Better Than Sex Pie

The flavor team

The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.

1. Vanilla + milktop 5% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together19,187 recipes

   Shared aroma: ethyl caproate (fruity, apple peel).

2. Butter + milktop 7% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together81,283 recipes

   Shared aroma: (z)-4-heptenal (biscuit, cream).

3. Nuts + vanillatop 8% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together638 recipes

   Shared aroma: alpha-pinene (pine, turpentine).

4. Butter + cream cheesetop 8% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together2,747 recipes

   Shared aroma: ethyl octanoate (fruity, wine).

5. Sugar + vanillatop 8% of all pairs
   Smell alikelow
   Cooked together35,032 recipes

   Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).

Sugar and vanilla barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 35,032 recipes: they work on texture and structure more than aroma.

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Flour

Forms the structure of the baked crust base.

Butter

Adds fat and richness, helping the crust turn tender and browned.

Cream cheese

Gives the filling a rich, tangy body and creamy texture.

Instant vanilla pudding

Thickens the filling as it sets, giving it a firm, sliceable texture.

Cool whip

Adds airy moisture and a light, creamy layer to the pie.

The step that matters

Swap the nuts

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (flour, butter, sugar, cream cheese, vanilla, milk):

1. Almondfits better
2. Hazelnutfits better
3. Macadamia nutfits better
4. Nutsthe original

Fit is the average pairing score against flour, butter, sugar, cream cheese, vanilla, milk. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.