1 to 2 days
Loosely covered, at room temperature (USDA FoodKeeper, Illinois Extension)
About 1 week
For a few extra days of keeping (USDA FoodKeeper)
8 months
Wrapped tightly; best quality (USDA FoodKeeper)
The short version: a baked apple pie can stay loosely covered on the counter for 1 to 2 days. Then move it to the fridge, where the USDA's FoodKeeper data gives fruit pies about a week. For longer, freeze it for up to 8 months. Throw it out if you see mold or smell anything sour.
Storage times here come from the USDA's FoodKeeper data and University of Illinois Extension, with mold guidance from the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service.
On this page
What to check before you store apple pie
Apple pie keeps longest when you know what is in it, because the counter rule only covers plain fruit pies. So check a few things before you leave it out.
A plain fruit pie can stay out, so check what is in it.
Firstly, check the filling. University of Illinois Extension says pies that do not contain dairy products, such as fruit pies, can stay loosely covered at room temperature for up to two days. However, a pie with a cream, custard or cheese layer needs the fridge within 2 hours.
Secondly, let it cool before covering it. A loose cover over a hot pie traps steam, so wait until it is close to room temperature.
Then cover it loosely. A clean tea towel, an upturned bowl or loose foil keeps dust off while the crust stays crisp.
Finally, decide early what to freeze. A whole pie or spare slices freeze well, so do it on day one rather than day six. The apples guide covers the fruit itself, while pumpkin pie follows stricter rules.
How to store apple pie
To store apple pie, keep it loosely covered on the counter for a day or two, then move it to the fridge. After that, freeze whatever you will not eat within the week.
Does apple pie need to be refrigerated?
No, apple pie does not need the fridge for its first 1 to 2 days, because a plain baked apple pie can sit loosely covered at room temperature, according to the USDA's FoodKeeper data and University of Illinois Extension. After that, however, move it to the fridge, where FoodKeeper gives fruit pies about a week.
Loosely covered, for a few extra days of keeping.
How long does apple pie last in the fridge?
Apple pie lasts about a week in the fridge, according to the USDA's FoodKeeper data for fruit pies. Similarly, University of Illinois Extension says the fridge keeps fruit pies a few extra days.
So count from the day it was baked. A pie made on Wednesday can stay out until Friday, and then keep in the fridge until the middle of the following week.
Can apple pie sit out overnight?
Yes. A plain baked apple pie can sit out overnight, because both the USDA's FoodKeeper data and University of Illinois Extension allow fruit pies 1 to 2 days at room temperature. However, that only applies to fruit pies. Pumpkin, cream and custard pies have a 2-hour limit.
How should you cover apple pie?
Check the label. Some bakery pies are sold from a chilled case, and those should go straight back into your fridge. If the box gives its own storage instructions, follow them, since the maker knows the recipe. Otherwise, treat it like homemade.
Is store-bought apple pie different?
Cover apple pie loosely, since University of Illinois Extension specifies loosely covered for fruit pies at room temperature. In the fridge, however, wrap it more snugly in plastic wrap or foil so it does not pick up other smells. Then keep it flat on a shelf.
Can you freeze apple pie?
Yes. Apple pie freezes better than most pies, because the USDA's FoodKeeper data gives fruit pies 8 months in the freezer. By contrast, it gives pumpkin and pecan pies only 1 to 2 months. So a spare apple pie is a good one to freeze.
How do you freeze apple pie?
Freeze apple pie once it has cooled completely. Then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and a layer of foil, or freeze single slices in a covered container. Finally, label it with the date, since 8 months is long enough to forget.
Wrapped tight and labelled with the date.
How do you thaw frozen apple pie?
Thaw it in the fridge or on the counter, still wrapped, since fruit pies are allowed room temperature. Alternatively, warm it in a low oven until heated through, which also helps crisp the crust.
Does freezing change apple pie?
A little. The crust may lose some crispness after thawing, so a few minutes in a warm oven helps. Even so, it is the same pie, so eat it within its fridge time once thawed.
How to tell if apple pie has gone bad
Apple pie usually loses its crispness long before it spoils, so most early changes are about texture. However, moisture in the filling means mold can grow eventually. Here is what each stage means.
Verdict: eat it
Fresh apple pie
A crisp, golden crust and a glossy filling with tender apple slices. In other words, this is a pie inside its 1 to 2 days on the counter or its week in the fridge. So serve it as it is or warm it up.
Verdict: eat it, or warm it up
Soggy apple pie
A soft, damp bottom crust and a duller top after a few days, especially in the fridge. This is a texture change rather than spoilage. So if it is inside its week, warm it in the oven to crisp it up.
Verdict: move it to the fridge
Apple pie on the counter past 2 days
A pie that has sat out for longer than the 1 to 2 days FoodKeeper allows. If it looks and smells normal, move it into the fridge now, then finish it soon. However, if there is any mold or sour smell, throw it out.
Verdict: throw it out
Sour or fermented-smelling apple pie
A sharp, sour or boozy smell from the filling, or bubbles in the juice. These are signs of spoilage, so stop there. In fact, Clemson Cooperative Extension says to discard stored food with an off odor.
Verdict: throw it out
Moldy apple pie
Fuzzy white, green or blue spots on the filling or crust. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service says to discard moldy bread and baked goods, because porous foods can be contaminated below the surface. So throw out the whole pie, not just the spot.
Why can apple pie sit out when pumpkin pie cannot?
Because of what is in them. University of Illinois Extension says pies without dairy products, such as fruit pies, can stay at room temperature for up to two days. By contrast, it says pumpkin, cream, chiffon and custard pies should not be out of the fridge for more than 2 hours. So the egg and milk in the filling make the difference.
How long apple pie keeps, by type
The clock depends on where the pie is. So here is each case.
Substitute
Works best in
What changes
On the counter
1 to 2 days
Loosely covered (USDA FoodKeeper, Illinois).
In the fridge
About 1 week
Wrapped (USDA FoodKeeper).
In the freezer
8 months
Best quality (USDA FoodKeeper).
With a cream or custard layer
2 hours out
Then refrigerate (Illinois Extension).
Mistakes people make when they store apple pie
These are the ways apple pie goes wrong most often, and each one is easy to fix.
Refrigerating it straight away. A plain fruit pie can sit out for a day or two, so the crust stays crisper.
Covering it while hot. Let it cool first so steam does not soften the crust.
Leaving a cream-topped pie out. Any dairy layer means 2 hours, then the fridge.
Wrapping it tightly on the counter. Loosely covered is the rule there.
Forgetting the freezer. Fruit pies keep 8 months frozen.
Scraping off a moldy spot. The USDA says to discard moldy baked goods whole.
Throwing out a soggy pie. Warm it in the oven instead, if it is within the week.
Sources
FoodKeeper App, Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, whose published FoodKeeper data lists fruit pies such as apple at 1 to 2 days at room temperature, 1 week refrigerated and 8 months frozen, and pumpkin and pecan pies at 1 to 2 months frozen.
Do I Need to Refrigerate the Pie?, University of Illinois Extension, November 2019, on fruit pies staying loosely covered at room temperature for up to two days, the fridge adding a few extra days, and pumpkin, cream, chiffon and custard pies staying out no more than 2 hours.
Molds on Food: Are They Dangerous?, Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, on discarding moldy bread and baked goods.
Safety of Stored Foods, Clemson Cooperative Extension Home & Garden Information Center fact sheet HGIC 3520, revised April 2020, on discarding stored food with an off odor.
Storage times and safety advice on this page come from the sources above. Food safety depends on conditions I cannot see, so read the Disclaimer, and if in doubt, throw it out.
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Emilly White