Pies

Three Mini Thanksgiving Pies: Apple, Pecan & Sweet Potato

Prep time: 25 minutes
Bake time: 25–30 minutes
Total time: About 55 minutes, plus cooling.

Make a festive dessert tray with three classic Thanksgiving pie flavors in mini form. Each cupcake-size pie has its own buttery crust and delicious filling.

Ingredients

Crusts

• Refrigerated pie crusts, cut into rounds to fit your muffin pan
• Whipped cream, for topping

Apple filling

• 2 medium apples, diced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon green apple extract
• 1 tablespoon apple cider drink mix
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• Pinch of salt
• Cornstarch mixed with apple juice, to thicken

Sweet potato filling

• ½ cup mashed, cooked sweet potato
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons evaporated milk
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch of nutmeg
• Pinch of salt

Pecan filling

• 1 egg
• ⅓ cup light corn syrup
• ¼ cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• Pinch of salt
• ½ cup chopped pecans

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Press pie crust rounds into the cups of a muffin pan.
2. Prepare the apple filling: Cook the apples with the butter, brown sugar, green apple extract, cider drink mix, cinnamon, ginger, and salt until tender. Stir in cornstarch mixed with a little apple juice and cook until thickened. Let cool slightly.
3. Prepare the sweet potato filling: Whisk the sweet potato, egg, sugar, evaporated milk, melted butter, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until smooth.
4. Prepare the pecan filling: Whisk the egg, corn syrup, brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Stir in the pecans.
5. Divide each filling among four prepared crusts.
6. Bake until the crusts are golden and the fillings are set, about 25–30 minutes. Let cool before topping with whipped cream.

Recipe note: Add enough cornstarch and apple juice to thicken the apple filling; the exact amounts weren’t in the recipe details I have.

Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Pie Pockets

Prep time: 20 minutes
Bake time: 18–22 minutes
Total time: 38–42 minutes

Flaky pie crust filled with a cozy spiced pumpkin filling and finished with a generous sprinkle of cinnamon sugar. These easy pumpkin pie pockets are a fun fall dessert when you’re craving pumpkin pie without making a whole pie.

Ingredients

Pumpkin Pie Pockets

• 2 refrigerated pie crusts
• 1 cup pumpkin purée
• ¼ cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon water

Cinnamon Sugar Topping

• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the pumpkin purée, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, vanilla, salt and cornstarch until smooth.
3. Roll out the pie crusts and cut into pumpkin shapes using a pumpkin cookie cutter.
4. Place about 2 teaspoons of pumpkin filling in the center of half of the pumpkin cutouts, leaving a small border around the edges.
5. Whisk the egg with 1 tablespoon water to make an egg wash. Lightly brush the edges of the filled cutouts with egg wash.
6. Place another pumpkin cutout over each one and gently press the edges together. Crimp around the edges with a fork.
7. Use a small sharp knife to cut curved pumpkin lines or small slits into the top of each pie pocket.
8. Brush the tops lightly with the remaining egg wash.
9. Stir together the granulated sugar and cinnamon. Generously sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the tops.
10. Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown. Let cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

Tips

Don’t overfill the pie pockets or the pumpkin filling may leak while baking. Keep the edges of the crust clean so they seal well, and be sure to cut a few small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.