Taste Test: We Tried Every Mini Pie at Hawaiian Pie Co.

7 flavors of pie. Which one won out?

January 23, 2020

Martha Cheng, Stacey Makiya,

This month, for our series that ranks every item offered by one company, we went to Kalihi and ordered all seven of Hawaiian Pie Co.’s mini, 5-inch pies. Hawaiian Pie Co. offers six regular flavors of mini pies ($6), with a monthly rotating one: for August, it’s cherry. The pies are also available in regular sizes, for when you find The One. Here are our results.

7. Pineapple Whip

Stacy Makiya, fashion editor: COCONUT. That’s what I tasted. I was looking for more off a light, whipped pineapple flavor. The name is deceiving.

Martha Cheng, food and dining editor: It’s the sort of coconut that reminds me of sunblock.

6. Caramel Apple

SM: Caramel? Didn’t taste that. I wanted a little more cinnamony flavor.

MC: I’m particular about my apple pies—heaps of sliced apples, a mix of tart and sweet varieties, or just straight-up fried (thanks McDonald’s!)—and this didn’t have any of those elements.

5. Banana Foster

SM: We really diverged on this one. I liked it. The bananas aren’t too mushy, and you can definitely taste caramel in this one compared to the apple caramel.

MC: I like bananas, but I guess not in pie form. Unless it’s banana cream pie.

4. Peach Pear

SM: The peach added a nice tang to the sweet pears.

MC: It’s peachy, and I’m a fan of pretty much anything peach. Even canned peaches.

3. Aloha Medley

SM: Strong mango flavor. It overpowered the other fruits. If you love mango (I don’t), this one is for you.

MC: Stacey hates mango—what!? Mango, peach, pineapple, strawberry: It’s a medley of some of my favorite fruits, so I love this. I like the tartness of the strawberries and just a bit of sweetness from the mango and peach.

2. Passion Pear

MC: Definitely more pear than passion. I like the unique crust, a bit like a cobbler topping mixed with dried coconut. I almost always order this pie when I’m at Ward Theatres. And they warm it up for you, which brings out the best in these pies.

SM: Tasted the pear. Didn’t taste the passion fruit. But the pear chunks were a good size and had a firm texture. The crackly coconut topper, which didn’t have a strong coconut taste, added some crunch.

1. Cherry

SM: Cherrrry dis one—had to throw that in. This landed on the top spot for me because in one bite you get the perfect balance of crispy, buttery crumble and tart, juicy (whole) cherries.

MC: Yup, definitely. The perfect balance of tart and sweet. Served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream: 🍒🍒

508 Waiakamilo Road, (808) 988-7828, hawaiianpieco.com