Thanksgiving is tomorrow! Are we all excited? My family bakes somewhere between 12-15 pies every year, and they’re all just for us. I mean, we’ll share….but they’re not made with the intention of hosting a massive gathering of friends and neighbors. We just bake them for our annual Thanksgiving dinner.
It’s a weird tradition that we started around 2008 or 2009 when we just couldn’t decide which pie not to make! Haha… They’re all so dang good! We didn’t want to leave out a bourbon pecan or the chocolate pecan or the butterscotch pecan or the classic pecan, so we just made all the pecan pies. And pumpkin. And apple. And… you get the idea.
We’ve made nearly every variation on any pie you can imagine. Apple with brie. Apple with caramel. Apple with cheddar. Apple with a crumb topping, with a lattice topping, with a gluten-free crust…
It’s a little bit of an absurd tradition, because we all end up eating pie for breakfast for days and days after Thanksgiving, but I share this to demonstrate a point: I’m a pie lover.
I’m a firm believer that there’s nothing as heartwarming and soul-nourishing as receiving a homemade pie. Cakes and cupcakes are fun, and perhaps even more festive, but they lack the old fashioned character held in a sweet, warm pie. And yes, I feel that all pies should be made inside a buttery homemade pie crust, mostly because they’re just really not that hard to make.
But, my friends, because I truly believe in a food/life balance, I don’t eat whole pies for the other 364 days of the year. For those random days in the fall when you’re just craving a single slice of pie somewhere in Austin, here are some of my favorite places to find it:
TINY PIES
These little guys surprise me every time, and here’s why: typically, I find that food that is made to be small and cute is severely lacking in, well, everything else. Tiny donuts are bland. Tiny cookies don’t have enough chocolate chips. Tiny cupcakes have too much frosting and not enough cake.
But these tiny pies are perfection. Every little thing is homemade, so you’ll get a super flakey crust and and a lovely, freshly-baked filling. They mostly do sweet pies, but they also make a veggie pot pie all week and other savory pies on the weekends.
Everything is made from scratch…that’s why these taste so good!
5035 Burnet Rd, Austin, TX 78756, and 2032 South Lamar Blvd., Austin, TX 78704. http://www.tinypies.com
PHOEBE’S DINER
You’re probably sick of hearing me sing my praises about Phoebe’s Diner, the new addition to Winebelly’s monopoly… But I just think it’s such a fantastic and unique addition to Austin’s food scene, everyone should check it out.
They’re new, so the management made clear to me that the pie thing is not definitely here to stay; they might switch things up and serve cobbler or another dessert as time goes on. But I know this to be true: I went for lunch the other day and had a delicious piece of apple pie, and it was the sweetest ending to my meal.
533 Oltorf Street Austin, TX 78704. https://www.phoebesdiner.com
QUACK’S 43RD ST BAKERY
This was the first bakery I ever tried when I moved to Austin, per my friend’s suggestion. I got a cupcake and a cup of coffee, and I hunkered down at a corner table and studied for my entrance music theory exams for grad school at University of Texas.
It wasn’t until several years later that I tried a piece of their pie. My husband had bought a whole pie to bring to work for someone’s birthday, and he brought home a piece for me. I don’t even remember what flavor it was, and I still remember the experience. That’s how good this pie is! You can buy it by the slice or by the pie.
411 East 43rd Street, Austin, TX 78751. http://www.quacksbakery.com/home
ELAINE’S PORK AND PIE
If small, personal pies are your thing, Elaine’s is for you. This east Austin cafe is the perfect place to pop in and grab an inexpensive lunch and dessert! The Bourbon Buttermilk pie is my favorite.
2113 Manor Road Austin, Texas 78722. http://www.elainesporkandpie.com
LUCY’S FRIED CHICKEN
Lucy’s sells their pie by the slice. That’s a good thing for those of us who struggle to not cut off just one more sliver to snack on. I mean, if you can’t even see the pie getting smaller, does it really count?
I love love love their sweet tea pie! The Elvis pie has a layer of peanut cheesecake on top of chocolate pie, which is an interesting spin on a classic flavor combination.
4 locations – see website. http://www.lucysfriedchicken.com
WALTON’S FANCY AND STAPLE
Walton’s, which has been in Austin since 1969, makes one type of pie a day, and they serve it until it runs out. Get there early to make sure you get a slice!
Although I do love their pie and a trip for that alone is worthwhile, I would encourage you to plan a lunch visit here. This space is so lovely, and the deli dishes up amazing breakfast plates and some of the best sandwiches in town. I hear dinner is in the works, too!
609 W 6th St, Austin, TX 78701. https://www.waltonsfancyandstaple.com
Wishing you the very happiest Thanksgiving, friends! Nate and I are spending it up in Dallas with my side of the family. I’m currently baking up a storm in the kitchen (I’m in charge of making homemade rolls this year, and Nate is making a tamale cornbread stuffing.) This is my favorite holiday!
Love,
Kelsey
I think I like pie better than I like cake, which is not a thing I’ve ever really thought much about, but I’m pretty sure it’s true. Pie is just so GOOD.
And I agree with making you own crust! It’s not hard at all!
It’s just SO good!