How to Bake Frozen Unbaked Pies
Pies from scratch can take several hours to make, when you factor in the time it takes to prepare the dough, make the filling and assemble the dessert. Many home bakers find that it's worth it to make a second pie at the same time.
Pies from scratch can take several hours to make, when you factor in the time it takes to prepare the dough, make the filling and assemble the dessert. Many home bakers find that it's worth it to make a second pie at the same time. Freeze the unbaked pie for as long as three months, and pull it out to bake when you want it. The pie doesn't need to be thawed before baking. In fact, many bakers contend that frozen crust is flakier when baked from frozen. You may also purchase frozen, unbaked pies from your grocer's freezer.
Remove the pie from the freezer and remove any wrapping.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Place the frozen, unbaked pie on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil to catch any filling that bubbles out during baking. Cut two or three evenly spaced slits in the top crust. Don't skip this step even if you have difficulty cutting into the frozen crust; the slits are necessary for venting as the pie bakes.
Bake the pie for about 20 minutes at 425 F, the reduce the heat to 350 to 375 F.
Bake the pie at 350 to 375 F for 30 to 45 minutes, until the crust turns golden brown and you can see the filling bubbling through the slits. If the crust turns brown before the filling bubbles, reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees and cover the crust with aluminum foil to keep it from burning.
Tip
Use a pie crust shield -- a reusable metal ring that fits over the crust -- instead of aluminum foil to keep the crust from burning.