34 pie recipes from the L.A. Times Test Kitchen

Classic chicken pot pie is given a spicy twist with Spanish chorizo in this recipe. Click here for the recipe.  (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)

Just try to resist this tasty temptation that is Momofuku’s crack pie. Its filling is ooey-gooey and buttery. The crust is inspired by an oat cookie. Click here for the recipe.  (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

This is no ordinary sweet potato pie. Creamy mashed sweet potatoes are lightly spiced with nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla paste, and sweetened with a touch of honey, sugar and Muscavado brown sugar (a rich, dark, unfiltered brown sugar) for a wonderful medley of flavors. Not too sweet and not overly spiced. In a word: perfect. Click here for the recipe.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Firm, ripe apricots are tossed with rich cherries, the flavors complemented with a hint of vanilla. Read the recipe

Wild mushrooms, spinach and cheese combine in a pie so rich and filling you might never guess it’s vegetarian. Click here for the recipe.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Pears and blackberries are a perfect combination in this pie, lightly scented with a touch of cardamom and nutmeg. Click here for the recipe.  (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

Flaky pie crust envelops a rich and savory chicken pot pie, studded with leeks and fennel. Click here for the recipe.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Hand pies go savory with a rich lamb filling, perfect for a snack or light meal. Click here for the recipe.  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

Classic pecan pie is miniaturized in this recipe. Click here for the recipe.  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

Love duck? This pot pie is for you. Roasted duck is shredded and tossed with colorful vegetables and kale to fill this pie, which is topped with a flaky, duck fat-based crust. Click here for the recipe.  (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)

Here’s a recipe for a classic pumpkin pie.

We loved the combination of chocolate with walnuts and rum in this very rich pie, perfect for chocolate lovers! Each slice is great served slightly warmed with a big glass of milk.

It doesn’t get much better than a great pecan pie, and this recipe, from Rib City Grill in Rifle, Colo., is memorable and a great finish to any meal. Click here for the recipe.  (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

Stuff hand pies with a rich apple-and-nut filling scented with cinnamon. The pies make a great snack or dessert. Click here for the recipe.  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

Macerated in a wonderfully fragrant blend of orange juice, maple syrup and spices, dried cranberries add color and flavor to this apple pie. Click here for the recipe.  (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

Beaten egg whites make for a light but intensely flavored filling in this pie, adapted from “Bill Neal’s Southern Cooking.” Top the unbaked pie with a simple pecan streusel crumble, which bakes to crunchy caramelized perfection. Click here for the recipe.  (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

A perfect vehicle for leftovers, this take on shepherd’s pie reinvents mashed potatoes, stuffing and other Thankgving leftovers as a fresh dish. Click here for the recipe.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

With a graham cracker crumb crust and dense, fudgy filling, this brownie pie is a cross between molten chocolate cake and gooey brownies. Click here for the recipe.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

This isn’t your standard lemon meringue pie. The crust is a sweet dough that also incorporates a hint of almond flour, the filling is a rich lemon curd and the billowy topping is an Italian meringue that makes you want to dive into it. Click here for the recipe.  (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

This light, bright lemon pie is adapted from “American Regional Cooking” by Sheila Hibben. Click here for the recipe.  (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

“The idea of using strawberries is that they are less expensive than boysenberries. Try not to eat the whole pie if anyone is watching.” Adapted from Patricia Poole of Kincaid Farms in Redlands. Read the recipe.

One bite of this fresh strawberry pie and your mouth is hit with the light harmony of strawberry flavor complemented by bright notes of orange and rum, and a cool hint of mint. Click here for the recipe.  (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

You don’t have to share any dessert with this pie, each serving perfect for one. They also make great gifts. Click here for the recipe.  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

Pumpkin pie lightens up in this smooth and rich chiffon recipe. Click here for the recipe.  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

Combine fresh sliced nectarines with a touch of almond extract and just enough sugar to lightly sweeten, then top it with a sweet almond crumble. Click here for the recipe.  (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

Sugar-dusted flaky crust envelops a rich berry filling, the thick, sweet glaze cradling tender, slightly tart berries. Read the recipe.

Recipe: Sweet cherry pie

Filled with fruits and spices, this English mincemeat pie is a twist on tradition. To appreciate the full flavor of fruit and spice, serve the pie hot or at room temperature, topped with a scoop of your favorite ice cream. Click here for the recipe.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Shhh ... the secret to this great pie is the touch of orange.Click here for the recipe.  (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)

This pie is a true classic, a flaky double-crust stuffed with a fragrant mound of sliced apples. Click here for the recipe.  (Eric Boyd / Los Angeles Times)

In this version of the classic pie, from a recipe developed by George Washington Carver, sweet potatoes are sliced and layered, rather than mashed. Click here for the recipe.  (Robert Lachman / Los Angeles Times)

Not your regular pecan pie, this version incorporates olive oil in both the filling and crust for rich flavor and texture. Click here for the recipe.  (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)