Best Places to Buy Pie in Metro Detroit

'Tis the season to indulge in sweets, but if you're not interested in baking during the holidays, let someone else do that for you. There's nothing better than trying a new spin on a classic treat, like sweet potato pie. Or, keep it simple by sticking with a delicious original recipe like apple pie. Try one of these sweet spots on BLAC Detroit's 2013 list of places to get your pie fix.

Sweet Potato Sensations

Address: 17337 Lahser Road, Detroit
Phone: 313-532-7996
Hours: 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, closed Sunday-Monday

Owner Cassandra Thomas says she sells memories at Sweet Potato Sensations. The bakery, which specializes in sweet potato everything from pies to cakes to cookies and even ice cream, has a flavor only mom or grandma could deliver. The No. 1 seller is the original sweet potato pie, but if you are feeling a little adventurous, try the sweet potato pecan or coconut pie.

"We consider ourselves to be (the) sweet potato lover's heaven on earth," says Thomas. "Many people will tell me 'oh it reminds me of my mother's or grandmother's pie.' That's what brings joy to my heart."

Dangerously Delicious Pies

• Address: 4626 Third St., Detroit
• Phone: 313-727-PIES (7437)
• Hours: 11 a.m.-midnight Monday-Thursday, noon-2 a.m. Friday-Saturday, noon-midnight Sunday

Dangerously Delicious Pies, which is located at Third Street Bar, has a popular item that is truly dangerous: The Baltimore Bomb. Co-owner Sam Wood calls it "a chocolate chip cookie on steroids." The pie has a heavy custard base and dispersed shortbread cookies, and is topped with chocolate. The pie shop also offers savory pie options like the Smog-steak, mushroom, onion and Gruyère cheese.

Achatz Pies

Locations: Ann Arbor, Armada, Beverly Hills, Chesterfield, Oxford, Shelby Township, Troy and Sterling Heights

Achatz Pies celebrated its 20th anniversary in August and it turns out that one of the company's top sellers-the Michigan 4-Berry-was actually an accident.

"We had a little bit of everything left. Twenty years later, it's a best seller," says Rachel Beal, district manager. The pie has a crispy brown sugar crumb top with Michigan cherries, blackberries, blueberries and raspberries inside.

For the holiday season, Achatz has an autumn harvest pie. The pecan pie has a layer of pumpkin mousse, whipped cream and homemade candied pecans on top.

Apple Annie's Kitchen and Bakery

• Address: 28030 Gratiot Ave., Roseville
• Phone: 586-778-4321
• Hours: 6:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Sunday

Although Apple Annie's offers a variety of fruit pies like pineapple, raspberry and peach, general manager Clarice Krolicki says naturally the apple pie and the Dutch apple are their hottest sellers. They also have sugar-free pies that are sweet despite what some may think.

"They just have a wonderful flavor. They are affordable," says Krolicki. "Sugar-free pies sell as much as regular pies."

Apple Annie's pies are 8 inches instead of 10 to cater to senior citizens and people with smaller families. Apple Annie's often make pies like pecan and pumpkin for the holidays, but you have to stop by to find out what's available.

Love's Custard 

• Address: Eastern Market, 2934 Russell St., Shed 2, Stall 258, Detroit
• Phone: 313-748-2654

If you want a taste of the south, try Donnie and Alan Love's custards at Love's Custard Pies.

"It's an old southern-style pie that goes back almost 100 years and we do it the original way it's made," says Alan Love. "Some people say it tastes better than a cheesecake. It's sweet and gooey. A lot of my customers think it's one of the best pies they ever tasted."

Hottest sellers include custard (or chess pie) and sweet potato pie. They even have a sweet potato custard pie. For the holidays, they make a silhouette pie, which is a chess pie that has a caramel taste to it. They have a shop, which is on McNichols road but prefer for you to go down to the Eastern Market to purchase pies.