Individual Mini Pies for Thanksgiving!

I don’t know about the rest of you, but if I had to choose my favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal, it’s the pie.  I’ve always been the one who makes the pies for Thanksgiving. From the age of 12 when we had big family dinners, to now when I host my own meal, pie is my specialty, and I like to think it’s something that everyone looks forward to every year. I keep it pretty classic when it comes to pumpkin and pecan pie. The key to making it special, is making them completely from scratch and using the right amount of sweet and spice to get perfection in every bite. What makes my pie even more special…is the way I bake them.

Have you ever considered making little mini pies?! Not only are they adorable, but it will make your Thanksgiving meal a million times easier! 1 pie makes about 12 mini pies, which is just about the perfect serving size that you would get from cutting it up. Have you ever gotten a piece of pie that’s either all crust, or all filling? No more of that! Each person gets their own whole little pie! These mini pies will cut your cook time in half, which in itself is a blessing, since we all know oven space is hard to come by on Thanksgiving day.Save the extra dishes, and sticky mess. Pop them in ziplock bags and send leftovers home with ease!  They also make a great presentation on a cake or cupcake stand. It makes it easy for guests to serve themselves by choosing which mini pie they want. No more standing in line or waiting for someone to cut up the whole pie and divvy it up.

Thanksgiving is about being with family and friends, so enjoy those moments and make these small changes to make the day go a little smoother.

Individual Mini Pumpkin and Pecan Pies

Pumpkin Pie Filling

2 cups Pumpkin Puree (or a 15oz. can)

1 cup half and half

2 large eggs

1 egg yolk

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon cloves

Combine all in a large bowl and mix well. Set aside.

Pecan Pie Filling

2 cups pecans, chopped and toasted

6 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled

1 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cups light corn syrup

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 eggs

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl until mixed well. Set aside.

Now, for each pie filling, you will need 2- 9 inch pie crusts. It can be whatever your favorite recipe or brand is. Cut 6 (4 inch) rounds out of each the pie crust, equalling 12 total . You will need to roll out the scraps again to get all of the rounds. Place each round in a nonstick cupcake tin. If you’re making both pumpkin and pecan, you will need two cupcake tins. Pour the pumpkin mixture in 12 tins equally.Do the same with the pecan. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Bake the mini pies for 10 minutes, and turn the oven down to 350 degrees for about 25 minutes. The pies should be firm, but still slightly soft in the center, with a golden crust. Cool for an hour, and serve!

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