Want Neat, Photo-Worthy Pie Slices? Try This Cool Little Trick

We've all been there. You've spent hours painstakingly baking a picture-perfect pie. Whether you added a scoop of sour cream to your apple pie to give it a little something extra, took the time to blind bake your pie crust to perfection, or finely chopped the pecans for your pecan pie, you've put in the work and you can't wait to dig in. It's cooled off, and it's finally time to cut into it and plate up the first slice. Despite your best efforts, the slice of pie that you were so excited to show off collapses into a pile of goo. While it still tastes delicious, it's not exactly the gorgeous slice you'd imagined. What gives?

Thankfully, there's a simple solution to creating the social-media-worthy pie photos of your dreams, and it's as easy as popping your pie into the fridge for a bit after baking. Let your pie fully cool on the kitchen counter, then let it chill in the fridge for a bit — an hour or so should do the trick. Once you remove your pie from the fridge and slice it up, you'll find that each piece holds its shape, making for a supremely perfect photo opportunity. If you'd prefer to enjoy your pie warm, simply wrap it up in foil and pop it into the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until it's warmed through (it shouldn't take more than a few minutes).

You work hard on creating amazing desserts in your kitchen — it makes sense that you want to show them off on social media. It can be tough to figure out exactly how to get the deliciousness on your plate to translate to the screen, but following a few simple pie slicing tips can help your followers feel like they're right there in your kitchen with you, ready to enjoy a stunning slice of pie.

The first slice might not always look the best, even if you let it rest in the fridge beforehand. Some pastry chefs recommend acknowledging that the first slice won't be perfect, and setting it aside to eat, not to photograph. Cut into your pie with a warm, serrated knife, and make sure you actually hit the bottom of the pie pan. In fact, you might want to pass your knife along the cut line a few times to ensure that the slice is fully cut and ready to be removed. Finally, don't try to scoop slices out with a standard spatula; a pie server was made for exactly this purpose. While this can take some maneuvering for removing the first slice, you'll be able to slide it under remaining slices from the side, removing each piece with ease.