Is it possible to bake a blue ribbon-worthy fruit pie with frozen fruit? Abso-fruit-ly!
How to Bake a Fruit Pie with Frozen Fruit
Updated on Oct. 01, 2024
It’s not unusual to hear bakers say you should only use fresh fruit to make a wonderful homemade fruit pie. But let’s nip that in the bud right here and now! Fruit from the freezer makes a wonderful pie and doesn’t require much modification (although I believe it benefits from the easy tweaks I’m suggesting below).
Frozen Fruits That Make Perfect Fruit Pies
- Blueberry: This is my go-to frozen fruit for baking. In my opinion, frozen blueberries impart a denser, deeper blueberry flavor than fresh blueberries. That goes double for wild blueberries, which are hard to find fresh, besides.
- Mixed berries: I love the way frozen berry mixes contain just the right proportions of strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. I’d say when it comes to pie, fresh raspberries got nothin’ on frozen. Using a bag of frozen mixed berries for this mixed berry pie will save you tons of time and energy.
- Cherry: Say sayonara to cherry-stained fingers. Simply use frozen pitted cherries, and wow. Just wow! Like frozen blueberries, frozen cherries make for a densely sweet and jammy pie. Once I discovered I could make this cherry pie with frozen pitted cherries, I haven’t made it any other way since.
- Peach: Personally, I think frozen peach slices taste more “peachy” than fresh peaches. After all, they’re picked at the peak of freshness and frozen before they can get overripe or mealy. Here’s a recipe for Juicy Peach and Strawberry Pie that works well with frozen fruit.
How to Bake with Frozen Fruit
The following tips will make your job as piemaster even easier:
Soften the fruit
Take your fruit out of the freezer for a few minutes before you start working with it. It doesn’t have to come to room temperature. It just makes it easier to work with when you start mixing in your sugar and your starch if it softens a bit and starts releasing its juices.
Add extra fat to your dough
Frozen fruit releases more juice, more quickly than fresh fruit. That means you run the risk of a slightly soggier bottom crust. For some people, that’s delightful. But if you’re like me, and you like your bottom crust to remain flaky, then add a little extra fat to your dough—it helps repel the extra moisture. I use this crust recipe, and add one tablespoon of shortening for each crust (so two tablespoons for a double-crust pie), which actually makes my crusts easier to roll out and work with.
Psst… We’ve got more pie-baking secrets where that came from!
Pre-bake the bottom shell
The longer the uncooked dough is in contact with the juices-releasing fruit, the more chance it has to get soggy. So another way to combat the frozen-fruit soggies is to pre-bake the bottom shell. I set the oven to 350° and bake for five to seven minutes; I remove the crust when it feels dry to the touch, before it changes color. This does make working with top crust a wee bit more challenging because the top won’t adhere to the bottom the way it would if it were raw dough. There are three possible solutions:
- Don’t add a top crust. It lets you really focus on your gorgeous, delicious fruit.
- Top your pie with pie-crust cutouts. Here’s a great example, with directions. It makes a super-fun dessert.
- Brush the edges of the top crust with water before placing on top of the pie. This helps it stick to the bottom crust better.
If you’ve never made your own pie crust, here’s an expert guide to get you started. Hope you have fun making lots (and lots) of frozen fruit pies!
Juicy, Flaky, Fruit-Filled Pies
Peach Crumble PieThis peach crumble pie recipe is a nostalgic nod to fruit crumbles and back-porch desserts. Plus, it's simple to make and impossible to forget!
Blueberry Crumble PieWhether you use wild or cultivated fruit for blueberry crumble pie, expect a sweet burst of flavor in every bite.
