Albright
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Gerard Klass, chef and co-owner of Soul Bowl in Minneapolis, created this genius sweet-and-salty pie. It calls for pretzels, so nut allergy folks can finally have in on the goodness of pecan pie.

Related: Come Together: A Soul Food Thanksgiving

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Chocolate Cream Pie

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.

Related: Decadent Chocolate Desserts

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Cranberry Crumble Pie

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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S'more Pie a la Marshmallow Crème

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.

Related: Creative S'Mores Recipes

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USS Missouri Buttermilk Pie

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

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

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

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.

Related: Pumpkin Recipes We Absolutely Love

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Honey Vinegar Pie

Honey Vinegar Pie
Credit: Blaine Moats
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It's all in a name, right? That's what Cincinnati chef Lou Ginocchio discovered when Honey Vinegar Pie sent customers' heads spinning. "No one was expecting a pie with vinegar in its name to be this luxurious."

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Wisconsin Harvest Pie

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 a Midwest Living recipe contest.

Related: Our Favorite Fall Pie Recipes

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Banana and Peanut Butter Pie

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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Redemption Hazelnut Pie

Redemption Hazelnut Pie
Credit: Andy Lyons
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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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Peanut Butter-Fudge Pie

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.

Related: Crowd-Pleasing Potluck Dessert Recipes

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Mom's Oatmeal Pie

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 like, serve this pie with a berry topping instead of whipped cream.

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Triple Lemon Pie

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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Kansas-Style Lime Pie

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

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.

Related: Perfect Pear Recipes

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Paradise Pumpkin Pie

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.

Related: Creamy Pumpkin Pie Recipes

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Peoria Rhubarb Cream Pie

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

Related: Rhubarb Recipes You'll Love

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Something Special Apple-Cherry Pie

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

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.

Related: Holiday Peppermint Recipes

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Apple Butter Pumpkin Pie

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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Crumb-Topped Apple Pie Trio

Crumb-Topped Apple Pie Trio
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Crisp on top, sweetly tender inside, this dessert blends tart and sweet apples—Granny Smith, Jonagold and Braeburn—with sugar and cinnamon under a brown-sugar and walnut crumb topping.

Related: Delicious Apple Pie Recipes

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Apple-Cranberry Walnut Pie

Apple-Cranberry Walnut Pie
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Sweet apples balance the tang of cranberries in this fall favorite.

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Luke's Lemon Meringue Pie

Luke's Lemon Meringue Pie
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This lemon meringue pie recipe, which includes candied lemon peel, was a favorite at Southmoreland on the Plaza, a historic 13-room inn northeast of Country Club Plaza in Kansas City, Missouri. 

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Rhubarb Pie

Rhubarb Pie
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On The Register's Annual Great Bicycle Race Across Iowa (RAGBRAI), pie is king, and rhubarb reigns supreme. Orange peel and cinnamon flavor the soft rhubarb filling in this recipe inspired by RAGBRAI food vendors that populate the route.

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Mixed Dried Fruit Pie

Mixed Dried Fruit Pie
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This winning double-crust pie from Faye Hunton of Sedalia, Missouri, gets big flavor from plumped apples, apricots and cherries.

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North Dakota Juneberry Pie

North Dakota Juneberry Pie
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Called the Blueberry of the Northern Plains, juneberries (also known as serviceberries) give bakers in North and South Dakota a reason to warm kitchens in summer. Pies featuring the berry bake a deep purply red and bring a nutty almond flavor to every fork full.

Related: Favorite Midwest Hometown Recipes

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Peanut Butter Pie

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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Michigan Cherry-Berry Pie

Michigan Cherry-Berry Pie
Credit: Blaine Moats
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Frozen unsweetened tart red cherries, frozen red raspberries and cherry juice or cranberry juice form the heart of this recipe.

Related: Cherry and Berry Desserts

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Decadent Caramel-Pecan Pie

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 American Club in Kohler, Wisconsin.

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Summer Breeze Lime Pie

Summer Breeze Lime Pie
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A triple dose of lime-zest, juice and curd-gives this dreamy pie its refreshing flavor. The pretzel crust adds unexpected salty punch.

Related: Best Summer Pie Recipes

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    1 of 37 True Butterscotch Pie
    2 of 37 Millionaire's Pie
    3 of 37 Lemon-Cream Cheese Pie
    4 of 37 Peanut Butter Chiffon Pie
    5 of 37 Toasted Marshmallow Sweet Potato Pie
    6 of 37 Pecan't Pie
    7 of 37 Chocolate Cream Pie
    8 of 37 Cranberry Crumble Pie
    9 of 37 S'more Pie a la Marshmallow Crème
    10 of 37 USS Missouri Buttermilk Pie
    11 of 37 Fantasy Chocolate Pie
    12 of 37 Bittersweet Chocolate and Pear Pie
    13 of 37 Pumpkin Chiffon Pie
    14 of 37 Honey Vinegar Pie
    15 of 37 Wisconsin Harvest Pie
    16 of 37 Banana and Peanut Butter Pie
    17 of 37 Redemption Hazelnut Pie
    18 of 37 Peanut Butter-Fudge Pie
    19 of 37 Mom's Oatmeal Pie
    20 of 37 Triple Lemon Pie
    21 of 37 Kansas-Style Lime Pie
    22 of 37 Triple Pear Pie with Walnut Crust
    23 of 37 Paradise Pumpkin Pie
    24 of 37 Peoria Rhubarb Cream Pie
    25 of 37 Something Special Apple-Cherry Pie
    26 of 37 Peppermint Brownie Pie
    27 of 37 Apple Butter Pumpkin Pie
    28 of 37 Crumb-Topped Apple Pie Trio
    29 of 37 Apple-Cranberry Walnut Pie
    30 of 37 Luke's Lemon Meringue Pie
    31 of 37 Rhubarb Pie
    32 of 37 Mixed Dried Fruit Pie
    33 of 37 North Dakota Juneberry Pie
    34 of 37 Peanut Butter Pie
    35 of 37 Michigan Cherry-Berry Pie
    36 of 37 Decadent Caramel-Pecan Pie
    37 of 37 Summer Breeze Lime Pie

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