Apple pie, like many other types of food, may be prepared in advance and frozen to conserve room in the refrigerator. This is especially helpful during the holidays and at other times of the year when there is increased demand for refrigerator space.
In conclusion, the answer to the question is yes, apple pie can be frozen. Apple pie prepared from scratch with a single or double crust, apple pie purchased from the shop, handmade pie made with store-bought crust and canned pie filling, or even store-bought crust with homemade pie filling may all be frozen successfully. Apple pie can be stored unbaked or baked as long as it is a traditional apple pie and the filling does not contain any custard, cream, or egg. Depending on the crust and filling combination, apple pie will maintain its best quality for anywhere between two and six months after being stored in either method. Apple slices, handmade apple pie filling, and canned apple pie filling that has been opened may all be frozen and stored for up to a year.
Continue reading to find out more information on how to freeze homemade apple pies, apple pie filling, or even just the sliced apples themselves!
Contents
What Are the Different Ways to Store Apple Pie?
A typical filled apple pie, with apple, spice, and sugar – whether handmade or fresh from the bakery – may be securely stored at room temperature for up to two days if it is covered in aluminum foil or plastic wrap, kept out of direct sunshine, and kept at a distance from any other sources of heat. If you plan on keeping it out for much longer than that, you will need to put it in the refrigerator. There, it will remain edible for an additional two to three days, bringing the total number of days it may be stored to between four and five.
If your pie includes a sugar replacement like Splenda or does not contain any sugar at all, then it will always need to be refrigerated. The same goes for pies that contain eggs, milk, or custard; they must also be stored in the refrigerator. These kinds of pies may be stored in the refrigerator for up to two days after being baked.
You may store a pie in the refrigerator in the pan that it was baked in, or you can cut it into pieces and wrap each slice individually in either plastic wrap or aluminum foil to take up less space.
In any other case, a typical apple pie, either cooked or unbaked, may be frozen. The one and only thing that should truly be kept in mind is that the effectiveness of some spices might decrease the longer they are stored in the freezer.
Some people love the ease of freezing it freshly cooked since it requires less work to reheat, while others favor storing it unbaked because they like the way the crust comes out after baking. Both methods are perfectly acceptable. If you haven’t tried freezing apple pie before, you should try both methods so you can decide which one you like better.
How Can I Freeze an Unbaked Apple Pie?
Apple pie filling that has not been baked may be stored in the refrigerator for up to two days before it has to be cooked, and it can be frozen for up to four months without losing its quality.
If you want to freeze an apple pie that has not yet been cooked, you might think about adding some ascorbic acid, juice from a lemon or lime, or both so that the apples do not turn brown. Also, make sure that the quantity of filling you use is reasonable; otherwise, the pie would wind up being cooked on the outside but raw in the inside since there was too much filling.
If you are using a regular 9-inch pan, don’t use more than 7 cups of diced or finely sliced apples, and be careful when you place them in the pan; the less air there is between the apple slices, the less chance there is of freezer burn and excess moisture when the pie is baked. A small amount of cornstarch can also help remove any excess moisture.
In terms of the pie pan, use a metal pan that you will not miss for a few weeks or months; alternatively, disposable metal pie plates can be used. Even though you may be tempted to use a ceramic or glass pie plate, the change in temperature from the freezer to the oven can increase the risk of the glass or ceramic cracking or exploding, so it is better to keep with metal for freezing and baking. It is simple enough to transfer it onto ceramic once it has been baked.
Make the pie as you normally would, but wait to cut the vent holes until you are ready to bake it. If you do it any earlier, some of the contents may leak out of the pie while it is freezing.
If your pie is a single-crust pie, you should freeze it uncovered for a few hours before bagging it or wrapping it; doing so will help prevent the filling from adhering to the bag, and you may also want to do this with a lattice pie to avoid the lattice from being damaged.
In any other case, you should pre-freeze a single crust pie, then carefully wrap the entire pie and its pan in a double layer of plastic wrap, aluminum foil, or use a large Ziplock bag and remove the excess air before carefully sealing it. The more layers it is wrapped in, the less damage it will sustain from freezer burn.
Move the pie to a more permanent freezer spot away from anything that may crush it. Placing it in a plastic container or even placing a spare plate over the top of the pie can help protect it. Label the pie with the ingredients and the date you made it, and place it flat in the freezer – a cookie sheet is always useful here – until it is completely frozen.
When you are ready to use your unbaked pie, remove it from the freezer, add any glaze or sugar, cut the vent holes, and place it in the lower center of the oven at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 to 20 minutes with a tray or some parchment underneath to catch any spills. You can then turn the heat down to approximately 375 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for an additional 20 – 30 minutes or until the crust is browned.
If you choose to bake it this way, the pie will need to stay in the oven for a longer period of time. If you bake it any other way, you should wait for the pie to cool for a few hours before cutting into it. Some people prefer to cover the pie with foil for the first 30 minutes or so of cooking and then remove it to allow the crust to brown.
It is not necessary to defrost an unbaked pie before placing it in the oven; in fact, doing so would result in an increase in the pie’s overall moisture content, which might cause it to become soggy after it has been baked.
If you want to avoid using the oven for an excessively long period of time, for example on Thanksgiving, you may bake it the day before and then rewarm it in the oven 15 to 20 minutes before you want to serve it.
How Do You Freeze Ready Baked Apple Pie?
It is important to allow a handmade pie to completely cool down to room temperature before freezing it, as this will prevent the pie from getting too mushy in the center after being frozen. After the pie has had enough time to completely cool, it should be wrapped in a double layer of plastic wrap or aluminum foil. You have the option of leaving it in the pie pan or removing it. If you want to reheat the food later, leaving it on the pan might make the process simpler.
