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Mini Pumpkin Pies |  |
Small Individual Pumpkin Pies, Made from Scratch. Approachable, Homemade Whole Food, Easy to Make & Family-Approved. No Mixer Required. A Great Last-Minute Dessert for Skimpy Suppers or Special Holiday Gatherings. Spice Forward! Portable for Potlucks & Outdoor Parties. Budget-Friendly. Vegetarian.
Pumpkin Pie vs Mini Pumpkin Pies.
Would you ever serve both? One year, I did, half by accident, half by design.
We had a crowd so after the Thanksgiving meal, I set up a dessert buffet. If I say so myself, it was pretty special! And fun!
- A double-crust American Apple Pie.
- A Thanksgiving Cake, a pumpkin bundt cake studded with apple and cranberries.
- Some Old-Fashioned Chocolate Chip Cookies spiced with Pumpkin Pie Spice.
- My favorite blondie-like Fresh Cranberry Bars.
- And two kinds of pumpkin pie!
First was my much-beloved Honey Pumpkin Pie, a favorite among several family members, including one of the twin grandsons. I didn't want to make two pies but thought it might be fun to offer something similar but different. Mini Pumpkin Pies it would be.
Much to my surprise? The Mini Pumpkin Pies disappeared first, long before the traditional pumpkin pie had more than a sliver or two gone.
Every since, I make two or three batches a year. I especially love the portability, delivering a trayful to a family gathering or just a few for an afternoon in the country.
Sound good? Take stock, you just might have all the ingredients already on hand!
Recipe Overview: Mini Pumpkin Pies
- Mini Pumpkin Pies are crust-free individual pies baked (just the filling!) in small wide-mouth mason jars or small ramekins. They're easy to make and are topped with whipped cream and fall sprinkles. So cute!
- Distinctive Ingredients = This is definitely a unique pumpkin dessert, the spices boost that pumpkin-iness.
- Short Ingredient List = eggs + brown sugar + pumpkin pie spice + salt + canned pumpkin purée + evaporated milk + whole milk + honey (or maple syrup or yummm, sorghum) + whipped cream for serving.
- Mini Pumpkin Pies definitely display the "cute" factor going for them, especially mounded with whipped cream.
- This is a time-friendly recipe! It takes just 20 minutes to mix the filling and the mini pies will be out of the oven within an hour of starting.
- This is a calorie-friendly dessert, small crust-free servings ensure that.
- This is a budget-friendly dessert made with inexpensive pantry ingredients.
- As written, the recipe makes between 7 and 10 individual servings, depending on the size of the containers.
What's In Mini Pumpkin Pies? Pantry Ingredients!
In all my recipes and most well-written recipes, every ingredient serves a purpose. Each one matters. Each one contributes to the overall dish. Usually I'm a big fan of substitutes, in this case, I recommend sticking with the recipe, it just works.
- Canned Pumpkin a whole can of 100% pumpkin purée, so convenient.
- Brown Sugar & Honey for sweetness.
- Eggs for volume and structure and thickening.
- Canned Evaporated Milk a whole 12-ounce can, so convenient.
- Whole Milk for creaminess, I've also substituted both half & half and heavy cream, wow, richer and even more delicious.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice for spicing up the pumpkin.
- Whipped Cream & Some Crumblies for serving, optional but delish!
How to Make Mini Pumpkin Pies
The detailed recipe is written in traditional recipe form below but here are the highlights in four easy steps. You can definitely do this!
- WHISK ALL THE INGREDIENTS Yep, just pull out a big whisk and go to town, mixing everything all together.
- FILL THE PIE CONTAINERS Use mini Mason jars or ramekins or other oven-safe containers.
- BAKE! Just put the containers on a baking sheet and place carefully in the oven.
- SERVE WARM or CHILL for LATER Yep, that's it! Don't forget the whipped cream for serving!
Here's What's NOT In This Recipe
Sometimes, what's left out of a recipe is just as important as what's put in. That's definitely the case here.
- These personal little pies have no crusts, they're 100% filling!
You Might Wonder Be Wondering ...
Have another question? Ask away, I'll do my best to answer!
- Do you need a hot water bath? No! Many baked custards and puddings call for what's called a "hot water bath" – that would mean putting the mason jars or ramekins into another pan with sides, then filling the pan with hot water. A hot water bath is not required here.
- How big are those "mini" mason jars? Four ounces. I love this size, for canning but also for just refrigerating bits of leftover veggies, salad, etc. I find them at Walmart and even local grocery stores though they aren't as common as other sizes. But! Amazon to the rescue? Here are the four-ounce wide-mouth canning jars I use and the one-piece wide-mouth plastic canning jar lids that fit all sizes of jars with wide mouths. The lids aren't for canning and aren't even spill-proof we are occasionally reminded. But super-handy.
- What about the ramekins? They're four ounce too, that's a half cup. Ramekins really vary in size so just be aware. I could buy ramekins by the dozen, they're so pretty. Just check HomeGoods ...
