Everyone loves Thanksgiving, but let’s be honest, it can get expensive, especially when you have several guests to feed. But I’ve got a great little Thanksgiving hack for you. Well okay, maybe two. Thanksgiving hack number one: make these Mini Pumpkin Pies. You get twelve servings with half the amount of ingredients used for a regular-sized pumpkin pie. So instead of trying to slice one pie into razor-thin slices so that everyone gets a bite, be the star of the show with these adorable little Mini Pumpkin Pies. Everyone will die over their cuteness and you’ll be smiling with satisfaction because you just fed more people with fewer ingredients.
No-Fuss Crust
As much as I love a classic pumpkin pie, I especially love these mini pumpkin pies because they don’t use a traditional pie crust. Pie crust can be tricky to work with, especially for new cooks, but these pies use a really unique dough made with butter, flour, and cream cheese. It has a soft moldable texture that is super forgiving and easy to work with. …Because the last thing you need to worry about on Thanksgiving is cracked pie dough.
Make A Double Batch of Mini Pumpkin Pies
As I mentioned above, this recipe basically uses half of the “filling” for a regular-sized pumpkin pie. So you can use your favorite pumpkin pie filling recipe, or even the pumpkin pie recipe on the label of your can of pumpkin purée and just divide it by two to fill 12 of these mini pumpkin pies. Or use the whole recipe and make 24 mini pumpkin pies!
Can I Make them Ahead?
Yes, you can make these mini pumpkin pies one day ahead of time. When preparing them in advance, allow the pies to cool completely to room temperature before covering and refrigerating. You can also freeze the pumpkin pies, but the quality is much better when fresh or refrigerated. So freezing is a great way to enjoy the leftovers for longer, but I wouldn’t freeze before serving to guests.
Pumpkin Pie Topping Options
You can leave the pumpkin pies bare (I love the color they add to a Thanksgiving spread), or you can top them with whipped cream and a little sprinkle of cinnamon (use any leftover cinnamon to make snickerdoodles!). If you plan to let the pumpkin pies sit out for a while, like as part of a Friendsgiving buffet, you may want to use a stabilized whipped cream to make sure the whipped cream doesn’t collapse as it sits (whip 1 Tbsp cornstarch into every cup of homemade whipped cream to stabilize).
Mini Pumpkin Pies
Servings 12 mini piesIngredients
Crust
- 8 Tbsp salted butter, room temperature ($0.80)
- 4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature ($0.58)
- 1 cup + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour ($0.07)
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar ($0.01)
Filling
- 1/2 15oz. can pumpkin purée ($0.48)
- 3/4 cup evaporated milk ($0.40)
- 1 large eggs ($0.29)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar ($0.04)
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar ($0.08)
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon ($0.05)
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger ($0.02)
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg ($0.02)
- 1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Make the pie crust first. Add the butter and cream cheese to a bowl and use a mixer to beat them together until light and fluffy.
- Beat 1 Tbsp sugar into the butter and cream cheese, then begin to beat in the flour, about ¼ cup at a time, until all of it has been incorporated. The result will be a very soft dough.
- Divide the dough into four equal pieces, then divide each piece into three so you have 12 equal-sized pieces total. Roll each piece of dough into a ball, then drop each one into the well of a muffin tin. Use your fingers to press the dough down into the center and up the sides of the wells (see step by step photos below for more help).
- Next, make the pie filling. In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin purée, evaporated milk, egg, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt.
- Divide the filling between the twelve pie shells (about 3 Tbsp each).
- Bake the pies for 35 minutes, or until the edges of the pie crusts are golden and the filling is slightly cracked on top.
- Remove the muffin tin from the oven and allow the pies to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes. After about 10 minutes they should be solid enough to safely remove. Slide a knife around the outer edge of each one until they pop out. Finish cooling the pies on a wire rack.
- Serve the pies at room temperature, or transfer them to the refrigerator once cooled for longer storage (up to four days).
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Nutrition
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How to Make Mini Pumpkin Pies – Step by Step Photos
Here are all of the ingredients you’ll need for these mini pumpkin pies. The ingredients are all super simple pantry staples: flour, sugar, eggs, butter, cream cheese, evaporated milk, brown sugar, salt, pumpkin purée, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
Start by preheating the oven to 350ºF. Next, add 8 Tbsp room temperature butter and 4 oz. room temperature cream cheese to a bowl.
Beat the butter and cream cheese together until they’re evenly combined and fluffy.
Beat 1 Tbsp sugar into the butter and cream cheese, then start adding the flour, about ¼ cup at a time, beating until it is incorporated (1 cup + 2 Tbsp flour total). The end result will be a very soft dough. No dry flour should remain on the bottom of the bowl.
Divide the dough into 12 equal-sized pieces. To do this, divide the dough into four equal-sized pieces. From there, divide each piece into three equal-sized pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and place them into the wells of a muffin tin. Use your fingers to press the dough down and up the sides of the muffin tin wells. Make sure to get down into the corners of the well where a lot of the dough can accumulate and get too thick.
Next, it’s time to make the pumpkin pie filling. Whisk together ½ of a 15oz. can of pumpkin purée (about ⅞ of a cup), 1 large egg, ¾ cup evaporated milk, ¼ cup sugar, 2 Tbsp brown sugar, ½ tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp ground ginger, ¼ tsp ground nutmeg, and ¼ tsp salt.
Divide the pumpkin filling among the 12 pie shells. The easiest way to do this is to use a 2 Tbsp scoop or measuring cup and add 2 Tbsp to each one first, then go back and add a bit more to each one until the filling is used up. It ends up being about 3 Tbsp filling per pie.
