How long to bake a frozen pie

Homemade pies are a delicious dessert that can be prepared ahead of time, frozen and then baked when you want a very special dessert.

It is much better to freeze pumpkin and fruit pies before baking rather than after. The texture of pies suffers substantially if frozen after baking. If you freeze pies after baking them, thaw them at room temperature for about three hours and then crisp them in a 450 degree Fahrenheit oven for about 20 minutes.

Michigan State University Extension offers the following tips on freezing pies so that they turn out the way you want them to, attractive and delicious.

How to freeze only the fruit pie filling to be placed in a crust later:

1. Prepare the filling as usual but add ½ tablespoon of cornstarch or 1-2 tablespoons of flour for each pie.
2. Line the pie pan with foil with the foil reaching out over the pan and pour the filling into the pan.
3. Place the pie pan of filling into the freezer until it is firm.
4. Lift the filling out of the pan and seal it in foil or some other airtight wrap.
5. Label and freeze to be used in a pie within 4 months.

When making fruit pies to freeze later:

1. Add a ½ extra tablespoon of cornstarch or 1-2 tablespoons of flour to the filling.
2. Put a small amount of cornstarch or flour in the bottom of the pie shell before adding the filling.
3. Place the pies on a tray and freeze until firm and then wrap them in aluminum foil or any type of airtight wrapping, label and freeze for up to 4 months.

When baking frozen pies:

1. Bake the pie frozen – do not thaw.
2. Place a cookie sheet in your oven and preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
3. Place the pie on the cookie sheet. The cookie sheet helps to cook the bottom pie crust so it isn’t soggy, which can be a problem with foil pans.
4. Bake at 425 degrees F for the first 15-20 minutes and then turn down to 350 degrees F until done. The total baking time will be at least 20 minutes longer than the directions indicate for an unfrozen pie.
5. Once baked, refrigerate all pies except fruit pies – you can refrigerate fruit pies too but it is not necessary.

Unbaked pumpkin and pecan pies freeze very well. Custard pies, meringue pies and cream pies do not freeze well. They will be watery and separate after thawing. A baked pie can be frozen for 6 months, a longer freezing time than an unbaked pie. Loss of quality increases with the length of time in the freezer. Pies can be frozen longer than recommended here but the quality greatly deteriorates with the extended freezer time. 

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

Inside the Mill

There’s nothing quite like a warm apple pie straight out of the oven. It’s a classic and iconic dessert that has the ability to warm you up from the inside out. Pair it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and dessert just doesn’t get any better. Some may say the fruit component even qualifies it as a breakfast food! Baking pie from scratch can often feel like a labor of love, so making a few at a time is a great way to increase your yield without a lot of extra effort. However, you won’t want any of your hard work to go to waste. Luckily, pie freezes well, and baking frozen apple pie is simple so long as you follow these steps. Here are some easy directions on how to bake frozen apple pie.

Step 1

If your pie was pre-baked, preheat your oven to 350ºF. If your frozen apple pie wasn’t pre-baked, preheat to 425ºF.

Step 2

Line your baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil and place the frozen pie in the center, uncovered. If the pie is unbaked, cut a few slits in the top.

Step 3

For a pre-baked frozen pie: bake at 350ºF for 30 minutes or until warm. Make sure to monitor to ensure that it’s not burning. You want the crust to turn a beautiful golden brown color. For an unbaked frozen pie: bake at 425ºF for 15 minutes, then lower the temp to 375ºF and continue baking for 40-50 minutes, covering the edges of the crust with tin foil to prevent burning.

