If there is one thing besides Turkey that says Thanksgiving to me, it is pumpkin pie. Am I right? You Too?
No matter how full I am, or how tight my pants are, or how much I want to lay in the fetal position in the corner while the room spins from too much food, I will always, always make room for pumpkin pie.
With as much as I love it- it is always funny to me how the kids are not so wild about it. I guess I could understand- I mean it is a pie made out of um, vegetables, right? The color is um, not so appetizing (let’s be honest.) So what is the real appeal to kids? Hmmm… If only I could get them to “just taste the pumpkin pie!” I know I could change their mind!
I just thought that since there is for sure a kids table at our house this year (they are finally old enough to be slightly less attended to than usual!) that I would make them a mini pumpkin pie that was a little more fun, and a lot more appealing to their funny little senses. You will also notice that to make them mini and child-friendly, I baked them in little cutie-pie mason jars. I just love to bake in mason jars!
Those kids, as much as I love them, are not eating pie off the good china. Should a child (or drunken relative) drop this mason jar, chances are good it’s not going to break. And this allows them to have their very own little pie, (you know how territorial kids get.) Plus I made cute little leaves for the top out of pastry (ok- they could have been better- sorry.) You get the idea…
Mini-Pumpkin Pies, makes 8 mini pies
-1/2 recipe Best Pie Crust
Filling:
-1 can pumpkin puree (15oz)
-1 cup cream
-1 cup brown sugar
-2 eggs
-1 tsp cinnamon
-½ tsp nutmeg
-½ tsp ginger
-½ tsp salt
1) In a food processor add the Flour, sugar and salt.
2) Pulse to combine and then add the butter.
3) Pulse until the dough resembles coarse crumbs.
4) Add the water a little at a bit and pulse until the dough comes together.
(Here, watch Coco. She’s into it.)
5) Empty the dough onto a sheet of wax paper.
6) Gently press the dough into a disc, wrap it in the paper and chill for about 30 minutes.
7) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
8) Take half of the recipe for pie dough, and using a very small amount of flour, roll out the pie dough into a circle in between two sheets of wax paper.
9) Gently peel back one side of the wax paper and cut out leaves with a knife free hand or with a cookie cutter. (Lattice would be cute too!)
Pia is rolling out the dough for “HER” pies…
10) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
11) For the Filling, combine all of the ingredients except the eggs and cream in a medium bowl, mixing them until smooth.
12) In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and cream together.
13) Then add the eggs and cream to the pumpkin and mix until creamy and smooth.
14) Ladle the pumpkin into the mason jars, filling them 4/5 ths of the way up (they will puff up slightly.)
15) Lay the leaves or other shaped pie crust gently over the pumpkin mixture.
16) Place on a baking sheet, and bake in the 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes or until the pumpkin is just set.
17) Let cool completely, or serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.
Print Recipe
These look delicious, like all of your other recipes!
thanks Heather!
Eeee! These are so cute!
I think they are pretty cute too! now, if the kids will only like them?!
so cute. love the little mason jar additon and the kids add a cute touch.
We adore pumpkin pie in my house as well and have started making mini servings because we also like the portion control it provides (trying to maintain some sanity and that food-filled day). Great call on garnishing with the pie leaves.
What a great idea, I am going to do this for Ellie’s “Thanksgiving Feast” at school– the kids will be thrilled!
Please take pictures!!
so cute!! everything’s better in a jar!!
I love the pictures, and I love the pies. I am pinning them because I simply must make them for/with my littles, too!
I just love baking with the kids! Ia m going to pop over to cookingformykids.com and see what I should make next!
Your kids are adorable and these little cute pies look awesome!
thanks delishhh!
These sound delicious and those photos are adorable!
I just love love love baking cakes in jars – have never tried pie but now thanks to your inspiration I will.
Pumpkin pie definitely says Thanksgiving to me too! I need to make these asap.
I am a sucker for anything served in a Mason jar – love these mini pumpkin pies! (P.S. I am a huge fan of your Marimekko bowls!)
Thank you!! I totally raided crate and Barrel for my GMA segment. I am in love with all that Marimekko stuff!
Heather,
Love the photos of your little mason jar pies but truth be told it’s the ones of your children that really got me… so very precious. Mine are now almost grown but your photos brought back many happy memories! The individual pies for the children is brilliant – no waiting for the pies to be cut they can just grab theirs and dig in – perfect for a busy Thanksgiving celebration!
Oh Nancy! THank you so much 🙂
What an adorable idea!
thanks Vicki!
Such pretty mini pumpkin pies & In love those plates 🙂
I like the small portion for children i think its a good idea, i need to find a mason jar small enough for my kids. Two questions1- if i make a large portion pumpkin pie will the ingredients suffice?2-did you puree the pumpkin? Because in italy we dont have pumpkin in a can so i was wondering how much time the roasted pumpkin can stay in the fridge before i cook it. I dreamt of pumpkin pie last night, came to you for the recipe!;-)
Hi Vittoria! GOOD QUESTION!! Yes- the ingredients will be the same in a regular pie plate (there is another variety (large) of pumpkin pie coming tonight for post too by the way! I used pumpkin puree from a can, but when I am not being lazy- there is nothing better than roasted sugar pumpkin that I puree myself. I would just keep it a few days in the fridge, like any other vegetable you would have cooked. If it is for next Thursday then I would roast the pumpkin Tuesday.
Are you an American living in Italy, or an Italian? (Either way you are lucky!) I just love Italy. My husband and I were married there, and then honeymooned. It is maybe my favorite place on earth. Neither of us can wait to return!
Yay! Where in italy did you get married? Im italian born, but i lived in the US for 17 yrs, my family is still in the states, i moved back here 12 yrs ago. Its just my home! I cant find pumpkin in a can here, i wish i could!!we have big pumpkins to cut and cook!!;-) ok, i want to try the pumpkin pie recipe, so ill let you know. Ps i love all the photography you do, its why i found your website!
thanks Vittoria! We were married outside of Sarteano at an old Benedictine Abbey. So beautiful!