The Best Ways to Reheat Thanksgiving Pie—and Keep the Crust Crispy

Holiday gatherings tend to leave me with an abundance of leftover desserts. When we host, we ask guests to bring something sweet, and for Thanksgiving or Christmas that usually means an assortment of pies—apple, pumpkin, cherry, pecan, blueberry. No matter how delicious they are, there are always leftovers that end up in the fridge. And while a cold slice has its charms during a late-night snack run, a warmed slice is almost always better. The problem is that the microwave, though convenient, gives you a molten filling and a disappointingly soggy crust.

With this in mind, I set out to find the best ways to reheat leftover pie—both individual slices and larger portions still in their tins. My goal was simple: a warm (not scorching) interior and a crust that stays crisp. For me, that meant heating the center to about 140°F to 150°F (60°C to 65°C). The good news is that several of the methods I tested warmed the filling evenly while keeping the crust crisp, so there's likely a technique here that fits your needs.

A few notes before I dive into the testing parameters: These reheating methods apply to fruit-filled pies. Custard or cream pies generally aren't reheated, and would require different handling if you did want to heat them. All of the methods and times listed below are meant to warm the pie filling—not make it piping hot. A warm filling creates a better contrast with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream; if the filling is too hot, the topping melts instantly and loses that temperature contrast.

The Testing Parameters

For all tests, I used store-bought apple and cherry pies that were at room temperature and tested both individual slices and half pies. If your pies are coming straight from the fridge, let larger portions—like half pies—sit on the counter for about 10 minutes before reheating to take the chill off. Individual slices generally reheat well straight from the fridge because they're thinner and heat more evenly, so the crust warms and crisps before the filling gets overly hot.

The Oven

The most straightforward way to reheat pie is, unsurprisingly, in the same environment it was baked in. The dry, moderate heat of the oven warms the filling evenly while keeping the crust crisp. I started by testing three temperatures—325°F (165°C), 350°F (175°C), and 375°F (190°C)—and found the differences in the results to be minimal, so I used a consistent 350°F (175°C) for the remainder of the tests. I also tested starting half pies in a cold oven to see whether it offered any advantage, including potentially saving time, but it didn't meaningfully change the outcome, nor did it save time. Using a preheated 350°F (175°C) oven produced the most consistent results.

The more interesting findings came from reheating uncovered pies versus those wrapped in foil. Individual slices wrapped tightly in foil warmed through in about five minutes, while unwrapped slices took closer to eight. The crust quality was nearly identical, but the filling in the wrapped slices held onto a little more moisture around their exposed edges, which made for a nicer texture. Because of that, wrapping slices is slightly preferred—but not required—when reheating in the oven.

Larger portions, like half pies, benefited more noticeably from being covered with foil, which helped them heat more evenly than leaving them uncovered, because the thicker, denser center takes longer to warm. While the foil improved even heating, the actual reheating time for wrapped versus unwrapped larger portions was nearly the same. The foil slowed the crust's heating just enough for the interior to catch up and warm through at the same rate.

• The best way to reheat half a pie in the oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Cover the top tightly with foil and bake for about 15 minutes. Check the center with a metal skewer or an instant-read thermometer: The skewer should feel hot to the touch when pulled out, and the thermometer should register about 150°F (65°C). If it's still cool in the middle, cover it again, and return it to the oven for another 5 minutes.
• The best way to reheat a slice of pie in the oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Wrap individual slices tightly in foil, place on a baking sheet, and heat for 4 to 6 minutes. The foil helps the edges retain moisture and keeps the filling from spilling out of the crust.

The Toaster Oven

Many modern toaster ovens are spacious enough to hold a full pie dish, and they perform just as well as a conventional oven when reheating pie. Toaster ovens also heat up much faster than a full-size oven, and the reheating times were a few minutes shorter for both individual slices and larger portions, making this a quicker option overall. The approach is nearly identical to reheating in the oven: Wrap a half pie in foil, or tightly wrap individual slices. My toaster oven came with a small baking tray, which I lined with foil before placing the slices on top—nothing leaked out, but it's a good precaution. As with the standard oven method, the crust stayed crisp and delicate, and the filling warmed through evenly without drying out.

• The best way to reheat half a pie in the toaster oven: Preheat the toaster oven to 350°F (175°C). Cover the top of the pie tightly with foil and heat for about 12 minutes. Toaster ovens tend to concentrate heat a bit more than full-size ovens, so check the center with a skewer or thermometer and continue heating as needed until the filling reaches around 150°F (65°C).
• The best way to reheat a slice of pie in the toaster oven: Preheat the toaster oven to 350°F (175°C). Wrap each slice tightly in foil and place on a small foil-lined tray. Heat for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the filling is warm.

