Every day is Pie Day for this Minnesota MMA fighter-turned-baker

Anyone who’s seen footage of two competitive fighters coming face-to-face at a weigh-in knows it’s a space for mean-mugging and chest-puffing.

The offering of baked goods is not typical.

But that’s what Ben Neumann has been doing every chance he’s had for the past 10 years. As an amateur baker, he dished pies and cakes at church picnics, at friends’ weddings and to anyone who wanted something sweet for the holidays. As he pursued a career as a professional mixed martial arts fighter, pre-fight rituals were as good an opportunity as any to sling even more.

“At the weigh-ins, usually you get in each other’s face and try to intimidate the other guy. I would just bring a slice of pie,” said Neumann, who fought under the moniker “The Baker,” and showed up to the ring wearing a chef’s hat and carrying a foot-long whisk. “I’m usually in a pretty good mood. Most of these guys are pretty intense.”

His clientele is much friendlier these days. Now, he’s out of the ring and settling into a full-time career as a baker who only makes pies.

“Pies are just much more unique to me,” Neumann said, compared with other baked goods. “There are a million specialty cake places. It’s more unique and it seems more special. Most people normally only have pie if a family member makes it.”

He operates his business, Ben the Baker, from his White Bear Lake home’s two-car garage, which has been converted into a commercial bakery. In the coming years, he hopes to move into a more traditional space with room for seating.

Neumann, 39, grew up on a cattle farm in Hammond, Wis. He enlisted in the Minnesota Army National Guard at 17 and was deployed to Iraq for two years starting in 2005.

Two important things happened around that time. Leading up to his departure, Neumann joined a gym to learn Brazilian jiujitsu. And, while abroad, he turned into a “nut” for healthy eating.

When he returned to Minnesota, he began training seriously in the ring, while his health food craze had him spending more time in the kitchen, a first for him. But he found that nobody at church potlucks was standing in line for his sugarless and chocolate-less brownies, while older women were scoring big with their traditional cakes and pies.

“I had to beat these old ladies,” he said with a laugh. “It was fun. Everyone is so happy when you make this food for them.”

Neumann found opponents elsewhere, too, making his professional fighting debut in the local MMA circuit in 2009. A friend suggested that he fight under the name “Ben the Baker,” because it would be embarrassing for anyone to lose to someone with such a name.

The fastest Neumann can prep a pie for the oven is 8 minutes or less. As a 6-foot-1 welterweight in the ring, he could sometimes beat opponents in less than a minute.

When he wasn’t training, he baked treats for friends’ weddings and other events. In 2014, the colonel who promoted him to sergeant in Iraq encouraged him to sell his pies for the holidays. Neumann made an open offer on Facebook and reeled in 300 takers overnight.

“I had to peel 300 pounds of apples,” he said. “I’m up for 36, 40, 45 hours straight. You just do it. I promised these pies to these people.”

Eventually, he set his sights on opening his own bakery.

Over a nine-year career as an MMA fighter, Neumann totaled 13 wins in 19 fights. He offered all of his opponents pie at the weigh-ins.

Just one accepted.

As Damion Hill prepared to face Neumann in January 2017, he learned of his opponent’s baker persona and what it would entail. He thought, “Hell, yeah.”

Hill entered the fight feeling underweight and said he always looked for potential avenues to get in his opponent’s head. He knew everyone before him had turned down the pie. If he accepted, maybe Neumann would be thrown off.

When the moment came and Neumann extended a slice, Hill’s cornerman immediately handed him a carton of milk.

“It was funny because I’m not a fan of cherry,” Hill said. “It just so happened to be a cherry pie. I don’t know if it was because I hadn’t eaten that day, but it was ... delicious.”

The sweet taste of victory, however, belonged to Ben the Baker, who won the matchup.

In 2021, Neumann opened his licensed garage-turned-bakery. He now offers up to 50 flavors of pie, depending on the year.

There are classics like pecan and peach, and classics with a twist, like chocolate pecan pie, alongside his bestselling raspberry pretzel pie, with a tangy, salty and sweet taste, and cheesecake (there are gluten-free options, too). He also carries savory pies, including beef and potato, smoked pulled pork and chicken pot pie. Prices range from $8 to $10 for mini pies to $36 for full-size pies.

Neumann says his pies stand out because he uses premium ingredients and designed his recipes around the take-and-bake or thaw-and-serve approach.

“The number one thing is the crust,” Neumann said. “We use 100 percent butter. We’re making all these batches the same way you would at home.”

Even Hill has returned for the baked goods — but not a rematch in the ring.

“I like that they’re homemade, that they’re actually done by a person and not a machine,” he said. “Even as a guy who’s been punched in the face by him, he’s got my endorsement.”

In 2017, Neumann earned the right to fight for a title in a lower-tier league that could have opened a pathway to the UFC, but he lost. The next year, motivated by his desire to grow a family — he and his wife now have an adopted 2-year-old girl — he stopped fighting professionally and went all in on the bakery.

“I’m grateful for everything,” Neumann said. “I have the best wife I could have. It was a long wait to get our little daughter. [The pies] are just things that help keep my family going.”

Ben the Baker is at 4522 Otter Lake Road, White Bear Lake. He recommends calling in advance for for drop-in purchases; orders can also be placed in advance using the bakery’s website (651-337-4076, benthebaker.com).

Makes 1 (9-inch) pie.

From Ben Neumann. If you’ve ever been to a Minnesota potluck, odds are you’ve been introduced to Raspberry Pretzel Jell-O Salad. This salty-sweet combination has a pretzel crust, a cream cheese-Cool Whip filling and a topping of raspberries suspended in Jell-O. It’s normally made in a 9-by-13 pan, but Neumann captured the same flavors in pie form, with upgraded ingredients. “Beware, the average human’s self-control is no match for this flavor combination,” Neumann writes on his website. This pie must be prepared in advance.

Pretzel Crumb Crust:

Whipped Cheesecake Filling:

Raspberry Topping:

Make the pie crust: Finely grind the pretzels in a food processor, or place them in a zip-top bag and crush well with a rolling pin.

In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and pretzel crumbs. Add the melted butter and mix until well combined.

Using your fingers or the back of a measuring cup, press firmly into a pie plate. (The crust should be about ¼-inch thick.) Chill in the fridge while you make the filling.

Make the filling: Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat together the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla on high speed until smooth.

Lower to medium speed, pour in the heavy cream, then beat on high speed for 1 minute.

Spread the filling evenly on the bottom of the chilled pretzel crust, then transfer to the fridge while you prepare the topping.

Make the raspberry topping: Whisk together the cold water and cornstarch in a small bowl and set aside.

Start heating the frozen (or thawed) raspberries and the sugar in a saucepan on medium-high heat, stirring frequently. When the raspberry-sugar mixture begins to simmer, stir in the cornstarch-water slurry. Continue to stir until it returns to a simmer.

Continue simmering for a full minute to activate the cornstarch, then remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice.

Remove from heat and chill in the fridge several hours until cold. When thoroughly chilled, spread on top of the pie and chill until serving.

This pie keeps well in the fridge in a covered container for up to 5 days.