Can pecan pie be frozen? This is a valid question to ask if you have been thinking of how to preserve your pecan pie.
Pecan is a delicious and easy-to-make pie and this has made it a common meal for a lot of people during holidays and even on normal days.
There are different reasons to freeze your pies. It could happen that you made a large number of pies that resulted in leftovers.
Of course, you wouldn’t want to waste them, hence the perfect solution is to freeze your pecan pies.
If you are wondering, ‘can you freeze a cooked pecan pie?’ you have come to the right article.
I will show you why you should freeze your pecan pies and how to freeze them.
Yes! Pecan pie can be frozen as a method of preservation. If you follow the due process to freeze your pecan pie, it would taste as crispy and delicious as though they were freshly baked.
Why Do You Need To Freeze Pecan Pie?
You may be curious to know what could make you freeze a Pecan pie.
Well, everyone knows Pecan pie as a dessert that is traditionally eaten during Christmas and thanksgiving in American homes.
Pecan pie is a simple and delicious pie that is made from pie shells, pecan, sugar, eggs, butter, cornstarch, corn syrup, and water.
Freezing is generally a popular method for preserving foods and most perishables, which pecan pies aren’t exempted from.
Now, let us discuss if your baked pie can be frozen when you have leftovers.
Tip: Try not to overbeat your eggs so they don’t get too puffy when they are out of the oven.
Can A Baked Pie Be Frozen?
Baked pies can be frozen for as long as six months. Freezing your baked pie will make your delicious dessert available to you whenever you want to eat it.
You can purposely bake your pies and freeze them for later. It simply makes your cooking cheaper, faster, and easier.
Double-crust pies can be baked and frozen and then reheated when you want to eat them.
Some good examples of baked pies that can be frozen are Pumpkin pie, potato pie, custard pie, and fruit pies.
But take note that the longer you freeze, the lesser the quality will be when you are finally ready to consume.
It is advisable not to freeze your pies longer than four months. After that period, the quality starts to decline.
The spoilage bacteria start to spoil your pie and instead of having a delicious pie after defrosting, you will be left with a sour and spoilt pie.
The next question, ‘can a baked Pecan pie be frozen’ will be answered in the paragraph below.
So, Can Pecan Pie Be Frozen? ? Yes! It Can
Just like almost all the other traditional pies, pecan pie can be frozen. You can either freeze the cooked or the uncooked pies.
It is better to freeze uncooked pecan pies and bake them after defrosting although this is not a common practice.
People tend to freeze cooked pecan pies more often.
Pecan fries freeze better than other pies because of their dense nature and their high fat and sugar content.
It is highly packed with pecans and corn starch which has made it a low water content pie.
How To Freeze A Cooked Pecan Pie?
You can freeze a cooked pecan pie for up to three months. After then, the quality starts to decline.
There are necessary steps in freezing your cooked pecan pies that would make them last longer in the freezer and keep the smell and taste intact.
Step #1: Prepare Your Pecan Pies
After cooking, ensure that your pecan pie is cool before freezing. You can place it inside the fridge to hasten the process until the pie becomes cool.
You can freeze your pecan pie as a whole or slice it into smaller portions.
Step #2: Get The Containers
Put your pecan pie in an airtight container or bag and ensure that you do not put more than one pie inside one bag.
You can double the bags for extra protection against freezer burns and use a vacuum to get rid of extra air and seal it completely.
If you don’t have a bag or container, you can wrap your pies with aluminum foil.
Step #3: Freeze Them
You need to label your bags with dates to notify you of the expiration period.
Arrange them in the coldest part of your freezer. Do not stack too many pies on top of each other.
Also, make sure to place them in a good place where they can’t be tampered with to avoid them breaking up.
Quick Tip: Always check on your pie from time to time to ensure that the containers are not opened because open containers can lead to a compromised taste for your pies.
How To Freeze An Uncooked Pecan Pie?
The best method to preserve your pecan pies is to freeze them before baking.
It would preserve its flaky nature and you would meet your pie as crusty as a newly baked pie. Besides, it stays longer in the freezer when uncooked than when cooked.
Do not forget that the optimal time to leave your uncooked pecan pies in the freezer is two months.
You can extend it for three or four months but ensure it does not exceed this period before cooking if you still desire a healthy pecan pie.
Follow these useful tips to freeze your uncooked pecan pie.
Step #1: Prepare Your Pies
Prepare your dough normally and make pie shells as if you were about to bake it.
If your fillings have been cooked before freezing, ensure it cools completely before filling your pie shells with them.
Do not put egg wash or sugar sprinkles on your pie, you can hold on for now until it is out of the freezer.
Step #2: Pack Your Pies
Put your pie in a plastic wrap or an airtight container to protect it from odor or liquid contamination.
Also, make sure all parts of the pie are entirely covered.
Tip: You can also use a Ziploc bag to pack your pies.
Step #3: Freeze Your Pies
Label the bags and place them on a flat surface in the chilliest part of the freezer.
Quick Tip: Before you put your uncooked pie in a plastic bag or container, try to freeze the pie shells for a few hours to enable them to get hard so it does not crumble while putting them in the bag.
How To Cook Pecan Pies From Frozen State
The amazing thing is that you can cook pecan pie from frozen. You do not have to go through the long process of thawing for long hours and overnight.
This makes your work easier and faster.
Although it is recommended to allow your pies to thaw at room temperature for 20 minutes before placing cooking it.
You can follow these tips to get started;
- Remove the pecan pie from the freezer
- Let it sit for 15-20 minutes to remove some moisture
- Remove all bags and wrappings and place them inside a baking pan.
- Set your Oven to 350^F
- Put your pie into the oven and bake for 10-15miuntes. This should be enough time to get your pie heated up.
- Remove your pie from the oven and serve.
Read Next: How To Tell If Apple Pie Is Done?
Conclusion
Can Pecan pie be frozen? The answer is yes!
It is the best way of preserving your pecan pies from spoilage. Freezing your pecan pies will make them available whenever you crave your favorite dessert.
As long as you take notes of the helpful tips and you follow the necessary directions.
You can always freeze your pecan pies with the assurance that when you are ready to eat them, they will still be as crispy and delicious as freshly baked ones.