The Perfect Pie: Your Ultimate Guide to Classic and Modern Pies, Tarts, Galettes, and More by America's Test Kitchen Editors

    • Categories: Pies, tarts & pastries; Dessert
    • Ingredients: apple cider (alcohol-free); maple syrup; apples; all-purpose flour
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Notes about this book

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Notes about Recipes in this book

  • Deep-dish apple pie

    • stef on October 25, 2019

      Prebaking the apples reduced the gap between pastry and apples. Dh loved this apple pie

    • dbuhler on August 04, 2023

      This has been my go-to apple pie for years! There is a reason that CI, ATK, and CC keep republishing this recipe in all their books...it is just so darn good, and loaded with apples. I made this pie for Thanksgiving (like I do every year!) but this year I decided to try the chevron lattice topping that is in ATK's Perfect Pie book and it was a stunning looking pie, and I almost didn't want to cut into it! The presentation was well worth time and effort!

  • Summer berry pie

    • Shewi128 on September 06, 2022

      The presentation of this pie is great. It's beautiful when you look at it, with the fresh berries at the top. The dairy-free berry pudding/puree thing also added some interest. However, it all fell apart (literally) when you cut open the pie. The pieces did not hold together, including the graham cracker crust. It would also greatly benefit from whipped cream. All in all, look was good, but the end result was not. I would not make this again. I'm disappointed because I've had this on my "to-bake" list forever.

  • Free-form fruit tart with apricots and blackberries

    • cynthia_lx08f9 on February 17, 2026

      This might be one of the best pies I’ve ever made. The apricots are so good baked. I’ll never waste summer apricots on jam again!

  • Pecan pie

    • tmitra on December 07, 2023

      This was the best pecan pie I've ever eaten, much less made.

  • Maple pecan pie

    • stef on December 26, 2021

      A lovely custard texture which had a Maple flavor. We loved it. Christmas 2021

  • Chocolate cream pie

    • Tweedles81 on December 09, 2025

      This was a show-stopping pie! It was incredibly easy to make, and everyone devoured it, kids and adults alike! I used a Ghirardelli 60% chocolate bar and Baker’s brand for the unsweetened chocolate. I also grated some additional Ghirardelli chocolate on top of the whipped cream for a sophisticated look. This will be one of my go-to desserts from now on!

  • Banana cream pie

    • ldyndiuk on February 13, 2024

      This pie had a lot of steps, but it turned out quite delicious!

  • Black bottom pie

    • jluvs2bake on March 14, 2021

      Detailed instructions, as expected from ATK, resulting in perfect pie :) I was concerned my rum custard was excessively wobbly, but once the egg white mixture was added and it all chilled, it set up perfectly. The pie is good but rich -- I would recommend small slices to start with! I used a 10" pie plate instead of 9", and it worked fine.

  • Key lime pie

    • ldyndiuk on April 04, 2023

      I didn’t think it was really enough filling. It makes for a fairly thin pie, though it is pretty tart so maybe that is intentional. It was good though.

  • Rhubarb custard pie

    • Shewi128 on January 10, 2020

      Did not like. The custard never full set up and was loose. The layers were not separate between the custard and rhubarb. Will not make again.

    • stef on May 30, 2020

      We really liked this pie but I wonder why it's called a custard pie. The final result is that the juices become a nice thick sauce.

    • ldyndiuk on June 21, 2023

      This came out really well. I liked the addition of the custardy element to the tart rhubarb. I would make this again.

  • Passion fruit curd pie

    • Shewi128 on April 02, 2020

      The flavor is amazing, but passion fruit was nearly impossible to find. I bought passion fruit puree to make the curd, but it did not set the first time I made it. I tried it again, but it still did not fully set.

  • Pumpkin praline pie

    • tmitra on December 09, 2024

      This is a good version of this flavor combination. We liked it better the second day.

    • EatinSnax on March 26, 2025

      Flavors are great, but after 3 attempts I can’t find a way to prevent the praline from weeping and liquifying as the pie cools.

  • Ginger cranberry-pear streusel pie

    • Shewi128 on January 10, 2020

      Delicious alternative to apple pie. Make sure pears are firm, but not TOO firm.

