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How to Reheat a Frozen Pie

How to Reheat a Frozen Pie in 3 Ways (Updated)

Last Updated on April 22, 2024 by Lori Walker

A delicious pie is simply unmatched, and while the urge to devour the whole pie can be compelling, we usually decide to save it in the freezer for future enjoyment.

In this post, we will teach you how to reheat a frozen pie with detailed reheating instructions to avoid the crust from getting burnt and very dry. 

Top 3 Ways to Reheat a Frozen Pie 

Freezer-Prep Chicken Pot Pie

1. Reheat Using Oven

Reheat a frozen pie in the oven at 350°F for 15 minutes or until warm. It is best to thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before you reheat it. 

Preheat the oven to 350 before you reheat a leftover frozen pie. Make sure you remove the plastic wrap and place the pie on a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Thawing is necessary for a baked frozen pie to prevent the crust from burning while baking. 

The oven method can be used for frozen fruit pies, custard pies, meat pies, pumpkin pies, and savory pies.  

A toaster oven can also help reheat pies; however, since your pie is close to the heating coils of a toaster oven, you must put aluminum foil on top to prevent the top crust from burning. 

But how can you reheat frozen cinnamon rolls?

2. Reheat Using Microwave

If you are in a hurry, you can reheat frozen pie with a microwave oven; however, your frozen baked fruit pie may have a soggy bottom, or the pie crust can be hard or overly dry. 

Place pie on a microwave-safe dish. Heat it in a two-minute interval on medium power until it reaches the desired temperature.  

We recommend thawing your frozen baked pies because the microwave’s heat can be uneven [1]. Please do not use the microwave for an unbaked pie because it will only give you a soggy pie. 

3. Use an Air Fryer to Reheat It

The air fryer can be your best buddy to reheat a pie if you want a flaky crust. However, if you heat a whole pie, ensure it will fit in the air fryer basket. 

You can use it to reheat one or two slices of baked pie. Since the air is moving around, it can make the crust flaky and prevent it from burning. 

“Stress cannot exist in the presence of a pie”

– David Mamet, Author

Remove the pie from the freezer and defrost it in the fridge overnight. Reheat it for eight minutes at 330 °F. 

Repeat the process at a 4-minute interval until the pie reaches 140° internal temperature.

The air fryer method can reheat custard, fruit, and meat pies. Check out these simple ways to reheat bread in an air fryer here.

Different Pies & Best Way to Reheat Them

Frozen Baked Custard Pie

Custard pies are usually served at room temperature or cold, so if you want to reheat them, you can use a microwave. 

Custard pies don’t usually have a crispy crust, so there’s nothing wrong with reheating pies in the microwave. 

Get a microwave-safe plate and place the pie on top with a paper towel or plate. Reheat in a two-minute interval until it reaches your desired temperature.  

Frozen Baked Fruit or Apple Pie

If you plan to reheat a leftover apple pie or a baked fruit pie, use an oven with a baking sheet.

A frozen apple pie usually comes with a top crust, so an oven can help you achieve that flaky texture. 

Put aluminum foil on the apple pie to ensure the crust doesn’t burn. 

Heat pie at 350°F for 15 minutes to 30 minutes. Once the whole pie is baked through, remove the foil for 2 minutes to make the crust crispy. 

Read: What Makes Your Apple Pie Watery?

Frozen Baked Meat or Chicken Pot Pie

Reheat a chicken pot or meat pie in the oven for even heat and a crispy top. Reheat the cooked meat pie and chicken pot pie for 25 to 30 minutes or until it reaches the proper temperature (140°). 

If you heat individual slices of baked meat pie, you can use the microwave for two to four minutes. 

Frozen Baked Pumpkin Pie

You can use an oven to reheat a frozen baked pumpkin pie. Remove the pie from the freezer to defrost. Reheat the pie slices for 10 to 15 minutes until it is ready. 

If you reheat the pie slice in the microwave, top it off with a paper towel so the filling will not splatter.  

How Do You Reheat a Slice of Frozen Pie?  

slice of pie on a plate

You can use a toaster oven or an air fryer to reheat a slice of baked pie. You don’t need to heat a whole oven for a slice of pie because it’s a waste of time. 

Reheat it in the toaster for 5-7 minutes or until it is ready. A slice of pie is prone to burning since it is easier to get hot, so pay attention. 

You can also reheat a single slice of pie in the microwave for 2 minutes. Please pay attention to the filling of the pie slice that can be runny when it’s too hot.  

How Long Should You Reheat Frozen Pie? 

ProcedureCustard PieFruit PiePumpkin PieMeat Pie
Oven10 to 15 minutes10 to 15 minutes10 to 15 minutes25 to 30 minutes
Microwave2 minutes4 minutes or more2 minutes4 minutes or more  
Air Fryer4 minutes5 to 10 minutes5 to 10 minutes25 to 30 minutes

Tips & Tricks When Reheating a Frozen Pie 

  • Use a foil or heat shield when reheating a pie to prevent over-browning.
  • Please do not set the temperature too high or reheat it too long. 
  • Do not thaw the pie on the countertop to avoid a soggy crust.  

FAQs 

Can you freeze and reheat a cooked pie?

Yes, you can freeze and reheat a cooked pie. You can put it in the freezer for six months. 

How do you microwave a pie without it getting soggy?

To microwave a pie without getting soggy, wrap the pie in a dry paper towel when heating to absorb the moisture. 

How long will it take to thaw a pie?

Thawing a pie in the fridge will take 12 – 24 hours. It will help if you don’t over-thaw your pie to avoid the sogginess of the crust. 

What kinds of pie are best to freeze?

Pumpkin, fruit, meat, egg, and vegetable pies are best to freeze and reheat well. Chocolate, cream, and custard do not because they can be watery when defrosted. 

Wrap It Up

You can reheat a frozen pie using the oven, microwave, and air fryer. The oven works best because it can give you a flaky and crispy crust.  

Microwave works because you can quickly reheat the pie but reheat it in intervals [2]. However, it is prone to sogginess. 

Do not reheat pie directly from the freezer; we recommend thawing it overnight. You can choose a toaster oven or microwave if you reheat a pie slice. 

References:

  1. https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200714-is-it-safe-to-microwave-food 
  2. https://www.foodnetwork.com/how-to/packages/food-network-essentials/the-best-way-to-reheat-leftovers-in-the-microwave 
Lori Walker

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