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My Freeze-Drying Pumpkin Pie Redemption Story
Posted by Ola Griffin on Nov 26th 2025
Freeze-Drying Leftover Pumpkin Pie (the Right Way!)
(1) If freeze-drying has taught me anything, it’s that some recipes work beautifully… and some teach you patience. Pumpkin pie has been one of my biggest troublemakers. Sure, you can reconstitute it, but I wanted a crispy little dessert bite — something I could snack on without worrying about breaking a tooth. And those first attempts? Let’s just say they were sturdy enough to repair a driveway.
(2) If there’s one thing freeze-drying teaches us, it’s this: you’re going to make things… and you’re going to fail at things. Pumpkin pie has definitely been one of my repeat offenders. Sure, you could technically reconstitute it, but I wanted something snackable — a little crispy dessert bite I could nibble on without worrying I’d chip a tooth. And let me tell you… those early attempts? Hard enough to patch a pothole.
I’ve tried it all:
• Deconstructed pumpkin pie (yes, blended crust and all)
• Just the baked filling
• Overcooked filling (still tasty… but still a brick!)
Every method left me with something that could double as a garden stone or hocky puck.
But I wasn’t giving up. I love to concure a challenge.
The Breakthrough Moment
I had an idea and off to Costo I go!
This time, I went big and grabbed two Costco pumpkin pies. I scooped out the filling from one whole pie and tossed it into my mixer. Then I added one large container of whipped topping, plus about ⅓ of the second pie — just enough to get the light, fluffy texture I was dreaming about.
I used my trusty cookie scoop (the little workhorse of my kitchen!) to portion out perfect rounds onto my freeze-dryer trays.
And because I love a cute moment, I filled my silicone molds too — little gingerbread houses, trees, and gingerbread boys and girls. Off to the freezer they went until they were solid, unmolded and then onto the freeze-dryer trays.
The Freeze-Drying Run
I ran everything on a standard cycle and, as always, added 10–12 hours of extra dry time. I pulled them out about an hour before the cycle finished.
And friends… I did a full-on happy dance in my kitchen.
The pumpkin rounds were biteable — crispy like a cookie but without the brick-like density of my earlier fails. Even my husband approved (and he’s honest to a fault when it comes to my freeze-dried experiments!).
And those molded gingerbread people? Absolutely adorable. Airy, light, perfectly freeze-dried.
I finally conquered freeze-dried pumpkin pie!
The secret? The whipped topping adds enough air to lighten the density.
Packaging the Pumpkin Perfection
For short-term snacking (which, let’s be honest, is happening fast around here), I used PackFreshUSA Stand-Up Pouches.
For long-term storage, I sealed batches in PackFreshUSA Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers — because a victory this delicious deserves to last.
And just like that, pumpkin pie went from my biggest freeze-drying flop to one of my new favorite treats. Packed in my trusty PackFreshUSA Stand-Up Pouches and Mylar bags & oxygen absorbers, these little bites are ready for snacking today and long-term storage. Sometimes the best kitchen wins are the ones you have to fight for — but oh, they taste so good.
And that’s the sweet joy of freeze-drying — sometimes you fail, sometimes you laugh, and sometimes you end up dancing in the kitchen over a little pumpkin miracle. If this helps you finally conquer pumpkin pie too, then consider this Mimi’s early holiday gift to you. Happy freeze-drying, my friends!
Happy preppin',
Ola D Griffin
Long-term Food Storage Expert
Customer Service, Safeguard Brands, Inc. dba PackFreshUSA
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