Mini Pumpkin Pies

Halloween is over the corner. These cute mini pumpkin pies are just like the carved pumpkins. They are small in size and easy to eat. The pumpkin filling was creamy and sweet. The pie crust was buttery and savory, which just balance out the sweetness of the pie.  They are the perfect party dessert.

Mini Pumpkin Pies (Adapted from Bakerella)

24 mini pies

Ingredients:

–   2 refrigerated ready-to-roll pie crusts (room temperature)

–   1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese (room temperature)

–   1 cup canned pumpkin

–   ½ cup sugar

–   2 eggs

–   1 egg white

–   1 teaspoon vanilla extract

–   ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

–   1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

–   flour

Topping:

–   ½ cup chocolate chips

–   1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F.
2. Place a pie crust on a flour dusted surface. Roll the dough thinner with a rolling-pin. Use a pumpkin shape cookie cutter to cut out pumpkin shape crusts. Use all the dough scraps to re-roll and make 12 crusts.
3. Place each crust in each mini muffin pan. Leave the stems out on top of the baking pan. Press the dough down and form bowl shapes. Smooth out the edges. Brush egg white over the edges of each pie. Set aside.
4. For the filling, in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin with electric mixer until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar and beat together until combined.
5. Spoon mixture into each pie crusts. Bake for 14 – 16 minutes. Remove pies to a cooling rack and keep them in the refrigerator when cooled. Repeat above steps with the second pie crust.
6. To decorate, in a small glass bowl, mix the chocolate chips with the vegetable oil. Microwave on high power for 15 seconds. Stir with a wooden spoon. Continue to heat and stir in 10-second increments until the chocolate is just melted. Transfer the chocolate to a piping bag. Draw faces on cooled pies. Keep refrigerated.

Tips:

1. I used a 3¾-inch wide pumpkin shape cookie cutter. If you do not have a pumpkin shape cutter, you can use a round shape cutter, and cut out extra dough for the stems.
2. If you like pumpkin pie spice, you can substitute the cinnamon and nutmeg with 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice.
3. If you do not have a piping bag, you can use a Ziploc bag. Just cut a small piece off the corner.

Source: Read