THE PIE FAIRY
Hoppen Hierarchy:
★★★⭑
District: Home baker
Pies, pizzas, and sweet and savory baked goods
Perfect For: Baked Goods
Standout Dishes: Caramel Apple Streusel Pie; Pepperoni Pizza; Umami Bomb Pizza
A dish should be 70% familiar, 20% surprising, and 10% scary.
Those are the words that Chris Larkin, one half of the husband-wife team at The Pie Fairy, lives by. This couple strives to create dishes that have familiar elements, but also delight customers with twists that allow them to expand what they previously thought possible with food.
So when you order from The Pie Fairy, you can get an excellent version of a key lime pie… or you can introduce your tastebuds to a Pineapple Upside Down Pie. Chris and his wife, Linda Lichtenwalter, will happily deliver you an awesome pepperoni pizza… or you can try one with a blackberry bourbon BBQ base.
If you can dream it, there’s a good chance these home bakers have, in their words, “pie-ified” it. And to order, all you have to do is message them on social media, schedule a delivery time and date, and pick up the goods delivered to your front door.
Deliciousness, both sweet and savory, has never been this easy.
Upon hearing the business’ name, your mind likely swerves into the dessert realm, and The Pie Fairy has plenty of offerings there. From cookies to brownies, stuffed cupcakes, sticky buns, cakes, and more, Linda, who honed her baking expertise at Modern Love, can craft just about any sweet you desire.
But her greatest strength, as the business’ name implies, is pie, and her creations start with an excellent base. The crust is buttery and flaky with that delicious melt-in-your-mouth quality. Tender and golden brown, it’s good enough to eat on its own.
If you’re a traditionalist, The Pie Fairy offers all the classics like Strawberry Rhubarb and Tart Cherry, and I challenge you to find a better apple pie than Linda’s Caramel Apple Streusel Pie (shown in the header photo).The gooey, soft apples are combined with a welcome rush of brown sugar and cinnamon, balancing the tart fruit with just the right amount of sweetness. What sets this pie apart is the arrival of the rich, creamy caramel.
If a caramel apple and grandma’s homemade apple pie were mashed together, this would be the glorious result.
And if you’re willing to be adventurous, The Pie Fairy has options such as Birthday Pie, Irish Coffee Pie, and Elvis Presley’s ‘68 Comeback Special (fresh banana, peanut butter custard, dark chocolate ganache, and coconut “bacon”).
A great example of The Pie Fairy’s creativity is the S’mores Pie, which instantly transports your tastebuds to a childhood campground. The homemade graham cracker crust is buttery and crumbly, while the dark chocolate custard is rich and velvety. The torched meringue is creamy but adds just a touch of bitterness, adding that smoky “summer” flavor. A sprinkling of cinnamon adds a unique, warming twist.
Even better is the Milk & Cookies Pie, the flavors of which turn you right back into a 6-year-old dunking one of Mom’s warm cookies into a glass of dairy. The base is a chewy cookie loaded with chocolate chips, topped with dark chocolate ganache and a malted milk custard. Rich and decadent, it’s the perfect cross between two beloved desserts.
The Pie Fairy’s sweets prowess extends beyond its namesake, however. The Whoopie Pies pair two thick, chewy, soft cookies with a sweet, luscious buttercream to create a delicious dessert sandwich. And the Dinner Rolls, which are the size of mini Death Stars, are pillowy soft with just a touch of sweetness. They need no butter or honey; they’re plenty delicious on their own.
If The Pie Fairy stopped at sweets, it would be an excellent business. But Chris, a savory maestro who helped open wonderful eateries Mula and Nite Owl as a sous chef, adds his savory skills to the menu, too. The Pie Fairy’s offerings include quiches and pot pies, as well as pizzas that are superior to what you’ll find in many restaurants.
Upon first glance, the pizzas appear very bready, as a puffy inner tube of carbs surrounds the sauce, cheese, and toppings. But when you bite into the rich, buttery dough, you realize this is a blessing, not a bug. The dough has a brilliant chew and crispy caramelized edges, making the outer edges arguably the best bites.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the familiar hits. The Pepperoni features tiny pork cups that crisp into crispy, grease-holding bowls, and the meat on the Sausage is peppery with just a touch of sweetness. And The Pie Fairy’s pies are not at all lacking in cheese.
But don’t be afraid to go outside the pizza box with your options. The Umami Bomb is one of the more uniquely delicious pizzas you’ll find. It starts with a base of creamy white miso alredo, followed by tender chicken, sauteed mushrooms, nori bits, and a topping of chili crunch.
This pizza has such a variety of textures and flavors that make each bite is unique. It’s funky, spicy, sweet, sour, salty… every ounce of your palate is engaged by this flavor explosion.
Similarly creative is the Berry Bourbon BBQ Pizza, which brilliantly balances sweet and tart flavors with juicy chicken. The sauce is tangy and smoky with a touch of sugar, which melds perfectly with the salty, gooey mozzarella.
These pies are delivered frozen, and after a quick 30-minute date with the oven, they taste wonderful whether they’ve been in your freezer for two days or two months.
Omaha has a great pizza scene, and I would honestly put these pies up against most pizza restaurants. The dough is downright delectable, and the creativity is unmatched.
And if you’re really looking for something wild, opt for the Chili & Cinnamon Roll Pot Pie, which is one of the strangest, wackiest dishes I’ve had in Omaha… but despite all odds, it just works.
It all starts with the chili. With a base of toasted ancho, guajillo, and pasilla chiles that give it a nice heat. Ground beef and beans add a nice savory component, creating a chili I’d eat by the bowlful.
That chili is loaded into a cinnamon-swirl pastry crust and topped with homemade cinnamon rolls and cheese.
It’s sweet, spicy, savory, and spectacular.
The versatility that The Pie Fairy displays is almost mind-boggling. Whether you’re craving something savory or sweet, familiar or foreign, these home bakers have you covered. And that they can deliver these treats to your doorstep within days of ordering is beyond convenient.
If familiar and simple is what you crave, The Pie Fairy will deliver you a fantastic pie or pizza. But if you want to expand your tastebuds’ boundaries and experience all that these bakers can pie-ify, they’re happy to surprise and “scare” you, too.