Fruit pies, such as apple, cherry, peach or blueberry, freeze magnificently, as do pecan pies. They can be frozen baked or unbaked, the latter of which can be a great way to get ahead when hosting a dinner party or big holiday meal.
How to Freeze a Whole Fruit Pie
With the right dough and equipment squared away, simply make your cherry pie, blueberry pie, or mixed-fruit pie as directed, and refrigerate it until the decorative border is cold and firm. Wrap your pie in several layers of plastic to minimize exposure to air, then stick it in the freezer. Plastic wrap can sometimes slip loose when cold, so I recommend using a layer of foil to help hold it in place. Bonus: Itll also provide a final, more impermeable barrier against odor absorption, particularly if your freezer is jam-packed with pungent savory things.
The Best Dough and Dish for Freezing
Relatively lean and dry doughs are thirsty, eager to soak up moisture from fruit fillings over time, which makes for a soggy, wet crust. Doughs formulated with a higher proportion of butter and water are less absorbent, so theyre better able to resist soaking up moisture, even after long-term exposure to a juicy layer of raw fruit filling. For that reason, I highly recommend my super-buttery Old-Fashioned Flaky Pie Dough; if youre baking a frozen (or really any) pie, itll always come out flaky and crisp.
Using the right type of pie plate is helpful, too, and I highly recommend glass or disposable aluminum—pie pans affect how pie crust turns out more than you might expect.
Mixed Berry Pie with Frozen Berries
FAQ
How do you freeze fresh fruit pies?
What pies should not be frozen?
Can you freeze a pie that has been baked?
Can You Freeze Fruit pies?
Freeze. Store in the freezer. If your pie had already been baked, you can keep it frozen in the freezer for a maximum of 4 months. If your pie has yet to be baked, it can be frozen for up to 3 months. One great thing about fruit pies is that they don’t always have to be thawed out in order to be reheated!
Can you freeze raspberries?
Yes. Raspberries can be frozen in order to preserve their freshness for a longer period of time. They can be frozen for several months (up to an average of 8 months maintaining quality).
Can you freeze a frozen pie?
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.
Are frozen fruit pies better than baked pies?
Fruit pies that have been frozen have a denser, jammier texture than those baked right out of the gate, but they still have the same thickness and consistency overall. This is also true of freshly baked pies made with frozen fruit —a great option if you don’t have space to freeze a whole pie.