Bake the pumpkin pies in the fully preheated 350ºF oven for 35 minutes or until the crusts are golden brown and the filling is slightly cracked on top. Allow the pies to cool in the muffin tin for about 10 minutes so they can solidify a bit before attempting removal. Once they’re slightly cooled, run a knife around the edge of each one and they will pop right out!
Allow the pies to finish cooling on a cooling rack. Remember, make sure they are fully cooled to room temperature before refrigeration to prevent condensation. Refrigerated pumpkin pies will stay good in the refrigerator for four days.
I made the mini pecan pies last year. Yum. I made another Aldi sponsored recipe you posted and liked it. I’ll try these this year, along with the pecan pies again. I’ll sub gf flour. Thank you. I have a new Aldi that opened near me. It’s poorly stocked and weirdly disorganized, and quite pricey, but I know from shopping at other Aldis around the world that it’s usually a good, budget-friendly store.
Forgot to add, I have a wooden “tart tamper” that makes shaping the tart shells super easy. I recommend using one.
Oh that’s such a great idea!!
I am so happy i came across your blog! My kinda girl AND you shop at Aldi!? Can we be besties!? ๐
Yes we can! :D
Can’t wait to try this for thanksgiving!
Does somebody know if I can replace the evaporated milk with something like half n half or coconut milk? I just can’t find it and I’d rather not be bothered by reducing milk on the stove.
The mini pies look very lovely!!
I’m not sure about in this recipe, but I’ve successfully subbed milks with a higher fat content (half and half and heavy cream) in for evaporated milk in similar recipes.ย
I was wondering the same thing. Anyone have any input? Iโll prob just end up subbing canned coconut milk, even with the added flavor, we like coconut.. so hopefully it wonโt be too weirdโฆ
I haven’t tried it to know for sure, but I do know that the very low water content of the evaporated milk is what helps the pie filling set correctly. If there’s too much water it probably won’t set. Half and half probably has too much, but heavy cream might work. I’m not sure about coconut milk.
These look delicious and I will be trying them!ย
I live in Southern California and I love to get Thanksgiving staples at Aldi too. I find it so much more affordable than our mainstream grocery markets – especially for items like pumpkin puree, heavy cream, and evaporated milk.
Your blog is one of the only cooking blogs I bookmark and check regularly. It gives me great ideas and I prefer your step-by-step pictures to watching videos. I love your blog and thank you for all the time and effort you invest in it!ย
You do some really great graphics that pin well on pinterest! I’ve pinned this to my Thanksgiving food ideas board! Thank you!
Could you freeze these after baking?
Yes, the quality is best before they’re frozen, but it’s a great way to enjoy the leftovers for longer. :)
Do you think subbing the 7.5 oz of pumpkin purรฉe for mashed sweet potato would work?
I’d think so, the filling will probably be a little denser.
Probably! :)
Another Aldi fan here! I love it both because of the bargains on every day staples, and the really fun specialty items that are not available elsewhere in my small town. While, for instance, jars of European cornichons and German mustard may not be the cheapest thing in Aldi’s, they are not found elsewhere in my area, or at least not for the same price as American pickles and mustard in the supermarket. Produce often has the same brand names I see in chain supermarkets in my area, but for less–and why would anyone ever buy an avocado elsewhere. Lots of gluten free products, too, for those who worry about that. When I go late in the day, the shelves are nearly empty, so no fear that what is stocked the next day is anything but really fresh. These little pies will definitely be on our table! I’m going to make some mini-pecan pies, too.
The crust portion of the recipe looks easy. Do you think it can be used for other pie fillings? What time would recommend for cooking just the crust? Thinking of using this for small chocolate filling pies.
I have a pecan pie version on the blog that works really well, but I haven’t tried any other types! I’m not sure how long the crusts would need to bake on their own, since I haven’t tried it without filling. :)
Thanks for a great idea and recipe! I shop regularly at Aldi’s and enjoy recipes that use items easily found there. With this recipe though, you can get these ingredients at any grocery store – so it’s good for all!
These look so good! My kids will love them. Iโm happy to see a sponsored post because it means that you can continue to bring us free content. Thanks for all you do, my family enjoys so many of your recipes.ย
I agree Haley, a once in a blue moon sponsored post is Beth making sure we keep getting her great recipes for free. ย Thanks for all you do Beth! Plus, Iโm also an Aldiโs fan. ย I love their inexpensive yet extensive cheese selections. ย Iโve yet to meet a cheese I havenโt liked.ย
I agree with Haley and Jeri Anne!ย
We appreciate you Beth!
I love this blog & have made many of your recipes! ย Youโve been a big help to me, butโฆI do not care to be manipulated by advertisers. ย Thanks for everything.
Seconded.
Fabulous recipes that don’t break the budget don’t need brand names.. Aldi, who?
Looks delish! Wondering if this can be made with GF flour.. do you think it would hold up?
While I haven’t tried it, I bet that would work since the gluten isn’t needed to make the correct texture in the crust, like it would for a yeasted bread. :)
I’m hoping to try this with gluten free flour too. Looks amazing!
I’ve made it with GF flour. It works great. Typically I use either Pamela’s or Trader Joe’s gf flour, but I can’t remember specifically which one I used for this crust. Any decent all purpose gf flour blend should work fine.
I understand why you would do a sponsored post, but I wish there was another way that we could support you instead.
The recipe looks great though.
This recipe looks great, can’t wait to try it. But I don’t like the way you included the ingredient brand names in the ingredients list, it makes it very hard to read it quickly, I hope this is not the new norm.
It’s not the norm, no. :) This recipe is sponsored by ALDI so they want to highlight their ingredients.