In my family, making a homemade pie is a right of passage into womanhood. It’s a bit old-fashioned, but it’s just how we roll. I’m thankful for mastering the art that was taught to me by my mother. I love pie — apple, cherry, blueberry, pumpkin; I’ll take pie over a cake any day.

While a great filling is critical, nothing is more important than the pie crust. Canned blueberry pie filling will suffice if the crust is the main attraction. We all have our preference for making the flakiest pie crust. Some say butter is best, and others say a cup of shortening yields the greatest results. I say, choose your weapon according to taste, then focus on the pie plate.

When making pies, you need a pie plate that works for you, not against you. The right one will help you get a golden, lightly browned crust that makes you feel like an artist as you pull it out of the oven.

The same can be said for tarte dishes. I adore a fresh fruit tart in the summer, and I am sorely disappointed if the crust turns out mushy instead of flaky.

There is one company I trust over and over for high-quality bakeware, including pie plates and tart dishes, and that’s Le Creuset. In this article, I’ll share what makes their pie and tart dishes unique and which are the best. If you have further questions about Le Creuset and its pie and tart dishes, reach out to any of the Curated Kitchen Experts, and we will be happy to assist you.

Who Is Le Creuset?

Le Creuset is best known for its colorful enameled cast iron and stoneware dishes from Fresnoy-le-Grand, France. The quality of Le Creuset cookware is unsurpassed, and the color choices make collecting pleasurable and, dare I say, addictive (speaking from experience).

Although other companies carry enameled cast iron and stoneware in their cookware lines, Le Creuset remains the standard for others to live up to. They’ve been around for nearly a century and have since added other materials to their bakeware and cookware lines, including nonstick and enamel-coated stainless steel pieces.

The pie and tart dishes from Le Creuset come in two materials: enameled cast iron or stoneware. When you choose Le Creuset pie and tart dishes, you are choosing some of the best bakeware in the world. With the variety of styles and sizes, there is a perfect pie and tart dish for everyone.

What To Consider When Choosing a Le Creuset Pie or Tart Dish

When choosing the right pie or tart dish, I consider the size, what I intend to bake, how much the item costs, and the material. If you’d like more assistance with choosing pie and tart dishes, contact any of Curated’s Kitchen Experts, and we will be happy to help.

Do You Need a Pie Dish or Tarte Dish?

Is there a difference between a pie plate and a tart dish? Can’t you just use one for both a tart and a pie? You could, but you won’t get the best results. Let’s look at the differences between pies and tarts:

• A tart has nearly an equal amount of crust-to-filling ratio, while a pie usually has more filling than the crust.
• Pies are served directly from the pie dish, while tarts may be removed from the pan before serving.
• A tart crust might have only a bottom crust with no sides or sides that don’t come up as high as a pie crust, while pie crust sides reach the top of the filling or higher and sometimes have a second crust covering the filling.

What Size Pie or Tart Dish Do You Need?

When looking at the size of a pie or tart dish, you must consider if you prefer to give everyone an individual treat or serve one large dessert to share. Also, some people prefer a shallow pie, while others want deeper sides for plenty of filling.

What Are You Baking?

As mentioned, there are differences between tarts and pies, so it’s important to understand what you plan on baking and how many you like to make at a time. If you only make one pie a year, then one pie plate is plenty.

How Much Can You Afford To Spend?

Of course, the price of the tart or pie dish you choose will affect your decision. Stick with your budget and start with one pie or tart dish, then add more to your collection later if necessary. If the budget allows, you may prefer to enjoy a few different Le Creuset pie and tart dishes.

What Types of Materials Does Le Creuset Offer?

Materials vary and require different methods of cleaning. They also affect how a pie or tart crust may turn out. Le Creuset pie and tart dishes are offered in two types of materials: stoneware and enameled cast iron. We’ll look closer at each material in the next section.

Le Creuset Pie and Tart Dish Features

Le Creuset has some wonderful features in their pie and tart dishes, including high-quality stoneware products, enameled cast iron, fun shapes, and various sizes. Let’s take a closer look:

Stoneware

Stoneware material is considered one of the prettiest materials for pie and tart dishes since the glazes are offered in various colors, and the easy-to-clean enameled interiors have a beautiful shine.

It’s useful not only for the pies and tarts but also for serving dips, casseroles, and anything else that fits the dish. There isn’t much that stoneware can’t do since it is freezer, dishwasher, oven, broiler, and microwave safe. Here are some more benefits of stoneware:

• Durable
• Non-porous (it won’t stain)
• Metal utensil safe
• Even heat distribution
• Uniform browning

Enameled Cast Iron

Enameled cast iron is a cast iron dish coated with an easy-to-clean enamel, making it a cinch to care for compared to regular cast iron. It’s also lighter than traditional cast iron pieces, and no seasoning is required since there is an enamel coating. Here are some other benefits of enameled cast iron:

• Oven, dishwasher, and metal utensil safe.
• Even heat distribution
• Excellent heat retention
• Light color enamel interior to easily check baking progress

Shapes

One thing I love about Le Creuset is the fun shapes they have, such as pie and tart dishes shaped like apples and pumpkins. Shape is important when expressing a particular theme, style, or season.

