People Drive Hours For These Colorado Pies, And Thanksgiving Is The Perfect Excuse

About 700 pumpkin pies. That’s how many one little shop expects to bake for Thanksgiving alone.

And pumpkin is only one flavor on a lineup of more than 25 pies made daily.

The week before the holiday gets even wilder. The bakers hand-make somewhere between 2,000 and 2,500 pies.

I can’t imagine the amount of crust that goes into that kind of week.

The owner bought the place just ten days before Thanksgiving in 1998. He had never made a pie in his life.

I like how that story turned into one of the most loved pie counters in Colorado.

So what happens when a beginner inherits a bakery right before its busiest day? You get a shop that people will happily cross town for.

Maybe even cross the state.

The Pie Shop That Started With A Very Brave Purchase

Ten days. That’s all the time Larry Green had between buying Granny Scott’s Pie Shop and facing his first Thanksgiving rush in 1998.

Here’s the wild part. He and his wife, Roxie, had zero pie-making experience when they took over the business that fall.

The shop’s founder, a chef named Scott Meyerson, opened it in November 1994. He wanted to offer handmade gourmet pies, and he ran the place for four years before selling.

After the sale, Meyerson spent several hours teaching the Greens the craft. That crash course had to carry them through the busiest stretch of the year.

Talk about learning on the job.

Somehow, it worked beautifully. Today, Larry estimates the shop turns out between 10,000 and 15,000 pies every year.

I love that this story starts with a total beginner taking a big leap. It makes every slice feel a little more personal.

Larry has lived in Lakewood since 1961, so this shop also belongs to a true hometown guy.

A bakery with that kind of backstory deserves a visit. Especially in November, when the anniversary of that first wild Thanksgiving rolls around again.

Yes, Granny Is Actually A Guy Named Larry

Customers walk up to the counter and ask for Granny. The answer might surprise them.

The name Granny Scott’s comes from the original owner, Scott Meyerson. When Larry Green took over, he thought about changing it.

In the end, he kept the name exactly as it was.

Smart move, honestly. A name like that already sounds like a warm kitchen and a pie cooling on the windowsill.

So when someone asks for Granny, Larry sometimes jokes that he’s Granny Larry. I can’t think of a better title for a guy who bakes thousands of pies every year.

That sense of humor fits the whole place. The shop feels casual and welcoming, with a few tables for folks who want to sit down with a slice.

It’s also kid-friendly and group-friendly. Bring the grandparents, the cousins, and the friend who claims they don’t like pie.

Good luck keeping that claim alive here.

The goal seems simple. Make pies that taste homemade, because they are homemade.

A common compliment says the pies taste like a grandmother’s, which feels fitting for a place run by Granny Larry.

Good Luck Picking Just One From Over 25 Pies

More than 25 kinds of pie show up here every day. That’s a lot of decisions before lunch.

Fruit lovers get a huge spread. Think Blackberry, Georgia Peach, Dutch Apple, Michigan Cherry Almond, and Double Crusted Cherry.

The Verry Berry packs blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries into one crust. Strawberry Rhubarb is known as a local favorite, and rhubarb fans can also grab Plain Rhubarb or Rhubarb Mixed Fruit.

Then come the meringue pies. Lemon, Banana, Coconut, and Chocolate Meringue all sit ready for anyone who likes a fluffy crown on their dessert.

Cream pie fans aren’t left out either. Banana Cream, Coconut Cream, Chocolate Cream, and Boston Cream use homemade, from-scratch fillings topped with fresh whipped cream.

My advice? Skip the agonizing and buy a few slices to share.

Your table becomes a tasting party, and nobody has to pick a single winner.

Specialty pies round things out with Keylime, New York Cheesecake, Grasshopper, and Swiss Chocolate Mousse. Honestly, the hardest part of this shop might be leaving with only one box.

Award-Winning Slices Deserve A Spot On Your Holiday Table

A first-place ribbon from the National Pie Championships is no small thing. Granny Scott’s Old Fashioned Pecan earned exactly that.

Pecan also ranks among the shop’s top holiday sellers. It makes sense, since few desserts say Thanksgiving quite like a rich, nutty pecan pie.

The Caramel Apple has its own award-winning reputation too. It’s another big holiday seller, right alongside Double Cherry and Peach.

So if you’re in charge of dessert this year, you’ve got a shortcut. Pick an award winner and let the pie do the bragging for you.

The shop has also been named Colorado’s best pie shop by 24/7 Wall St. That’s a nice bit of recognition for a spot that started with a beginner baker in 1998.

Here’s a fun hosting idea. Grab both the pecan and the caramel apple, then let your guests vote on a favorite.

Nobody loses that contest. Everybody gets pie, and you get credit for bringing the good stuff.

Your relatives don’t need to know you skipped the rolling pin.

