Name: How To Reheat Fruit Pie
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 slice fruit pie; 1 whole fruit pie

Table of Contents

A warm mixed berry pie is one of my favorite desserts.

So, to find out the best way to reheat fruit pie, I tested four different methods.

I was looking for one that left me with a moist filling and crispy pastry.

(Spoiler alert: my favorite method was the oven)

Ready? Let’s jump right in.

A note on my experiment

One Sunday evening, I baked my favorite fruit pie (berry if you’re wondering) and left it in the fridge overnight.

The next day, I experimented with four reheating methods, which included:

In the oven (my favorite way)
In the microwave (not great but okay in a rush)
In a skillet (perfect remedy for soggy bottom)
In an air fryer (quick and crispy)

Reheating the pie in the oven produced the best result overall. The fruity filling retained its firm consistency while the pastry was satisfyingly crispy.

As I expected, the microwave pretty much ruined the pastry, leaving it slightly chewy.

I was pleasantly surprised that the skillet worked so well, leaving the pastry ever so slightly crispy, while the filling was moist and delicious.

The air fryer proved a quick way to heat pie slices and crips the pastry nicely.

Reheating fruit pie in the oven

Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). While the oven is heating, let your fruit pie reach room temperature. Cover the pie loosely with aluminum foil to prevent the top from over-browning. Place the pie in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Test to see if the filling is warmed through before serving.

If you’re reheating a whole fruit pie, it may need longer than 20 minutes.

How to reheat fruit pie in the oven:

Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).
If refrigerated, leave the pie out to reach room temperature.
Place the pie on a baking tray and cover it loosely with aluminum foil (this prevents extra browning). If you want the pie to brown more, skip the foil.
Place the pie in the oven for 15-20 minutes – longer if you have a whole pie.
Test to see if the filling is warmed through before serving.

If you don’t have a thermometer to check the filling’s temperature, then carefully slide a knife into the center of the pie and check that the metal is warm when you pull it out.

If it is, the pie’s done.

Be careful not to cover the pie too tightly with foil. Otherwise, the steam builds up inside, and the pastry gets soggy.

My verdict

This was my favorite method.

The oven consistently produced wonderfully warm pies with crunchy pastry.

The only downside to reheating your pie in the oven is that it’s pretty slow.

Reheating fruit pie in the microwave

Place your fruit pie on a microwave-safe dish and heat in 30-second intervals until warm. Avoid placing a whole pie in the microwave as the filling will heat unevenly, leaving cold spots. Once hot, remove the pie from the microwave and let it rest for a minute before serving.

How to reheat fruit pie in the microwave:

Place your slices of fruit pie on a microwave-safe dish.
Heat in 30-second intervals until warm.
Check that the filling is hot, and remove the pie from the microwave.
Let the fruit pie rest for a minute before serving. If you bite in straight away, hot steam could burn your mouth.

Never put any metal in the microwave, including metal pie dishes!

Metal + microwave = fire

Aim to eat any pie you microwave straight away.

The pastry will become chewy and unpleasant if you allow the pie to cool down.

My verdict

Using the microwave to heat my fruit pie was quick and easy, but the results weren’t great.

The pastry wasn’t crunchy or flaky. It was soft and chewy. The filling also suffered and became quite sticky.

Unless you’re really in a hurry, I don’t recommend that you use the microwave to heat your pie.

Reheating fruit pie in a skillet

The reheat fruit pie in a skillet, warm the skillet on medium heat. Place a slice of fruit pie in the skillet and cover with a lid. Heat the pie for 4-5 minutes until it’s warmed through. You can flip the pie halfway through heating if the pie won’t leak.

How to reheat fruit pie in a skillet:

Warm a skillet on medium heat (add a little bit of melted butter for extra flavor).
Place a slice of room temperature fruit pie in the skillet.
Cover the pan with a lid.
Heat the pie for 4-5 minutes.
Check that the filling is warm and remove it from the pan.

If your pan doesn’t have a lid, you can cover it loosely with aluminum foil instead.

It’s best to cover the pan because the lid traps the heat and heats the pie from the top and the bottom.

Be careful not to leave the heat on too high, or the bottom will burn.

My verdict

The heat from the skillet gets rid of any soggy bottoms brilliantly!

So, if your pie bottom is a little too moist, this is a great way to dry it out without burning it.

The skillet left the pie slices a little less crispy than the oven or air fryer, but the filling was nice and moist.

It’s worth noting that this method works best with stable pies. You don’t want all your filling to fall out.

Reheating fruit pie in an air fryer

Preheat your air fryer to 300°F (150°C). Place your slices of pie into the air fryer basket, making sure that you have space around each one. Heat the pie for 4-5 minutes until it is warmed through. Remove the slices from the air fryer and serve.

How to reheat fruit pie in an air fryer:

Preheat your air fryer to 300°F (150°C).
Place your fruit pie in the air fryer basket.
Heat the pie for 4-5 minutes, checking regularly.
Remove the slices from the air fryer and serve.

The air fryer can quickly dry out your pastry.

For best results, keep an eye on the air fryer and don’t leave it unattended.

I like to line the basket with aluminum foil or parchment paper to catch the crumbs and avoid a mess.

My verdict

This is an excellent method to reheat pie where the pastry has gone slightly soggy.

It works in the same way as the oven, but it’s faster and produces a crispier result.

How to store fruit pie

Because fruit pie is so sugary, you can leave it at room temperature for up to two days as long as it’s covered. After two days, it’s best to wrap the fruit pie in plastic wrap and transfer it to the fridge, where it will last an additional two days.

If your pie doesn’t have any added sugar, or you used a sugar alternative, then you should refrigerate it as soon as it’s cooled down to room temperature.

The same rules apply if your pie contains any dairy.

Can you freeze fruit pie?

You can freeze both baked and unbaked fruit pies, but for the freshest tasting results, it’s best to freeze an unbaked pie. Assemble the pie (and bake if you want), then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil before storing it in the freezer. Fruit pies will last 3-4 months in the freezer.

How to freeze fruit pie:

Make sure your pie has completely cooled down to room temperature (if applicable).
Place the pie (uncovered and in its baking dish) in the freezer for 2-3 hours or until it’s completely frozen.
Then wrap the frozen pie tightly in plastic wrap, followed by foil. Make sure all the air is gone to reduce the risk of freezer burn.
Label the pie and use it within 3-4 months.

Cooling the pie to room temperature is an important step.

If you put a warm pie in the freezer, the condensation will turn to ice crystals and ruin the pie’s texture.

How to reheat frozen fruit pie

How best to reheat your frozen fruit pie depends on whether it’s baked or not.

For a pre-baked pie, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and cover the pie loosely with foil. Place the covered pie in the oven for 30 minutes, but start checking its progress from about 20 minutes.

For an unbaked pie, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and bake it uncovered for 20 minutes. Then reduce the temperature to 375°F (190°C) and heat for up to an hour more. If the pastry starts looking too brown, cover it with foil.