At its broadest, a pie is any dish enclosed in a pastry crust, typically baked in a shallow, round pan called a pie dish. Pies are usually made with sweet fillings, like fruit or custard, but they can also be savory, like chicken pot pie. 

Most pies are categorized by the style and bake of the crust in relation to the filling. A perfect pie crust typically involves a hand-kneaded pie dough mixture made from all-purpose flour, granulated white sugar or brown sugar, and butter; it is then baked until golden brown. However, there are many ways to position the crust to give a pie a unique look and taste:

1. __Open-face pies__: A pie with a bottom crust and no top crust. Many favorite pie dishes are made this way, such as peanut butter pie, coconut cream pie, chocolate pie, ice cream pie, custard pie, silk pie, or chocolate-pecan pie.
2. __Double-crust pies__: A pie with both a bottom crust and a top crust.
3. __Lattice pies__: A pie with a bottom crust and decorative top crust made with cut out strips of dough.
4. __Deep-dish pies__: A pie that does not have a bottom crust—just a single pie crust on the top. They’re often called pot pies when made with savory pie fillings, such as chicken pot pie.
5. __Hand pies__: A type of pastry pocket baked on a baking sheet rather than in a pie dish.
6. __No-bake pies__: A pie that does not require baking, but is instead made with pressed crumb crusts of pulverized graham crackers or cookies bound together with melted butter. They’re typically filled with refrigerated or frozen creams and custards.
7. __Slab pies__: A slab pie is a pie made to find in a rectangular baking dish rather than round pie pan.

Many of the best pies are known for their buttery crusts and creamy fillings, and you can make your own homemade pie with ingredients you can find at the grocery store. Consider making the following kinds of pies:

1. __Sweet potato pie__: [Sweet potato pie](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/sweet-potato-pie-recipe) is a dessert made from mashed sweet potatoes baked in a pie crust. Sweet potatoes are nutritious and naturally creamy and sweet, making them easy to turn into a pie filling.
2. __Apple pie__: [Apple pie](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/homemade-apple-pie-recipe-easy-recipe-and-how-to-make-a-perfect-crust) is a type of fruit pie that features a traditional tart or pie crust surrounding an apple mixture. Apple pie is often served with whipped cream or ice cream (known as à la mode). Apple pie recipes often feature a decorative lattice-top crust but can also be made with a crumble topping. Other fruit pies with similar construction include peach pie and cherry pie.
3. __Strawberry rhubarb pie__: [Strawberry rhubarb pie](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/strawberry-rhubarb-pie-recipe) is a fruit pie featuring rhubarb—nicknamed "pie plant"—and sweet strawberries, both coming into season in the spring. The sweetness of the strawberries balances the tartness of the rhubarb. Strawberry rhubarb pie can feature a double-crust with a lattice top or a simple crimp on the bottom crust, or it can be made as a free-form galette.
4. __Key lime pie__: [Key lime pie](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/key-lime-pie-tips-techniques-and-fluffy-key-lime-pie-recipe) is an American dessert made with a creamy filling from Key lime juice, egg yolks, and sweetened condensed milk in a graham cracker crust. Key lime pie can be topped with a traditional meringue topping or whipped cream. 
5. __Pecan pie__: [Pecan pie](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/pecan-pie-origins-variations-and-easy-pecan-pie-recipe) is a quintessential American dessert featuring a mosaic of pecan halves suspended in a silky, sugary blend of eggs, butter and a sweetener—traditionally corn syrup—held together in a flaky pie crust.
6. __Pumpkin pie__: [Pumpkin pie](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/perfect-homemade-pumpkin-pie-recipe) is a traditional dessert that is often considered a Thanksgiving pie and is made with a warm spiced pumpkin custard filling and flaky pie crust. Pumpkin pie is usually served with a dollop of whipped cream and vanilla ice cream and is most often made during the fall harvest when pumpkins and [gourds](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/types-of-gourds) are in season.
7. __Banana cream pie__: [Banana cream pie](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/banana-cream-pie-recipe) is a popular cream pie variation consisting of a cooked custard or pudding, fresh slices of banana, and a whipped cream topping. You can make banana cream pie with a standard pie crust or a cookie-based crust made with graham crackers or vanilla wafer cookies.
8. __Chocolate pudding pie__: A [chocolate pudding pie](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/chocolate-pie-recipe) is a dessert featuring a pie crust and a chocolate filling. Some chocolate pies are baked, such as chocolate buttermilk pie and chocolate chess pie, but many feature a no-bake chocolate filling, such as chocolate pudding or custard. A chocolate cream pie usually features a whipped topping made with whipped cream or meringue.
9. __Lemon meringue pie__: [Lemon meringue pie](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/classic-lemon-meringue-pie-recipe-with-swiss-meringue-how-to-make-meringue-pie) is a classic American dessert of shortcrust pastry topped with lemon curd, all enclosed in a pile of meringue and baked until golden brown. All three components are prepared separately, then assembled into one striking package.
10. __Chicken pot pie__: [Chicken pot pie](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/chicken-pot-pie-recipe) is a savory dish of chicken and vegetables cooked in a deep dish covered with a single pie crust. Pot pie lacks a bottom crust, so you can make it in any oven-safe dish or small pot—hence the name. Although a pot pie can have any savory filling, chicken is one of the best-loved pot pie fillings.
Become a better baker with the [MasterClass Annual Membership](https://www.masterclass.com). Gain access to exclusive video lessons taught by the world’s best, including Dominique Ansel, Joanne Chang, Gordon Ramsay, Chef Thomas Keller, Mashama Bailey, and more.
From sweet to savory pies, there are many classic pie recipes you can easily make at home.

