You’re likely to enjoy pies as much as Dean Winchester if you love the TV series Supernatural.
Although apple pie and pizza may be the most popular in popularity polls, cherry tarts are highly regarded not only in North America but all over the world.
It’s always nice to have a special occasion item on hand when something is so good. The million-dollar question now is:
Is it possible to freeze cherry pie? You can freeze cherry pie batter, either baked or unbaked. The filling can be frozen separately. Frozen baked pies can be stored for up to 6 months. Unbaked pies can last for up to 4 months. The filling will usually last between 3 and 4 months if it is properly stored.
Cherry pies can be frozen for longer periods of time if they are your favourite.
You can either freeze baked cherry pies to thaw, or you can bake the pie fresh from the freezer.
This article will cover everything you need to know about freezing and baking pies, not just cherry pie. Let’s get started by looking at all you need to know about freezing cherry pie!
Why to Freeze Cherry Pies
It’s simple to make your life easier by freezing cherry pie. Many people don’t have time to bake fresh pies every day or every day that they desire, even if they love pie.
Also, you can freeze pies to prepare for busy holidays.
You don’t have to spend much time in the kitchen to feed your large family during holidays. Just think about how much you could spend time with your family instead of working in the kitchen.
Cherry pie can be frozen in two ways.
You can make cherry pie ahead-of-time by using
- Bake large quantities of pies and place them in the deep freeze.
- The crust and filling can be frozen separately, but not baked.
Fortunately, both methods are quite simple. Below are the details to ensure a perfect freezing of your precious pies.
How to Freeze Cherry Pie
It’s easy to freeze cherry pies if you know what you are doing. Here are the details. Step-by-step instructions will be given on how to make whole cherry pie from frozen baked or unbaked whole cherries.
If you prefer fresh pie crusts, we’ll show you how to freeze the filling separately.
How to Freeze Baked Cherry Pie
The easiest method of freezing a baked cherry pie is to freeze it. To prevent burns and smells, you can make a cherry pie the same way as before and then freeze it in a safe and secure place.
How to freeze a pie (cherry or other):
- Make sure your pie is properly cooled.
- Wrap the cherry pie with aluminum foil or plastic wrap, keeping it in a container or pan. You shouldn’t wrap it too tightly around the pie. However, you shouldn’t leave too much room.
- Wrap them once you are done wrapping. Place each pie in a freezer bag so that it is sealed tightly.
- If possible, stack the pies without damaging the tops. This will prevent them from being squished in your freezer.
To protect the bottom and sides of the pie while it is in the freezer, wrap it in a sturdy pan. To protect the top of your pie, if you plan to freeze it for longer than a few days, a pie pan with lid is a good choice.
A lidded pie container can trap air in your treat, but it is better than accidentally ruining it later when you go to the freezer!
A baked cherry pie can be frozen for up until 6 months.
How to Freeze UnBaked Cherry Pie
The unbaked cherry pie freezing process is the identical to the above steps. However, your pie won’t need cooling as it hasn’t been baked yet.
Wrap your unbaked pie in foil or plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag to protect it.
When you freeze unbaked cherry pie, the most important thing to remember is that adjustments will need to be made when baking it.
- To make the filling even more, add 1/2 cup cornstarch. Alternativly, you could use 1 tablespoon flour.
- Before you add the cherry filling, make sure to add more flour or cornstarch to the bottom of your pie shell.
After you have shaped your pie, place it into a pan. Wrap it and place in a freezer bag. Freeze it for up until 4 months
How To Freeze Cherry Pie Filling
You can freeze the filling only if you don’t wish to bake or assemble a cherry pie. Or, you can freeze the crust separately.
The best way to enjoy cherry pie all year is to freeze only the fruit pie filling. This makes the pie crust fresher and eliminates the risk of your pie getting squashed in the freezer.
This process is slightly different than storing fully baked or unbaked cherry pie pies. It only requires a few extra preservatives.
How to freeze cherry pie filling.
- Add 1/2 teaspoon of cornstarch when making the cherry pie filling. You can also use 1-2 tablespoons flour. This preserves it.
- Let cool the filling completely after you have finished cooking it.
- Transfer the chilled filling into an airtight, freezer safe container. Choose a container that can hold the filling and has a minimum of space.
- Place the label on the container and freeze for 3 to 4-months.