Step 4

Allow your apple pie to cool before cutting and serving. Enjoy with a scoop of ice cream and people you love. If you baked your pie and still have leftovers, you can freeze them, too. After all, freezing apple pie works quite well — just place it uncovered in the freezer. Once frozen solid, wrap the pie in plastic wrap and place it back into the freezer. You can keep it frozen for 3-4 months. When you’re ready to eat it, thaw the pie at room temperature, and then reheat it at 375°F for about 30 minutes. Alternately, you can keep the leftovers covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. If you’ve yet to bake your apple pie and are looking for a few recipes to inspire you, here are some of our favorites. 1 package Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Pie Crust Mix, prepared 4 lbs Granny Smith Apples (about 8 apples), peeled and cored 1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp Sugar 1 Tbsp fresh Lemon juice Zest from 1 Lemon 1/4 tsp Salt 1/4 tsp Nutmeg 1/4 tsp Cinnamon 1 egg white, or 1/8 cup milk Prepare pie crusts according to basic instructions. Keep dough disc for top crust refrigerated. Roll out bottom crust and place in a 9-inch pie pan. Place pan in refrigerator. Preheat oven to 425°F. Cut apples into 1/4-inch slices and place in a large bowl. Add 1/2 cup sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and spices. Stir to coat. Remove pie pan from refrigerator. Pour apple mixture into pie shell. Remove dough for top crust from refrigerator. Roll out top crust and place over filling. Trim dough edges, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Tuck overhanging dough beneath itself, and fute or crimp with a fork to seal. Cut three slits in top crust. Place pie in freezer for 10 minutes if dough is very soft and sticky. Brush top crust lightly with egg white or milk and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake on center rack for 25 minutes at 425°F. Reduce temperature to 375°F, place a baking sheet on lower rack, and bake for 30-35 minutes more, until crust is golden brown and juices are bubbling. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack for at least 1 hour before serving. Makes one 9-inch pie                       Pie Crust 2 1/2 cups Unbleached White Fine Pastry Flour 1/2 tsp Salt 1 cup Butter chilled and cubed 1/2 - 2/3 cups Ice Water 2 Tbsp Milk 1 Tbsp Sparkling Sugar or Turbinado Sugar Filling 4 lbs Granny Smith Apples peeled and cored 1/2 cup Sugar Zest of 1 Lemon 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice 1/4 tsp Salt 1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg 1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Mix in water, one tablespoon at a time, until dough begins to form. Divide dough and form each piece into a disk. Wrap each piece in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour. Meanwhile, cut apples into 1/4-inch slices and place in a large bowl. Add 1/2 cup sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and spices. Stir to coat. Preheat oven to 425ºF. On a floured surface, roll first disk into a 12-inch circle. Place crust in a 9-10-inch pie plate. Press the dough into pie plate. Pour apple mixture into pie shell. Roll out the second disk into a 12-inch circle and carefully lift and place over filling. Trim dough edges, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Fold under overhanging dough and crimp edges to seal. Cut four slits in top crust. Brush top crust with milk and sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Place a baking pan on lower rack. Bake on middle rack for 25 minutes. Reduce temperature to 375ºF and bake for 30 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and juices are bubbling. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack at least 1 hour. Makes one 9- or 10-inch pie Create the Amazing Gluten Free Apple Pie and the Flaky Apple Pie ahead of time for a gathering, then freeze them. When you’re ready to defrost and serve, simply follow the directions above. 4 cups Granny Smith Apples peeled and diced (about 6 medium apples) 1/2 cup Sugar 2 tsp Cinnamon 4 Tbsp Butter 2 Tbsp Organic Unbleached White All-Purpose Flour Preheat oven to 350ºF. Use your pie crust dough (see recipe link in blog post) to line four wide-mouth pint-size mason jars. Pull off small pieces and mold them together on the inside of the glass, keeping the thickness of the crust to about ¼ inch. In a bowl mix together apples, sugar, cinnamon, and flour. Making sure apples are completely coated in the dry mixture. Fill jars with apple mixture until just below the lower rim, where the threads for the lid start. Add 1 part of butter to the top of the mixture (about 1 tablespoon). Roll out your remaining pie crust to ¼-inch thick, and cut ½-inch wide strips and weave a lattice top for each pie.Place jars on a baking sheet and cover them with foil. Bake for 20 minutes covered, and 25-35 minutes uncovered. When the crust is golden brown, remove and let cool before packaging or eating. Alternatively, if a pie seems like too much effort, you can also try experimenting with an apple galette. This Easy Apple Galette with Salted Maple Caramel Drizzle is made with simple ingredients and requires minimal baking skill. After you create the dough and top it with almond paste, simply arrange the apples (not their juices) on top of the almond paste and fold the edges over the apples. Brush whisked egg over the dough, sprinkle it with sugar, and throw a bit of butter over the apples. Bake at 400ºF for 45 minutes (or until crust is golden brown). Drizzle the galette with caramel sauce and serve it warm. As the recipe notes, almond paste does add flavor to the galette but can be left out. You can use also vodka instead of brandy if you’d like. Or, omit the alcohol altogether and substitute with the same amount of water. If you don’t have apples on hand, there are many other fruit pies you can whip together to freeze and bake according to the directions above. This Gluten Free Lemon Blueberry Pie captures the feeling and the taste of summer. Top it with a dollop of whipped cream for an extra special dessert occasion. This Cherry Berry Pie is packed with raspberries and cherries and is — of course — amazing when served with a scoop of ice cream. The design itself is a work of art. If it’s a blackberry pie you’re in the mood for, opt for this Honey Blackberry Pie for something both sweet and tart. Simply combine our Gluten Free Pie Mix with fresh blackberries, honey, lemon juice, and orange zest for a tantalizing treat. Whether you’re baking a frozen apple pie or one of the pies listed above, we hope these recipes have given you fruit-filled inspiration for a beautiful baking bonanza ahead. Pie baking is a family tradition with a story — and we look forward to hearing yours, from apple pie to cherry pie to everything in between. Have any special fruit pie recipes you like to make? Share them with us in the comments below.

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