Pumpkin Season Turns This Kitchen Into A Pie Factory

Seven hundred pumpkin pies. That’s the shop’s Thanksgiving goal for its most popular flavor alone.

Pumpkin rules the holidays here, but it comes in more than one style. The Vermont Maple Pumpkin adds a maple twist to the classic.

Then there’s the Pumpkin Cheesecake. It becomes the spotlight pie during October and November, which is perfect timing for fall gatherings.

Now zoom out to the whole week before Thanksgiving. The team hand-makes between 2,000 and 2,500 pies during that stretch.

The day before Thanksgiving is the busiest day of the entire year. Plenty of people pre-order, and that’s a very wise plan.

Thanksgiving Day itself gets extended hours, so last-minute hosts still have a shot. Just know the shop closes the day after, giving those hardworking bakers a well-earned break.

A quick tip from one pie fan to another. Order early, mark your pickup on the calendar, and maybe set a phone reminder too.

Forgetting your pie in a rush like this would be a seriously sad holiday plot twist.

The Peanut Butter Pie Named After A Real Fan

Some pies get names from fruit. One pie here got its name from a person.

Jo’s Plantation Peanut Butter Pie honors a local peanut butter enthusiast. It starts with an Oreo crust and adds a cream cheese and peanut butter filling.

That combo sounds like a dessert built by someone who truly knows what they love. Chocolate cookie crunch and creamy peanut butter make a pretty strong team.

Larry Green has his own favorite to prepare. He loves making the Amaretto Swiss Chocolate Mousse because of its many intricate steps.

I like that detail a lot. It shows the people behind the counter still enjoy the craft, even after thousands of pies.

The shop also welcomes new pie suggestions from customers. Got a wild flavor idea brewing?

They’re open to giving it a try.

Special orders need at least three days to prepare. So plan ahead if you want something custom for a birthday or family dinner.

Who knows, maybe your idea becomes the next pie with a person’s name on it.

Bake One At Home And Take All The Credit

Want that fresh-from-the-oven smell filling your own house on Thanksgiving morning? The shop has a clever answer.

Bake at Home fruit pies come frozen with baking instructions included. Directions cover both conventional and convection ovens, so most kitchens are ready to go.

This option feels made for busy hosts. You can pick up your pie ahead of time and stash it in the freezer until the big day.

Then you bake it while the turkey rests. Your guests arrive to a warm pie and a kitchen that smells amazing.

Will anyone ask if you made it from scratch? Possibly.

Your answer is entirely between you and your conscience.

It’s also a smart move for anyone traveling. A frozen pie can wait patiently while you handle everything else on your holiday list.

For folks driving in from farther away in Colorado, this might be the best trick of all. Stock up on one trip, then enjoy fresh-baked pie whenever the mood strikes.

Planning ahead never tasted this good.

Gooey Cinnamon Rolls And Quiche Keep Pie Company

Pie gets top billing, but the supporting cast is seriously strong. Breakfast and lunch fans have plenty to love here.

Granny’s Gooey Cinnamon Rolls come one at a time or by the dozen. A dozen sounds like a very reasonable family breakfast plan to me.

Quiche lovers can pick from Veggie, Ham and Mushroom, Mexican, and Quiche Lorraine. The menu also includes home-style sandwiches and soups for a heartier meal.

Then there’s the sweet bread lineup. Banana Walnut, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip, and Zucchini Bread come as whole loaves, half loaves, or slices.

Cookie choices include Chocolate Chip, Snicker Doodle, Oatmeal Raisin, Peanut Butter M&M, Peanut Butter, and English Toffee. Brownies, muffins, cupcakes, Lemon Bars, and 7 Layer Coconut Bars join the party too.

And don’t overlook the homemade caramels. They make an easy little gift for a host.

Here’s a fun Thanksgiving week idea. Grab cinnamon rolls for the morning, quiche for lunch, and pie for dinner.

You’ll have the whole day covered without turning on the stove more than necessary.

Here’s How To Find It And Plan Your Pie Run

Finding pie heaven is easier than you’d think. Granny Scott’s Pie Shop sits at 3333 S.

Wadsworth Boulevard in Lakewood, Colorado 80227.

Look for the west side of Wadsworth and Girton, one block north of Hampden. It shares a shopping center with Natural Grocers, which makes it simple to spot.

Hours run 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Saturday opens at 8 a.m. and also closes at 8 p.m.

Sundays are closed, so don’t plan a Sunday pie mission. That would be a tough drive home empty-handed.

Holiday hours shift around a bit. Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve close earlier, while Christmas Day, the day after, and New Year’s Day are closed.

The shop offers takeout and is wheelchair accessible. Wi-Fi is available too, though reservations aren’t accepted.

Remember that special orders need three days’ notice. Cancelled orders carry a 5% fee, so lock in your plans first.

Then hit the road, grab your pie, and enjoy the best excuse Thanksgiving ever handed you.