Happy Thanksgiving! Did your dessert table include the pie flavor that is most uniquely popular in your state?
Each year, Instacart analyzes Thanksgiving-week orders (in this case from Nov. 22-28, 2024) to determine which pies are especially popular in each U.S. state. Rather than showing the overall all-time favorites, the study highlights the “most uniquely popular” pie — the flavor whose orders in a particular state deviate the most from the national average, reports Axios.
As Minnesotan as French silk pie?
This approach reveals local preferences that might otherwise get overshadowed by nationwide classics like pumpkin, apple, or pecan pies.
Minnesota bucks those flavors with a taste for a rich, creamy chocolate‑and‑whipped‑cream pie. According to the data from Instacart, Minnesota’s most uniquely popular Thanksgiving pie is French silk pie.
Regional patterns from across the country emerge. Pumpkin pie dominates in many places, especially across Western states. In the Midwest, pies such as French silk and strawberry rhubarb rise above the national norm, while in the Northeast, various cream pies take center stage.
Some surprising results with unexpected favorites were noted. Peanut butter pie, for instance, is the most uniquely popular dessert in several Southern states and elsewhere, overtaking more traditional Thanksgiving pies. Other less conventional picks include coconut custard and region-specific fruit pies.
The takeaway
While pumpkin pie remains a nationwide favorite, the “most uniquely popular” pie in a given state often reveals local tastes and traditions and possibly available ingredients, underscoring how much Thanksgiving dessert tables in America vary from kitchen to kitchen.
The most uniquely popular pie for Minnesota didn’t make an appearance at my Thanksgiving table this year, but the pies we did have were absolutely delicious. From a flaky crust to a sweet creamy filling, each pie, classic or unconventional, is just one delicious expression that helps make Thanksgiving special.
Most Uniquely Popular Thanksgiving Pies, 2024