From sweet to savory pies, there are many classic pie recipes you can easily make at home.

10 Classic Pie Recipes for Any Season

At its broadest, a pie is any dish enclosed in a pastry crust, typically baked in a shallow, round pan called a pie dish. Pies are usually made with sweet fillings, like fruit or custard, but they can also be savory, like chicken pot pie.

What Is Pie?

Most pies are categorized by the style and bake of the crust in relation to the filling. A perfect pie crust typically involves a hand-kneaded pie dough mixture made from all-purpose flour, granulated white sugar or brown sugar, and butter; it is then baked until golden brown. However, there are many ways to position the crust to give a pie a unique look and taste:<ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Open-face pies: A pie with a bottom crust and no top crust. Many favorite pie dishes are made this way, such as peanut butter pie, coconut cream pie, chocolate pie, ice cream pie, custard pie, silk pie, or chocolate-pecan pie. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Double-crust pies: A pie with both a bottom crust and a top crust. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Lattice pies: A pie with a bottom crust and decorative top crust made with cut out strips of dough. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 4. Deep-dish pies: A pie that does not have a bottom crust—just a single pie crust on the top. They’re often called pot pies when made with savory pie fillings, such as chicken pot pie. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 5. Hand pies: A type of pastry pocket baked on a baking sheet rather than in a pie dish. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 6. No-bake pies: A pie that does not require baking, but is instead made with pressed crumb crusts of pulverized graham crackers or cookies bound together with melted butter. They’re typically filled with refrigerated or frozen creams and custards. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 7. Slab pies: A slab pie is a pie made to find in a rectangular baking dish rather than round pie pan. </li></ol>

