One of the most popular desserts in the United States—the apple pie—has fascinating origins and can be made using multiple recipes. Apple pies are made from apples, are generally double-crusted, and contain pastry on both sides of the filling. However, regardless of how an apple pie is made, it’s common to wonder if it’s possible to safely store this All-American dessert in the freezer and for how long?
You can freeze apple pie safely for 6 months without worrying about it going bad. It’s also acceptable to freeze an apple pie in the freezer for 12 months if you don’t bake it. However, ensure you use a sugar-based recipe and store the apple pie properly so that the dish freezes well.
Apple pie is relatively easy to freeze and can even be safely refrigerated for a while if you plan on eating it in a day or two. The rest of this article explains in detail the right way to freeze baked and unbaked apple pie and provides helpful tips for freezing your apple pie.
I’ll also tell you the best way to reheat frozen apple pie so that it stays delicious.
How Do You Freeze Apple Pie?
Generally, as long as it’s well made, apple pie will freeze without a lot of hassle. Additionally, you can freeze it after it has been baked or even before baking. However, whether you bake the apple pie or not, you must follow the right steps to ensure this dessert freezes well and tastes fresh when reheated.
You can freeze apple pie with a freezer and foil. Aluminum foil will work best here as it’ll need to be wrapped tightly around the pie. Note, however, you can only freeze apple pies made using sugar, as this will serve as a food preservative and make sure the apple pie dish freezes and reheats well.
You can also safely store apple pies in the refrigerator for up to four days because of acids and sugar in the pie filling. These sugars help retain moisture and slow down the growth of microorganisms that cause food to spoil; it’ll also keep your apple pie from going bad.
Furthermore, because of the presence of sugar, you can even allow the apple pie to sit on a counter if you plan on eating it in the next few days.
How To Freeze Baked Apple Pie
When freezing an already baked pie, preserving as much of the flavor and texture as possible is essential. You can freeze a pie properly by storing the dish in the freezer as quickly as possible or as soon as it cools off.
Freezing an apple pie as soon as possible after it cools off will reduce the time the moist filling is sitting against the crust and will prevent it from becoming too soggy.
The following are the steps for freezing baked apple pie:
Allow the pie to sit on the countertop until it’s completely cool. Cooling before storing in the freezer is good practice when freezing pastries. Cooling for about 8 hours will help prevent the crust of the apple pie from turning soggy when reheated.
Wrap the pie tightly in freezer-safe plastic or aluminum foil. Dry freezer air can damage the apple pie, and using an aluminum foil such as the Reynolds Wrap Aluminum Foil (available on Amazon.com) before storing can help keep your pie from drying out.
Use a freezer-safe bag to create a second layer of defense for your apple pie. Freezer-safe bags will help protect your pie from freezer burn. There’s a wide range of freezer-safe bags that you can use to store your apple pie, such as the easy-to-use Hefty Slider Freezer Storage Bags (available on Amazon.com).
Label, date, and freeze the packaged apple pie. Tagging the pie by date will enable you to plan when to eat it and help protect you from eating pie that has gone bad from sitting in the freezer for too.
Remember that you can freeze baked apple pie for no more than six months. A baked pie that has been stored for longer than this time can cause food poisoning and severe illnesses if eaten.
How To Freeze Unbaked Apple Pie
Freezing an uncooked apple pie is an excellent idea if you plan on storing your pie for a long time. Furthermore, it’s a helpful method to help preserve the taste of the pie when it’s baked later.
The following are the steps for freezing an unbaked apple pie:
Don’t cut the crust. It’s a good idea to leave your pie uncut to avoid the filling falling out before it’s frozen. Usually, it takes about 24 hours for unbaked apple pies to freeze.
Wrap the pie in a layer of aluminum foil. Aluminum foil is a better alternative for storing unbaked pies in the freezer. You can also create a second layer of protection for your apple pie by freezing it in a freezer-safe bag.
Label and date the packaged pie before freezing. Remember that unbaked apple pies can last for 12 months in the freezer.
Place the apple pie in the freezer. Once you’ve placed the uncooked apple pie in the freezer, wait until it is completly frozen before setting anything else on top of it. This will reduce the likelyhood of damaging the looks of your pie.
It’s a fantastic idea to freeze an apple pie uncooked since you don’t have to wait for it to cool before storing it in the freezer. Furthermore, you can bake the dish directly from the freezer without defrosting it.
Tips for Freezing Apple Pie
If the apple pie is already sliced, you’ll want to wrap and freeze each piece individually for best results.
Here are a few tips for freezing your apple pie:
Make sure only to freeze apple pies that were made using sugar.
Don’t eat the apple pie if you notice mold or excess water in the pie as it has become spoiled.
Freezing unbaked apple pie is an excellent idea if you don’t plan on eating the pie for a long time and/or want to make multiple pies at once to enjoy later.
Always defrost frozen apple pie if you baked it beforehand (see below).
You can also freeze the apple pie fillings if you make them in bulk.
Refrigerating apple pie is better than freezing it if you plan on eating it in less than one week.
When freezing your apple pie, use two layers of aluminum foil or plastic wrapping to ensure no part of the dish is exposed.
Be mindful not to put anything heavy on top of the apple pie when putting it in the freezer.
To make the reheating process less tedious, you can freeze the apple pie on a freezer-safe and oven-safe pie plate.
Although you can reheat the pie in a microwave, an oven is the better alternative because it helps cook it well.
Don’t cook your apple pie for more than 30 minutes on reheating.
If the pie is already sliced, wrap each piece before freezing.
Make sure to always preheat the oven before reheating your apple pie.
How To Reheat Frozen Apple Pie
If frozen properly, reheated apple pies will keep most of their original flavor and texture. However, you must take care not to reheat the pie if it has been frozen for longer than six months.
The following are steps to take when reheating frozen apple pies:
Defrost the pastry by allowing it to sit in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 300oF (148.89oC).
Drop the oven temperature and put the apple pie in the oven and reheat it at 200oF (93.33oC) for 30 minutes.
Serve hot.
You may keep the pie at room temperature for 6 to 8 hours to thaw as an alternative to using a refrigerator. Cover the pastry using a napkin or any suitable material during the thawing process. However, make sure the napkin, plastic wrap, or covering is removed before heating the pie in the oven.
How To Reheat Unbaked Frozen Apple Pie
Baking uncooked apple pie is a straightforward process and doesn’t require that you defrost the apple pie beforehand. The baking usually takes 30 minutes, and the finished apple pie tastes fresh if you store it in the freezer correctly.
The following are steps to take when baking frozen apple pies:
Bake the pie without thawing it beforehand.
Place a baking pan in the middle of your oven and preheat the appliance to 425oF (218.33oC).
Place the pie on the baking pan and cook for 20 minutes.
Reduce the oven’s heat to 350°F (176.67oC) and cook until done.
Serve hot.
Baking pans aid in cooking the bottom crust of the apple pie and are an integral part of baking the pie to perfection. You can use any available baking pan or get the G & S Metal Products Company Nonstick Pie Pans (available on Amazon.com) for a non-stick pan that won’t break the bank.
How to make a yummy apple pie filling that is perfect for the freezer.
Key Takeaways
You could freeze apple pie for six months if cooked beforehand or 12 months if uncooked. Also, you can safely store the apple pie in the freezer as long as you wrap it tightly and protect it from freezer burn.
Reheating frozen apple pie requires that you preheat the oven and bake for 15 to 30 minutes, depending on whether you cooked the pie before you froze it.