    • taste24 on June 15, 2020

      The only thing I could taste in this pie was the ginger. The pear and cranberry did not come through for me at all. Next time, I would make this with much less ginger than called for.

    • ldyndiuk on February 13, 2024

      My pears were a little too firm (it's hard to plan with pears!) so that is something to watch out for. It also has a LOT of steps and dirtied every vessel and implement in my kitchen, which I guess is typical of ATK recipes. I didn't love this the first day I tried it, but starting the next day I think the flavors had time to meld and it was a lot better. The flavors are good and I love all the ginger. Great reheated with some vanilla ice cream!

  • Plum-ginger pie

    • EatinSnax on April 22, 2025

      Another delicious recipe from this book. The whole wheat crust was a little harder to roll out, but it held it‘s shape well during baking, and was very tender. It didn’t like the flavor as much as a traditional crust, but it was still tasty and interesting. The plum filling had a nice texture and bright flavor. Excellent with ice cream.

  • Chai blackberry pie

    • EatinSnax on March 26, 2025

      Absolutely loved the flavor combination, and thought it set nicely.

  • Fresh fruit tart

    • EatinSnax on July 25, 2025

      This is delicious and a little simpler to make than the traditional versions of this dessert that use pastry cream. I actually prefer this mascarpone filling to pastry cream anyway, so win-win! The instructions for arranging the fruit make for easier slicing, but I chose anarchy instead of arrangement. Either way, it’s a easy showstopper dessert.

  • Blood orange and chocolate tart

    • Shewi128 on March 12, 2021

      Very beautiful and not difficult to make. The only comment is the blood orange gelatin was more orange than red, which is silly to say, but I expected it a little more red.

    • Kinhawaii on April 30, 2021

      I agree - the gelee was quite dark red. I had problems with the chocolate pastry- was quite soft & had to keep on refrigerating it, I have worked with better chocolate pastry. My kitchen was comfortable but maybe a cold kitchen would have helped. The extra dough did make a delicious cookie. I have to say chocolate & orange isn’t my most favorite combination, despite loving them individually. I think it is definitely better with the sliced blood orange segments on top & I would cut up 2 oranges- adds a brightness.

  • Blueberry hand pies

    • Lu1950s on January 11, 2021

      This recipe is easy and SO GOOD! We talked about them for days. My blueberries had to cook down a lot longer than the directions. The unbaked pies freeze beautifully so they're perfect to make ahead for casual entertaining.

    • stef on August 22, 2021

      So easy and good. The blueberry filling was delicious. I will make this with other fruits.

  • Individual free-form apple tartlets

    • tmitra on October 05, 2021

      The crust was excellent (rated separately), but I was underwhelmed by the filling. I used a variety of apples from an orchard, so maybe it just wasn't the right balance?

    • cynthia_lx08f9 on February 17, 2026

      Delicious. So easy to roll out a tiny 7” pie dough than a big one.

  • Maple syrup pie

    • stef on February 22, 2025

      This maple pie is just like the one that use to be served at Auberge St Gabriel in Montreal. The filling is a beautiful smooth custard that's not too sweet.

  • Thoroughbred pie

    • jenmacgregor18 on December 01, 2019

      My only changes to recipe - I added 1 T white miso to eggs before mixing in and subbed whisky for bourbon. It is rich, best eaten in smaller pieces. It was perfect heated up a bit with a little whipped cream or ice cream.

  • Mississippi mud pie

    • Shewi128 on August 08, 2022

      My husband has declared this the best recipe and chocolate dessert ever. He is a chocoholic, so it works for him. For me, it is incredibly rich, and one slice is too much. However, the crust, brownie, mousse, and crunchy wafer topping combo just hits all the right notes for chocolate lovers.

  • Rum pumpkin chiffon pie

    • Megoola on January 10, 2021

      The recipe is online at https://imbibemagazine.com/recipe/rum-pumpkin-chiffon-pie/

  • French silk chocolate pie

    • EatinSnax on March 26, 2025

      This filling is divine, and the whole pie freezes well.

