One Quick Addition Will Help Cut The Sweetness In A Store-Bought Pie

Whether you're serving it for tonight's post-meal dessert or simply nibbling at it throughout the day, it never hurts to keep your kitchen counter equipped with a good pie. Keeping these timeless treats on stand-by has never been easier when most major grocery stores and supermarkets have them readily available. And while they'll certainly do the trick to satisfy your cravings in a pinch, one problem usually reigns true for a lot of commercially sold pies: they're too sweet. Luckily, though, a pinch of salt is all you need to counteract that.

Simply running to the bodega and grabbing a packaged pie is as convenient as can be, especially when most of today's homemade pies are no longer as simple as just throwing together water and flour (we're looking at you, Depression Era water pie). But just a small forkful of these store-bought varieties reveals how they're usually chock full of sugar and syrups. The intensity of these sweeteners can thankfully be diminished a bit by salt, one of everyone's go-to cooking staples. This table seasoning works like magic by neutralizing overly sweet items while also emphasizing other flavors at the same time.

Intentionally savory meals like a springy vegetarian pot pie or a cheesy roasted tomato pie have taught us that salt has a special place in these baked goods, too. And that fact holds true even for pies that are purposely made to be on the sweeter side. So whether you're working with a blueberry, apple, or pumpkin pie, a little bit of salt can do wonders in taking down the overt presence of sugar. Be mindful of how much salt you're using, though; only add as much as needed and then increase the amount if necessary. Start by sprinkling a bit on your slice, and watch how much it offsets the sweetness first.

For those who are wary of putting salt directly onto their slice, another alternative would be to use crushed-up nuts. Salted nuts, such as peanuts and cashews, will not only bring that sodium in, but they will also do wonders for your dessert's overall texture. It'll provide a pleasant crunch to what might otherwise be too soft or mushy of a pie, all while rounding out the sweetness and enhancing any other spices or aromas within it.