It’s pumpkin pie season! As the temperature cools and the air gets crisp, there’s just something about a warm and delicious dessert saved especially for this time of year. With holiday baking season in full swing, you’re probably wondering how long does pumpkin pie last in the fridge? This is your ultimate guide for how to store, keep, and reheat pumpkin pie.
A Quick Bit About Pumpkin Pie
Perhaps you’re one to carefully calculate the correct pie to people ratio to make just the right amount of pie so everyone has enough to satisfy their stomachs and palette. Or, maybe you’d rather intentionally make more than you’ll need because, well, leftover pie (and all holiday food, truthfully!) is something we look forward to every year. If you plan on having leftover pumpkin pie to eat as you please in the days following Thanksgiving, it’s important to know the proper storing methods so none of this delicious pie goes to waste!
Pumpkin pie is often made with eggs and milk, which are high in protein and moisture content. That means when baked goods containing eggs and milk are left out at room temperature, conditions are ripe for bacteria to grow. That’s why it’s necessary to properly store pumpkin pie in the refrigerator.
Imagine the disappointment if the pie you’ve been looking forward to eating (for breakfast, lunch, snack or dinner – no judgment here!) has gone bad. That would be a holiday disaster. Don’t let that happen, instead be prepared with these tips and tricks for making the most of your pumpkin pie this holiday season!
In This Article
- How Long Does Pumpkin Pie Last In The Fridge?
- How Long Does Pumpkin Pie Last In The Freezer?
- Storing Pumpkin Pie
- How To Freeze and Thaw Pumpkin Pie and Pie Filling
- How To Reheat Pumpkin Pie
- How Can You Tell If Pumpkin Pie Is Bad Or Spoiled?
- What To Do With Leftover Pumpkin Pie
- More Recipes for Holiday Baking
How Long Does Pumpkin Pie Last In The Fridge?
If you’re here we’re assuming you’re making your own pumpkin pie. But we all know how hectic things can get around the holidays. So for good measure, here are the storage guidelines for homemade, bakery and store-bought pies!
Pumpkin pies bought from bakeries likely don’t contain preservatives and should be treated like homemade pies. Freshly baked pumpkin pie can be left at room temperature for 2 hours. Keep it covered with a tea towel. After that, it needs to be refrigerated so harmful bacteria don’t grow. Bacteria grow at temperatures between 40 °F and 140 °F so when thinking about what needs to be refrigerated always consider the ingredients. Dairy and eggs will always need to be refrigerated.
So how long will delicious leftover pumpkin pie last in the fridge? Freshly baked pumpkin pie will keep for about 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Be sure to wrap the leftover pie with foil, plastic wrap or store in an airtight container. Interested in a more earth-friendly wrap? Check out this compostable cling wrap.
If you’re wondering why you need to store pumpkin pie in the fridge if grocery stores have pies sitting out on shelves, that’s because grocery stores use preservatives in their baked goods which means it will keep at room temperature for longer. These store-bought pies can be kept on the counter until the sell by date, and 2 to 4 days in the refrigerator after this date.
What about pumpkin pie filling? Fresh pumpkin puree will last about 1 week in the fridge. Store in an airtight container. If you’ve already added the other ingredients the storage guidelines are 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Quick Bites
- Freshly baked pie max counter time is 2 hours. Cover with a tea towel.
- Freshly baked pie lasts up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Wrap tightly with foil or plastic wrap.
- Store-bought pies last up to 4 days after the sell-by date in the refrigerator.
How Long Does Pumpkin Pie Last In The Freezer?
If you’re approaching the 2-4 day mark for your fresh-baked pie and you’re worried you won’t finish it and don’t want to toss it, freeze it! Yes, pumpkin pie freezes quite well actually. For that, we’re thankful! The important part when freezing pumpkin pie is to wrap it tightly with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap and place it in a heavy-duty freezer bag. This prevents the pie from getting freezer burn and preserves the freshness.
When properly stored this way, pumpkin pie can last up to 2 months in the freezer and stay safe for eating indefinitely. The freezer time recommendation is for ‘best quality’ only, so if kept frozen, the pie will be safe. The texture may change a bit once thawed but the taste will be as good as ever.
Frozen pumpkin puree will last for about 6 months. To thaw frozen pumpkin puree, place it in the fridge overnight. You can also freeze pumpkin puree in ice cube trays to use as baby food. Allow the puree to freeze, then pop it out of the tray and store it in a plastic storage bag.
Quick Bites
- Freeze fresh-baked pie 1-4 days after baking. No longer than 4 or the pie won’t be good!
- Wrap pie tightly in foil, plastic freezer wrap or heavy-duty freezer bag.
- Best quality for texture and taste is up to 2 months in the freezer.
- If kept frozen, the pie will keep indefinitely.
How To Store Pumpkin Pie
Storing your pumpkin pie properly is a very important step and ensures that you get the maximum time to eat leftovers. Once your pie is out of the oven, be sure to let it cool completely before storing. Let cool at room temperature, uncovered. If you’re not planning to eat the pie within 2 hours, put it in the refrigerator and cover it with foil or plastic wrap. Freshly baked pumpkin pie can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Making your pumpkin pies in advance to get ahead of the game? Your planning skills are worthy of applause! Since you’ll need to freeze the pies until you’re ready to eat them, make sure to store them properly to maintain the freshness. First, let the pie cool completely at room temperature. Once cooled wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then foil as a top layer for extra protection. Store upright on a freezer shelf.
Wrapping your pie in plastic wrap or foil keeps it from drying out or getting freezer burn by keeping air out. So another alternative to storing pumpkin pie would be to place the pie in an airtight container.
