Eight places to buy a Thanksgiving pie that aren’t Marie Callender’s or a grocer

Baking a pie isn’t easy.

Some people take pride in creating the perfect pie for Thanksgiving, but if you’d rather leave the pie making to the experts, we won’t judge.

In fact, we’ll help you. Everybody knows you can get a pie from Marie Callender’s, along with grocery stores. But we figured we’d tell you about eight local small businesses selling pies for Thanksgiving, too.

Just remember to order early as many of these places are staffed with only a few workers.

1. Frosted Cakery, 1292 N. Wishon Ave., Fresno. 559-917-8880.

Known for its cupcakes, this Tower District bakery also makes pies. They include a pumpkin mascarpone, caramel apple spice, pecan and peach pies.

Cost: $19.50 to $25.

Deadline to order: Saturday.

Something special: Gluten-free versions of the pecan and pumpkin pies are available for $25.

2. Eddie’s Bakery, 7089 N. Cedar Ave., Fresno. 559-323-0900.

Eddie’s has all kinds of pies, including apple, berry, cherry and peach with lattice tops. There is pumpkin pie and a pumpkin chiffon pie that’s has a texture that’s a little more like a cheesecake. Also available are pecan, lemon meringue, apple-cranberry, Dutch apple, apple with no sugar added, German chocolate cream, coconut cream, banana cream pie and a Jack Daniels chocolate pecan pie.

Cost: $14.95 to $19.95.

Deadline to order: Tuesday. The bakery will have some pies available on a first-come, first-serve basis Wednesday, but you’ll have to stop by because they get so busy that day that they turn off the phones.

Something special: The Jack Daniels chocolate pecan pie is popular and is the same pie that Eddie’s makes for Roger Rocka’s Dinner Theater.

3. Sweet Delicates, 50 W. Bullard Ave., Clovis. 559-326-7550.

Pies for sale: Pecan, Dutch apple, coconut cream, pumpkin, chocolate silk, sweet potato and buttermilk pie.

Cost: $18.

Deadline to order: 5 p.m. Monday.

Something special: Sweet Delicates is known for its buttermilk pie. A family recipe, it “almost tastes like a warm sugar cookie,” says owner Deandra Miller.

4. Tree of Life, 2139 Kern St., Fresno. 559-663-7776.

Pies offered: Pumpkin, apple, apple raisin, Dutch apple, pecan and sweet potato pie.

Deadline to order: Tuesday.

Something special: This is likely one of the few places to get vegan pies. The apple and apple raisin pies are already vegan. The pumpkin and the sweet potato pies are available in traditional or vegan versions. Pies can also be made gluten free upon request.

5. Bella Rose Bakery, 1537 Lincoln St., Kingsburg. 559-419-9054.

This bakery is known for its pies. Choose from: Apple, apple streusel, banana cream, chocolate cream, coconut cream, pumpkin, pecan, chocolate pecan and pumpkin pecan pies. Detailed descriptions of the pies are on the Bella Rose Facebook page.

Cost: $21 to $24.

Deadline to order: Saturday.

Something special: “My grandmother made the best pies and that’s where the recipes come from, most of them,” says owner Paula Coelho. “The pumpkin pecan is probably my favorite and our apple is my grandmother’s signature recipe.”

6. La Boulangerie de France, Fig Garden Village, Fresno. 559-222-0555.

This longtime bakery sells pumpkin, pecan and apple pies. Fruit pies, including blueberry, peach or cherry, are available upon request.

Cost: $15 to $21.50.

Deadline to order: Sunday.

Something special: “Thanksgiving is all about pumpkin pie, so we see hundreds and hundreds of those,” says La Bou’s Dary Tung.

7. Grandmarie’s Chicken Pie Shop, 861 E. Olive Ave., Fresno. 559-237-5042.

Pies for sale: Apple, berry, cherry, strawberry-rhubarb, peach, and pumpkin; cream pies are chocolate, coconut, banana and lemon.

Cost: $7.95 to $8.95.

Deadline to order: Noon Wednesday for fruit pies. Call a few days ahead to order a cream pie.

Something special: If you want a fresh-baked pie and its tantalizing scent filling your home, you can order an unbaked fruit pie to bake at home. They come with baking instructions.

8. Chiffonos Bakery, 1512 E. Champlain Dr., Fresno. 559-433-9066.

This bakery sells pumpkin, pecan, apple, cherry and lemon meringue pies. It also has a pumpkin cheesecake.

Cost: $15 - $20 for pies. The cheesecake is $32.95.

Deadline to order: Monday.

Something special: Chiffonos sells personal-sized pies too in case your family has different tastes. They sell for $3.45 each and should also be preordered.

This story was originally published November 17, 2017 at 11:26 AM with the headline "Eight places to buy a Thanksgiving pie that aren’t Marie Callender’s or a grocer."