Sizes

Just like shapes, different sizes allow you to get creative when baking. Here are some unique sizes Le Creuset offers in their pie and tart dishes:

• Traditional 9-inch stoneware pie plate
• 11 ½ inch enameled cast iron apple-shaped baker
• Mini stoneware apple-shaped pie and tart dish
• 9-inch stoneware pumpkin casserole
• 9-inch enameled cast iron tarte tatin dish
• 9-inch stoneware tart dish

Most Recommended Le Creuset Pie & Tart Dishes

After trying many pie and tart dishes in several materials and styles, here are my favorites from Le Creuset. For a full guide to Le Creuset pie dishes, check out this article.

Heritage Pie Dish

Le Creuset's Heritage Pie Dish is a classic pie plate style. It’s my absolute favorite since I like a “deep dish” pie. I have had several through the years and never experienced chips or scratches. The 9-inch diameter suits most pie recipes, and the Heritage Pie Dish is available in 18 of Le Creuset’s yummy colors. On top of all of that, it’s dishwasher, oven, broiler, metal utensil, and microwave safe.

Features:

• Dense stoneware blocks moisture absorption and ensures excellent heat distribution and even browning of your pie crust.
• A smooth enamel finish keeps pie crusts from sticking and eliminates the concern for cracking and scratches of the interior.
• Non-porous material means no stains.
• Scalloped edges help guide your fingers as you form the crust’s dimpled edge and create an evenly fluted top crust.
• Impermeable exterior enamel means it's safe acidic ingredients.

Good For:

• Double crust and single crust pies.
• Works well for quiche, pot pies, and casseroles too.

Heritage Tarte Tatin Dish

The Heritage Tarte Tatin Dish is named after the Tatin sisters, who invented the famous Tarte Tatin recipe, which is a caramelized apple dessert. With its 9 ¾ inch diameter, the Heritage Tarte Tatin dish is perfect for the famous tarte and many other desserts. It’s dishwasher and metal utensil safe and oven safe up to 500℉. Plus, the Tarte Tatin is stovetop safe, which makes it easy to transfer from the stovetop to a preheated oven.

Features:

• Enameled cast iron for excellent heat distribution and retention.
• Easy to clean enamel interior.
• Does not require seasoning before first use.
• Handles for easy lifting.
• Two colors are available: shallot and cerise.

Good for:

• Use the dish for quiche, tarts, pizza, dips, and frittatas.
• Saute fruits and veggies on the stovetop.

Mini Apple Tart Dishes

How cute are these? These mini apples are a Heritage Collection pie dish and thrill dinner guests when you bring them out as individual desserts for everyone. They come in sets of two, and are safe for the oven, broiler, freezer, and microwave.

Features:

• Made from high-quality stoneware for even heat distribution and browning.
• Scratch-resistant smooth enamel interior means crusts don’t stick, and clean up is easy.
• Available in green and red.
• Safe to use with metal utensils.
• Impermeable exterior enamel means it's safe acidic ingredients.

Good for:

• Individual servings of pie, tarts, and more.
• Filling these little apple dishes with your favorite dips
• Serving individual casseroles or mac & cheese

Pumpkin Casserole

Plan on adding this beauty to your collection before Thanksgiving rolls around this year. It makes the most beautiful pumpkin pie and is the perfect size with a 9-inch diameter. It’s deep enough for pies, casseroles, and more, and since it is oven, broiler, microwave, freezer, and dishwasher-safe, you may want to use it year-round!

Features:

• A lid for easy pie storage and a nice finishing touch.
• Made with stoneware for excellent heat distribution and even browning.
• Smooth enamel interior so crusts don’t stick, and clean up is easy.
• Metal utensil-safe means no scratches or knife marks.
• Impermeable exterior enamel means it's safe to use with acidic ingredients.

Good for:

• Baking any pie, especially autumn pies, such as pumpkin and pecan.
• Casseroles, thanks to the 2-quart capacity.
• Use as fall decor when you aren’t baking or cooking with it.

Tarte Dish

Le Creuset’s classic tarte dish is a great one to start with if you are new to tart dishes. The 9-inch diameter suits most tart recipes, and the tarte dish is oven, broiler, dishwasher, freezer, and microwave-safe.

Features:

• Stoneware construction for even heating and browning.
• Smooth glazed interior for easy release of tarts and fast clean up.
• Impermeable exterior enamel means it's safe acidic ingredients.
• Classic design with scalloped edges along the rim of the dish.
• Available in colorful glaze choices: marseille, white, and cerise.

Good for:

• Use this dish for pastries, quiche, frittatas, tarts, dips, and mpre.
• The shallow design is perfect for tarts and makes it easy to remove the entire tart from the dish if desired.

Find the Best Le Creuset Pie & Tarts Dishes for You

Baking needs vary. While one person bakes pies weekly, another may bake only during the holidays. As you shop for the right Le Creuset pie and tart dishes, remember to consider the material, size, price, and what you prefer to bake. For further assistance in finding the right pie and tart dishes, feel free to reach out to our Curated Kitchen Experts for more advice.