Can You Make Pie with Frozen Fruit?

As we head into pie season, you may be wondering, can you make pie with frozen fruit? The short answer is absolutely, yes! In fact, using frozen fruit can be a convenient and delicious way to enjoy pie all year round, especially when your favorite fruits aren’t in season.

But, there are a few tips and ticks in order to use frozen fruit in pies correctly. Here’s everything you need to know about making pie with frozen fruit and how to get the best results!

I’ll let you in on a little secret — when I owned my bake shop, we used frozen fruit in many of our pies. We did this for a few reasons. The first was seasonality. Because we offered blueberry and mixed berry pies year round, we could not always get these berries fresh, but we could always get them frozen.

The second was reducing food waste. While we made pies daily and focused on in season fruits like apples in the fall and berries in the summer, we did have to have all options for special orders. So, instead of having fresh berries on hand all the time and then having to waste them if no one ordered, we opted for frozen to reduce food waste.

So, no more wondering can you make pie with frozen fruit. You absolutely can, but be sure to follow these tips and tricks to get the best pies when using frozen fruit.

Why Use Frozen Fruit?

Frozen fruit is often picked and frozen at the peak of ripeness, meaning it retains its flavor, nutrients, and sweetness. It’s a great option for bakers who don’t have access to fresh, seasonal fruit but still want to enjoy their favorite fruit pies. It also saves you the time and effort of peeling, pitting, or slicing the fruit, as most frozen fruit is ready to use right out of the bag.

I absolutely love using frozen cherries in pies as it takes out the putting step! You can also use frozen fruits such as blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and more.

How to Prepare Frozen Fruit for Pie

The key to successfully using frozen fruit in pie is managing the extra moisture that comes with freezing. Frozen fruit tends to release more liquid than fresh fruit, which can result in a soggy pie if not handled correctly.

When using frozen fruit, thaw the fruit first and drain off excess liquid. The best way to do that is to place the frozen fruit in a bowl on the fridge and let it sit overnight or up to 24 hours. This will thaw the fruit. Then, be sure to use a strainer remove all the excess water in the bowl. Let the fruit sit in the strainer for at least 15 minutes before mixing up the filling. Then, it’s ready to use in your pie filling!

Step by Step Instructions

1. Weigh out frozen fruit (you may need more than the recipe calls for).
2. Place in a bowl and put in the fridge overnight or up to 24 hours.
3. Transfer fruit to a strainer and allow it to strain into the bowl for at least 15 minutes.
4. The fruit is now ready to use in the pie filling.

Baker’s Tips

• Any fruit can be frozen, thawed properly, and used in pies.
• Some fruits may lose volume one they are frozen and thawed, especially strawberries. So, you may need more weight in frozen fruit than fresh, so keep that in mind.
• Be sure to thaw fruit completely and drain off excess liquid before using in pies with the steps mentioned above.
• If you don’t usually add a thickening agent such as cornstarch to your pies, I recommend adding when using frozen fruit to manage excess moisture, just in case. All you need is 1 teaspoon of cornstarch (or arrowroot starch or tapioca if you’re avoiding corn). Mix this into your filling with the sugar.
• If you have fruit that’s on the fritz, pit, peel, and chop it up and freeze in an airtight container to use in pies later! This will reduce food waste.

The Takeaway

Making pie with frozen fruit is not only possible, but it’s also a fantastic way to enjoy your favorite pies all year long. You can bake a beautiful, delicious pie with the convenience of frozen fruit. Just remember to thaw frozen fruit, drain excess moisture, and use a thickener and you’ll be on your way to enjoying a perfectly baked pie any time of year!

Craving More?

• Should You Cook Pie Filling Before Baking?
• How to Make Pie Crust in a Mixer
• How to Roll Out a Pie
• Brown Butter Pie Crust
• The Best Pie Pans to Bake With

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