Why Grocery Store Bakeries Don't Refrigerate Their Pumpkin Pies

Pumpkin pies are a familiar sight in grocery store bakery aisles throughout the fall and winter months. But why aren't these little slices of squash-laden bliss kept in the refrigerated section with other kinds of pies? It turns out there's a simple reason for that. Per experts, most supermarket-sold pumpkin pies have preservatives in them that help keep them fresh without needing to be chilled. 

A combination of high cooking temperatures and recipes that carefully manage the acidity of the pie also contribute to the longevity of the baked good by limiting bacterial growth. But, this isn't a hard-and-fast rule regarding every single piece of flawless pumpkin pie out there. Naturally, one should always keep an eye on the ingredients and the instructions listed on every label to make sure that it's safe to leave your pie out of the fridge until it's ready to enjoy. Any that contain perishable ingredients like milk, eggs, or cream definitely need to go in the refrigerator right away. If they aren't placed in the safety of cooler storage, you could risk compromising quality or contracting food-borne illnesses. 

If you're a home baker, the rules for keeping your pumpkin pie fresh are entirely different. If you made it with fresh ingredients and baked it in your own oven, it's best to store pumpkin pie in the refrigerator. This is because the ingredients you use will likely not include the preservatives that make pumpkin pies produced in commercial kitchens so easy to leave out at room temperature. 

While refrigerating homemade pies will definitely curb the risk of salmonella and other food-related dangers, how long can you keep your desserts safely in the refrigerator before needing to toss them? That depends on the recipe's recommendations, but most of them can stay safely in the icebox for four days. If you want to pre-bake your pies ahead of time for special occasions, you can typically freeze your finished treats for up to four months before they should be tossed. 

Whether you've chosen to save your time by buying a pie from the store or you've decided to bake a classic pumpkin pie recipe for a holiday feast, there's plenty of ways to bring a little bit of pumpkin to your table — and plenty of ways to preserve your treat so it won't spoil before you can enjoy it.