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12 easy ways to make a store-bought pie look and taste homemade, according to bakers and chefs

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12 easy ways to make a store-bought pie look and taste homemade, according to bakers and chefs

pumpkin pie lede image
There are a few ways you can trick people into thinking your store-bought pie is homemade.

Rachel Askinasi

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  • Chefs and bakers shared tips for how to make store-bought pies look homemade and taste even better. 
  • Melting a bit of butter or sprinkling salt on top of a pie can help balance out its sweetness. 
  • Decorate your pie with a dusting of powdered sugar, frosted lettering, or a drizzle of caramel. 

Not everyone has time to make a delicious pie from scratch.

Fortunately, some store-bought versions can be pretty delicious — and pass for homemade if you know a few handy tricks.

So, Business Insider spoke with chefs, bakers, and other culinary professionals about their favorite ways to elevate premade pies.

Here are a few of their best tips that you may want to write down before your next neighborhood potluck or holiday dinner.

Create a herbed caramel sauce to add a gourmet touch to a store-bought pie.
peanut butter pie with chocolate and caramel drizzle
A caramel drizzle can elevate a dessert.

Lynne Mitchell/Getty Images

Professional baker and winner of TLC's "Cake Boss: Next Great Baker" Dana Herbert, told Business Insider that he recommends adding an herbed caramel sauce to ready-made pies.

"Add some cinnamon, rosemary, thyme, ginger, or cardamom to warm caramel sauce and serve it with the pie," Herbert said. "Even traditionally savory herbs can complement sweet desserts." 

If you're not sure whether a particular herb would pair well with your pie, Herbert recommended closing your eyes and smelling the herb or spice — if you can detect something sweet in the scent, it's probably OK to use.

Remove your store-bought pie from its packaging to make it look homemade.
chocolate cream pie in red pie pan on granite countertop
A coat of chocolate can help keep a pie's filing in place.

Animas Photography/Shutterstock

Alexandra Lourdes, co-owner of Saint Honoré Doughnuts and Beignets, told Business Insider that the easiest way to elevate a store-bought pie is to simply remove it from its original packaging. 

"Make sure you take it out of the box it came in," Lourdes said. "If you place it in a new box, add a ribbon, or arrange it on a beautiful cake stand, no one will ever know it's not homemade."

Top cherry or blueberry pies with a dollop of lemon curd.
a person mixing Lemon Curd in clear bowl with baking spatula

Romix Image/Shuttershock

Lemon can elevate a premade pie, making its flavors feel more complex.

"Make a super tangy lemon curd with lemon juice and plenty of zest," Herbert said. "The sourness will cut through some of the excessive sweetness found in store-bought blueberry and cherry pies." 

If you don't have time to make your own lemon curd, you can buy it from the grocery store. Just stir in a bit of fresh lemon juice and rind to make it taste more homemade.

Use salt to balance the sweetness of certain pie varieties.
mini chocolate pie on wire rack with sea salt flakes on it

SEAGULL_L/Shuttershock

Carlo Lamagna, chef and owner of Magna PDX, said that a dose of salt can help tone down the sweetness in syrupy pies. 

"Salt helps accentuate flavors and balances out often overly sweet items," Lamagna said. 

If you don't want to sprinkle pure salt on your dessert, you can opt for crushed salted nuts, like peanuts or cashews, which will still do the trick and add extra texture.

Melt butter on top of a pie for extra richness.
Butter melting in pan
Only add a little bit of butter at a time.

haha21/Getty Images

Kevin Cabrera, corporate executive chef at The Save Mart Companies, told BI that melting a bit of butter on top of a ready-made pie can help give it a homemade richness.  

"Halfway through warming your pie, directly insert thin slices of butter into the venting slits of the pie," Cabrera said. "This will give it a nice, moist flavor."

Adding too much butter might oversaturate the pie and lead to a soggy crust, so start with a tablespoon or two, and add more if necessary.

Serve your pie with a homemade whipped cream.
slice of Mississippi mud pie on white plate
Mississippi mud pie.

excursionista.net/Shutterstock

Chef and sommelier Melissa Smith told BI that serving a premade pie with fresh whipped cream is a great way to make the dessert taste and look gourmet.

All you need to make it is a whisk, heavy cream, and powdered sugar. Consider using a piping bag to add the whipped cream to your pie for a more elegant look. 

Smith said doing so will make your pie look "modern and classy, like something straight out of a magazine."

For bonus points, she recommended garnishing the piped cream with a few flakes of edible gold or a smattering of citrus zest.

A light dusting of powdered sugar is a fast way to dress up your pie.
Sugar cream pie with dusting of powdered sugar
Sugar cream pie.

FabriZiock/Shutterstock

Instead of making your own fresh whipped cream, you could also just grab a spoonful of powdered sugar. 

"A simple dusting of powdered sugar can really make your pie look more appetizing than if you simply served it bare and straight out of the container," Smith said. 

For a flawless presentation, use a sieve to ensure an even coating of sugar and a stencil if you want to use the sugar to create clean and clear designs with the sugar.

Try to add sugar right before serving so it doesn't dissolve.

Melt cheddar cheese onto the crust of your apple pie.
Apple pie being sliced
Cheddar can pair nicely with apple pie.

Rebeca Mello/Getty Images

If you feel like taking some culinary risks, Lamagna suggested mixing up a classic store-bought apple pie by adding some sliced or shredded cheese.

"I grew up in the Midwest, so we would always melt a slice of cheddar on the top of apple pies," Lamagna said. "Don't be afraid to experiment with unconventional pairings."

Moderation is key to pulling off cheesy apple pie — don't layer on too much cheese, or you'll end up with an oily, salty crust.

Add homemade lettering on top for a personal touch.
hand mixer whipping frosting in bowl

Staniela R. Nikolova/Shuttershock

Just because your pie came straight from the grocery store doesn't mean it needs to look generic. 

"I'd add homemade lettering to the pie to make it your own," Lourdes said. "You can also add gold flakes or edible food glitter to make a statement." 

Add your chosen phrase using frosting or make chocolate letters at home with silicone molds.

Top pie slices with ice cream for a pleasing temperature mix.
apple pie ice cream

Shutterstock

If you're serving a pie that's meant to be enjoyed warm, adding a scoop of high-quality ice cream can enhance the taste.

"Hot and cold foods are a dynamic pair," Cabrera said. "After warming it up, serve the pie with a generous scoop of slow-churned ice cream for a delectable dessert." 

Cabrera said that you can't go wrong with vanilla ice cream, but you can also pick a rich chocolate or a fruity sorbet.

Sprinkle bacon bits on top of your pie for a savory kick.
Bacon slices frying in grease in pan

Shutterstock

If you love marrying salty and sweet, adding a light dusting of bacon pieces to your pie might be a mouthwatering move. 

"The perfect way to improve an apple or peach pie is to grab your favorite bacon, cook it up, and toss it on the pie," Herbert told BI. 

For a more Southern-inspired dessert, Herbert suggested using bourbon-flavored bacon on a pecan pie. 

Add fresh fruit to cream pies for a vibrant touch.

Liven up drab cream pies by topping them with chopped fresh fruit for added texture and color. 

"Find a fruit that would complement the type of cream pie you purchased," Lamagna said. "Cherries tend to go well with chocolate cream, and coconut works with banana cream."

Other tasty combos include peaches with vanilla cream, raspberries with lime cream, and bananas with peanut-butter cream.

This story was originally published on November 3, 2020, and most recently updated on November 17, 2025.

Read the original article on Business Insider

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