7 Types of Pies

Many of the best pies are known for their buttery crusts and creamy fillings, and you can make your own homemade pie with ingredients you can find at the grocery store. Consider making the following kinds of pies:<ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Sweet potato pie: <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/sweet-potato-pie-recipe' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/sweet-potato-pie-recipe","linkCopy":"Sweet potato pie","category":null}'>Sweet potato pie</a> is a dessert made from mashed sweet potatoes baked in a pie crust. Sweet potatoes are nutritious and naturally creamy and sweet, making them easy to turn into a pie filling. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Apple pie: <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/homemade-apple-pie-recipe-easy-recipe-and-how-to-make-a-perfect-crust' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/homemade-apple-pie-recipe-easy-recipe-and-how-to-make-a-perfect-crust","linkCopy":"Apple pie","category":null}'>Apple pie</a> is a type of fruit pie that features a traditional tart or pie crust surrounding an apple mixture. Apple pie is often served with whipped cream or ice cream (known as à la mode). Apple pie recipes often feature a decorative lattice-top crust but can also be made with a crumble topping. Other fruit pies with similar construction include peach pie and cherry pie. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Strawberry rhubarb pie: <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/strawberry-rhubarb-pie-recipe' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/strawberry-rhubarb-pie-recipe","linkCopy":"Strawberry rhubarb pie","category":null}'>Strawberry rhubarb pie</a> is a fruit pie featuring rhubarb—nicknamed &quot;pie plant&quot;—and sweet strawberries, both coming into season in the spring. The sweetness of the strawberries balances the tartness of the rhubarb. Strawberry rhubarb pie can feature a double-crust with a lattice top or a simple crimp on the bottom crust, or it can be made as a free-form galette. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 4. Key lime pie: <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/key-lime-pie-tips-techniques-and-fluffy-key-lime-pie-recipe' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/key-lime-pie-tips-techniques-and-fluffy-key-lime-pie-recipe","linkCopy":"Key lime pie","category":null}'>Key lime pie</a> is an American dessert made with a creamy filling from Key lime juice, egg yolks, and sweetened condensed milk in a graham cracker crust. Key lime pie can be topped with a traditional meringue topping or whipped cream. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 5. Pecan pie: <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/pecan-pie-origins-variations-and-easy-pecan-pie-recipe' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/pecan-pie-origins-variations-and-easy-pecan-pie-recipe","linkCopy":"Pecan pie","category":null}'>Pecan pie</a> is a quintessential American dessert featuring a mosaic of pecan halves suspended in a silky, sugary blend of eggs, butter and a sweetener—traditionally corn syrup—held together in a flaky pie crust. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 6. Pumpkin pie: <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/perfect-homemade-pumpkin-pie-recipe' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/perfect-homemade-pumpkin-pie-recipe","linkCopy":"Pumpkin pie","category":null}'>Pumpkin pie</a> is a traditional dessert that is often considered a Thanksgiving pie and is made with a warm spiced pumpkin custard filling and flaky pie crust. Pumpkin pie is usually served with a dollop of whipped cream and vanilla ice cream and is most often made during the fall harvest when pumpkins and <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/types-of-gourds' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/types-of-gourds","linkCopy":"gourds","category":null}'>gourds</a> are in season. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 7. Banana cream pie: <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/banana-cream-pie-recipe' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/banana-cream-pie-recipe","linkCopy":"Banana cream pie","category":null}'>Banana cream pie</a> is a popular cream pie variation consisting of a cooked custard or pudding, fresh slices of banana, and a whipped cream topping. You can make banana cream pie with a standard pie crust or a cookie-based crust made with graham crackers or vanilla wafer cookies. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 8. Chocolate pudding pie: A <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/chocolate-pie-recipe' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/chocolate-pie-recipe","linkCopy":"chocolate pudding pie","category":null}'>chocolate pudding pie</a> is a dessert featuring a pie crust and a chocolate filling. Some chocolate pies are baked, such as chocolate buttermilk pie and chocolate chess pie, but many feature a no-bake chocolate filling, such as chocolate pudding or custard. A chocolate cream pie usually features a whipped topping made with whipped cream or meringue. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 9. Lemon meringue pie: <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/classic-lemon-meringue-pie-recipe-with-swiss-meringue-how-to-make-meringue-pie' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/classic-lemon-meringue-pie-recipe-with-swiss-meringue-how-to-make-meringue-pie","linkCopy":"Lemon meringue pie","category":null}'>Lemon meringue pie</a> is a classic American dessert of shortcrust pastry topped with lemon curd, all enclosed in a pile of meringue and baked until golden brown. All three components are prepared separately, then assembled into one striking package. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 10. Chicken pot pie: <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/chicken-pot-pie-recipe' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/chicken-pot-pie-recipe","linkCopy":"Chicken pot pie","category":null}'>Chicken pot pie</a> is a savory dish of chicken and vegetables cooked in a deep dish covered with a single pie crust. Pot pie lacks a bottom crust, so you can make it in any oven-safe dish or small pot—hence the name. Although a pot pie can have any savory filling, chicken is one of the best-loved pot pie fillings. </li></ol>

10 Classic Pie Recipes

Become a better baker with the <a href='https://www.masterclass.com' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com","linkCopy":"MasterClass Annual Membership","category":null}'>MasterClass Annual Membership</a>. Gain access to exclusive video lessons taught by the world’s best, including Dominique Ansel, Joanne Chang, Gordon Ramsay, Chef Thomas Keller, Mashama Bailey, and more.

Want to Learn More About Baking?

From sweet to savory pies, there are many classic pie recipes you can easily make at home.

From sweet to savory pies, there are many classic pie recipes you can easily make at home.
