Keep sugar cream pie cold to keep it fresh. Image Credit: Stockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty Images
Sugar cream pie is so beloved in certain areas of the U.S. that an Indianan state representative attempted to designate it the state's official pie. Generally created from sugar, cream, butter, vanilla and cornstarch, the pie resembles a thick custard in a pie shell. Generally served with whipped cream or ice cream, the milk-based ingredients in the recipe give it a short shelf life. Store it in the refrigerator or freezer, as it will spoil if left at room temperature.
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Fresh Baked
Serve the sugar cream pie fresh from the oven, still warm, within 10 to 20 minutes of taking it out of the oven. As soon as it reaches room temperature, refrigerate the pie until ready to serve. The milk products can spoil after 30 minutes if left at room temperature, allowing harmful bacteria to grow.
Refrigerator
Place a freshly baked, and cooled, pie into the refrigerator, lightly covered with plastic wrap or tinfoil. Eat it within two to three days of baking. Serve it chilled or warm the whole pie in an oven set to 425 degrees Fahrenheit for eight to 10 minutes, or three to four minutes for individual slices, or in the microwave at full power for one to two minutes.
Freezer
Wrap the pie tightly in tinfoil, then plastic wrap, and place it in the freezer. Ensure all the air is pushed out from the wrappings to prevent freezer burn. The pie will store for up to six months if sealed properly. Remove the pie from the freezer and place it, still covered with tinfoil, into an oven heated to 325 F. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes covered, then remove the foil and bake for another five to 10 minutes to ensure even browning.
Considerations
Pie crusts can also be made, lightly baked, and frozen to reduce preparation and baking time for sugar cream pies. They will keep in the freezer for up to three months. Prepare the sugar cream pie filling, and pour into a prebaked crust that has been defrosted for several hours in the refrigerator. Bake for the time required by the recipe. To prevent the edges from burning, cover with tinfoil before you put it in the oven. Remove the tinfoil 10 to 15 minutes before the pie is finished baking.
