Starbucks Vs Trader Joe's: Which Mini Pies Take The Crown This Fall?

As we sink into cooler weather, warm sweaters, and holiday flavors, restaurants and grocery stores alike are beginning to shift their seasonal menus from summer treats to autumn treasures. As autumn comes, so does harvesting season. Apples, pecans, and pumpkins will soon fill pie crusts across America as the country moves into cooler weather and the Thanksgiving holiday steadily approaches.

As summer flavors like fresh berries and rhubarb slowly fade away until next year, Starbucks has released new mini pies as part of its fall 2026 menu. These adorable little hand-held delights are a perfect treat for a cool morning, but we can't help but be reminded of another set of miniature baked goods that seem very familiar. After all, Trader Joe's has been selling its own "teeny tiny" pies in a variety of flavors for quite a while now, originally premiering the apple-filled versions in 2023. This seemed like a perfect time to compare the two brands' scaled-down confections to see which reigns supreme.

Even better yet, Trader Joe's is in its last weeks of summer at the time of writing, meaning not only could we directly compare fall-flavored apple pies, but we could pit the bright summery taste of strawberries and rhubarb against the more savory and rich notes of pumpkin and pecan. Looking forward to the chance to contrast the two brands of pastry, and the different flavors available, I headed out to pick up some pint-sized sweets to take them home for a night of indulgence and dough.

When it comes to the fall season, apple pie has to be one of the most iconic desserts. Freshly picked apples, cinnamon, sugar, and a buttery crust come together to create a decadently sweet dessert with a warm and fruit-forward flavor. When I think of apple pie, there are two main styles that come to mind. The first style is topped with a sheet of pie crust, sometimes layered in a woven pattern, and the second style is topped with a buttery crumble. 

Starbucks has chosen to top its miniature apple pie with a crumble-style topping. In my experience, a crumble tends to be sweeter and adds a different texture than a second layer of flaky pie crust. Filled with oats and sugar, the company's crumble didn't have the crunchy top I'd normally look for, but the inclusion of oats created a dense and lightly chewy texture that went well with the filling and reminded me of an oatmeal cookie.

The crust itself was neither flaky nor crumbly, leaving it somewhere between a traditional pie crust and a shortbread base. Despite the less traditional texture, the savory crust went well against the sweet and tart filling. The taste of apple was vibrant and bold in the filling, but there was little to the texture as bits of apple seemed rare. While all the individual pieces worked well, the overly-wet filling dampened the top crumble enough to leave a slightly paste-like texture behind with each bite.

Trader Joe's pocket-sized apple pie was surprisingly similar to Starbucks' version, but different enough to stand up for itself. Like its counterpart from the coffee shop, Joe's pie was topped with a fluffy crumble, which was generously heaped atop a rich apple filling set within a salty pastry crust. While this crust also lacked in the department of texture, being less flaky and crisp than I'd have preferred, the buttery and salt-forward flavor of the crust helped to balance the other flavors and make this pie shine just a bit more. 

The crumble, which unlike the pie from Starbucks did not contain oats, was crispier on the top layer. Unfortunately, that slight crunch from the top wasn't enough to overcome the overall softness of the crumble, nor the lightly grainy texture of sugar in the crumble dough itself. Despite that shortcoming, there was less crumble in this pie. This was even easier to appreciate after the Starbucks pie, which had too much topping and weighed the pie down. 

The real contrast between the two, naturally, came down to the apple pie filling itself. The creamy, sweet, and apple-forward filling to the Trader Joe's pie was delightful, but it noticeably lacked when it came to actual pieces of apple. The overall flavor of this pie was a touch more satisfying than its competitor, but the lack of actual apple pieces felt more noticeable than in the other despite it having the same problem.

Pecan pie is now, and will likely remain, my favorite type of pie. I shall, however difficult, strive to remain unbiased during my review. With that said, this pie had the best crust of all the Starbucks flavors. Unlike the apple pie's crust, which lacked in salt, the pecan had a flaky salted crust that provided a perfect backdrop to the sweet filling. 

Even visually, the crust of this pie looked different from the others. Unlike the other four pies I tasted, the layers in the crust of this pie could be seen. When biting into the crust, there was a distinct flaky texture that made it feel more like a normal slice of pie, rather than a miniaturized version of one. Combined with a delectable translucent custard filling, the saltiness helped to perfectly balance the level of sweetness in the pie. So often, I find the sugar levels in pecan pie can be drastically overpowering. That was not an issue in this treat.

The only downside to this pie was the rarity of pecan pieces. While topped with a crunchy candied pecan, I found there to be only a few pieces of nut suspended in the filling. One of the best parts of any pecan pie, to me at least, is the texture of the pecans contrasting with a smooth and sugary filling. Despite the amazing flavor of the petite pie, it could have been improved with a more generous sprinkling of pecans.

