Homemade Pies by Kala transforms traditional sweet treats into edible works of art

When Croswell resident Kala Sheridan’s mother turned 55, instead of a birthday cake, she asked for a pie. So Sheridan got busy gathering fresh ingredients from her own garden and fruit trees in the backyard of her home, picking enough peaches for four pies before hitting the kitchen.

Inspired by her childhood walks past the former Lexington bakery Mary’s Pies, Sheridan wanted to create something extra special for her mother’s birthday. Recalling the individuality of each pie she admired in the window of that bakery, Sheridan began braiding pie dough and carving out shapes such as palm trees and turtles to create the perfect birthday pie. Looking back, she says she thought the pies looked horrendous that day but admits they tasted amazing.

With encouragement from her family and friends, Sheridan created a page on social media and quickly began receiving orders for fresh, Homemade Pies by Kala. Since those first pies, Sheridan has perfected her skills in creating the colorful and edible works of art. Her pies come in a wide range of flavors such as caramel apple or strawberry rhubarb, with sugar-free options available upon request.

“If you eat the whole pie with one fork, in one sitting, it only counts as one serving,” she says.

Sheridan’s creations are made with Michigan-sourced ingredients and are often themed for a specific holiday, season, or event. Every detail is either carved using tiny cutters and then arranged by hand, or carved free-hand.

Sheridan, a lifelong Croswell resident, attributes the rapid success of her business to her close-knit community. The Croswell-Lexington Chamber of Commerce awarded her Citizen of the Year in 2018 and as a frequent volunteer, the community knows her well.

“Small communities take care of each other,” she says.

In the future, Sheridan hopes to have her own agricultural commercial kitchen at home and grow all of her own fruit. Visit facebook.com/homemadepiesbykala for more information, or find her hand-crafted creations at local businesses such as Lexington Coffee Co. or seasonal farmer’s markets.