How To Serve Apple Pie: Hot or Cold, Reheating Tips & Topping Ideas

There are many desserts served around the autumn and winter holidays, but apple pie is the traditional one, which never goes out of fashion. People never seem to get tired of this sweet treat, but to make it a bit different, many choose to serve it in interesting ways to intensify the flavors of this pie. So, how do you serve apple pie, and should you eat apple pie hot or cold? 

You can eat apple pie warm or serve it cold, but never while it is still hot. If the apple pie is freshly baked and still hot, leaving it to cool off and the filling to set is essential. If you don’t allow it to set, it can fall apart. Also, adding flavors such as whipped cream, cream cheese frosting, or ice cream helps intensify the taste.

Learning the right ways of serving apple pie is essential if you want to really enjoy the flavors of this sweet dessert. In this article, I’ll show you the right ways of serving apple pie, including what temperature to serve it and the additional toppings that might accompany this dessert when served. Also, I will add some tips and methods that you can use to store and reheat apple pie. 🙂

Should apple pie be eaten hot or cold? 

Adding toppings when serving apple pie is important, but you also need to know the appropriate temperatures at which you can eat this dessert. If you frequently bake desserts and other goods, you know that eating things right from the oven is not a good idea. This is especially not recommended when the recipes include sugar in the baked goods. 

Namely, eating hot stuff right from the oven would be extremely dangerous, so you must leave your apple pie to set up and cool off for at least one hour after you take it out. This is enough time to prepare your apple pie, and it is still warm when served. 

In addition, you need to give your pie enough time to set. If you try to cut and serve it too early, the filling can fall apart, and it won’t look nice on the plate. The hot crust may still be crumbly and dry because the flavors and moisture from different ingredients have yet to blend.

If you eat the warm apple pie, the flavors will be intense and rich. You will easily feel all the spices and apples melt in your mouth. 

However, some people tend to eat this type of pie cold because it is still delicious even this way. There are better chances that the filling is set and firm. If you like to eat a cold apple pie, the flavors may not be strong, and it will taste lighter.

If it’s cold outside, try placing your pie on the windowsill or the terrace to make cooling quicker. However, avoid putting hot food in the fridge because it can start unwanted processes.

Also, when eating apple pie after some time, you can reheat it or eat it from the fridge. Since we are talking about pie, many people choose to reheat it a bit, but it is up to your preferences. I have included the tips on reheating the apple pie later in the article, so read on. 

The bottom line is that you can eat apple pie either warm or cold, but never hot.

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Topping ideas for apple pie

There are different ways to serve apple pie and make it taste more delicious. Since apple pie is usually served in winter and around the holidays, people find ways to make this treat slightly different and more interesting in flavors. Finding the right combinations of flavors is not always easy because you do not want to ruin the original taste of apple pie. 

Moreover, the temperatures in which apple pie is served are crucial, meaning you must be careful. You can serve it hot or cold. Once you learn everything that needs to be considered when serving this dessert, you can truly taste and enjoy its delicious flavors. 

Whipped cream

Whipped cream is one of the most common and favorite toppings with which apple pie is served. Therefore, if you do not want to experiment, then whipped cream would be a suitable option. This will add new flavors to your pie and give you a touch of creamy texture. 

A fresh dollop of whipped cream will contribute to the balance between your dessert’s sweetness and lightness. This is considered a traditional solution for almost every type of pie, meaning you cannot go wrong if you opt for it. Moreover, you can add an extra twist by adding a little maple syrup or honey on top of the whipped cream and achieve a heavenly taste.

Moreover, it goes perfectly with hot and cold apple pie.

Ice cream 

A frozen topping like ice cream will intensify the taste of your apple pie and balance the flavors of your dessert. A scoop of vanilla ice cream would match exceptionally well with a warm piece of apple pie. The deliciousness comes once the ice cream melts into the warm apple pie filling. 

Even though the vanilla-flavored ice cream is the traditional choice, you can also opt for some adventurous flavors, such as lemon, maple walnut, or yogurt. It usually depends on a person’s taste whether they would go for the traditional or alternative choice. One thing is for sure: these flavors work with apple pie, and they will add some deliciousness to your dessert.

Caramel and pecans 

If the sweetness of apple pie is enough for you, you can skip adding ice cream. 

