The Crunchy Addition Your Canned Pie Filling Needs ASAP

Canned pie filling is a real time-saver. Instead of peeling and chopping fruit, you can just pop a tab and be ready to bake in no time. However, there are lots of ways to make canned filling even better, and our favorite involves one common ingredient: nuts. While canned fruit tends to be quite soft, nuts can add a crunchy counterpoint that's a welcome addition to each bite. Their slightly bitter flavors can also add a spark of interest inside a mostly sweet dessert.

If you think about it, apples and nuts go together all the time, from candied nuts in classic Waldolf salad to caramel apple coatings studded with chopped peanuts. Meanwhile, peach pie filling might pair especially well with another Southern favorite, pecans, or with the unique flavor of pine nuts. For cherry pie filling, you can take a little inspiration from the scones at your local bakery, matching them with slivered almonds.

To make the most of this combo, we suggest you go a little farther than just tossing raw nuts into the mix. One approach is to toast them first. This will give them a deeper color and crunch while deepening their flavor. It takes just a few minutes in a dry stovetop skillet. Be sure to use medium heat and toss them partway through cooking so that all of them have a chance to brown.

Another method is to sugar the nuts. All you need to do is melt some brown sugar in a skillet, then toss the nuts in, stir, and turn them out onto a sheet of waxed paper to cool. If you like, you can sprinkle them with salt or cinnamon to enhance their flavors. Coating the nuts this way will also keep the liquid in the canned pie filling from soaking into them so they stay crunchier during cooking.

Whichever option you choose, save a few to sprinkle on the crust as a garnish after cooking. And make sure you're not serving to anyone with a nut allergy since they're not an expected ingredient in pies.