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WE’VE ONLY GOT PIES FOR FOOD HOLIDAYS HONORING FRUIT, CREAM & NUT PIES
My oh my! How we love pie! We’re not alone. According to the American Pie Council, an organization of professional, commercial, and pie enthusiasts, one in five Americans have eaten an entire pie by themselves.
We love any excuse to indulge in a slice (or two, or three!) of pie. It’s even better when served warm with mounds of whipped cream, a scoop of ice cream, or a slice of cheese. National Pie Day motivates us even more to enjoy our favorite pies, from classic apple pies to regional favorites like Key lime pie to one-of-kind creations like the Pumpecapple Piecake, three kinds of sweet pies baked into a trio of cakes.
Read More: The Many Types of Pie
When is National Pie Day?
National Pie Day is celebrated each year on January 23. It’s a food holiday that celebrates pie, which has been eaten since the Egyptians. The Romans created the first pie recipe and then the popularity of pies spread across Europe starting from the 12th century. When the first English settlers arrived in America, they brought their pie making tradition with them.
The top three pie flavors in the U.S. are apple, pumpkin, and cherry, according to the American Pie Council.
National Pie Day celebrates all kinds of pies and mini pies, including iconic pies like apple pie and holiday pies like mince pie and pumpkin pie.
Read More: Most Popular Pie Flavors
Why is National Pie Day on January 23rd?
National Pie Day is celebrated on January 23rd thanks to a Colorado teacher. In 1975, Charlie Papazian declared that his birthday, January 23rd, would also be a day devoted to one of his favorite treats, pie. Since the mid-1980s, the American Pie Council has taken over promoting this food holiday. The rest is delicious history.
History of National Pie Day
National Pie Day has been celebrated since 1975. Today, the holiday is promoted by the American Pie Council, which hosts an annual National Pie Championships. The Council also promotes National Pi (π) Day on March 13, which “recognizes the number π, or pi, and its mathematical significance in describing circles.”
How to Celebrate Pie Day
There are many ways to celebrate National Pie Day, including:
- Eating sweet pie for breakfast and savory pie for lunch or dinner.
- Trying a new pie flavor.
- Trying pie à la mode or with whipped cream or cheese.
- Baking your own pie.
- Hosting a pie-eating contest.
- Throwing cream pies at your family and friends for charity (or fun!).
- Sampling similar pie treats like tarts, which lack a top crust, whoopie pies, which are a cake-cookie sandwich, and pizza pies, which are delicious anytime!
Read More: What Makes a Pie Great
Famous Pie Bakeries Across America
Anyway you slice it, we have the most pie-fect pies and pie samplers.
Grand Traverse Pie Company
There’s no mistaking a Grand Traverse Pie Company pie thanks to the tell-tale ring of berry juice on each pie crust. The Busley family handmakes its pies, including Grand Traverse Cherry Crumb, Suttons Bay Blueberry, and Michigan ABC: Apples, Blueberries, & Cherries, and ships them directly from Traverse City, Michigan, the Cherry Capital of the World.
The Elegant Farmer
For four generations, a small dairy farm in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, has been the source for some of the most comforting baked pies ever. Since 1946, the Schmidt family has been baking their famous pies.
The Elegant Farmer’s legendary Apple Pie Baked in a Paper Bag, slices of sweet-tart Ida Red apples nestled on a sugar cookie-like crust, is an iconic pie you must try. The pie is baked in a paper bag, yielding a delicious and memorable apple pie you won’t soon forget.
Little Pie Company
New York City’s Little Pie Company was started by Broadway actor Arnold Wilkerson in 1985 and it remains one of the best pie shops around. Their scratch-made pies include:
- Chicken Pot Pie with white chicken chunks, fresh cream, and veggies
- Three-Berry Pie with blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries topped with a lattice crust
- Sour Cream Apple Walnut with hand-sliced Granny Smith apples and sour cream topped with brown sugar, cinnamon and walnut streusel
Crust us. America’s best pies are shipping nationwide on Goldbelly!