Following the completion of the labeling process, the containers should be positioned at the end of the freezer and allowed to dully freeze before being moved. Depending on the size of the pie, this might take anywhere from 12 to 24 hours to complete. In the freezer, a complete baked apple pie will maintain its optimum quality for anywhere between four and six months, regardless of whether it was prepared or purchased.
If you just have a few slices of pie left over, you can freeze them by placing them on a baking sheet that has been coated with parchment paper and then placing the tray in the freezer for a couple of hours. Once the slices have cooled to room temperature, you can then freeze them. The filling is more likely to remain contained inside the pie if it is frozen in this manner. After the pie has been frozen, the cookie sheet should be removed and each slice should be individually double-wrapped in plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
After that, you may put the slices that have been wrapped in plastic in an airtight container. Not only does this assist prevent freezer burn, but it also decreases the likelihood that the slices will get compressed while they are being stored in the freezer.
It is possible to defrost a whole baked pie by placing it on the top shelf of the refrigerator for the duration of one night or by placing it on the countertop for a few hours. Reheating it will take around 15 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit, or it will take 30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. You don’t have to first defrost the individual slices in order to reheat them in the oven or even the microwave oven; either method will work just as fast.
Can I Just Freeze the Apple Pie Filling?
Apple pie filling, whether handmade or store-bought, may be frozen without any problems.
You may create simple apple pie filling for the freezer, which is the best method to keep apples throughout apple season. Apples are in season from September to November. Along with the necessary quantities of sugar, flour, and spices, make an apple pie using a combination of the finest apples, which should be sliced to a thickness of around one fourth of an inch.
To prevent the apples from becoming brown to an excessive degree, you could also wish to add a little lemon juice or some ascorbic acid. When you have finished properly combining these components, transfer the mixture to Ziploc bags, press out any extra air, and then seal the bags. Put in the freezer, and when you want to use it, defrost a bag of it in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, put the thawed mixture to your handmade or store-bought crust, and bake.
If you have apple pie filling that has been made, and it has cooled, you may put it in a Ziploc bag, seal it, and then freeze it. If you already have an opened can of apple pie filling, you can also save it for later use by placing it in a Ziploc bag or another airtight container and placing it in the freezer. Apple pie filling that has been cooked may be stored in the freezer for up to a year without going bad.
In addition, fresh apple slices may be frozen and later used for the preparation of pies and other baked items. To begin, apples need to be peeled, sliced, and cored. You may do these steps manually using a knife, or you can spare yourself some time and work by investing in a high-quality apple corer.
To prevent the apple slices from turning brown too quickly after they have been cut, you may either blanch them for about a minute in water that has been brought to a boil or you can dip them in lemon juice or ascorbic acid.
Remove any excess moisture from the slices, then arrange them in a single layer on a cookie sheet that has been coated with a sheet of parchment. Put the baking sheet in the freezer, and after the apple slices have been frozen for a couple of hours, you may move them from the cookie sheet to a bag or container that is airtight. After the crust has been made, the frozen slices, sugar, and spices may be added to the pie, and it can then be baked. It’s possible that a few further minutes in the oven are required.
Can I Freeze Apple Custard Pie or Apple Meringue Pie?
Due to the fact that they get excessively soggy during the freezing and thawing process, apple custard pie, apple cream pie, and apple meringue pie cannot be frozen.
If I Make Some Apple Pie Moonshine, Can I Freeze It?
Apple pie moonshine does not freeze since it contains alcohol; but, if you prepare a big amount, you may keep apple pie moonshine in the freezer for at least a year to help preserve the other components. This is true even if you do not add any preservatives to the moonshine.
In Conclusion
As we’ve seen in this essay, the answer is yes—you may freeze apple pie, whether it’s handmade or purchased from the store, baked or unbaked. Apple pie filling, whether it has been cooked or not, as well as apple pie pieces, may also be frozen. The amount of time that an apple pie may be kept in the freezer ranges from two months to six months, and this is determined on the mix of crust and filling that you use.
FAQs
What’s the best way to freeze apple pie?
Wrap the unbaked pie in three pieces of plastic wrap in a snug manner, making sure that all sides of the pie are entirely enclosed and uncovered none of the layers. The next step is to put the pie in a plastic bag with a gallon capacity and mark it with the following information: Apple Pie and the date when the pie will go bad, which is two months after it has been frozen.
Is it better to freeze an apple pie before or after baking?
Apple pie may be frozen either before or after it has been baked, although it is recommended to freeze it before it is baked. Apple pie, whether baked or unbaked, may be stored in the freezer for up to six months without losing its quality. If you remove the crust from the apple pie filling before freezing it, the filling will keep its flavor for up to a year after being stored in the freezer.
What happens when you freeze an apple pie?
The majority of pies may be effectively frozen, despite the fact that after defrosting they often lose part of their original texture and may get somewhat mushy on the bottom. Additionally, it’s possible that the crusts won’t be as flaky as the original. However, they should not lose their flavor and will continue to taste fantastic despite the change.
How do you defrost a frozen apple pie?
Placing the pie in the refrigerator and keeping it covered while it thaws for at least 6-8 hours or overnight is recommended. You also have the option of defrosting the pie on the kitchen top for anywhere between three and five hours. It is important to remember not to let it sitting out overnight since you do not want any of the components to spoil. Take the pie from its plastic wrap or remove it from its bag in the freezer.
How long does apple pie last in the fridge?
In a perfect world, apple pie (or any other fruit pie) would be kept in the refrigerator, either with a lid on top or snugly wrapped in plastic wrap and covered. It may be stored for up to four days in the refrigerator; however, before eating any of the leftovers, you should always give them a quick inspection to make sure they still appear and smell appetizing.