Photo courtesy of Paige Burns Clark
Pumpkin pie is the classic Thanksgiving desert.
Making pies and other desserts by preparing and freezing them ahead of time can be a great way to space out holiday meal prep and make the holidays more relaxing. Unbaked pies can be frozen for four months while baked pies can be frozen longer, for six months. But can you freeze any kind of pie? Not necessarily!
Custard pies, meringue pies and cream pies typically do not freeze well. These pies contain quite a bit of water which can result in separation after thawing. Pumpkin, pecan and fruit pies can all be frozen before baking, although both pumpkin and pecan pies are both technically considered custard pies. Pecan does well when frozen both before and after baking. Although pumpkin can be frozen, better results may be achieved through freezing the pumpkin and/or the crust separately, or this may be the dessert you make fresh for the holiday meal.
Fruit pies are best frozen unbaked. Leave any finishing touches, like cutting slits in the top or covering with an egg wash, until it is time to bake. If you are baking your fruit pie before freezing, consider using a different thickener like quick-cooking tapioca instead of cornstarch. It is fine to use cornstarch if freezing before baking. If you are unsure if your pie recipe will work, do a trial run! It just means more pies to eat, and no one will complain about that.
When ready to bake your pie, whether frozen or fresh, place a cookie sheet in your oven and preheat to 425 degrees (it is important to have the cookie sheet in the oven while preheating). A frozen pie should go into the oven unthawed. The cookie sheet helps cook the bottom of the pie and prevents it from getting soggy. It also catches any bubbling over that may occur, keeping your oven cleaner. If your pie is frozen, bake at 425 for the first 15-20 minutes and then turn down to 350 degrees until done. The total baking time will be at least 20 minutes longer than the directions indicate for an unfrozen pie.
After baking or serving your delicious pie, store it in the refrigerator unless it is a fruit pie, such as berry, apple, or cherry pies. Fruit pies are safe for the counter because the acidity of the fruit and high sugar content makes it difficult for bacteria to grow. Just keep them covered before serving to prevent contamination.
If you choose to buy pies, anything that is room temperature at the store is safe to store on the counter. However, all pies will last longer and be safer if they are refrigerated.
On Turkey Day, focus on the fowl and prepare your pies weeks ahead of time. The holidays will look different this year. What will the look like? Who knows! But hopefully there will still be pie!
N.C. Cooperative Extension of Richmond County’s goal is to provide the residents of the community with research-based knowledge. For more information on food safety, health, wellness, and nutrition please contact the Family and Consumer Sciences Agent, Janice Roberts, MS at 910-997-8255.
Janice Roberts is the Family and Consumer Science Agent for the Richmond County Cooperative Extension.