How Many Servings Is a Pie? How Many to Bake for a Crowd? 

Sweet or savory, pie is always a welcomed addition to any table. It is the perfect go-to solution to create a warm and homey atmosphere. However, getting the right quantity is crucial as pie is a dish best consumed fresh, as it doesn’t do great when reheated or frozen. So, how many servings is a pie, and how many do you need for a crowd?

The standard 9-inch pan pie has 6-8 pieces depending on their thickness. The typical pie serving is one eight per person, so one 9 inch pan pie has 6-8 servings. Baking pie for a crowd makes the math a bit more complicated, as the quantity of the pie doesn’t follow the number of people proportionally.

Being that pie is a frequent visitor in my kitchen, I have mastered the art of making it and serving it. Baking pie isn’t as simple as it seems, and some calculations are involved. In the following paragraphs, I will explain how much pie is a serving, depending on the pan size, how many pies to bake for a crowd, and how to slice it properly. 

How Many Servings Is a Pie?

The standard pie serving is one piece of pie, whereby a piece is one-eight. However, the pie may not hold eight pieces depending on the pan size, as there are 9-inch pans, 6-inch pans, 8-inch pans, etc. In this case, the number of servings from the pie would be the maximum number of pieces it holds. 

How Many Servings in a 6-inch Pie?

A 6-inch pie can provide 4-6 pieces, so 4-6 servings. A pie this size is a good choice for a dessert, preferably for two people. If you serve a pie this size for more than two people, you risk running out, which is very likely to happen, so if you have more than two guests, it’s a good idea to choose a pie of a bigger size. 

How Many Servings in an 8-inch Pie?

Depending on the pie filling and the other food included on your table, you may want to consider the thickness of the pie pieces. If the pie filling is heavy and the rest of the food is fatty, you should cut the pie into thinner slices, but if you combine the pie with lighter food and the filling is also low-fat, feel free to cut thicker pieces. Ideally, a pie this size, moderately fatty and combined with moderately fatty food, would have 6 pieces, although you can cut two more.

How Many Servings in a 9-inch Pie?

Nine inches is the most common pie size. It contains 6-8 servings, an ideal number for an average get-together. That’s actually why this size is most common, as one pie can provide a piece for all your guests. 

How Many Pies to Bake for a Crowd?

Now the tricky part. It isn’t always simple to get the pie amount right, especially when serving a crowd. 

The commonly accepted standard is to have one 6 inch pie for every two guests and one 8 or 9-inch pie for every six guests.

Serving up to five people is easy; that’s one or two pies, no leftovers, and you won’t run out either, just perfect. However, serving 10, 15, or 50 people or more complicates things, pies won’t proportionally increase. 

Of course, the standard amount of pieces is one piece per person, but perhaps someone will have two, causing someone else to have none. Also, if the filling is heavy, having more pie will result in more leftovers, or if the pie is lighter, one piece per person may run out. 

If the pie is lighter, it is safest to calculate two pieces per person, considering some may have three. 

Both scenarios are not what you want, especially when serving a crowd, which means you won’t be able to pop into the kitchen and make more if you run out. Also, the leftovers after a crowd aren’t just a few pieces you can later eat, but a serious amount of pie you won’t know what to do with. 

Therefore, the tables below could be your ally to prevent a pie disaster. The first one represents the number of pieces and pies for medium to heavy pie (9 or 8 inches). 

This table represents the number of pieces and pies for a dessert pie (6 inches).

As you can see, the 8 and 9-inch pies are on the same table, as the number of pieces doesn’t vary much, one-piece less or more. If you compare the number of pieces in both tables, you will see that the number of pieces is the same, but the number of pies isn’t. 

The 6-inch pan is the recommended size for a dessert pie, and therefore the numbers on the table for the 6-inch pie indicate the number of pie pieces as a dessert. It isn’t practical to bake a pie as a main dish in a 6-inch pan, as you will need significantly more pies for the same number of people. 

This last table represents the number of pieces for a light pie (8 or 9 inches).

The numbers in this table indicate the number of pie pieces and pies for a light filling pie. Whereby, the calculations predict two pieces per person, with enough reserve if someone has three pieces, keeping a low risk of running out or having too much. 

All three tables are given as a reference. Based on our guests and the amount of other food you’ll be serving, feel free to adjust the quantities according to your particular situation. 

How to Properly Slice a Pie?

As simple as this task sounds, it does involve some knowledge and technique. First of all, never slice your pie hot. The filling will start dripping, and the crust will crumble into the rest of the pie.

As a result, you will have a mash with no consistency and a terrible texture, which won’t be a pleasant surprise for your mouth. 

The pie needs to be compact and solid to be properly cut with the crust intact. Therefore, please place it in the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes before serving it. This way, you will properly chill your pie, everything will set, and the cold will make the crust more elastic and easy to cut. 

Don’t cut once your pie is ready for cutting, instead of that – press. Use a sharp knife that can cut the entire pie in half. Put the knife on the pie and gently press until the crust is scored with lines indicating the pieces.

The next step is to cut the actual pieces. Take a smaller knife and follow the score lines; start from the center and move toward the rim. Your movements should be gentle and don’t forget to wipe the knife after each piece.