How to Reheat Apple Pie

If you’ve ever had holiday leftovers, you’ve probably wondered how to reheat apple pie without making it soggy and sad.

Sure, you could just eat it cold, but isn’t it best when it’s piping hot and slowly drowning in melting ice cream?

Your first instinct might be your trusty old microwave, and truthfully, it will get the job done. It’s also super fast and convenient. 

But, it will also be a little bit soft.

So, if you want the best out of that leftover piece of pie, your best bet is to use the oven. 

How Do You Reheat an Apple Pie in the Oven?

To reheat apple pie in the oven, start by preheating the stove to 200°F (93°C). Next, take the pie out of the fridge and put it into an oven-safe baking dish. Bake it for 15-20 minutes, until the crust is flaky and the middle is hot. Cover with foil if the edges start to burn. 

The key to reheating apple pie in the oven is to keep the temperature low and only let it bake until the pie is hot.

If you leave it too long, the crust will turn hard, and if you turn the heat up too high, the crust will burn.

If only reheating one or two slices, try wrapping the sides in foil to keep the apples and juices from falling out. Spray the foil with a bit of cooking spray first.

How to Reheat Frozen Apple Pie

I’ve made countless pies over the years, and one trick I’ve learned is to make a few at once and freeze them before a big holiday dinner. 

You can freeze them raw or cooked, though it’s easier to cook them when they’re raw.

Bake them at 335-350 degrees Fahrenheit (170176°C) on a preheated baking tray until golden (about 60-90 minutes from raw).

That said, it’s a straightforward process to reheat a cooked pie from frozen, too.

To reheat frozen apple pie, preheat the oven to 335-350°F (170-176°C) and remove the pie from the freezer. Cover the top with foil, pinching under the rim to keep it in place. Bake it for 15-20 minutes, then check the middle to see if it’s thawed and hot. If it is, bake it uncovered for 5 more minutes.

In this scenario, the pie should already be baked, so you’re just reheating it. 

If the pie is raw, you’ll need to bake it for closer to an hour to ensure the pastry cooks.

Either way, placing it on a hot tray will help the bottom cook/reheat properly.

How to Thaw Apple Pie

To thaw apple pie, remove it from the freezer and leave to slowly defrost overnight. Leave the pie wrapped, and it should be ready to bake after 12-24 hours. After 12 hours, the middle may still be frozen, but that’s ok. After 24 hours, it will be totally thawed. Bake raw pies from frozen.

You can bake frozen cooked pies if you’re short on time, but it will likely take longer, and you run the risk of overcooking the pastry.

This might lead to it being tough and dry. 

Instead, it’s best to thaw the pie so you can gently reheat it without overcooking. 

How to Reheat Apple Pie in the Microwave

To reheat apple pie in the microwave, first ensure it’s on a microwave-safe dish or plate. Next, microwave for 30-second intervals until the pie is hot all the way through. This should only take 60-90 seconds unless you’re reheating more than one slice. Leave to cool for 30 seconds and serve.

The microwave is the fastest way to reheat any food, but it’s not always the best option.

If you’ve ever tried to reheat, say, pizza, in the microwave, you’ll know it comes out kind of sad.

The same goes for pie. 

Microwaves don’t use the same kind of heat as ovens, and that can cause the pastry to turn soft.

Instead of blowing hot air around the pie, like in an oven, a microwave works by turning moisture into steam.

That moisture comes from the food, and as it steams, the pastry turns soggy. 

One way to counter this is to wrap the pie in paper towels, which absorb excess moisture.

Alternatively, reheat it in the microwave until it’s hot and then broil it for a couple of minutes to make the crust flaky. 

How to Reheat Apple Pie in the Air Fryer 

Air fryers are counter-top appliances used to cook and reheat food. But contrary to the name, there’s no frying involved. 

Air fryers work just like convection ovens, and in a way, they’re basically the same thing.

The difference is that air fryers fit on your counter and heat up much faster because they’re smaller. 

Also, since ovens are larger (even counter-top convection ovens), the fan pushing the hot air around isn’t as close to the food as an air fryer.

It’s that closeness that allows this machine to make food extra crispy.

With all that in mind, you won’t be surprised to hear that using an air fryer might be the best choice for reheating pie, especially when it’s just a slice or two. 

To reheat apple pie in the Air Fryer, preheat it to 335-350°F (170-176°C) and wrap the whole pie (or slice) in foil. Place the apple pie in the basket and bake for 5-10 minutes, depending on how deep the pie is. 

How to Reheat a Slice of Pie

Reheating a slice of pie is a little different from reheating a whole pie.

For starters, you probably won’t want to turn your oven on and preheat it for 15 minutes just for one little piece. 

