Every item on this page was chosen by The Fed & Fit team. The site may earn a commission on some products (read more here).
With a classic pumpkin pie filling and a dollop of whipped cream on top, these mini pumpkin pies will guarantee that this classic dessert is included on the holiday table no matter the size of your Thanksgiving guest list!
Pumpkin pie is at the very top of my must-have holiday dessert list. There’s just something so comforting about this classic pie that I never can get enough of! We know that your holiday gatherings may look different this year, and we want to support you in that AND make sure that you still get all of the Thanksgiving classics (because 2020 isn’t allowed to take pumpkin pie away from you too!). Let’s get going on this classic dessert!
Why make mini pumpkin pies?
Good question! If your Thanksgiving gathering is smaller than usual this year (think: 2-3 people vs. 10-12 people), a whole pumpkin pie may feel like too big of an undertaking (and the potential of possible food waste may be too great) for you this year. We believe that skipping the pumpkin pie is NOT an option, though, so we’re bringing you these mini pumpkin pies because they are more manageable and are sure to be gobbled up by your smaller guest list!
What is the best pie crust to use?
You’ve got a few options here. The *easiest* crust option is a store-bought crust! No shame in store-bought crusts, y’all. If you want to make your own crust, our gluten-free pie crust recipe is an amazing option! Finally, if you’re looking to stick with homemade but aren’t up for rolling out a pie crust, a simple graham cracker crust is a great choice!
Mini Pumpkin Pie Ingredients
These mini pumpkin pies require all of the classic pumpkin pie ingredients – all of which are super accessible and may even be lurking in your pantry right now! Here’s what you need:
- Pie Crust – for these mini pies, you’ll need 2 pie crusts. We went store-bought here, but as mentioned above, feel free to make your own gluten-free crust or a homemade graham cracker crust!
- Eggs – in order to set and bind your pie, you’ll also need 3 eggs.
- Pumpkin Puree – 1 (15-ounce) can of pumpkin puree,…
- Brown Sugar – …1 cup of brown sugar,…
- Pumpkin Pie Spice – …2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice,…
- Vanilla Extract – …2 teaspoons of vanilla extract,…
- Sea Salt – a pinch of sea salt, and…
- Heavy Cream – …1 cup of heavy cream will add depth, flavor, and richness to our pumpkin pie filling!
- Whipped Cream – to serve your mini pumpkin pies, grab some whipped cream (homemade or store-bought) and…
- Cinnamon – …a jar of cinnamon (for a nice sprinkle on top!).
How to Make Mini Pumpkin Pies
This recipe is pretty easy, especially if you’re going the store-bought crust route. Here’s how you’ll bring it together:
- Preheat the Oven to 375°F.
- Make the Pie Filling – crack the eggs into a large bowl, then whisk them. Once whisked, add the pumpkin, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla extract, and salt to the bowl and whisk to combine. Then, stir the heavy cream into the pumpkin mixture.
- Cut Pie Crust Circles – roll out the pie crusts on a floured surface, then use a 3.5-inch cookie cutter (or another similarly-sized lid or cup) to cut out circles of the pie dough. After you’ve cut out the circles, take the scraps of pie dough and form them into a ball, then roll the dough out again, and cut out more circles until you have a total of 15.Â
- Assemble the Mini Pies – place the pie crust circles in a muffin tin, then pour 1/4 cup of the pumpkin pie filling in each mini crust.Â
- Bake – bake the mini pies for 25 minutes, until the center of the pie is set.
- Let Cool – let the mini pies cool for 1 hour, then refrigerate until you’re ready to serve!
- Serve + Enjoy – top your mini pies with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon and enjoy!
How to Scale This Recipe
This recipe makes a total of 15 mini pumpkin pies. If you want to make 10 pies, you’ll need to scale back the recipe by ⅓, and if you want to make 5 pies, you’ll need to scale back the recipe by ⅔. Here’s exactly what that’ll look like:
For 10 Pies
- 2 pie crusts
- 2 eggs
- 10 ounces of canned pumpkin puree
- â…” cup of brown sugar
- 1â…“ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1â…“ teaspoons vanilla extract
- *Small* pinch of sea salt
- â…” cup heavy cream
- Whipped cream + cinnamon, for serving
For 5 Pies
- 1 pie crust
- 1 egg
- 5 ounces of canned pumpkin puree
- â…“ cup of brown sugar
- â…” teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- â…” teaspoon vanilla extract
- *Tiny* pinch of sea salt
- â…“ cup heavy cream
- Whipped cream + cinnamon, for serving
Tips for Making Mini Pumpkin Pie
These tips will help you keep this mini pie recipe as quick and easy as possible!Â
- Get Creative – if you don’t have a cookie-cutter, just use a 3.5-inch cup or lid!
- Use 2 Crusts – we recommend using 2 pie crusts for this recipe. You’ll definitely have leftover crust, but using 2 crusts (as opposed to 1) will keep you from re-rolling the pie crust over and over again!
- Use the Right Muffin Tin – make sure you are using a 12-count muffin tin (regular-size muffins) for this recipe, not a 24-count tin (mini muffin pan size)!
- Use What You Have – if you don’t have pumpkin pie spice on hand, feel free to use 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/8th teaspoon ground cloves instead.
Can I make this pumpkin pie egg-free or dairy-free?
While we haven’t tested egg-free or dairy-free substitutions for these mini pumpkin pies, we do have an egg-free, dairy-free pumpkin pie that may be a great option for you!
How to Store Mini Pumpkin Pies
These mini pumpkin pies are best kept in the refrigerator and will keep for 4-5 days. You can make these mini pumpkin pies up to two days in advance (score!), just make sure they are stored in the refrigerator until you’re ready to enjoy them.Â
We hope you enjoy every single bite of these cute mini pumpkin pies!
Ingredients
- 2 pie crusts store-bought or homemade
- 3 eggs
- 1, 15 ounce can pumpkin
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pinch sea salt
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Whipped cream for serving
- Cinnamon for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F.
- Roll out the pie crusts on a floured surface, then use a 3.5-inch cookie cutter, or other similarly-sized lid or cup, to cut out circles in the pie dough. After you've cut out the circles, take the scraps of pie dough and form them into a ball, then roll out the dough again and cut out more circles until you have a total of 15.
- Place the pie crust circles in a muffin tin, then make the pie filling.
- Crack the eggs into a large bowl, then whisk them. Add in the pumpkin, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla extract, and salt, and whisk to combine.
- Stir the heavy cream into the pumpkin mixture, then pour it into the pie crust.
- Fill the pie crusts with 1/4 cup of pumpkin pie filling.
- Bake for 25 minutes, until the center of the pie is set.
- Let cool for 1 hour, then refrigerate. Serve chilled, garnished with whipped cream and cinnamon.
Nutrition Information
Recipe Notes
- If you don't have pumpkin pie spice, you can use 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/8th teaspoon ground cloves instead.
- For dairy-free: use full-fat coconut milk in place of the heavy cream
- For refined sugar-free: use coconut sugar in place of the brown sugar
Heather says
Can I substitute coconut fat for the heavy cream?
Brandi Schilhab says
Full-fat coconut milk should work just fine, Heather!
Amanda Powers says
Could you use a graham cracker crust instead?
And for using full fat coconut milk – do you use the cream on top or the more watery milk inside? Or a combo?
Thanks!
Brandi Schilhab says
Sure!! As for the coconut milk, shake the can really well so that the cream and watery part combines!