One Simple Staple Ingredient Adds Homemade Vibes To A Store-Bought Pie

Do you ever wish you could experience the aroma and taste of a delicious, homemade pie without having to follow a recipe? When you don't have the extra time or effort needed to par-cook fruit for the perfect jammy-not-soggy pie filling, a pre-made, store-bought pie can easily solve your problems. However, in terms of flavor and texture, store-bought pies are rarely mistaken for their homemade counterparts. Since most pre-made pies are mass-produced, they tend to miss that quintessential personal touch you can often taste in homemade confections. Luckily, however, you can elevate your next store-bought pie by adding just one ingredient to the top layer of crust: butter.

While homemade apple pie filling is made superior with an extra ingredient like sour cream, store-bought pies need more of a quick fix. Sure enough, butter gives sweet, fruit-based pies homemade appeal with an extra dose of that savory flavor many of us associate with scratch-made pie. Whether you're dressing up a berry, apple, or peach pie covered in lattice crust, or working with a pie that has a full sheet of pastry across the top, adding butter is simple and effective. That said, we suggest limiting this trick to fruit-based pies rather than confections like chocolate or cream pies; the fillings in these could read as too rich with the additional fat from the butter. 

Not only does butter add a little something extra to an otherwise mediocre dessert, this golden fat also imparts some much-needed moisture to the pastry itself. Many pre-made pies, once baked, tend to have dry, dense crust. Therefore, adding a small amount of butter to the inner surface of your pie can give it something of the tell-tale moisture of its homemade counterpart. 

To incorporate butter in your next pre-made treat, halfway through heating it, remove your pie from the oven and create between four to six 2-inch cuts along the top layer of crust. Add small, thin pats of butter within each slit beneath the surface, and then finish heating. If you're adding butter to a lattice-topped crust, simply place the cuts of butter between a few of the panels of checkered pastry. 

While adding butter to store-bought pies is easy and delicious, be mindful of how much you add in total; too much can lead to soggy pastry and an overly-rich, oil-heavy filling. For one pie, aim to use between 1 and 2 tablespoons. 

When it comes to upgrading your next pre-made confection, adding small dots of this golden fat to fruit-based fillings isn't your only option. For additional moisture, consider brushing store-bought pie crust with melted butter. You can also include a sprinkle of sugar or salt for added complexity. After you master the art of adding butter to your next pie, feel free to get creative and imbue this pre-made dessert with extra toppings and sauces. Amp up a store-bought berry pie with one simple addition like lemon curd, or add homemade chocolate or caramel sauce to pies layered with chocolate and nuts. You just might fool someone into thinking they're eating a homemade treat.