So, using the microwave is probably the most straightforward option. 

However, as we’ve already established, the air fryer will heat up faster than a larger oven, and it cooks faster too.

Plus, it takes far less energy to use an air fryer than a standard size oven. 

To reheat a slice of pie, either cover it with a paper towel and microwave it in 30-second intervals or bake it in a preheated oven for 5-10 minutes at 335-350°F (170-176°C). Alternatively, wrap it in foil and bake it in an air fryer or toaster oven for 3-5 minutes. 

How Do You Reheat a Pie Without Burning the Pastry? 

If you cook a pie from frozen, it will need a lot longer in the oven. That shouldn’t be an issue if the pie was frozen raw.

However, if you’re reheating a cooked pie from frozen, it’s not uncommon to see the pastry start to burn before the middle is defrosted and hot. 

The same goes for thawed pies straight out of the fridge. Since the pastry is already cooked, it will only get darker the longer it spends in the oven. 

To reheat a pie without burning the pastry, first thaw the pie for 12-24 hours in the fridge. Then, cover the top with foil and bake it at 335-350°F (170-176°C) for 10 minutes. Finally, remove the foil and bake it for another 5 minutes.

As mentioned, you can reheat a cooked pie from frozen too.

The best way is to heat a tray in the oven (just pop it in when you turn it on to preheat), cover the pie with foil, and bake for 15-20 minutes. 

Next, check that the filling is thawed and hot (if not, bake for another 5-10 minutes), then bake it uncovered for five minutes.

Do You Have to Reheat Apple Pie?

You don’t have to reheat apple pie so long as you keep it stored in the fridge. However, cold pie does have a chewier texture, and it’s not uncommon for the pastry to absorb moisture as it sits. It depends on preference, but it’s best to reheat the pie before eating if you like flaky pastry.

The longer a pie sits in the fridge, the more the fruit juices will seep into the bottom.

That’s how you get a soggy bottom and why pies can sometimes become gummy.

If you don’t mind that texture, feel free to enjoy your pie cold. But if you don’t like it, you might want to reheat it.

How Do You Avoid a Soggy Pie?

This is the thing all bakers fear and something we’ve all been faced with. The dreaded soggy bottom!

Pastry is notoriously temperamental, and if you have fruit pie with lots of apples inside, you should expect a lot of juices. 

Even when you add cornstarch to help thicken everything, you’ll still be putting wet food onto the pastry. 

Luckily, there are a few chef tricks that can help keep your pie’s base dry and buttery.

Here’s how to avoid a soggy pie:

• When making the pastry, add the water very slowly. You’d be surprised at how far it will go, and the pastry should be a little shaggy when you put it in the fridge.
• Blind bake the pastry base. To blind bake, you’ll fill the pie dish with pastry and cover that with parchment. Then, fill the shell with rice or baking beans and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 15-20 minutes. Remove the beans and bake for 5-10 minutes.
• Add thickeners to the filling or precook it. Thickeners will include cornstarch or flour and will make the filling more gelatinous. Alternatively, pre-cook the filling with cornstarch, so it’s thick and less juicy before it touches the pastry. 
• Always drain your fruit before adding it to the pie. This is especially important if you use frozen fruit as they have a ton of excess moisture. 
• Egg wash the base after blind baking to seal it. Use a simple egg white and water mixture to seal the pastry after the initial blind bake. So, cook it as described above with beans or rice, then egg wash the base before baking for another 5-10 minutes. 

Tips to Make Apple Pie

Pies can be overwhelming to make from scratch as the pastry is finicky, and even the filling can be a pain if you get the wrong kind of fruit or run out of cornstarch. 

The good news is that I have some tips here that will guarantee the perfect apple pie every single time:

• Keep the pastry as cold as possible. It needs to chill in the fridge after making it and then roll it right away when it’s hard. Also, if you don’t plan to fill the shell right away, keep it in the fridge until you want to add the filling.
• Blind bake the base. As mentioned above, this is a sure-fire way to avoid a soggy bottom.
• Use real butter in the pastry. Trust me; you’ll taste the difference.
• Use a spatula to add the water. This helps to ensure it’s properly incorporated.
• Use tart and sweet apples. Using a combination of apples will not only make the filling super delicious, but it will also add terrific texture. I like to use Granny Smith and Honey Crisp.
• Macerate the fruit and then drain. Start the filling by tossing the apple slices in sugar to help draw out the excess moisture. Then, drain the juices away and finish the filling as you like.

Layer the apple slices carefully. If you just dump the filling into the shell, you run the risk of air pockets, which can lead to bumps and sunken areas on the top.