Read the package instructions, but take them with a grain of salt—or a pinch of fun. They often tell you to bake from frozen, which is fine, but you can get better results with a tiny bit of thought. Think of it like a frozen pizza: you could just blast it, but a little finesse makes it sing. Why rush the good stuff?
If you have time, let the pie sit on the counter for 20 to 30 minutes before the oven preheats. This isn’t a full thaw—just a gentle high-five to wake it up. It helps the crust avoid that weird, soggy-bottom situation nobody wants. You’re already winning by caring this much.