Contest-Winning Rhubarb Meringue PieMy husband’s grandmother was an excellent cook, but she didn’t always share her secrets. Luckily, we have her rhubarb pie recipe. I added one of my favorite crusts and a never-fail meringue. —Elaine Sampson, Colesburg, Iowa
Plum & Hazelnut PieMy mom taught me about Italian prune plums and pie. Sprinkling the crust with ground hazelnuts gives it a luscious flavor and also keeps it from getting soggy. —Trisha Kruse, Eagle, Idaho
Cherry Pear PieTwo of my family's favorite fruits appear in this splendid pie with a nutty streusel topping. I like to serve slices with cherry-vanilla frozen yogurt.—Trisha Kruse, Eagle, Idaho
Banana Fudge PieThis dessert, which is like a banana sundae, is both light and good. I make it often. —Myra Innes, Auburn, Kansas
Key Lime Pie with Cream CheeseWith a pecan cookie crust and a rich, creamy filling, our no-bake Key lime pie with cream cheese makes a big splash at parties and events.
Strawberry Cream Cheese PieA rich layer of sweetened cream cheese under a glazed strawberry topping makes this strawberry cream cheese pie a standout on any dessert table.
Pear Gruyere PieI love cheese and fruit, so this pie is a natural pairing for me. Sweet and spicy wine-poached pears and a flaky, buttery cheese crust make for a winning dessert you’ll want to make again and again. If you’re serving this for Thanksgiving, bake leaf-shaped pie pastry on top for a festive look. —Alexandra Penfold, Brooklyn, New York
Apple Blackberry PieThis apple blackberry pie recipe combines fresh, vibrant blackberries and tender sliced apples for the ultimate dessert.
Cherry Hand PiesWhen casual gatherings need an equally informal dessert, these still-impressive cherry hand pies do the trick.
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Cast-Iron Cherry-Berry Peach PieI had an overabundant supply of cherries one year, so I adapted several recipes to use them up. I knew this one was a keeper when I received phone calls from my mother and grandmother complimenting me on this pie. —Amy Hartke, Elgin, Illinois
Apple PieBaking apple pie from scratch is a fall baking tradition we treasure. Perfect your technique with our apple pie recipe, full of all the tips and tricks you'll need.
Pineapple Pie with Coconut CreamYou’ll find pineapples and coconuts everywhere in the South Pacific, so we play them up in this creamy cool pineapple pie, dolloped with coconut cream. Divine! —Karen Naihe, Kamuela, Hawaii
Creamy Lime Pie with Fresh BerriesI combined the tangy tastes of lime and cilantro with cream cheese for this unusual berry pie that showcases seasonal fruit. The ginger cookies add zip to the crust. —Anneliese Barz, Fort Mill, South Carolina
Banana-Pineapple Cream PiesMy mother gave me this simple and delicious recipe years ago. The recipe makes two pies, so it's perfect for a potluck. I've never met anyone who didn't like it! —Robyn Appenzeller, Portsmouth, Virginia
Gingersnap Crumb Pear PieThis basic recipe was one my grandmother used for making crumble pies from fresh fruit. She simply substituted oats, gingersnaps or vanilla wafers depending on the fruit. Pear was always my favorite, and I added the ginger and caramel to give it a new twist. —Fay Moreland, Wichita Falls, Texas
Raspberry Rhubarb Slab PieIt's the most wonderful time of the year ... for rhubarb lovers! When the beloved spring fruit is in season, celebrate by stirring up this rhubarb raspberry slab pie. Big enough to share, the slab pie brims with a hot pink, sweet-tart fruit filling.
Easy Lemon PieThis lemon pie recipe is perfectly tart and tangy, and it's perfectly simple to make with just one bowl and a refrigerated pie crust.
Creamy Chocolate-Banana PieYou can make almost any dessert more awesome with chocolate. In this cream pie, fresh banana and chocolate make a truly irresistible combo.
