13 ways to make a store-bought pie look and taste better

Professional baker and winner of TLC's "Cake Boss: Next Great Baker" Dana Herbert told 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.

Alexandra Lourdes, co-owner of Saint Honoré Doughnuts & Beignets, told 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."

Introducing some lemon flavor can add complexity to and elevate the taste of a premade berry pie.

"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 some from the grocery store and stir in a bit of fresh lemon juice and rind.

Kevin Cabrera, corporate executive chef at The Save Mart Companies, told Insider 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.

Carlo Lamagna, chef and Magna PDX owner, told Insider 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.

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.

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

"If you have a whisk, heavy cream, powdered sugar, and a piping bag, go ahead and pipe whipped cream onto the pie," Smith said. "This always looks modern and classy, like something straight out of a magazine."

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

Instead of making your own fresh whipped cream, you can 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 flawless presentation, use a sieve to ensure an even coating of sugar and a stencil for clean and clear designs.

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."

You can simply add your chosen phrase using frosting, but Lourdes also suggested making chocolate letters at home with silicone molds.

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 noted that you can't go wrong with vanilla ice cream, but you can also opt for rich chocolate or a fruity sorbet.

If you have a blender, you can turn leftover or slightly stale pie into a scrumptious milkshake.

"Take a quarter of the pie and blend it with some vanilla ice cream and milk," Smith said. "Be sure to gently pulse it so that you end up with chunks of pie, not a completely smooth blend."

To make slurping this concoction a bit easier, serve with an extra-wide straw that will allow the pie pieces to flow through. You can also add a splash of whiskey or flavored liquor for more flavor and fun.

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 said.

For a Southern-inspired dessert, Herbert suggested using bourbon-flavored bacon to add savory flair to a pecan pie.

You can 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 banana with peanut-butter cream.

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