Happy Thanksgiving!

Both of us (Lon and I) don’t like Pumpkin Pie. I know. I know. So anti-Thanksgiving but…it’s the truth. One of my problems with pumpkin pie is that the filling is too much for me. Too what? I’m not sure, just too much, so I figured I might like it more if I made mini pumpkin pies so that I could work the ratio so that it’s more crust, less filling. I think it worked. I do like this more and so does Lon. Yippee!

mini pumpkin pies 2

Mini Pumpkin Pies
~24 mini pies

crust

  • 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned in and leveled
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

filling

  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/8 teaspoon all spice
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1. In a large bowl, use a wooden spoon to blend butter and cream cheese. Mix in half of the flour, then half of the remaining flour, with the wooden spoon. Knead in the remaining flour just until combined. Do not over work. Press into a 4×6 inch rectangle and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours (up to 3 days).
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (325 degrees F with convection) 20 minutes before you start cutting the dough.
3. Cut the dough into 24 one inch cube pieces. Press each piece into the mini-muffin tin. Use your fingers to press it up the sides, trying to make as even as possible. Put it in the fridge while you mix the filling.
4. Beat filling ingredients together. Divide filling into crusts. Bake for 5 minutes, rotate the pan, and lower the oven by 25 degrees. Continue baking for another 10 minutes or until the crust looks lightly golden and the filling doesn’t move when you shake the pan.
5. Cool completely before removing from the pans. They are soft and must be removed carefully. I use two pairing knives at opposite ends, to gently squeeze the mini pie in between and pick up.

mini pumpkin pies

The Mini Pumpkin Pies and these Pecan Tassies (recipe in Carol Walter’s, Great Cookies) are what we are bringing to Thanksgiving at Aunt Heather’s. Minis are always great for traveling, but a lot more work. Well, it’s family….

pecan tassies 2

posted by jessica at 10:48 AM Filed under Desserts, Recipes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.