When it comes to Thanksgiving dinner, almost nothing is as anticipated as the crowd-favorite pumpkin pie. The dessert is easy to make and can be made ahead of Thanksgiving Day. However, unlike many other cakes, cookies, and pies, pumpkin pie can not sit indefinitely at room temperature and needs to find a spot in the fridge. Ahead, we break down how long your pie can sit out on the counter, the difference between homemade and store-bought pies, how to store your pie, and more.
Does Pumpkin Pie Need To Be Refrigerated?
According to the USDA, all "homemade egg-rich pies," including pumpkin, pecan, custard, and meringue pies need to be refrigerated after they have been baked and cooled. Because pumpkin pie is made with eggs and dairy, it needs to be refrigerated to stay fresh.
How Long Can I Leave Pumpkin Pie Out at Room Temperature?
First off, understand that homemade pumpkin pies are less forgiving than, say, homemade apple pies because the former is made with multiple eggs and heavy cream. You need to treat your homemade pumpkin pie like you would a quiche. According to the FDA, homemade pumpkin pie can be left at room temperature for two hours, after which it is in danger of growing harmful bacteria.
"Pumpkin pie is technically a custard pie," said Valeri Lucks, founding partner and CEO of PIE Incorporated. "Homemade ones all need to be stored in the fridge because they do not have the preservatives and such that commercial bakeries use to make something room temp safe."
Valeri Lucks is the founding partner and CEO of PIE Incorporated, which is a restaurant group that operates Honeypie Cafe, Honeypie Bakeshop Milwaukee, Honeypie Bakeshop Chicago, Palomino, Smallpie, and Comet.
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Why Are Store-Bought Pies Not Refrigerated?
So that brings many of us to the question: Why are the pumpkin pies at the grocery store sitting out? Store-bought pumpkin pies include shelf-stable ingredients such as preservatives which allow them to last longer, even at room temp. If your pie was sold unrefrigerated in the store, it can continue to be stored on your counter until the sell-by date. In general, store-bought pies last about two to four days after their printed date in the refrigerator and about six to nine months in the freezer.
If your pumpkin pie does not have a sell-by date, and you bought it from a bakery or a place that baked the pumpkin pie in a traditional way (without preservatives), follow the homemade pumpkin pie rules above.
If you are planning to pick up a pumpkin pie from Cosco this year, make sure to stick it in the fridge once you get home. Cosco's pumpkin pies are preservative-free, so you'll need to treat them like a homemade pie. To spare yourself and your loved ones from a sickly Thanksgiving, it's always best practice to double-check to see if the pie you are getting from the store is made with or without preservatives.
How To Store Pumpkin Pie
Homemade pumpkin pie is safe in the fridge for two to four days, and you should refrigerate the pumpkin pie promptly after it cools. Place your pie in a sealed container or loosely wrap it in plastic wrap or foil to refrigerate. You can also bake your pumpkin pie weeks ahead of time and freeze it. Frozen pumpkin pie will stay good for up to one month, and will take 12 hours to thaw in the refrigerator. If you'd like to serve the pie room temp, take it out of the fridge one hour before serving—but be sure not to leave it out for more than two hours!
How Do I Know if My Pie Is Still Fresh?
There are a few ways to check if your pumpkin pie has gone rancid. Toss the pie if it has a foul smell, looks like it has excessive separation or weeping, or has grown mold. Homemade pie that has been left out for longer than two hours should be thrown away.
If you left any pumpkin pie out for too long, don't be tempted to roll the dice. Thanksgiving is about more than just pumpkin pie. It's about gratitude and family and friends—none of whom want to get sick!
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