We Tried a Pie of the Month Club—Was It Worth It?

Everyone loves pie. That’s why a pie of the month club—also called a “pie subscription” or simply a “pie club”—is one of the best gifts you can give, if you ask us. Not only does your recipient get to enjoy a new recipe each month, but they also enjoy these delicious desserts without lifting a finger. There’s no need to pull out pricey pie tools or a pie bird when all you have to do is wait for an impeccably packaged delivery!

Here are a few other reasons someone might subscribe to a pie of the month club:

• Finding new go-to favorites
• Enjoying pies from world-famous bakeries
• Tasting new recipes you might not otherwise try
• Pie clubs make great care packages and gifts for almost any occasion
• Picks are pre-vetted, so you know they’re good

When we saw that Goldbelly offers a pie-of-the-month club featuring exciting, well-loved picks from famous American bakeries, we just had to place an order! But how well does each month live up to our high foodie-fueled expectations? We tapped Deputy Shopping Editor Katie Bandurksi to lend her taste buds so we could find out. Here’s our experience testing three months of Goldbelly’s Pie of the Month Club.

Goldbelly Pie Club

Take a trip to some of America's best bakeries—no plane ticket required!

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What is the Goldbelly Pie of the Month Club?

As most of our readers know, we’re huge fans of Goldbelly. The brand’s storefronts are filled with food clubs and food gifts, all hailing from some of the most popular restaurants, delis and bakeries across the nation. When we saw that Goldbelly also offers a pie-of-the-month club featuring exciting, well-loved picks from famous American bakeries, we just had to place an order!

Goldbelly’s pie of the month subscription isn’t just your average dessert club. Instead of ho-hum cookies or so-so sweets, subscribers enjoy freshly-made, delicious desserts from some of the most storied bakeries in the nation. The club teases lots of tempting treats, including signature creations from a top Brooklyn pie bakeshop, regional pies with with fresh local fruit and famous apple pies doused with caramel. Yum!

Ringing up at $64.95 per monthly delivery, we had to see if these scrumptious pies are worth the elevated price point.

How We Tested

Snagging a Goldbelly pie subscription is as simple as placing an order on the website. Choose from a month-to-month subscriptions that automatically renews, or select a fixed subscription term length of three, six or 12 months. Each shipment costs $64.95 and includes free shipping. Month-to-month subscriptions can easily be canceled by contacting Goldbelly before the next billing cycle, while prepaid subscriptions end automatically after the final shipment.

Deputy Shopping Editor Katie Bandurksi graciously volunteered her tummy to test out this pie subscription for three months. We were excited to see how the Goldbelly pie club compares to some of our other favorite dessert of the month clubs, including cookies and ice cream. Like the other food of the month clubs we’ve tested in the past, we stuck to a rubric for evaluation that covers everything from ordering to delivery to our overall experience.

Month One: Little Pie Company Sour Cream Apple Walnut Pie

Our inaugural pie arrived in perfect condition. It was wrapped in plastic and placed atop a still-frozen ice pack—plenty of protection to keep it intact, with nary a crumb out of place. Apart from the Sour Cream Apple Walnut Pie, the package also came with a booklet about Little Pie Company, a packing slip and care instructions.

Katie stashed her treat in the freezer for a few days. When the cravings hit, she moved it to the fridge to thaw a bit the night before she decided to indulge. Prep for this pie is as simple as taking it out of the fridge, bringing it up to room temp and placing in a 325ºF oven for around 20 minutes. Since Katie’s pie was still a little frozen, it took about 35 minutes to get warm throughout.

“I LOVED the apples,” raves Katie. “They were tart and super thinly sliced. I was amazed that they weren’t soggy but still had a nice bite. The sour cream added a creaminess I can’t say I’ve tried before. This pie was very good and tasted homemade. A little too sweet for my taste, but exceptional packaging and quality.”

However, the ingredients are where this pick really shines. Katie couldn’t find anything artificial on the label. The recipe comprises of just flour, sugar, butter, cinnamon, apple cider, Granny Smith apples, sour cream, eggs, vanilla, dark brown sugar and walnuts. Overall, Katie was incredibly impressed—this was the perfect pie to start off her subscription!

Month Two: Hubig’s Hand Pies Best Seller 12 Pack

Month two’s box arrived with 12 individually wrapped hand pies in chocolate, lemon, coconut and apple flavors, hailing from the locally-famous Hubig’s bakery in New Orleans. Each pie arrived undamaged, thanks to impeccable packaging. From a value standpoint, the shipment compares favorably to a traditional 9-inch pie, offering a dozen 4-ounce hand pies that are perfect for individual servings.

This NOLA staple from 1921 comes in apple, chocolate, coconut, and lemon. Katie’s first pie was chocolate, which she notes was flaky and tender. The filling tasted exactly like a rich chocolate pudding, and the whole thing was covered in a glaze that added a little texture. She was shocked that these weren’t cloyingly sweet, and she enjoyed them overall. However, the other flavors she found less impressive.

“The apple pie had a viscous, gloopy filling with barely any chunks of real apple. It had a slightly cinnamon-forward flavor, but the aftertaste was very artificial. The lemon filling looked alien—almost neon green. Again, very artificial tasting. Similar to the chocolate pie, the coconut filling was very pudding-like. It wasn’t entirely smooth, with some flecks of coconut.”

Katie notes that she was disappointed in the lack of quality butter, sugar, flour and vanilla. Hubig’s pies contain high fructose corn syrup, shortening, and a whole bunch of shelf-stabilizing ingredients. For some, this won’t matter, but folks looking for a high-quality pie club may prefer a different option that emphasizes natural ingredients.

