Why We Celebrate National Pie Day in January (And How to Get Yours)

You might think a holiday celebrating pie would land in summer when fruit is fresh, or maybe around Thanksgiving when pumpkin pie rules the table. But National Pie Day falls on January 23rd — smack in the middle of winter. Here's the story.

It All Started with a Birthday

In 1975, a Boulder, Colorado teacher named Charlie Papazian loved pie so much that he declared his own birthday — January 23rd — to be National Pie Day. He was the kind of guy who had birthday pies instead of birthday cakes. (Our kind of guy.)

The idea caught on. By 1986, the American Pie Council officially adopted the day to "preserve America's pie heritage and promote our national love affair with pie."

So yes, we celebrate pie in January because one pie-obsessed teacher said so. And honestly? That's the most American origin story a food holiday could have.

Why Pie Deserves Its Own Day

Pie has been around for thousands of years — ancient Egyptians made early versions, Greeks developed the first pastry shells, and medieval bakers built thick-walled "coffyns" that held everything from meat to live birds (four and twenty 🐦‍⬛) . When English settlers came to America, they brought pie with them. It became a symbol of home, comfort, and celebration.

Today, over 186 million pies are sold in grocery stores alone each year. Apple, pumpkin, pecan, cherry — there's a pie for every taste and every season.

Celebrate With Us

We're celebrating National Pie Day with three scratch-made pies:

• 🍋 Lemon Chess Pie — $20

• 🍫 Chocolate Chess Pie — $22

• 🍫 Belgian Chocolate Mousse Pie — $45 (pre-order only)

Pre-orders close Tuesday, January 20th at noon. Pickup at the bakery on January 23rd.

Order your pie here →

Walk-ins welcome on Pie Day while supplies last.