—Diane Nemitz, Ludington, Michigan
Marshmallow-Almond Key Lime PieSummer is peak season for Key limes—a must for this pie’s distinctive sweet-tart flavor. Unlike other Key lime pies, mine has a smooth marshmallow layer on top. This makes it stand out as a crowd favorite. —Judy Castranova, New Bern, North Carolina
Apricot-Blackberry PieBlackberries became my favorite fruit after I harvested them from my grandfather’s yard in Greece. I mix them with apricots to make the pie of my dreams. —Simone Bazos, Baltimore, Maryland
Caramel-Pecan Apple PieYou'll love the smell in your kitchen—and the smiles on everybody's faces—when you make this scrumptious caramel apple pie recipe. It takes me back home to Virginia, to my granny's table. —Jean Castro, Phoenix, Arizona
Blackberry PieCelebrate the summer harvest with our blackberry pie. One slice, and you’ll see why this pie is the best pie.
Bumbleberry PieIt may have a funny name, but bumbleberry pie makes up for it with lots of berries (three kinds!) and tons of flavor.
Michigan Cherry PieThis tart Michigan cherry pie is delicious with the streusel topping but even better crowned with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. —Diane Selich, Vassar, Michigan
Perfect Plum & Peach PieI created this recipe for in-season summer fruit. The plums give the pie a splash of color as well as flavor, and the crumb topping is both easy and excellent! —Rachel Johnson, Shippensburg, Pennsylvania
Ruby Grape PieMy wife, Paula, and I produce red and green seedless table grapes on our 75-acre vineyard. Our crop is wonderful eaten out-of-hand or in salads. Paula also uses them in this unusual and tasty pie.—Salvage Island Farm, Fred Smeds, Reedley, California
Psst! Here's another grape pie recipe you'll love.
No-Bake Apple PieForget the oven. This chilled, no-bake apple pie is served in a no-bake crust for the ultimate cool, sweet treat.
Golden Apple PiePies are the dessert I like best to prepare. This one's the favorite for family get-togethers, and it has been awarded blue ribbons at a couple of local fairs. —Theresa Brazil, Petaluma, California
Sour Cream Rhubarb PieA hint of orange flavor and a nice blend of spices complement the tangy rhubarb. I like to serve the pie while it's still warm. —Doreen Martin, Kitimat, British Columbia
Bluebarb PieIf you're a fan of strawberry-rhubarb pie, you'll want to try this twist on the classic. Here, blueberries provide the sweet counterpoint to the tart rhubarb, with mouthwatering results. —Steve Gyuro, Franklin, Wisconsin
Cranberry-Almond Apple PieMy grandmother made this treat every year for Christmas. It’s much better than everyday apple pie. The recipe is a family treasure. —Maxine Theriauit, Nashua, New Hampshire
Peach PieOur peach pie recipe features a spiced peach filling nestled inside two buttery, flaky crusts. It’s a delicious and traditional summer treat that stands beautifully in its simplicity, because why change perfection?
Upside-Down Apple PieThis pie has won eight ribbons at area fairs. People say it looks and tastes like a giant apple-cinnamon bun. I take time off from work around the holidays to fill pie requests from family and friends. The recipe has become everyone's favorite. —Susan Frisch, Germansville, Pennsylvania
Spiced Plum PieThe subtle tastes of orange and nutmeg bring out the fresh flavor of plums in this comforting pie. Be sure to have a slice while it's still warm, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. —Lucille Mead, Ilion, New York
Deep-Dish Apple PieWhere slab pies are for crust lovers, deep-dish pies are for fans of the filling. This deep-dish apple pie recipe is an XL version of the classic, all-American apple pie.
Apple Rhubarb PieCombining sweet apples and tart rhubarb with a crumble topping makes our apple rhubarb pie taste like several amazing desserts in one bite.
Red, White and Blue PieThis no-bake red, white and blue pie is the best summer dessert. Just stir together a cool, creamy filling, top it with berries and let it chill.
Swedish Apple PieAs far as easy fall desserts go, Swedish apple pie is a piece of cake.
Strawberry-Rhubarb PieStrawberry-rhubarb pie is the best way to celebrate the coveted summer season of fresh strawberries and rhubarb.
