Test Kitchen Tip: As for custard, cream, and meringue pies, we wish we had better news. Sadly, these types of pies become soggy when frozen and thawed, so don’t even go there. Instead, enjoy them while you can, but you can refrigerate them up to two days if you cover them lightly in plastic wrap.
Freezing Pies to Bake Later
While you can freeze a pie after its baked, the surest path to the flakiest crust and most vivid fruit flavors is to freeze your pie before baking. Here’s how to freeze fruit pies to bake later:
When baking a pie with a light-colored fruit, such as peaches, pears, apricots, nectarines, or apples, treat the fruit first with an ascorbic-acid color keeper. This helps to prevent the fruit from turning brown. Find this product alongside canning supplies or online. It’s marketed under different names, such as Fruit-Fresh. Treat the fruit according to the package directions. Assemble your pie as directed, using a metal pie pan. Place the pie in a freezer bag or wrap it in a double thickness of foil. Seal, label, and freeze up to four months.
When you’re ready to bake your frozen pie, follow these steps:
Unwrap the pie, but do not thaw.Cover the pie in foil.Bake in a preheated 450°F oven 15 minutes.Reduce the temperature to 375°F; bake 15 minutes more.Uncover; bake 55 to 60 minutes or until the filling is bubbly and the crust is golden.
Test Kitchen Tip: If you don’t have space in your freezer for a whole pie, make this Freezer Berry Pie Filling; freeze it for up to three months before cradling it into a Pastry for a Double-Crust Pie and baking it into a bright, beautiful dessert. Pass the sweetened whipped cream, please.
How to Freeze a Baked Pie
If you need a bigger head start of freezing pies and want to do it from an already-baked state, follow these steps to freeze a pie after baking it.
Bake as directed and allow to cool completely.Place the pie in a freezer bag; seal, label, and freeze for up to 4 months.To serve, thaw at room temperature.If you wish to serve your pie warm, after thawing, bake in a preheated oven 425°F oven about 15 minutes or until warmed through.
When you see your favorite pie fruits at their in-season best, go ahead and take an armload home. Now that you know how to freeze a pie, you’ll know exactly how to use your bounty, even if you’re not planning on entertaining in the near future. Stash a pie in your freezer, and the next time you’re gathering friends and family for dinner, you’ll be so glad you did.
