Mini Pumpkin Pies Recipe | One Little Project (2024)

FAQs

How to adjust baking time for mini pies? ›

Baking: Mini pies take far less time to bake than standard pies. Bake them in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, then rotate and bake for 5-10 minutes, removing when they are very well browned.

The oven rack may be too close to the top heating element in the oven. This can cause filling to 'skin' and crack as it bakes and to settle slightly when cooling and pull away from the crust. Another possible reason is over-baking. Try reducing cooking time by 5 to 10 minutes.

For better pumpkin pie, refrigerate the filling overnight

To that end, we've found that refrigerating pumpkin pie filling overnight before using it not only enhances the spices' flavors, but also mellows them. Any “sharp edges” disappear, and you're left with a smooth meld of complementary flavors.

Pumpkin pie is a great make-ahead dessert to cross off your Thanksgiving to-do list. You can prepare and bake the pie up to two days in advance, and it will still taste great on the big day. Just make sure you store the pie in the refrigerator—not on the kitchen counter—until you are ready to serve it.

For the fillings: Begin filling the dough cups. (The 4 cups with the cupcake liners filled with uncooked rice will remain that way during the bake and will be filled after the bake.)

Use non-stick muffin tins (two sets of 12-cup tins will work for a dozen pies), and grease the cups before filling to make sure the little pies don't stick when they're done. Bake one tin at a time, in the center of the oven. The darker the finish on the pan, the faster the crust will bake.

But don't dock it (docking is aerating the crust before baking by poking it with the tines of a fork). This will cause the custard to seep out into the bottom crust, defeating that whole "flaky" thing you were going for.

Often, blind-baking solves this problem. If you're making a single crust custard-filled pie, like a pumpkin pie, bake the pie dough first before adding filling to allow some of the moisture in the crust to evaporate. You can also totally blind-bake fruit pies.

The short and easy answer: Yes, pumpkin pie needs to be stored in the refrigerator. The USDA advises that all "egg-rich pies" must be kept refrigerated after baking and cooling. Pumpkin pie falls into this category, along with custard, pecan, and meringue pies.

Think of it this way: poor pie dough wouldn't stand a chance (aka be a soggy mess) with a custard filling if we don't give it a head start. Hence why we pre-bake, because custard pies are too delicious to have soggy bottoms. Custard pies = pumpkin pies.

How do you tell when your pumpkin pie is done? ›

If the pie jiggles (but doesn't wiggle), then it's done. You should also see that the filling has darkened and the texture of the pie should be a bit puffed up from when you put it in the oven. If you're still uncertain, stick a knife (or a toothpick) in the center and see if it comes out clean.

Make Ahead: Pumpkin pie can be made one day ahead of time and refrigerated. Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The dough can be made ahead, wrapped in plastic, and refrigerated for up to 2 days, or frozen for up to 1 month.

You can freeze a pumpkin pie before or after baking—though we recommend letting a baked pie come all the way to room temperature before freezing. This is because you want the pie to freeze as quickly as possible.

This no bake, Make Ahead Pumpkin Pie can be made up to 2 weeks in advance and frozen. You'll love the maple-cinnamon topping, too!

Answer: An estimated 50 million pumpkin pies are devoured every November.

If you're moving the recipe to a larger pan, increase the oven temperature by 25 F degrees and decrease the baking time (you'll still end up with a thinner cake, but the taste and texture should be fine).

Cakes in larger pans will generally bake faster (about . 9 minutes per ounce of batter in a 10-inch pan), while cakes in smaller pans will often take longer (up to two minutes per ounce for a 6-inch pan). Meanwhile, cakes baked in a tube or Bundt pan may only need a minute per ounce of batter.

If you're sautéing or searing a halved recipe, keep the heat and cook time the same but size down your pan. If you're cooking a halved recipe in the oven, keep the oven temperature the same but size down your cooking vessel and reduce the cook time by 1/3 — but check on it as you go.