Does Apple Pie Need to Be Refrigerated? How to Store It?

Have leftovers from Christmas or Thanksgiving? Or did you buy a lot of pie and now you can’t finish it? Regardless of the case, it is hard to say no to apple pies. It is a must-have item and an excellent finisher for any meal. Today I shall teach you all that you need to know about storing apple pies, how to refrigerate them, and more.

First of all, you need to know if your apple pie is still good or not.

How to Tell if Apple Pie Has Gone Bad?

To tell whether your apple pie is still safe to eat or not, you must rely on your senses. Look over the following:

1. Storage period: Even if they appear so appetizing, apple pie leftovers that have been sitting in the refrigerator for a week or more are definitely not safe. Discard them.
2. Look at the Filling and Surface of the Pie: Apple pie that has gone bad can have mold or fungal growth, and discoloration. And no, it isn’t a good idea to chop off the moldy area because mold can easily go within the filling. Simply toss it away.
3. Smell the Apple Pie: Discard your apple pie if it smells foul, such as fermenting or something like that.
4. Taste It: The pie will likely be fine if everything looks and smells well. But you can do the final check by tasting a tiny bit of it. If it doesn’t taste as it should, you know what to do, right? Discard them.

Discard the pie and throw it away if you see any of these signs. Eating such a thing can make you very sick, and in the worst-case scenarios, it could also mean a trip to the hospital. Also, it is always good to throw away rotting food as it can cross-contaminate and spoil your other food products.

Now that you know if your pie is still good or not let’s see how you can store it.

Does Apple Pie Need to be Refrigerated?        

Apple pies that don’t require refrigeration or freezing:

1. Store-bought and mass-produced: The reason for that is that usually, store-bought pies have a lot of sugar and sugary substances. Sugar acts as a preservative. So you can easily keep them outside the fridge in airtight containers or pie domes.

2. Not custard or egg-based: If your apple pie does not have any eggs in it and is not egg-based, you can keep it in your kitchen/dining table, etc., without spoiling it.

Apple pies that must be refrigerated or frozen:

1. Raw or uncooked: If you prepared some apple pie beforehand, you can and should freeze it directly inside the freezer. Wrap the pie in cling film or aluminum foil and freeze it.

2. Egg-based or custard-based: If your pie has eggs, you must refrigerate it if you plan on finishing it soon. If you want to store it for a long time, freeze it in the freezer. Use airtight containers or cling film to store it.

3. Without sugar: If the apple pie is made without sugar or is made with a sugar substitute like Splenda or Equal, then you need to refrigerate it.

Egg-based products or products that contain eggs usually need to be refrigerated. According to food safety and hygiene rules, products containing eggs must be refrigerated if they are not to be consumed immediately.

Is Apple Pie OK Left Out Overnight?

Yes, it’s OK to let an apple pie sit out overnight at room temperature if it has sugar in it. According to the USDA, sugar-filled fruit pies can be kept at room temperature for up to two days.

If you are keeping your apple pie out overnight, put it in a pie carrier to prevent it from drying out, or properly wrap the pie in foil or plastic. However, after two days, the delicious dessert should then be placed in the refrigerator to prevent spoilage.

Can You Freeze Apple Pie?

All standard fruit pies such as apple pie, pumpkin pie, and pecan pie freeze quite well. Simply, wrap the apple pie tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil or slice the pie and put the pieces in an airtight container to store in the freezer. It will last more than 4 months in the freezer.

However, avoid storing apple pies made with cream, eggs, custard, or dairy in the freezer because the temperature will change their taste and texture.

How to Store Apple Pie?

Storing apple pie is very easy and you can do it in many ways. But the ingredients it was made with and how it was made decide how to store it properly.

In the case of uncooked apple pies, you must freeze them. On the other hand, cooked apple pies can be kept both outside or inside the fridge based on what ingredients were used. Let us further look into this:

How to Store Unbaked Apple Pie?

In the fridge: Unbaked apple pies can be stored in the fridge for up to two days. Use plastic wrap or aluminum foil to cover the pie properly. 

In the Freezer: For freezing, you need to wrap the unbaked pie carefully in plastic or aluminum foil, or you can place it in an airtight container or a freezer bag and seal it.  

How to Store Baked Apple Pie?

On the counter: To store an apple pie made without dairy or eggs at room temperature, Put it in an airtight container or carefully wrap it in plastic or aluminum foil.

In the fridge: To store the pie in the fridge, put your pie in an airtight container and store it for up to two days.

In the freezer: If you have made pie ahead of time and want to freeze it, first allow it to cool completely, then go for storing. By doing this, warm air won’t be trapped and can’t create moisture. Once the pie cools down, wrap the pie tightly in plastic wrap in two layers and then in one layer of aluminum foil. Then place it in an airtight container.

To freeze leftover apple pie, simply wrap the pie tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and put it in the airtight container.

Different Ways of Covering Apple Pie

You can cover your apple pie in many ways, such as-

• Use the pie pan’s lid if you store the apple pie in a pie pan (if it comes with one).
• Use a pie carrier.
• place a bowl on top of the apple pie.
• Wrap the pie top in foil or plastic.

Tip 1 : You can directly bake frozen uncooked apple pies or any other pies.

Tip 2 : Allow refrigerated pies to reach room temperature before consuming them.

Tip 3 : You can even microwave it and add a scoop of your favorite ice cream on top for a naughty twist.

Tip 4 : If you don’t plan on storing your pie for a long time; you can refrigerate it in the pan you cooked it in.

How Long Does Apple Pie Last?

How long does apple pie last inside the fridge or freezer?

Condition	Refrigerator	Freezer
Whole apple pie	Up to a week	Up to 4 months
Leftover apple pie	2 to 4 days	Up to 4 months

How long does apple pie last outside the fridge?

• If kept airtight, apple pies can last up to 2 days outside the fridge.

• Alternatively, you can place it in pie domes, which can last for 2-3days.

How to Defrost Frozen Apple Pie?

Apple pies can be defrosted in the refrigerator or on the counter.

• If you want to defrost at room temperature, it will take an hour to two depending on the pie size.
• If you want to use the refrigerator to thaw the pie, leave the pie inside the fridge at night and it will be ready the next day.

Note: You should eat the pie immediately if you defrost the pie on the counter. On the other hand, the pie can stay in the refrigerator for another day or so. That implies that the refrigerator is the best option if you’re defrosting a sizable portion.

Tip: If you want to eat warm apple pie, use an oven to defrost and reheat it. Set the oven to 375°F (190°C) or even lower and place the pie inside immediately after you turn on the oven. After around 20 minutes, check on the pie to see if it’s warm or not.

You may also like: Does Pumpkin Pie Need To Be Refrigerated

Some FAQ

To Conclude

If you have leftover apple pie, they won’t last long. Not because they will go bad, but because someone is bound to eat them on sight. But if you do wish to store them for a few days, I hope the information I provided will prove to be helpful. If you have easy and tasty apple pie recipes, please share them with me.