Can You Freeze Pumpkin Pie? {And How to Do It!}

Every Thanksgiving, millions of people bake homemade pumpkin pies. While most will get eaten the day of or in the days following as leftovers, sometimes you may end up with leftover pumpkin pie that risks going to waste.

Instead of allowing the pie to go to waste, freezing the pumpkin pie is a great way to keep it fresh.

Frozen homemade pumpkin pie reheats and tastes just as great as it does when it is freshly baked! But, you aren't just limited to freezing homemade pies, you can also freeze grocery store or Costco pumpkin pie. Or any leftover pie to enjoy later.

It is also a fantastic way to make part of your Thanksgiving dinner before the day of. Not having to worry about making the pumpkin pie frees up more time for you on Thanksgiving day, not to mention frees up some much needed oven space on the big day..

If you are freezing your pumpkin pie, you'll want to make sure to avoid freezer burn, a soggy crust, and other undesirable outcomes.

How to Freeze Pumpkin Pie?

Before freezing a pumpkin pie, you will need to ensure that the entire pie is thoroughly cooled to room temperature.

If not, you risk condensation forming on the top of the pie during the freezing process. If this happens, your pie could become runny or mushy when thawed.

Your pie crust is especially vulnerable to condensation build-up and will turn to mush if it becomes wet.

Once the pie has been cooled, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap.

Do not wrap so tightly that you damage the crust, but it does need to be covered well enough to protect it. Ideally, this layer helps to protect your pumpkin pie from getting poked or otherwise damaged.

Next, wrap it with a second piece of plastic wrap to create an additional barrier. The second layer of plastic wrap helps to protect your pie from any funky smells that may be trapped in your freezer.

Finally, wrap the entire pie with a piece of aluminum foil. Add a label and freeze on a flat surface. Try to get the pie as level as possible, because if the pie freezes while leaning, it can cause the pumpkin pie filling to shift.

You can freeze the pumpkin pie like this for up to a month.

Can I Freeze Pumpkin Pie Slices?

Yes, you can freeze individual pumpkin pie slices. This is a great way to save some remaining pie that you don't want to waste, but everybody is too full to eat.

The process is the same, with the only exception being that you slice the pie first. This method is best for better portion control than freezing an entire pie can give you.

How to Thaw Frozen Pumpkin Pie

Thawing a frozen pumpkin pie is as easy as freezing it is.

To thaw, remove the frozen, wrapped pie from the freezer and remove the foil and both layers of plastic wrap. Do not leave the plastic wrap on the pie, as it can again create a condensation issue.

Place the pie on a flat surface in the fridge for a slow thaw. Your pie will take between four and eight hours to thaw thoroughly.

If you prefer to heat your pumpkin pie, you can either pop it back in the oven on the warm setting or use your microwave oven.

Microwave it in 30-second increments until the entire dish is warm.

If using the warm oven setting, be mindful of the outer crust. It can burn very quickly.

Once thawed, serve as you normally would with a dollop of whipped cream!

Tips

Use disposable pie pans for the pumpkin pie you plan to freeze. These pans will help the pie freeze faster because they are thinner. This faster freezing helps to prevent large ice crystals from forming in the pie.

Check out these holiday season favorites:

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread Recipe
Pumpkin Dip & Pie Crust Chips
Pumpkin Breakfast Recipe Ideas