For Best Results
For my weekly column in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, I interviewed chefs and translated their restaurant recipes for home kitchens. The most iluminating question? "How can a home cook ensure the same results?" So now I ask that question of myself, too, for my own recipes. Have another question? Ask away, I'll do my best to answer!
Whisk Really Well I've written the recipe to specify whisking the ingredients in an order that makes it easier, for example, the eggs first, the warm honey added at the end to avoid the risk of hot honey cooking the eggs. To do this, use a big bowl and really get in there with the whisk.
Bookmark! PIN! Share!
How do you save and share favorite recipes? recipes that fit your personal cooking style? a particular recipe your mom or daughter or best friend would just love? If this special pumpkin dessert recipe hits the mark, go ahead, save and share! I'd be honored ...
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MINI PUMPKIN PIES
for Mini Mason Jars or Ramekins
Time-to-table: 1 hour
Makes a generous 5 cups pie filling (see ALANNA's TIPS)
-
PUMPKIN FILLING
- 4 large eggs
- 3/4 cup (150g) brown sugar
- 2-1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 15-ounce can pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
- 3/4 cup whole milk (or half & half or heavy cream)
- 1/4 cup (85g) warm honey (or maple syrup or sorghum syrup)
-
FOR SERVING
- Whipped Cream, either homemade or canned (see TIPS)
- A sprinkle of Pumpkin Pie Spice, optional
- A sprinkle of Sweet Pumpkin Seed Crumbles or Maple-Glazed Pecans, optional
Heat oven to 350F/180C. Place ramekins or mini mason jars or other oven-safe containers (or a mix of containers holding approximately the same volume) on a baking sheet, leaving room for heat to circulate between the containers. Do not spray the containers.
In a large bowl (see TIPS), use a large whisk to completely break up the eggs until there are no signs of either white or yolk. Whisk in the brown sugar, working out any tiny clumps of sugar with the whisk or the back of a spoon pressing the lump against the side of the bowl.
Whisk in the pumpkin pie spice and salt. Whisk in the pumpkin purée, then the evaporated milk and whole milk.
Carefully fill the containers, filling almost to the top, about a half-inch from the top edge works well. Carefully move the baking sheet into the oven.
Bake for about 40 minutes but start checking at 30 minutes. The filing should puff up and begin to separate from the walls, the centers should be only a tiny bit jiggly.
Remove from the oven. If you like, serve warm.
Otherwise, let cool completely (don't be chagrined if the centers crack and fall a bit), then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
To serve, top with whipped cream and sprinkle with a little Pumpkin PIe Spice and a few Sweet Pumpkin Seed Crumbles or Maple-Glazed Pecans.
MAKE-AHEAD TIPS Make the Mini Pumpkin Pies up to one day before serving. Hold off on topping them with whipped cream until just before serving.
LEFTOVERS keep a day or two or three.
For containers, ramekins are prettier (especially arranged on a standing cake plate) but mini mason jars with lids are more portable, just take along a can of whipped cream for adding later. Do be sure whatever you use is oven-safe. No dark brown sugar? Substitute 3/4 cup (150g) white sugar and a tiny bit (15g) of molasses. No pumpkin pie spice? If you like, mix your own blend to keep on hand, just use my recipe for Pumpkin Pie Spice. For just enough for this recipe, I'd recommend 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon allspice, 1/2 teaspoon cardamon, 1/16 teaspoon clove. Use a large bowl and a large whisk to combine this mixture, the large bowl really helps you get in there a bit aggressively with the whisk, allowing room for a little sloshing. It's especially important to mix the eggs well on their own before adding anything else; then whisking in the brown sugar and taking the time to work out any tiny lumps that tend to form in brown sugar when it's stored. Honey can be hard to pour if it's been in the pantry for awhile. I like to warm it up in the microwave a bit before measuring, just 10 seconds at a time until it's pourable. The warm honey is also easier to mix into the other ingredients. Homemade whipped cream tastes better but I gotta say, we're kinda partial to the canned whipped cream around here. I love how it looks and how easy it is to carry. Besides, every time he squirts some onto a dessert, my husband makes this funny ZRRRRBT sound that goes back to when his favorite granddaughter was little (she's now an engineer, just starting her career!) and they'd make ZRRRRBT sounds together. Who says food's always about quality?!
FOR MORE INFO If you "skipped straight to the recipe," please scroll back to the top of this page for ingredient information, ingredient substitutions, tips and more.
If you print this recipe, you'll want to check the recipe online for even more tips and extra information about ingredient substitutions, best results and more. See https://www.kitchenparade.com/2022/11/mini-pumpkin-pies.html .
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Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences.
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Thank you for taking a moment to write! I read each and every comment, for each and every recipe. If you have a specific question, it's nearly always answered quick-quick. But I also love hearing your reactions, your curiosity, even your concerns! When you've made a recipe, I especially love to know how it turned out, what variations you made, what you'll do differently the next time. ~ Alanna