If You See This $1.87 Find at Walmart, Grab It Now

I learned how to make pie dough from a baking champion (it's true—she even had the trophies to prove it). This friend's impossibly flaky crusts could cradle the richest chocolate custard or the juiciest apple filling without a hint of a soggy bottom.

Despite her expert lessons, I don’t always have the time—or patience—to roll out dough from scratch. As we head into the marathon of the holiday baking season, when kitchens overflow with butter, pumpkin purée, and sliced apples, shortcuts start to feel less like cheating and more like strategy. That’s why I always keep a box of Great Value Traditional Pie Crusts tucked in my freezer.

During the holiday season, the unexpected is inevitable. You never know who’s going to pop by for coffee—or stay for dessert. Having a ready-made crust on hand is a lifesaver, and this Walmart product is a near-perfect dupe for homemade.

Why I Love Great Value Traditional Pie Crusts

Among frozen pie crusts, this is by far my favorite. It comes pre-rolled and neatly crimped in an aluminum pan—there's no rolling, stretching, tearing, or otherwise fussing with finicky dough. Simply thaw, fill, and bake; they're foolproof.

The flavor is hard to beat, too. It’s made with vegetable shortening and not butter, but you’d never know it. It bakes up crisp and golden, with that same buttery illusion I usually spend hours chasing from scratch.

Great Value Traditional Pie Crusts don't have quite the delicate layers of my friend’s award-winning pie, but it’s miles ahead of most frozen options, which often lean greasy or leave a faintly sour aftertaste. While you won’t get the same shattering flakiness of a butter-and-shortening hybrid, this crust is a close dupe that tastes far better than it should for the price.

Each package includes two 9-inch pre-rolled, crimped crusts nestled in aluminum pie tins, perfect for one double-crusted pie or two single-crusted ones. They’re deep enough for a mile-high apple pie and neutral enough for a savory breakfast quiche. However you want to fill them—fruit, custard, or leftover turkey and gravy—they hold up beautifully every time.