  • Grasshopper pie

    • Shewi128 on December 05, 2022

      This is another recipe that I had to trust the process. I wasn't sure if the filling would set, or if the filling would turn the lovely shade of mint green (it looked liked a barfy green before I mixed in the whipped cream). However, the flavor and texture were absolutely lovely. One of my friends requested this for her birthday as well. Just a lovely dessert that is deceptively light.

  • Cookies and cream ice cream pie

    • Shewi128 on June 30, 2023

      Easy and tasty! Definitely would make again. Great summer dessert.

  • Foolproof all-butter pie dough

    • stef on October 25, 2019

      A good dough but not my favourite

  • Gluten-free double-crust pie dough

    • jenmacgregor18 on November 02, 2019

      Made this for a green tomato mincemeat pie. I had to add a bit more water for the dough to come together— maybe 2 T. Refrigerated overnight. Was a bit difficult to roll out. It was cracking & crumbling after resting at room temp for 15 minutes. . I let it rest another 5-10 minutes and it was a bit softer and easier to handle. I refrigerated bottom crust in pie pan while I rolled out top crust. Used the shorter baking time listed for the deep dish apple- 45 minutes. It browned beautifully. The texture was crisp. It was different than a wheat crust- almost like a fried pie dough; but not off putting. Very good overall.

  • Graham cracker crust

    • ldyndiuk on August 17, 2024

      I’ve made this crust twice and have been disappointed. It doesn’t really make enough to adequately line the pie plate, and it slumps down when I bake it. I found a much better recipe online at Sally’s Baking Addiction, which uses more graham crackers and a higher ratio of graham crackers to butter, and bakes at a higher temperature for a shorter time. Those things all seemed to make for a much better crust.

  • Chocolate cookie crust

    • jluvs2bake on March 14, 2021

      Quick and easy crust. I did not use my food processor but went with Ninja blender instead. Worked just fine! I used a 10-inch pie plate instead of 9. Next time, I will do 20 cookies and 5 Tablespoons butter for that size pie plate. It was fine, but I would have liked a little more to work with in the bigger plate.

  • Slab pie dough

    • tmitra on July 14, 2022

      I've been very impressed by this book, but I found this dough difficult to work with and it ended up soggy in the triple berry slap pie with ginger-lemon streusel.

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  • ISBN 10 1945256915
  • ISBN 13 9781945256912
  • Linked ISBNs
  • Published Sep 10 2019
  • Format Hardcover
  • Page Count 376
  • Language English
  • Countries United States
  • Publisher America's Test Kitchen

Publishers Text

Get the dough rolling and perfect your pie-making skills to bake beautiful, foolproof versions of the corner bakery classics and French patisserie favorites--plus a host of whimsical, modern pies and tarts of all kinds like sky-high meringue pies, uniquely flavored fruit pies with intricate lattice-woven tops, and lush elegant tarts.

The Perfect Pie is the definitive guide to gorgeous pies and tarts. Maybe you want to master homespun pies that celebrate seasonal produce, or get creative with pastry-encased canvases for modern flavor profiles. No matter your pie preference, this collection will inspire you to bake. We've tested our way to the best techniques for building foolproof bakery-quality pies from the crust up: Learn how to create the flakiest pie crust from dough that's a breeze to roll. Become the expert in classics like Cherry Pie and also wow with pies that show off interesting flavors like Blueberry-Earl Grey Pie (tea is infused into the filling and an adorning glaze) or Butternut Squash Pie with sage crust. Make meringues that don't weep, or fruit filling for Deep-Dish Apple Pie that doesn't shrink under the tall-standing top crust. Discover the world of tarts like Hazelnut-Raspberry Mousse Tart with looks that deceive its simplicity (we top crispy store-bought puff pastry with a quick mousse), sleek sesame brittle-decorated Tahini Chocolate Tart, and rustic galettes.

When you're ready to up your game, learn to design intricate pie tops (think: braided edges for Pecan Pie; a herringbone lattice pattern for Ginger Plum Pie; creative cutouts for Apricot, Vanilla Bean, and Cardamom Pie; and crunchy streusel clusters for Sour Cherry-Hazelnut Pie), fashion pies big (slab pies for a crowd) and small (muffin tin pies, jar pies, and pie pops), and use ingredients you may have never thought to put in pie like husk cherries or rose water.


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