Can You Freeze Pie? What Freezes Well and How to Thaw It

Yes, you can freeze pie. Apple pie freezes well either unbaked or baked, pumpkin and pecan pies freeze best after baking, and pie dough keeps for about 3 months as wrapped disks. Food held at 0°F (-18°C) stays safe indefinitely according to the USDA, but pies taste best when eaten within about 2 to 4 months.

Wrap every pie tightly to keep out air, label it with the date and thaw egg-based pies in the refrigerator, never on the counter.

Which pies freeze well and which do not?

Fruit pies, pumpkin pie and pecan pie freeze well, while pies with cream, meringue or a soft custard filling do not. Fruit fillings thickened with flour or cornstarch hold their texture. Pumpkin and pecan fillings stay smooth if they are baked, cooled and frozen whole.

• Freeze well: apple, cherry, blueberry and other fruit pies; pumpkin pie; pecan pie; pie dough.
• Freeze poorly: cream pies, meringue pies and pies topped with whipped cream. The filling can weep and the topping collapses when thawed.

How do you freeze apple pie?

Apple pie can be frozen unbaked or baked, and unbaked gives the flakiest crust. The steps for an unbaked pie are:

1. Assemble the pie in a metal or foil pan. Glass and ceramic dishes can crack when they go from the freezer into a hot oven.
2. Set the pie uncovered in the freezer until it is solid, which takes a few hours.
3. Wrap it in two layers of plastic wrap, then foil, and label it.
4. Bake straight from frozen: cut vents in the top crust, then bake at 425°F (220°C) for about 20 minutes, lower the heat to 375°F (190°C) and bake 40 to 55 minutes more, until the filling bubbles through the vents.

Cover the edges with foil if they brown too fast. A filling with enough thickener matters more in a frozen pie because the apples release juice as they thaw. The classic apple pie guide covers apple choice and thickening.

For a baked apple pie, cool it completely, wrap it as above and freeze for up to 4 months. Reheat it uncovered or loosely tented at 325°F to 350°F (165°C to 175°C) for 45 to 60 minutes, until warm in the center.

Can you freeze pumpkin pie?

Pumpkin pie freezes well when it is fully baked and cooled first. Freezing an unbaked pumpkin filling often leaves a soggy crust, so bake the pie, let it cool to room temperature and then chill it before freezing.

1. Freeze the pie uncovered on a flat shelf until firm, about 2 to 3 hours.
2. Wrap it in plastic wrap and foil, or slide it into a large freezer bag.
3. Keep it frozen for up to 2 months for the best texture.

Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and serve it cold or at cool room temperature. The crust will be a little softer than on the day it was baked. Add whipped cream after thawing. The classic pumpkin pie recipe explains how to tell when the filling is set before you cool and freeze it.

Can you freeze pecan pie?

Pecan pie freezes well after baking because its sugar-and-egg filling is firm and holds up in the cold. Cool it completely, wrap it as you would pumpkin pie and freeze it for up to 3 months.

Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight. If you want it warm, heat it at 325°F (165°C) for about 10 to 15 minutes. A pie that was underbaked before freezing can end up runny after thawing, so check that the filling is set first, as described in the pecan pie recipe.

How do you freeze pie dough?

Pie dough freezes well for up to 3 months as a flat disk. Shape the dough into a disk about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and put it in a freezer bag with the date on it.

• Thaw a disk in the refrigerator overnight, then let it stand at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes so it rolls without cracking.
• A rolled crust can be fitted into a metal pan, frozen until firm, wrapped and baked from frozen when blind baking.
• Keep the butter cold the whole time. Dough that has warmed up and then been frozen bakes up less flaky.

Butter itself also freezes well, and the guide to freezing butter explains wrapping and thawing.

How do you thaw a frozen pie safely?

The safest way to thaw a pie is overnight in the refrigerator. Pumpkin and pecan pies contain eggs, so the USDA advises refrigerating them, and they should not sit out for more than 2 hours. A baked fruit pie can go straight from the freezer to the oven.

• Large pies take 8 to 12 hours in the refrigerator, and single slices take a few hours.
• Leave the wrapping on while the pie thaws so moisture does not collect on the crust.
• Eat a thawed pie within a few days and keep it refrigerated.

The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service and FoodSafety.gov publish current guidance on freezing and thawing food.

Quick answers

Can you refreeze a thawed pie?

A pie thawed in the refrigerator can be refrozen safely, but the crust turns softer and the filling can separate. It is better to freeze the pie in slices if you may not finish it all.

Should you freeze pie whole or in slices?

Both work. A whole pie keeps its shape best. Slices, wrapped individually and then placed in a freezer bag, thaw faster and let you take out one serving at a time.

How can you prevent freezer burn on pie?

Press out as much air as possible and use two layers of wrap, such as plastic wrap and foil. Use a freezer bag for an extra layer if the pie fits.

Can you freeze Christmas cookies the same way?

Cookies freeze as dough or baked, with their own times and thawing rules, covered in the guide to freezing Christmas cookies.