The filling can also be frozen by placing it in a foil-lined baking pan and freezing for several hours. Once it has solidified, remove the frozen block of filling and wrap it with foil.
Important to remember that cherry pie filling will freeze faster than a baked cherry tart.
How to Thaw Cherry Pie
Before you can heat, bake, and enjoy your lovingly frozen cherry pie, it needs to be thawed!
How to bake frozen cherry pie in whole, half, or pieces:
- Allow the pie to thaw for at least 24 hours before storing it in the refrigerator.
- After the foil/plastic wrap has thawed completely, you can remove it.
- Bake the pie in the oven at 350°F on a tray made of steel. If you are making a prebaked pie, make sure to check it after a few minutes. You just want the filling warm and bubbly. Follow the instructions for baking pie.
- Let the pie cool for a while. Enjoy!
A other way to thaw frozen pre-baked cherry pie is to use a low heat setting in the oven. Instead of thawing the pie in the fridge, unwrap it and place it directly into the oven for baking at 300F for one hour.
To Thaw and Bake Cherry Filling. Let it thaw in a refrigerator overnight or longer. Then, assemble the pie and bake according to instructions.
If you have prepared the filling separately before baking the pie, it is best to do so. This is especially true if the crust has been at room temperature.
If you need more tips to enjoy any frozen pie delight, we also offer a complete guide for thawing or defrosting.
Tips for Freezing Cherry Pies
There are a few things you should remember when freezing cherry pie pies for the first-time.
Pies can be tricky to preserve. Many novice baking enthusiasts don’t know the ‘do’s’ and ‘don’ts’ of freezing cherry pies.
Most pies that are fully baked can be frozen. These dos and don’ts can be applied to chess pies and sweet potato pie as well as nut pies such pecan and custard pies and fruit pies such apple, peach and mixed berry pies.
Do High-Quality Wrappers
High-quality wrappers are necessary to freeze the cherry pies that you have made. This will ensure that they last as long as possible.
Aluminum foil is the most obvious choice, but you can also use plastic freezer wrap or a heavy-duty freezer bag.
Do Throw away bad and spoiled pies.
You can be sure that one or two of the pies might get moldy, spoiled or not wrapped correctly.
They are no longer safe for consumption.
Do: If you can, store the pie in the deep freeze
Many refrigerators have a deep fridge or deep freeze unit. Although they may not be as efficient as dedicated deep freezers that can generate very low temperatures, it is still an option.
You should preserve your cherry pies in a deep freeze at 10-15degF. This will guarantee a preservation time between 6-8 months or longer depending on the temperature.
Don’t worry if your freezer is not large enough. You can keep your pies for up to six months.
Do not: Pre-baked pies should be frozen with cornstarch as the filling
Unbaked cherry pie pies should be frozen with some cornstarch or flour. However, pies that are frozen after being baked shouldn’t have this extra!
This often useful ingredient is made up of thick molecules which can cause to leak from the pie after it has been frozen. Pie filling can become ruined because the starch is broken down during heating.
It is fine if the pie is still warm from the oven, but it can cause serious problems if it has been frozen and then reheated.
This does not apply to cherry pies only, but all kinds of fruit and custard pie.
If you’re going to prebake, you can use cornstarch instead.
Do not freeze pies containing gelatin
Cherry pies taste best when warm. It’s best not to use gelatin if you don’t plan to eat frozen cherry pie.
Gelatin, just like cornstarch can also leak into the filling making it runny. This can ruin the flavor and cause the filling to become rancid. Only a handful of types of pies, such as lime pies, can be frozen.
Do not Keep it out.
Cherry pies won’t keep for very long at room temperature, so make sure to store them in cool and dry areas. If the pie is not wrapped in aluminum foil, it will be inedible within two days.
Even if you cover it with aluminum foil, once it has thawed, the expiration date will not be extended by storing it in a refrigerator for more than four to five business days.
Freshly baked cherry pies will have the same refrigeration limit if placed in a regular refrigerator instead of a deep one.
Cherry Pies For Every Season - Freezing Review
You can now satisfy your cravings for warm cherry pie during December by following these steps.
If you have the time and patience to bake many pies, freezing them will save you lots of time and effort throughout the year.
Give it a try and you will enjoy the delicious cherry pies year round!