The Air Fryer

One of the biggest surprises to me in this testing was how well the air fryer handled pie. It reheated faster than a conventional oven but produced comparable results: a pleasantly warm filling and a crisp, delicate crust. I used a 6-quart basket-style air fryer, which was just large enough to hold the disposable aluminum pie pan from my store-bought pie. Note that if your pie is in a glass or ceramic pie plate, many of these dishes aren't recommended for use in an air fryer. If that's the case—or if the dish simply doesn't fit in your air fryer—remove the pie from the plate, wrap it fully in foil, and place the wrapped pie directly in the basket. As with the other methods, I wrapped the half pie tightly in foil, and I did the same for individual slices.

• The best way to reheat half a pie in an air fryer: Preheat the air fryer for about 3 minutes, until it reaches 350°F (175°C). Wrap the pie pan tightly in foil, place it in the basket, and heat for about 12 minutes, or until the filling is warm. If you prefer it a bit hotter, continue heating for another 3 to 5 minutes, but be aware that some filling might ooze out. If your pie pan doesn't fit inside the basket, remove the pie from the pan, wrap it fully in foil, and place the wrapped pie directly in the basket.
• The best way to reheat a slice of pie in an air fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 350°F (175°C). Wrap individual slices tightly in foil and place them in the basket. Important note: Do not line the air fryer basket with foil or parchment—you need the air to flow in the little oven uninterrupted for even heating. Heat for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the filling is warm.

The Skillet

Of all the methods I tested, the skillet produced the best crust on reheated slices and delivered solid results for larger portions as well. For this test, I placed a slice in a small nonstick skillet, loosely covered the pan with foil, and heated it over medium-low heat. The direct contact with the skillet helped toast and re-crisp the bottom crust, while the foil trapped enough gentle heat to warm the filling without the steam buildup you'd get from a fitted lid. Keeping the cover loose allows excess moisture to escape so the crust stays crisp instead of softening. After three to five minutes, I carefully flipped the slice so the top crust was now facing down in the skillet and cooked it for another two minutes, still loosely covered. This allowed the top crust to crisp up as well. The same approach works— with a few adjustments—for reheating a half pie.

• The best way to reheat half a pie in a skillet: Place the pie in a dry medium nonstick skillet and cover loosely with foil, leaving a small gap so steam can escape. Heat over low to medium-low heat until the bottom crust is lightly crisped and the filling is warm, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and let the residual heat continue warming the pie for about 5 minutes, keeping the foil cover in place.
• The best way to reheat a slice of pie in a skillet: For double-crusted pies, center the pie slice, bottom-crust side down, in a small skillet and loosely cover with foil. Heat the slice over low to medium-low heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Carefully flip the slice—using two thin spatulas (one to lift, one to support)—and continue heating, still loosely covered, until the top crust is crisp, about 2 minutes. Flip again to return the slice upright and immediately transfer it to a plate to serve. For single-crusted pies, omit the flipping step, heat until filling is warm and crust is crisp, about 5 to 7 minutes.

The Microwave

The microwave is by far the fastest and easiest way to reheat both pie slices and larger portions of pie, but that convenience comes at the expense of texture. Whether reheating a half pie or individual slices, the filling warms quickly yet evenly—sometimes in under a minute—but the crust inevitably turns soft and soggy. For anyone who prioritizes speed over crispness, this method gets the job done. But in my testing, it produced the least desirable results compared to every other method.

• The best way to reheat half a pie in the microwave: Remove the pie from the pie tin, as aluminum tins are not microwave-safe. Place the pie on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave on high in 30-second increments until the filling is warmed through, about 2 minutes total. Let the pie rest on the counter for 1 to 2 minutes before slicing and serving.
• The best way to reheat a slice of pie in the microwave: Place a slice on a microwave-safe plate and microwave on high in 30-second increments. I found 30 seconds was enough time for the filling to warm. The crust will soften significantly using this method.

The Takeaway

The methods that worked best for reheating larger portions of pie—anything more substantial than a single slice—were the oven, toaster oven, and air fryer. In each case, covering the pie with foil was important for promoting even heating. For slices, the best method was lightly toasting them in a small skillet that's partially covered with foil, which produced the crispiest crust. The oven and air fryer also worked well for slices. 

The main takeaway is that four out of five methods kept the crust crisp and worked well, so you can reheat pie successfully no matter how much time or gear you have. And while several of the tested reheating methods worked well, there was one clear loser: the microwave. Though the fastest and easiest option, it consistently produced the soggiest crust.