How To Reheat Apple Pie Without Losing Flavor Or Flaky Crust

While pie is great fresh out of the oven, one of the best parts of having it is getting to enjoy the leftovers. Some folks might even argue that this dessert is better the next day. However, if you want to bite into a warm slice that tastes like it was just baked, you may think your apple pie is simply past its prime. Fortunately, you can enjoy its original splendor. When reheating leftovers, there are rules of thumb for how you should do it. In the case of apple pie, using the oven is often the best way to go. It not only keeps the treat's taste and texture intact but can also accommodate large portions, unlike some other appliances.

It's simple to reheat the dessert in the oven as long as you have a little time and patience. Turn your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place your pie on a baking sheet and cover it with foil to lower the risk of it burning. For a whole or nearly whole pie, bake it for 15 to 20 minutes. You would take the same steps with a frozen one, but instead bake it for 25 to 30 minutes. When dealing with a single slice, heat it in three- to five-minute intervals until it reaches your desired warmness.

In the oven, your pie will reheat evenly and yield that satisfyingly crisp crust. This approach works well with homemade pies, so keep it in mind if you bake some for the holidays.

Sure, oven heating may be the gold standard, but it's not always practical. You don't always have time to wait for the appliance to preheat before devoting another 15 to 20 minutes to get your pie pleasantly hot. Fortunately, there are alternatives you can use if you're in a hurry, especially if you only want to warm up a couple of slices. A toaster oven set to 350 degrees Fahrenheit will get the job done in a few minutes. But you could risk burning the top of the pie  if the heating elements are too close or you don't check the dessert frequently enough.

If you have an air fryer, that's a great option. Wrap your desired number of slices in foil and preheat your device 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Air fry your pie for about five to seven minutes. This achieves similar results to using the oven while requiring much less time commitment. However, due to space constraints, it's obviously not a great choice for a whole or mostly whole pie. (Check out our air fryer apple pie recipe for a simple dessert.)

While typically thought of as a bottom tier choice for reheating pie, a microwave works in a pinch. Foods often turn out chewy with this method, so it's not ideal for pie. However, it is quick and easy and your pie will still maintain most of its flavor. Simply pop a slice of pie in the microwave and warm it in short bursts of 30 seconds to one minute until it reaches your desired temperature.