Make Ahead Apple Pie Filling Freezer Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Can you freeze pre made pie filling? ›

Store frozen fillings for three to four months, which conveniently coincides with the holiday baking season. Plan to freeze the filling in the pan you'll use for baking. A metal pie pan is best because it quickly conducts the cold (creating smaller ice crystals) and heat later for crispy crusts.

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.

Most pies will freeze well from a raw or cooked state. However, custard filled pies do not tend to freeze well. When freezing a fruit pie, you'll see the best results if you freeze a combination of cooked fruit filling in a raw pastry. Raw fruit filling can become watery on thawing and may require additional thickener.

To freeze an unbaked pie, wrap pie tightly or place in a plastic freezer bag (as you would a baked pie). Don't cut slits in the top crust. Unbaked fruit pies will keep in the freezer up to 3 months.

Despite what you might have read elsewhere, frozen fruit isn't any juicier than fresh, so it doesn't take any special precautions to prepare. There's no need to drain off the juices or add extra starch—simply thaw to about 50°F (10°C), and prepare the pie filling as directed.

If you have a ton of stuff in the freezer and the frozen pie will be moved around a lot, then wrap it in foil. DO NOT DEFROST THE PIE BEFORE BAKING!

Make 1 day in advance: After it cools, cover tightly and keep at room temperature. The pie crust dough can also be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Baked pie also freezes well for up to 3 months.

Don't freeze pies that use cornstarch in the filling.

Cornstarch molecules “thicken” pie fillings by trapping water as the starches are heated - but the freezing process breaks down the starch molecules. If you freeze and thaw a fruit pie thickened with cornstarch, it can “weep” and start releasing liquid.

Peel, core, and slice. If you've got apples to freeze, but no plan for their use, this is the way to go. Use later by the handful or bagful in any cooked recipes. Pies, muffins, cobblers and even applesauce can be made from frozen apples.

Be they baked or not, whole or in slices, first place the uncovered pie on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, about two hours, before wrapping in a layer or two of plastic wrap. You can then put the pie in a layer of foil, a resealable bag or an airtight container for extra insurance from freezer burn if you want.

How do you thaw frozen apple pie? ›

Start by putting your frozen fruit pie into the refrigerator the day before you plan to eat it so that it can thaw out. Letting it thaw slowly in the fridge will ensure that it's completely thawed all the way through.

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.

Pumpkin pie is a great make-ahead dessert to cross off your Thanksgiving to-do list. You can prepare and bake the pie up to two days in advance, and it will still taste great on the big day. Just make sure you store the pie in the refrigerator—not on the kitchen counter—until you are ready to serve it.

Unwrap pie and place in oven straight from freezer (do not let it thaw). Bake 25 minutes. Let stand for 30 -60 minutes if inside is still cool.

Once you open the canned filling, it should stay fresh for about 2 weeks if stored in the fridge in a closed container. If you freeze pie filling, it can extend its life for 6-8 months. Tightly seal the filling in a freezer-rated container or bag, ensuring to leave some space for expansion during freezing.

Can You Freeze Pumpkin Pie Filling, Pumpkin Puree, or Piecrust Separately? You bet! If you want to make a big batch of pumpkin pie filling using a real pumpkin or have extra puree from canned pumpkin, transfer it into a freezer-safe zip-top bag, close the bag, then press until as flat as possible.

Pumpkin, custard, or other egg/dairy-based pies can be stored in the fridge for up to four days. Pie dough can keep for two to three days in the fridge, or up to three months in the freezer. If you're making the crust and the filling ahead, keep them separated until it's time to bake your pie.

While it's entirely possible to make the complete pie filling and freeze it, have in mind these two caveats: It will only keep frozen between three and four months, and, worse, the process will make the filling more likely to crack or weep. Because of this, it's probably best to finish off the filling on baking day.