Quick Bites
- Cover pies in plastic wrap, foil, and or an airtight container.
- Whatever method you choose, make sure you wrap it right to keep air from getting in and drying out your pie.
How To Freeze and Thaw Pumpkin Pie and Pie Filling
Ate too much at Thanksgiving but don’t want to throw out your delish pumpkin pie? Freeze it! Don’t let your Thanksgiving pumpkin pie go to waste! Learn the proper way to store leftover pumpkin pie in the freezer.
Or if you made pie filling but don’t plan on baking the pie in a few days, freeze that too. Portion the pie filling into freezer-safe bags and place it flat on a shelf in the freezer. When you’re ready to use it, remove it from the freezer and place in the refrigerator to thaw (usually this takes a few hours) or put the plastic bag in warm water to speed up the process.
If you’re planning to freeze your pumpkin pie, bake it in a disposable aluminum pie pan so it will freeze faster and avoid ice crystals which will ruin the texture. Cool the pie completely, uncovered, at room temperature before storing to freeze. If you don’t then steam will get trapped and moisture will accumulate under the plastic wrap. Then you’ll be left with a soggy crust instead of a crispy, flaky, delicious one.
Tightly seal the pie with multiple layers of plastic wrap. Don’t go totally overboard, three is about enough. Then top it off with one layer of foil.
Take your pie out of the freezer the day before Thanksgiving, or whenever you plan to eat it. Remove the coverings and place in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours. This allows the pie to thaw slowly which maintains the texture of the crust. Thawing at room temperature can make the crust soggy.
Quick Bites
- Planning to freeze your pie? Use a disposable aluminum pie pan to preserve texture.
- Wrap pie tightly in plastic wrap, foil and or an airtight container.
- Put pie filling in a plastic bag or air-tight container.
- Thaw in the refrigerator. Room temperature can make it soggy.
How To Reheat Pumpkin Pie
Do you want to recreate that freshly baked pie flavor? You can! Reheating in the oven gives the best results. Here’s your quick instructions for reheating pumpkin pie in the oven from the refrigerator and from the freezer.
Reheating Pumpkin Pie From the Refrigerator
- Preheat oven to 300°F.
- Remove any plastic wrap.
- Cover pie with aluminum foil.
- Place on a baking sheet.
- Put in the oven for about 10 minutes or until it’s warm enough to your liking.
- Take out and enjoy!
Reheating Pumpkin Pie From the Freezer
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Remove the pie from the aluminum baking dish and place on a baking sheet.
- Bake for about 30 minutes or until warmed through.
- Take out and enjoy!
Reheating Pumpkin Pie in the Microwave
This is the quickest way to reheat your pie, so if you’re in a rush and don’t care about a crispy, flaky crust then go with the microwave option.
- Put a slice of pie on a microwave-safe plat.
- Reheat for 30 seconds and check to see if it’s warmed to your liking.
- If not, add 10 seconds and repeat the process until warm.
- Remove and enjoy!
How Can You Tell If Pumpkin Pie Is Bad Or Spoiled?
The sweet aroma of pumpkin pie is a holiday favorite. So is the sight of a freshly baked pie gracing your kitchen counters, waiting to be eaten. You know the lovely smell of these mouthwatering pies, so you’ll also know if it smells bad. Use the time guidelines mentioned above as well to determine if it’s spoiled. And of course, if you see mold, regardless of anything else, throw it out.
Quick Bites
- Smells bad? Throw it out.
- Looks moldy? Throw it out.
What To Do With Leftover Pumpkin Pie
If you decide not to freeze your pie, here are some ideas to use your pie in new and interesting ways:
- Make a pumpkin pie milkshake! Chop up the pie, mix with vanilla ice cream, blend and enjoy. Make it boozy and add in some bourbon!
- Make pumpkin pie ice cream. Crush up the pie and fold in vanilla ice cream so the pie is evenly distributed. Store in the freezer in an airtight container.
- Pumpkin pie parfait! Chop up leftover pumpkin pie into small pieces and layer with plain yogurt, pecans and strawberries. So delicious!
More Recipes for Holiday Baking
We hope you enjoy your pumpkin pie whether it’s fresh, frozen or made into a delicious leftover treat!
Oscar says
So many great tips in this post. I loved the idea of making a milkshake or parfait with the leftovers. Great post.
Addie says
Pumpkin pie is a staple in my house! Thank you for this post all about pumpkin pie!
Colleen says
This is a very informative post! I especially like the leftover pie ideas!
Mikayla says
A very complete and informative article covering everything you need to know about storing pumpkin pie!
Erin says
So helpful! I’ve definitely been keeping it too long. Thanks for the tips!
Alex says
2 hours?! Whaaat. Whoops. I’m glad I haven’t harmed anyone. I do more like 2 days. Thanks for this post!
Ramona says
These tips are so helpful and I will definitely be using these for when I make pumpkin pie! Thank you for sharing this, I cant wait to use it!
Farrukh Aziz says
So helpful information! I love this post so much, its what I needed to know about pumpkin pie!
sara says
It sounds like it is wise to eat the pie sooner than later! I had no idea pie went bad so fast. Thanks for this helpful info for food safety this holiday!
Nicole says
This was such an informative post. Bookmarking for next thanksgiving for sure. So many great tips and tricks provided, too. I’ll say, I’m guilting of keeping my pie out way longer than 2 hours, so that will stop next time!
Naïby says
Wow! I didn’t you had to put pumpkin pie so quickly in the fridge after baking it. Thank you for all the info in this post!
Natalie says
Wow, thanks for the information shared. I was clueless about this. Pumpkin is definitely a staple in my pantry during fall and winter. Now I know better how to store it.