Can You Freeze Pecan Pie?

With Thanksgiving getting closer and closer, your mind is sure to have started thinking about what food you will have.

To save some time on the big day, we will tell you how to freeze the classic pecan pie.

This will save you a lot of time and stress on the day, as all you will need to do is thaw.

If you follow our instructions and freeze your pecan pie correctly, it can last for ip to 4 months in the freezer.

For best quality, we advise consuming within 2 months.

How to freeze pecan pie

Usually, there is not much point in freezing storebought pecan pie as it has a long shelf life and keeps well in the refrigerator. However, with Covid about we are all limiting how much we leave the house. This year you may well find yourself buying a pecan pie in advance and freezing it. 

To avoid the strain of making a pastry case, you can do this part in advance. Simply roll out pastry and blind bake in the oven. This means baking just the empty pie case to cook the pastry and give it less chance of going soggy. This method involves weighing down the base of the pie case with parchment paper and baking beans. 

Remove the pastry from the oven once cooked and allow to cool. Wrap well in aluminium foil and place in a labeled ziplock bag. Freeze until the day before you wish to serve the pecan pie. 

To freeze a storebought pecan pie, the first thing that you must do is to wrap it tightly in aluminum foil. Once you have completed this, place the wrapped pie in a ziplock freezer bag. Ensure it is labeled clearly with the contents and date frozen.

Homemade pecan pie contains no preservatives, unlike the storebought ones, and will go off much faster. Once you have baked the pie, leave to rest on a wire cooling rack until completely cold. 

Wrap well in aluminum foil or several layers of plastic wrap. Ensure all areas of the pie are covered to prevent freezer burn. Place in a labeled ziplock freezer bag and place it in the freezer to store.

You can also freeze unbaked pecan pies in baked pastry cases. Make your filling and pour into a cooled and baked pastry case. Place level in the freezer and allow it to sit for up to 4 hours.

Once the filling has frozen solid, take the pie out of the freezer and wrap in 2 layers of plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Place in a labeled ziplock freezer bag and return it to the freezer.

How to defrost pecan pie

To defrost the empty pastry case, you must remove it from the freezer the day before you want to serve the pecan pie. Place in the refrigerator and leave to thaw completely. Make your pecan pie filling and pour into the defrosted pastry. Bake as usual and serve. 

To thaw baked and filled pecan pies, simply remove from the freezer the day before you wish to consume. Place in the refrigerator and allow to thaw completely.

If you like your pecan pie at room temperature, allow the pie to sit on the countertop for up to 2 hours. If you prefer it warm, use a medium heat on the microwave or heat gently in the oven before serving.

To warm and thaw a baked pie, remove from the freezer and take off all the wrappings. Place in an oven preheated to a low temperature. Allow to warm through for around 20 to 30 minutes.

To thaw and bake an uncooked pecan pie, remove it from the freezer and take off the wrappings. Place in the oven at the temperature specified in your recipe. Leave it to cook for 30 minutes longer than the recipe says.

Factors to consider before freezing pecan pie

It is important to allow homemade pecan pies to cool completely before wrapping it. This is because the steam given off by the warm pie will condense on the wrapping. This will form water droplets which will then fall onto your pie. This could result in freezer burn or a soggy pie. 

At the same time, we do not advise leaving your pie to sit at room temperature for longer than a couple of hours. This is because the filling is egg-based and very prone to giving you food poisoning. Keeping the filling warm promotes bacterial growth so try and minimize this where possible.

We do not recommend freezing pecan pie with any toppings such as whipped cream and ice cream. These will freeze and thaw differently to the pecan pie and will not lead to a good result. Simply whip up some cream when the pie is fully thawed, or pull some ice cream from the freezer. 

We highly recommend double wrapping any pecan pie that you are planning on storing in the freezer. This is particularly important if you intend to freeze the pie for an extended period of time. The extra layer of insulation helps to protect the pecan pie from forming freezer burn.

We do not recommend refreezing thawed pecan pie. The temperature changes provide a good environment for bacterial growth and you run the risk of getting food poisoning.  It will also drastically impact the flavor and texture profile of the pecan pie.

Summary

As far as pies go, pecan pie is one of the most suited to freezing. The robust filling thaws well and once warmed, no one will be able to tell it has ever been frozen.

Allow the pie to cool completely prior to freezing, and ensure that you double wrap it. This will minimize the risk of freezer burn forming. Pecan pie will keep in the freezer for up to 4 months, but we advise consuming within 2.

Follow our tips to have a stress free Thanksgiving dinner, in a world where stress has become the norm.

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Hi there! My name is Caroline Stevens, and I am an American mom of three wonderful children. I started this blog to help everyday families be more sustainable and save money by preventing food waste. I currently live in Wisconsin, and enjoy crafting, cooking at home, and traveling. I have a degree in art and previously worked in the restaurant business.