“Many consumers may not care, but with a high price tag, I would expect higher quality,” says Katie. “This box wasn’t for me, but it was a good value, and 85% of Goldbelly customers give them high ratings. Still, this is a highly contentious ‘you either love ’em or you hate ’em’ box, and I would have liked to see something a bit more mass market appeal in the subscription.”

Month Three: Kern’s Kitchen Derby and Golden Pecan Pie Combo

Hoping for better results this month, Katie unboxed her two packages, which were nestled over ice in Goldbelly’s signature packaging. This month’s selections were two desserts from Kern’s Kitchen in Louisville, Kentucky: their famous Derby Pie and a Golden Pecan Pie. Unlike the other selections Katie enjoyed, this was a timely nod—The Kentucky Derby occurs in early May. While the delivery date missed the actual event, it’s still the most seasonal fit of any of the pies she tried.

“I was impressed by the value already: two nine-inch pies, each weighing over a pound,” says Katie. And when she went to enjoy them, she was pretty smitten. “The instructions say to cut the pies while frozen/cold, so I did just that. I was able to get 8 beautiful slices of pie.” She thawed both in her fridge for several hours, then warmed the pies in a 350ºF degree oven for 20 minutes or so until warm and melty.

“The Derby pie features walnuts and chocolate,” she says. “It was delicious! Crunchy and sweet—best paired with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Like all the pies I tested, it was very sweet, but this pie had a nice balance. The Pecan Pie was really good. It had a thick, gooey center and fresh pecans. It was sweet, but not overly so. Many pecan pies are sickly sweet. This one had a nice balance.”

As for the ingredients? They were okay. Katie spotted things like margarine and imitation vanilla extract. Overall, she found them not as bad as Hubigs, but also not as clean as Little Pie Co. While she prefers buttery crust, the shortening crust reminds her a bit of vintage pies her grandma used to make.

Pros

• Enjoy pies from famous bakeries in the U.S.
• Serving and storage instructions included
• Most pies arrive ready to enjoy
• Good value and free shipping
• Makes an excellent gift
• Fun way to find new favorites

Cons

• Some months may not impress as much as others
• Not all pies are made with premium ingredients

Product Comparison

The most comparable pie club to the Goldbelly Monthly Pie Subscription is the Amazing Clubs Pie Subscription. We’ve tried and enjoyed many subscriptions from Amazing Clubs (pickles, anyone?), so we’re no strangers to the service. While both the Goldbelly and Amazing Clubs pie subscriptions are similar in many ways, there are a few key differences. We highlighted a few key comparisons below:

• The per-month prices are comparable at $64.95 for Goldbelly and $66.95 for Amazing Clubs
• Goldbelly pies are more adventurous on average, while Amazing Clubs pies are more familiar flavors
• Amazing Clubs always sends one pie per month, while you may get several with Goldbelly’s subscription
• Goldbelly pies come from famous bakeries nationwide, while Amazing Clubs pies are baked at partner bakeries
• Amazing Club pies are made with all-natural ingredients, while Goldbelly ingredients vary based on the product
• Amazing Clubs subscriptions come with a “newsletter” containing fun facts and specifics about each shipment
• Goldbelly packages always come with serving instructions, plus a QR code to learn more about each pick
• Both options offer month-to-month subscriptions or prepaid gift memberships

Final Verdict

While Katie wasn’t a fan of every pie she received, she still highly recommends the Goldbelly pie club. Not only is it a fantastic low-effort gift that leaves a big impact, but it’s also a great way to try new-to-you flavors from some of the nation’s most celebrated bakeries. For folks who enjoy exploring the world through regional flavors, this is a sweet treat that also scratches that globetrotter itch. Plus, it’s also much cheaper than a plane or bus ticket!

Where to Buy

Goldbelly Pie Club

Enjoy hand pies from one of NOLA's most famous bakeries or savor a Kentucky Derby staple right at home.

Shop on Goldbelly

Pick up a Goldbelly pie subscription to gift (or enjoy for yourself—we don’t judge) for $64.95 per month. While pricey, most months meet or exceed this price point, making it a great value for foodies with a sweet tooth. Plus, each month’s purchase comes with free, secure shipping. After trying it out, we can safely say it’s the perfect foodie subscription for those who trust in crust.

FAQ

What is a pie of the month club?

A pie of the month club—also called a “pie subscription” or simply a “pie club”—is a monthly subscription that delivers fresh, perfectly baked pies straight to your door. Not only are they a great way to try new flavors, but they also make a wow-worthy gift!

How to cancel a Goldbelly pie subscription?

Canceling a recurring Goldbelly pie subscription is simple—just send an email to [email protected] requesting cancellation. As a reminder, only month-to-month subscriptions require cancellations—fixed-term subscriptions cancel automatically after the final shipment.

Why Trust Us

I am an avid home cook and budding baker who has reviewed everything from baking subscription boxes to coffee machines. As Taste of Home’s resident food and drink review expert, I have ample experience researching for gift guides, comparing product features and breaking down mountains of data into easily digestible reviews.

Our tester for this piece, Katie Bandurksi, is the Deputy Shopping Editor at Taste of Home. She’s also an ample baker who is no stranger to pie-making—just check out her beautiful apple rose tart from our search for the best baking boxes. Katie has over eight years of experience in the home and food industries. This includes four years on the Taste of Home editorial team, where she worked on recipe collections and newsletters.