Can I bake my pumpkin pie the night before

In this brief guide, we will address the query, “Can I bake my pumpkin pie the night before?” We will also discuss what is the efficient way to bake a pumpkin pie in advance and how to safely store the pumpkin pie you baked in advance so it lasts longer. 

Can I bake my pumpkin pie the night before?

Yes, you can bake your pumpkin pie the night before, and enjoy its incredible taste and freshness on the big special day as if it was baked then. 

However, as a safety measure, you must not keep your baked pie on the kitchen counter but rather store it in your fridge until it’s time to serve it. Low temperature will not only save you baked pumpkin pie but also will enhance its flavor to become even more amazing.

Pumpkin pie is characterized by a unique special feature that allows you to bake it in advance for up to two days not only the night before the feast, saving you a lot of stress and time where you only need to thaw it after freezing to be ready to serve.

What is the efficient way to bake your pumpkin pie ahead?

Pumpkin pie is a real pleasure for all of us on our special occasions due to its sweet irresistible taste that still satisfies our cravings in a tasty and nourishing way. 

So if you are interested in this life saver and want to learn how to bake your pumpkin pie the night before, here are the main steps that you should follow:

  • Wash your pumpkin then peel and cut it into small chunks 
  • Put the chunks with spices and salt and cook in a medium-size saucepan over medium-high heat
  • Stir frequently your boiling components until the pumpkin starts to steam.
  •  Transfer the boiled pumpkin to a large mixing bowl and let it cool.
  • Preheat the oven to 400°F during this time
  • Make the pie crust by adding eggs, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla to the pumpkin mixture and beating well until smooth.
  • Pour the mixture into a pie shell and smooth the top then put the shell with the pumpkin pie dough in the preheated oven 
  • Bake your pumpkin pie dough in the oven for about 10 minutes
  • Reduce the oven temperature from 400 to 350°F and keep baking your pumpkin pie for an additional 35 – 40 minutes until its crust turns brown and its filling becomes consistent and slightly jiggly in the center. 

Now you can say that your pumpkin pie is baked in advance, but what is the next step? Continue reading to discover what you should do now.

How can you safely store your previously baked pumpkin pie for the special day?

After you have baked your pumpkin pie the night before following the recipe we shared in the previous section, it is time now to let your baked pie cool completely in the first place on a wire rack.

Based on the Food and Drug Administration recommendations, pumpkin pie must be stored at a low temperature for safety reasons since such a recipe contains eggs which makes them highly vulnerable to foodborne pathogens.

In other words, baked pumpkin pies must not sit out at room temperature for very long, instead, they must be placed loosely covered in the refrigerator within 2 hours of baking even if you will reheat them on the feast day before serving

The reason behind this safety measure is that eggs are rich in protein and moisture which makes them a great medium for bacterial contamination mainly salmonella and listeria which leads to food poisoning 

Therefore, after the pumpkin pie, which was baked ahead the night before has cooled down, you should wrap it completely either in a plastic wrap or with a layer of aluminum foil. 

The next step is to store the wrapped pie in the fridge for up to 2 days not only for safety but also to retain and enhance its flavor and texture. However, you can also store it in the freezer for a longer period up to 3 months. 

Once you feast, all you need to do is to thaw and reheat your baked pumpkin before serving.

For more detailed guidance, please click the link here

Other FAQs about Pumpkin Pie that you may be interested in.

Can dogs eat pumpkin pie?

Does pumpkin pie go bad?

Conclusion

In this brief guide, we have addressed the query, “Can I bake my pumpkin pie the night before?” We have also discussed what is the efficient way to bake a pumpkin pie in advance and how to safely store the pumpkin pie you baked in advance so it lasts longer. 

Hope you found this blog useful. If you have any questions, please let us know.

References

https://www.southernliving.com/holidays-occasions/thanksgiving/does-pumpkin-pie-need-to-be-refrigerated#:~:text=Pumpkin%20pie%20is%20also%20a,are%20ready%20to%20serve%20it.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/projects/qa/events/thanksgiving-help-line/question/8371

https://www.thekitchn.com/heres-how-to-store-the-pie-you-make-ahead-of-time-237641