*This post was created in collaboration with Rubbermaid®. All words, images, and opinions are my own.

The holidays soon will be here, and aside from the (much smaller) get togethers and all the festivities, for me, that also means TONS of baking! For the last few years, I’ve had the pleasure of making the pies for my family’s holiday events, and even though this year will be a bit different, I wanted to carry on the tradition. Inspired by Rubbermaid® Holiday TakeAlongs® [Find yours HERE], which are freezer (and also dishwasher) safe, I decided to downsize my pies and freeze them unbaked. Fruit pies freeze wonderfully, and freezing them before baking keeps the pie dough super flaky (just the way you want it). Then, I can pass them out to my friends and family with baking instructions so they’ll be fresh out of the oven right when they are ready to enjoy them!

I’ve been using Rubbermaid® for as long as I can remember- both in my own kitchen and for food gifting (one of my favorite gifts to give). The Quik Clik™ Seal on the Holiday TakeAlongs® is the best way to to keep baked goods secure when delivering them and at their peak yumminess! They are also the only containers I use for my homemade marshmallows, because the tight seal keeps them super fluffy for weeks. In a kitchen with as much going on as mine, I appreciate that I can stack them to save space as well, and the holiday colors are the best! Of course, my favorite is always the gold, but the shimmery red and green make my food gifts look extra joyous, and after the treats are gone, my friends and family can reuse the containers for their own holiday baking :). You can find the Rubbermaid® Holiday TakeAlongs®  in a variety of sizes at Walmart on endcaps in-store or for pickup.

If you’d like to try freezing your favorite unbaked pies I have some helpful tips below (also for baking the pies once it’s time to eat them). This is not only great for gifting, but also a sanity saver to cut down on food prep right before the holidays as frozen unbaked pies will keep for up to 4 months!

How to Freeze Fruit Pies

It is best to use either a metal dish, or a ceramic pie pan that you know is able to withstand the change in temperature from the freezer to the oven. Glass pie dishes can shatter, so I would avoid them at all costs here!

Directions:

1. If you worry about light colored fruits, like apples, browning you can treat the fruit with a color keeper before assembling the pies, but since mine will be baked and eaten in the next month I skipped this step (plus, this Cranberry Apple Pie filling has a good dose of citrus to help keep the colors bright)
2. Assemble the pies as you normally would, but skip the egg wash on top (use it right before baking).
3. Generously wrap each pie 2-3 times with either plastic wrap or foil, and transfer to a Rubbermaid® TakeAlongs® container to keep freezer burn and frost out.

How to Bake Frozen Fruit Pies

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Unwrap the pies and place them onto a baking sheet. There is no need to thaw the pie first!
2. Brush the top with egg wash.
3.  Transfer the pies right from the freezer to the oven (I prefer to bake my pies on the bottom oven rack to prevent the dreaded soggy bottoms haha). Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and continue to bake for another 40-50 minutes (covering the crust, as needed, with foil to prevent it from burning).

 

That’s it! Leftover fruit pies can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator for a few days (loosely covered). To store longer, place any leftovers uncovered in the freezer (until  frozen solid), then wrap like you did unbaked, and transfer the pie to a Rubbermaid® TakeAlongs® container and place in the freezer. Happy holiday baking to you!

Rubbermaid® Holiday TakeAlongs® are available at Walmart on endcaps in-store or for pickup.