Mini pumpkin pies are the perfect dessert after a heavy lunch or dinner. Easy and quick to make,watch these little treats disappear from the table in seconds.
Don’t you just love mini desserts? Besides it looking absolutely adorable, you can go for seconds or thirds if you like without it being too heavy after dinner or lunch.
The boys have been asking….lets make that pestering me to bake a pumpkin pie for a while now. So instead of a large one, I just decided on cute little mini ones. It is a wee bit more work. pressing the dough into a mini muffin tin …. but turns out so adorable, it is totally worth it. You can serve it with whipped cream or without. I mean the aroma that fills your kitchen while it is baking…you just cannot wait for it to cool to add the cream. It is just snatched off the muffin tin and eaten while warm.
The base consists of a light, biscuity pastry…super easy to make and absolutely delicious. Just keep the pastry ingredients cold to create the lightness in the base.
Now the pumpkin filling…..you can use fresh or canned pumpkin. When you use fresh pumpkin, it is first peeled, seeded, cubed and then boiled until soft. I then usually put it into the blender with a bit of water. This makes the mixture a bit runny compared to if you use canned pumpkin. But this doesn’t cause much difference to the baked pies because the water from the cooked pumpkin evaporates when it is baking giving it the same end result as the canned pumpkin….so choose which you have or prefer.
These little pies can be prepared and baked up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated. Just warm them up in the oven on low heat or in the microwave until warmed through before serving. Oh and by the way they taste just as good cold. So it is a good idea to take these on a picnic or hey even a road trip snack. Served either way, they taste great.
So whichever way you choose to serve these Mini Pumpkin Pies, dusted with a sprinkling of cinnamon, you can be certain that everybody will love these little bites of delight.
Enjoy
Mini Pumpkin Pies
Ingredients
- FOR THE PASTRY
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour / cake flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup / 114 g butter or margarine chopped
- ¼ cup cold water
- PUMPKIN FILING
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 4 tablespoons butter or margarine softened
- 1 egg
- ½ cup heavy / fresh cream
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 teaspoon mixed spice / pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup canned pure pumpkin / 1 cup boiled and mashed or blended pumpkin
Instructions
- FOR THE PASTRY
- In a medium size bowl mix together flour, sugar and salt.
- Using your fingertips,rub in butter or margarine until crumbly.
- Stir in cold water and mix to form a dough
- Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- FOR THE PUMPKIN FILLING
- In a large bowl beat white sugar, brown sugar and butter until creamy.
- Mix in egg, heavy cream, flour and vanilla until creamy.
- Fold in pumpkin. ( SEE NOTE 1)
- Remove the chilled pastry from fridge and knead lightly a few times.
- Press little pieces of the pastry into a non stick mini muffin pan.
- Place the pumpkin filling into the pastry
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the centers of the pie is set.
- The filling may be a little wobbly when it comes out of the oven but will set completely as it cools.
- The filling may also sink in a bit as it cools.
- Serve warm or cold with whipped cream and sprinkled with powdered cinnamon.
Notes
When you use fresh pumpkin, it is first peeled, seeded, cubed and then boiled until soft. I then usually put it into the blender with a bit of water. This makes the mixture a bit runny compared to if you use canned pumpkin. But this does not cause much difference to the baked pies because the water from the cooked pumpkin evaporates when it is baking giving it the same end result as the canned pumpkin....so choose which you have or prefer.
These look so yummy! I love that they are mini too! The best for after a heavy meal 🙂
Thank you Kelly…oh definitely perfect after big meals…perfect for sneaking in a second or third serving as well?
I always love a pie, but there is something about individual, bit size ones that is so cute. These are well worth that extra effort and is perfect for kiddos to gobble them up. And, if you ask me- perfect portion control for those of us trying watch our diet during the holidays. Have a lovely week Ashika
Thank you Maria… Oh yes these mini pies are definitely a win for everybody enjoying these little treats.
Have a great week as well Maria?
I will take these anyway I can get them, perfect in size and so cute. I love them 😀
Thank you Emma,they are super cute…I am glad that you like them too?
YES! Mini desserts are the best. The mini-er the better so I can eat extra :). These sound delicious and they’re so cute!
? Hahaha…that’s the idea Kelsie.
Have a great week?
Why do we love mini food so much? Actually anything mini gets my attention! These are perfect!
Thank you Annie, I also love mini desserts….they are just so cute.?
These mini pies are so cute and they look delicious! I love mini desserts. They are always the perfect size after a big meal!
Thank you Leanne? Oh definitely perfect after a heavy meal so you don’t feel uncomfortable.
I love pumpkin desserts and these are so cute! They would be flying off the plate based on the cuteness factor alone.
Thank you Thao? Haha..they fly of the plate here as well….they just taste so good.
These mini pies are so cute and adorable!! We don’t get canned pumpkin here, so these tips on using fresh pumpkin are really useful! Thanks 🙂
Thank you Deepika. You are welcome…It is also difficult to find in stores here as well, so I usually use fresh pumpkin in baking. It tastes just as great but does give a slightly different consistency to the batter.
I only like my Pie cold so make ahead is a must for me! Super cute
Thank you Patrick, these taste great cold as well ?
I love the mini pies!! These would be so perfect for my boys, as eating pie with a fork is always a bit of a challenge. All things mini!!
Oh I am sure that your boys will absolutely love it Katherine,perfect for their little hands ?
Ashika what a great Thanksgiving Dessert this would be! I love the mini idea, because that way everyone can try all of the desserts! Thanks for the idea!
Thank you Laura, I also love it…mini desserts mean that you can go for seconds and third helpings ?