National Pie Day

National Pie Day History

National Pie Day seeks to promote the sweet and savory pastries. Pie is a baked dish made from pastry dough. It can be filled with fruits or meats and comes in a variety of sizes. Pies are often distinguished by their crusts which can define how the pie will be filled.

National Pie Day was first observed in the mid-1970s when Charlie Papazian declared his own birthday to be National Pie Day. Today, pie is enjoyed all around the world with different types and flavors depending on region. The American Pie Council even organizes an annual National Pie Championship for amateur and professional pie makers. National Pie Day is observed annually on January 23rd.

Top 9 Facts for National Pie Day in 2026

• The creation of National Pie Day is attributed to Charlie Papazian, a nuclear engineer and teacher in Boulder, Colorado, who simply decided in 1975 to celebrate his own birthday by declaring it a holiday dedicated to his favorite dessert.
• While often confused with the mathematical observance of Pi Day on March 14, this January event focuses exclusively on the culinary treat rather than the infinite digits of the constant 3.14.
• During the medieval era, pies were known as coffyns because their thick, rye-flour crusts were primarily intended as hard containers to preserve the meat fillings during cooking rather than being eaten themselves.
• One of the earliest recorded pie recipes dates back over 2,000 years to ancient Rome, describing a unique savory-sweet combination of goat cheese and honey encased in a rye crust.
• In 2014, the American Pie Council officially partnered with Paramount Pictures to promote the romantic thriller Labor Day, featuring a pivotal and widely discussed scene where the lead characters bake a peach pie together.
• The world record for the largest cherry pie was set in Oliver, British Columbia, in 1990, where a massive dessert weighing 37,721 pounds was baked and served to the community.
• The popularity of pie in modern theater is highlighted by the Broadway musical Waitress, which famously employs a professional pie consultant to bake fresh, aromatic pies in the lobby to immerse the audience in the show's sensory themes.
• Despite the prominence of the January celebration, there is actually a second National Pie Day observed on December 1, providing a secondary occasion to indulge in seasonal flavors like pumpkin and pecan.
• Renowned American artist Wayne Thiebaud captured the cultural obsession with the dessert in his celebrated 1961 oil painting titled Pies, Pies, Pies, which depicts rows of slices in a vibrant, thickly painted style.

In the News and Trending in the US for National Pie Day

Top things to do in the US for National Pie Day

• Visit your local bakery and check out what kind of pies they're offering. There might be special deals for National Pie Day.
• Try baking your own pie. Explore twenty different recipes and find one that interests you.
• Host a pie eating contest! Invite some friends over and see who can finish the most pies.