Transform Costco Apple Pie Into A Brand New Dessert With One Easy Technique

Need to bring dessert to a dinner party but haven't got the time to whip up a homemade pudding from scratch? The solution is to work smarter, not harder. This time-saving philosophy is perfectly showcased in this Instagram video by Maggie Perkins, who transforms a Costco apple pie into a brand-new dessert with one easy technique: Smashing it up and popping it back in the oven with a crumble topping. The result is a twice-baked dessert with a comforting, homemade quality in half the time.

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A Costco apple pie costs under $13, which is an absolute steal when you consider that you can easily cut it into 12 portions. To transform it into a twice-baked pie, mash the whole thing up into irregular chunks (we know it sounds bananas but stick with us!) and decant your deconstructed apples and pastry into a baking dish that's large enough to accommodate a topping. Next, sprinkle crumbs over your dish, ensuring every inch is well covered. You can then go the simple route and make a standard crumble with white sugar, butter, and flour, or incorporate add-ins, such as mixed spice, cinnamon, flaked almonds, or nuts to venture into streusel territory. The sugar can also be subbed for turbinado sugar to elicit a crunchier finish, or brown sugar to lend your crumble a deeper, caramelized note. Bake your pie again until the topping develops a touch of color and the layers of apples and pastry beneath it are piping hot. 

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Doll up your pie with a delicious drizzle

To lend your twice-baked pie a scrumptious finish, consider drizzling over some melted chocolate or caramel, which would turn your "cheat dessert" into something closer to a classic caramel apple betty. For a boozy flourish for the grown-ups, make a bourbon-based sauce to drizzle over the top instead. This variety of whiskey has an oaky, rich, and caramelized personality that complements the acidity of baked apples. Alternatively, serve your dessert with a simple dollop of rich vanilla ice cream for an old-school touch that never fails. The ice cream will melt into the hot apples, golden pastry, and crunchy crumble topping, creating puddles of scoopable vanilla-scented goodness.

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If preferred, you could switch the crumble topping for one that features oats to turn your pie into something that resembles an apple crisp. Better yet, add in some candied fruit or raisins to give your dish an even cozier homespun feel. Apples aren't your thing? Employ the same technique on a cherry, rhubarb, peach, or blueberry pie. Simply adapt the flavorings to suit the fruit. For example, lemon zest makes a yummy pairing with blueberries, whereas peach is fantastic with warming ginger or cardamom.

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