Strawberry and rhubarb come together to make one of those combinations that most people are familiar with. I've heard of the duo countless times, but it was only a few years ago that I tried it for myself. This little pie managed to take me right back to that initial introduction.

While it looks like red celery, rhubarb can be used in a variety of desserts thanks to its bold and highly acidic flavor. The fibrous plant's tart flavor makes for a perfect combination with any very sweet companion, which may explain how the sour vegetable came to be used in dessert. However, no matter what it's used for, rhubarb will always be known for its connection and balance against the sweet and summery strawberry. A truth this pie leaves no doubt about.

The crust itself, which surrounded the filling on all sides, was light and fluffy. Neither sweet nor salty, the puffy crust perfectly held the filling, breaking when it needed to without causing the warm jam-like strawberry rhubarb to squeeze itself out when you bite down. Small bits of crunchy sugar gave a texture that helped balance the soft texture of the crust while cracking satisfyingly between the teeth. The real star, however, was the vivid flavor of the filling. The rhubarb provided a sour pucker at the front before being followed up by pure concentrated strawberry flavor. Each bite of Trader Joe's fruity strawberry rhubarb pie was like eating straight from a summer garden.

While I love apple and pecan pie, it's obvious America's favorite fall pie is pumpkin. I mean, just look at the fall pumpkin spice craze that hits every cafe and bar from mid-September until winter's thaw. Unfortunately, I've never been an admirer myself. I can enjoy a slice here or there, but it's never going to be one of my top choices.

Thankfully, my husband absolutely loves pumpkin pie, so I was able to balance my opinion with his own impressions. Taking my first bite, I first noticed that the crust had the best texture of all the pies on offer from both establishments. There was a salty, savory, and flaky crunch that was delicious all on its own. This crust could have been put with literally any of the fillings and still been a winner. Unfortunately, and my husband agreed, that was the highlight of this diminutive dessert. 

While I have to give points to the spot-on pumpkin flavor, that was masked by neither sugar nor spice, I couldn't decide if I was happy with it or not. The classic pumpkin spices were subtle but clear in each bite, and worked to highlight and elevate the pumpkin. Unfortunately, there was a bitter, almost acrid, aftertaste to each bite that spoiled the taste of pumpkin and warm spices. A bit of whipped cream may have helped to balance that flavor, but that doesn't do much to change what was my least favorite pie of the bunch.

Both Trader Joe's and Starbucks have managed to produce some pleasant pies of petite size. Aside from the lightly bitter aftertaste of the pumpkin pie, each managed to enchant the taste buds with welcoming flavors. Whether the last tastes of summer, or first taste of fall, each pie was worth trying. Despite that, I just have to give the win to Trader Joe's. 

The better ratio of crumble to pie in its apple pie really helped Trader Joe's to create a better mouthfeel while still creating a tribute to apple flavor. It may not have had the sharp tang that was so pleasant in the Starbucks pie, but by keeping the layers in better proportion the end product was noticeably more delicious. 

While pecan will always be my favorite, even I couldn't deny the provocatively piquant taste of strawberries and rhubarb perfectly balanced together. Drawing out the level of fresh fruit flavor this pie offered — even after baking, packaging, and sitting on a shelf — dropped my jaw. Putting the nail in the coffin was the cost comparison. Each of the Trader Joe's pies comes in boxes of four for $5.49, making the end cost just $1.37 per pie. The Starbucks pies, on the other hand, are priced at $2.95 per pie, with a small discount of $1.90 when you buy all three. Prices may vary according to location, but with both sides delivering genuine flavor and quality, the difference in cost really helps to make the winner clear.

Baked goods are one of my favorite things to review. There are so many styles to any type of baked good. Much like with the apple pies, where some use a crumble and others use a crust, there are times where there is no definitively correct way to do things. That's where I find myself able to draw on years of baking experience to judge intention and procedure against the end product. 

For the base of each sweet pie, I judged the crust by the basic standards I expect from any classic pie. A good pie crust should be flaky and maintain a crisp edge and dry bottom despite the moisture of the filling. In addition to judging each crust by its resemblance to a traditional pie, I also took into account its firmness and ability to stand up to being held in the hand. From that point forward, the flavor and texture of each pie's filling had to be judged.

No matter the style, the filling in a good pie should be moist without being wet. A good dessert pie filling, to me, should hold its shape without feeling solid aside from pieces of fruit or nut. A pie of any flavor should balance sugar with acidity, fat, umami, or salt while still fitting cleanly into the category of dessert. Lastly, due mainly to necessity as a result of the general quality of the pies tasted here, cost was included as a criterion for judgement.