Whether they're made from scratch in grandma's kitchen or sold in neighborhood bakeries, pies are a favorite of Americans coast to coast, a delicious complement to any meal. But which are considered the very best?

Pie lovers will find out April 11-13, when amateur, commercial and professional bakers meet in Orlando for the 25th National Pie Championships, the prestigious competition created by the American Pie Council (APC) to crown the best of the best.

Bakers from around the country and Canada will compete in various categories of pie, including apple, blueberry, cherry, chocolate, citrus, cream, fruit and berry, citrus, nut, peanut butter and pumpkin. There's even a collection of pies for those with special dietary needs.

Winners from prior competitions also will be among the competitors this year, gathered to commemorate 25 years of pie excellence.

"It's always exciting to discover wonderful new pies or delightful twists on classic favorites during the National Pie Championships," Hoskins said. "We're very proud to reach this milestone 25 years of competition, bringing bakers from around country to create and celebrate America's favorite dessert."

The 25th APC National Pie Championships will take place April 11-13 at Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld, with hundreds of creative, mouth-watering pies expected to compete for top honors. During 2018's championships, 714 pies entered by 71 pie makers faced off in many different flavor categories within amateur, commercial and professional divisions.

For more information about the American Pie Council and the APC National Pie Championships, visit www.PieCouncil.org.

Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld is located at 6677 Sea Harbor Drive in Orlando. For reservations, visit book.passkey.com/go/NationalPieApr2019.