How To Reheat A McDonald’s Apple Pie – I Try 3 Methods

This article was updates on 08/07/2023 for clarity and to include new insights.

I experimented with three ways to reheat McDonald’s apple pies to determine which method works best to restore their fresh apple-y taste and crispy coating.

The best way to reheat a McDonalds apple pie is in the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) with a baking tray inside. Place your apple pie on the hot baking tray and heat for 4-6 minutes, flipping half way through. Allow the apple pie to cool for 30 seconds before serving.

Ready? Let’s jump right in.

A note on my experiment

Yesterday, I went into my local McDonalds and bought a whole load of tasty McDonald’s apple pies.

After sampling one (or two), I put them in the fridge where they stayed until the next day. Then I experimented with three different reheating methods:

• In the oven: An excellent option overall.
• In an air fryer: A great option if you have an air fryer.
• In the microwave: Convenient, but reduces crispiness.

I also explored the best ways to store, freeze, and thaw McDonald’s apple pies for later.

Reheating a McDonald’s apple pie in the oven

Time: 4-6 minutes
Rating: 8/10

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) with a lightly oiled baking tray inside.
2. Place your apple pie on the hot baking tray and heat it for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Flip it over and heat for a further 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Allow the apple pie to cool for 30 seconds before serving.

If you’re not sure if the filling of your pie is hot enough, remove the pie from the oven and insert a knife into its center for ten to fifteen seconds. If the knife is warm to the touch once you remove it, your pie is heated all the way through.

Results: The oven is an easy and accessible method for reheating apple pies, and it restores most of the pie’s crispiness (although not as much as the air fryer). The apple filling was just as delicious as the day before too.

Reheating a McDonald’s apple pie in an air fryer

Time: 2-3 minutes
Rating: 9/10

1. Set your air fryer to 350°F (180°C).
2. Place your apple pies in the basket and heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Remove and allow them to cool for 30 seconds before serving.

The outside of the pie will get hot after just a few seconds in the air fryer, but don’t let this fool you into thinking the center is done. The filling will take a bit longer to warm through.

If you’re reheating more than one apple pie, make sure they’re not touching or crowded in the basket. Overcrowding the basket will mean the crisping isn’t as efficient.

Results: This is a great method if you have access to an air fryer. It restored the apple pies’ crispy exterior while retaining a freshly-baked taste in the middle. It was also quick and convenient.

Reheating McDonald’s apple pie in the microwave

Time: 30-50 seconds
Rating: 7/10

1. Place your McDonald’s apple pie on a paper towel-lined microwave-safe plate.
2. Reheat the pie for 40 to 50 seconds, checking every 15-seconds.
3. Once steaming, remove the pie and allow it to cool slightly before serving.

The dry paper towel is there to soak up any grease that may leak out of the apple pie – you don’t want the pastry sitting in a puddle of grease! (don’t worry, I’m exaggerating here, only a small amount will leak out, if any).

Once the apple pie is hot, it’s best to eat it as soon as possible. Once it cools down again the pastry will get very dry and cardboard-like.

Results: The microwave is good if you don’t mind sacrificing the pie’s original crispy exterior. It was super quick and the filling was tasty, but the pastry was soft and chewy.

How to store a McDonald’s apple pie

Remove the apple pies from their packaging and let them cool to room temperature. Then, place them into an airtight container lined with a sheet of paper towel. You can store apple pies in the fridge for two days. They can also be stored in ziplocked bags in the freezer for 3 to 4 months.

Apple pies should be cool when you store them to avoid condensation forming in the container, which leads to excess moisture.

Related: Should Apple Crisp Be Refrigerated?

Can you freeze McDonald’s apple pies?

Yes, you can freeze McDonald’s apple pies for up to 3 months. Pre-freeze them uncovered on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 1 hour. Once they’re solid, you can transfer them to a freezer bag. Remove as much of the air from the bag as you can before sealing it.

Pre-freezing your McDonald’s apple pies prevents them from sticking together in the bag, so you can remove them individually in case you only want to reheat one.

If you only have one apple pie to freeze, you can simply wrap the pie in foil or plastic wrap before freezing it.

To thaw the McDonald’s apple pie remove it from the freezer and let it stand for a few hours at room temperature. Once thawed, lightly pat down the pastry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.

How to reheat a frozen McDonald’s apple pie

To reheat frozen McDonald’s apple pies, place them in the oven at 375°F (190°C) for 10 to 15 minutes. Flip the pie once at the halfway mark.

You can also reheat them in an air fryer. Set your air fryer to 400°F (200°C) and heat the pies for 8 to 10 minutes (or until they’re steaming).

BEST Way To Reheat McDonald’s Apple Pie [Tested]

I’ve experimented with three ways to reheat McDonald’s apple pies to determine which method works best to restore their fresh appley taste and crispy coating.

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: mcdonald’s apple pie, reheat mcdonald’s apple pie

Prep Time: 0 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 6 minutes minutes

Total Time: 6 minutes minutes

Servings: 1 person

Calories: 250kcal

Ingredients

• 1 portion McDonald's apple pie
• 1 spray cooking oil optional

Instructions

• Set your oven to 350°F (180°C).
• Lightly oil a baking tray with cooking spray.
• Place your apple pie, uncovered, in the oven for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Remove it from the oven and flip it over.
• Return your apple pie to the oven for a further 2 to 3 minutes.
• Allow it to cool for a minute or two before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 100g | Calories: 250kcal