How To Make Pie Toppers

To get things started, here are the essential tools and ingredients:

• Pillsbury™ refrigerated Pie Crusts (softened as directed on box)
• Canned fruit pie filling (we suggest cherry or strawberry)
• Glass pie plate
• Rolling pin
• All-purpose flour
• Assorted small metal cutters (1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches). They can be purchased online or found in some craft or baking stores.
• Ruler
• Pizza cutter or sharp knife

When it comes to your pie filling, pick something colorful that will show off your creativity. Cherry or strawberry fruit pie fillings are a great example, as they both have a vibrant red color that will make your pie crust toppers pop! You can also choose your favorite “made from scratch” fruit pie filling.

To get your juices flowing, check out our existing two-crust pie recipes on Pillsbury.com. A few pie recipes you might try? You can't go wrong with our Perfect Apple Pie or Easy Cherry Pie. If you're looking for something with double the flavor, try Cherry-Blueberry Pie or Raspberry-Cherry Pie.

Now, let's try some fun pie toppers!

Start Easy With a Flower Cutout Pattern

To begin, line your pie plate with the bottom crust as directed on the box. Fill it with your favorite pie filling, and spread evenly to create a flat surface for pie crust shapes. Crimp the edges as desired.

Unroll top crust, and if necessary, roll to an even thickness. Use your favorite small (1 inch to 1 1/2 inches) flower-shaped cutters. Place cutouts on top of pie filling in a matrix pattern, spacing slightly apart, in lines across the pie. If necessary, cut some pieces to fit along the edges.

Bake pie with the edges covered with foil to protect from over-browning, then uncover the last 5 minutes of baking.

Once you've mastered this technique, get creative and try a similar look (or your own look) with different shapes in a repeating pattern!

Kick It Up a Knotch With This Lattice Pie Topping

 First, line pie plate with bottom crust as directed on box. Fill with your favorite pie filling.

Unroll top crust onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the top crust so that it's slightly larger than the diameter of the top of your pie plate. Make sure strips are long enough to cover the plate, then cut strips into varying widths using a ruler or straight edge for best results. We also suggest using a pizza cutter for easy cutting. A sharp knife is also doable, as long as you have a straight edge to cut against.

Once you've cut your strips, place them across the pie filling horizontally and vertically, leaving space between each (to reveal pie filling) while weaving or overlapping for your desired look. Cut or fold edges of strips under the bottom crust. Crimp the edges as desired.

Bake pie with the edges covered with foil to protect from over-browning, then uncover the last 5 minutes of baking.

Go All Out With Geometric Shaped Pie Toppers

Start by lining the bottom crust across your pie plate. Spread your favorite pie filling evenly across to make a smooth surface. Crimp the edges as desired.

Prepare the top crust by rolling to an even thickness. Use a 1 1/2-inch square cutter to cut square shapes from the pie crust. Then, create squares with small triangle cutouts using a smaller 1/2-inch triangle cutter. Use the edge of the square cutouts to cut triangle shapes.

Starting in the center of the pie, place square cutout and smaller triangle cutout on top of pie filling, placing the shapes horizontally. Then, use your square cutout with the smaller triangle cutout, and mirror the initial pattern you created. Continue the process with the remaining pie cutout shapes to create a repeating pattern. If necessary, cut some pieces to fit along the edges.

Bake pie with edges covered with foil to protect from over-browning, then uncover the last 5 minutes of baking.

The best thing about pie toppers? There are a million ways to make them! Enjoy the process and have some fun.