If you love having a variety in your desserts during the holidays, these easy muffin tin mini pies will wow your guests without adding extra time in the kitchen to your plate.
If I’m being honest, dessert is one of my favorite, yet heavily debated topics of discussion, in my family’s holiday planning. Last year we ended up with 5 different pies between 8 people just so that everyone had their favorite flavor.
Unfortunately for us, that meant working as a team to finish off the ones that wouldn’t freeze well after the fact. Even after we were stuffed… almost literally.
This year, I wanted to come up with a new solution to our love of variety. Enter: Muffin Tin Mini Pies for the Holidays!
What’s not to love? Make these pies with as many flavors as you’d like without the extra work… or the need for 5 different pie pans. Also, one mini pie has the perfect ratio of crust to filling, no soggy middle section, and is smaller than your normal slice size.
Be the hit of your next holiday gathering by setting the table with your family’s favorite pie as a mini muffin tin pie!
Pro Tips & FAQ for Making Muffin Tin Mini Pies
How Many Pies Does This Recipe Make?
This makes 6 pumpkin and 6 apple muffin tin mini pies. One 12 count muffin pan is about the same as one 9 pinch pie. You can use this to determine how many crusts, flavors, etc you’ll use.
How Do I Serve Muffin Tin Mini Pies?
You should remove your mini pies about 5 minutes after taking them out of the oven. I’ve tried this a few different ways, but getting to them quickly helps to prevent the dreaded soggy bottom. Then, they come out easier this way.
Use a wood or plastic utensil to avoid scraping the finish off your muffin pan.
Top with a generous dollop of easy homemade whipped cream.
How Full Should I Fill My Muffin Tin Mini Pies?
For custard type fillings such as pumpkin pie, you can get away with filling to about 3/4 full. They don’t expand too much, and sink back down a bit as they cool.
For a syrup based filling like apple pie or cherry, go for closer to half or 2/3 full. When the sugary syrup bakes it wants to expand past the crust if you fill it too full. The syrup will burn more easily and make a sticky mess.
During recipe testing for these, I filled the apple pies very full and ended up with burnt edges and stuck pies when it was time to serve them!
What You’ll Need to Make Muffin Tin Mini Pies
Helpful Tools
- Pastry cutter for mixing the crust dough (optional)
- Rolling pin
- Pizza cuter or long knife (for the lattice)
- A 4″ cutter or glass bowl to cut the muffin tin pie crusts
Two Pie Crusts
- If you want to really wow your guests, make your crust from scratch! Grab my pie crust recipe here!
Pumpkin Pie Filling Ingredients
- Pumpkin puree
- Honey (can substitute white sugar)
- Egg
- Vanilla
- Milk
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Salt
Apple Pie Filling (home canned)
How to Make Muffin Tin Mini Pies
Assembling the Crust
Follow my recipe for pie crust, or, purchase 2 crusts.
When you are ready to make the pies, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
(I usually roll out my crust after the pie fillings are made so that the crust stays cold as long as possible. You can also prepare your crusts and then place them into the fridge until you’re ready.)
Roll out the cold pie crust dough to just over 1/8″ thickness.
Using the 4″ bowl or cutter, cut 12 rounds for the base crusts, and 6 rounds for the apple pie lattices.
Then, put your crusts into the muffin tins and decorate the top edges using your fingers to make indents or press a fork around the edges.
Cut strips into your lattice rounds and weave together before putting onto the apple pies. You can use an egg wash or a sprinkle of sugar for the tops of your lattice crusts for a golden finish.
How to Make the Pumpkin Pies
Mix together the pumpkin puree, honey, vanilla, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.
Add the milk.
Lightly beat in the egg.
Pour the mixture into your crusts about 3/4 full. It will expand a bit as it bakes.
Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
I usually cool for an hour before serving.
How to Make the Apple Pies
Make or use an apple pie filling. We home can ours and a pint jar is the perfect amount for 6 mini pies.
Spoon the apple pie filling into your muffin tin mini pies until just under 2/3 full.
Avoid overfilling as the mixture will bubble up as it bakes, and if overfilled, will burn on the edges of your crust and your pan.
Bake with the pumpkin pies for 20 minutes.
There are SO many different ways to customize these muffin tin mini pies to fit your next holiday party or even just a special dessert.
I hope you’ll give them a try because I know they’ll be a hit!
Muffin Tin Mini Pies
If you love having a variety in your desserts during the holidays, these easy muffin tin mini pies will wow your guests without adding extra time in the kitchen to your plate.
Ingredients
- 2 Pie crusts
- 2/3 Cup Pumpkin Puree
- 1/4 Cup Honey or Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla
- 1/4 tsp Fine Salt
- 1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
- 1/3 Cup Milk
- 1 Egg
- 1 Pint Apple Pie Filling
Instructions
Prepare Your Crust
- Roll out crust to just over ⅛ inch thickness
- Cut out 12 circles for the bottom crusts
- Cut out 6 circles for the apple pie lattices
- Put bottom crusts into muffin tins and press edges with desired design
- Cut strips to weave for the apple pie lattice
Prepare the Pumpkin Pies:
- Mix pumpkin, honey, vanilla, salt, and pumpkin pie spice
- Mix in the milk
- Lightly beat in the egg
- Pour into pie crusts about ¾ full
Prepare the Apple Pies:
- Fill apple pies to ⅔ full to avoid filling bubbling up and burning
- Put lattice on top of apple pies
- Brush with egg wash or a sprinkle of sugar to get a golden brown finish
Bake pies for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out of the pumpkin pies cleanly.
Notes
- Keep pie crust cold throughout the entire process.
- If you prepare the crusts ahead of the fillings, refrigerate until they are ready to be filled.
- Carefully remove pies from muffin tins after 5 minutes of cooling to prevent them sticking.
- Serve with homemade whipped cream.
Pin for Later!
Leave a Reply