These individual pumpkin pies are basically foolproof. They come together with just a little prep and only need 25 minutes in the oven! Not only are they the perfect size and quick to put together, but they’re also an excellent make-ahead dessert — very convenient for the busy holiday season. For more Thanksgiving desserts you and your guests will love, try my flaky mini apple pies, recipe for sweet potato pie, or pumpkin cheesecake recipe.
What You Need to Make this Recipe
Pie crusts — store-bought or homemade pie crust will work. Pumpkin — be sure to use canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling!). Canned filling has other ingredients added to it, and this recipe just needs pure pumpkin. Brown sugar — I use light brown sugar for rich, deep flavor. You could use dark brown sugar instead or granulated sugar if needed. Milk — you need whole evaporated milk, which you’ll find in cans in the baking aisle. Don’t confuse it with condensed milk, which is sweetened and very thick. Evaporated milk adds richness and body to the pumpkin pie filling. Egg — ensure that the egg is at room temperature before you start the recipe. Spices — cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg are classic pumpkin pie flavors that lend this recipe all the cozy autumnal vibes! You could swap it for 1 teaspoon of store-bought or homemade pumpkin pie spice if you like.
How to Make Mini Pumpkin Pies
- Lightly flour your work surface and roll the pie crust to ⅛-inch thickness. Use a round 3½-inch round cookie cutter to cut circles for the mini pies.
- Press each pie dough round into the wells of a regular 12-cup muffin pan. Use your fingers to nudge the dough up a bit if it’s looking a little shallow. Place the muffin tin in the refrigerator or freezer while you make the filling so the crusts firm up.
- Combine the pumpkin, brown sugar, milk, egg, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl.
- Whisk until smooth.
- Fill each mini pie crust about three-quarters full. Leave about ¼-inch of the crust exposed at the top. Bake in an oven preheated to 350°F for 25 minutes or until the pumpkin filling is just set and the edge of the crusts are golden brown. Let the pies cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Then transfer them to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely.
- Top with sweetened whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon and serve.
Pro Tips for Making this Recipe
Roll the pie dough out thinner than you are used to! It should be closer to ⅛ inch than the standard ¼-inch thickness used for larger pies. You want a thin crust with lots of filling. Use a room temperature egg. Set the egg on the counter about 30 minutes before you start baking so it can come to room temperature, which will help it incorporate better with the other pie filling ingredients. Adjust the spices to your liking. Use more or less than the stated amounts of spices to suit your tastes. Add spices to the pie dough. If you’re making the pie crust from scratch, try adding ½ teaspoon of cinnamon or a few pinches of your favorite spices to the pie dough along with the flour. Get creative with toppings. Whipped cream is a classic topping (and my topping of choice), but you can always whip up a batch of meringue, then pipe beautiful dollops on top of the little pies and torch them for a marshmallowy finish.
If you’ve tried this mini pumpkin pies recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