However, if you do not want to serve it plain, you can make lighter choices, such as drizzling caramel ice cream topping with chopped pecans. This is a delicious solution for serving a hot slice of apple pie that will definitely contribute to its richness of flavors. 

Cream cheese frosting

If you love cinnamon rolls, you will love this topping, too. Cream cheese frosting will bring both sweetness and sourness to apple pie. But, at the same time, it is so creamy and soft that it is one of the favorite spreads for various desserts. However, people like to add cream cheese frosting on cold apple pie, rather than warm. You can try both versions and see what suits you better.

Powdered sugar

Opt for powdered sugar if you are simply looking for a decoration idea rather than adding new flavors. Powdered sugar will make the slice of apple pie look more elegant but won’t bring a lot of sweetness or any other new flavor. 

The apples and cinnamon will stay in focus, as in the traditional way of serving apple pie. Just make sure that the pie is not hot anymore. Place the cold apple pie on the plate and sprinkle it with powdered sugar.

How to reheat apple pie? 

Reheating is usually very simple, especially when warming up the whole pie. 

First, you will have to preheat your oven for about 15 minutes and then place your pie in it for about 15 to 20 minutes. You will also have to cover your pie with foil because the high heat might easily burn the top of your dessert. 

On the other hand, if you want to reheat only one or two slices of apple pie, you can opt for some other methods. You can use the same oven method, but you will have to waste more time. It would be more convenient to use a toaster oven since it is smaller, and the process will be done more quickly. 

However, make sure that you check your slice of pie every 3-5 minutes because you do not want it to burn. A toaster oven is a small kitchen appliance, so heat is spread more quickly, meaning that if not monitored, your pie might easily burn up.

Another way to reheat apple pie is in the microwave. This is especially convenient if you want to warm a slice or two. First, place the apple pie on a microwave-safe plate and microwave it on medium heat for 30 seconds.

After 30 seconds, test with a finger to see if the bottom of the plate and the top of the pie are warm. If they are not, microwave the pie for 20 seconds. Then, repeat the previous step.

Can you reheat apple pie twice? 

Although you might think that reheating apple pie twice might ruin the texture of your dessert completely, reheating apple pie multiple times is perfectly possible. This is because apple pie does not contain any meat in its content, meaning nothing will get ruined or spoiled by multiple times of reheating.

However, if you already know that you need only one or two slices of pie at that particular moment, there is no need to go through all the trouble by reheating the whole pie. 

In other words, if you know that you will eat only one slice, it is more convenient to reheat only that slice in a smaller oven, such as a toaster oven or a microwave. Even though it is possible to reheat your apple pie multiple times, it is unnecessary if you already know the amount of pie you need for a serving. 

How to reheat frozen apple pie? 

The first thing you will need to do is leave your pie set up at room temperature. This is an essential part of reheating frozen apple pie, no matter what kitchen appliance you use. 

Putting a frozen apple pie directly in an oven or a microwave would not be appropriate, as this will completely ruin the texture and taste of the dessert. 

So, make sure that you leave your apple pie at least for one or two hours at room temperature, and then proceed to the reheating methods. You can use your oven or microwave for the reheating, but if only one or two slices are in question, you can simply use a toaster oven for the process. 

Do you need to refrigerate apple pie? 

Refrigerating your apple pie is not always necessary, but that depends on the ingredients you have included in your dessert. For instance, baked goods that contain sugar do not usually require storage in the fridge. This is because sugar keeps the ingredients together and does not allow the pie to spoil. 

However, storing your apple pie in the fridge is crucial if you used cream, custard, or eggs in the filling. In other words, whether or not you need to store apple pie in the fridge depends on the ingredients and how you made it. 

If you didn’t use any of the mentioned ingredients, you can leave apple pie at room temperature, just covered, to limit any external influences.

How long does apple pie last? 

Apple pies are good for up to four days if they are properly stored in a container with a lid and refrigerated. 

However, since fruit is the main ingredient, it is advised that you always check the smell and texture of your apple pie before you decide to eat it. 

You never know how long fruit can last even when refrigerated, so you should check twice and not entirely rely on the estimated lifespan of a baked apple pie.

In conclusion, you have read that apple pie can be eaten both warm and cold. However, you must never opt for eating it freshly baked from the oven. Following the recommended steps for serving apple pie is crucial if you want to enjoy this dessert properly.