Adorable Mini Pies, For When You Can’t Decide (And Want To Show Off On Instagram)

It’s pie season! The holidays are here and it’s truly the most wonderful time of year. The weather is getting colder, the days are getting shorter, and all you want to do is be cozied up at home while eating all the comfort food. Believe me, I’m right there with you. I’m counting down the days until Thanksgiving, when I can eat my weight in mashed potatoes and green beans. But also, what I’m most excited about is all of the delicious pies.

There are obviously the classics: pumpkin, apple, pecan, cherry, and blueberry. And who doesn’t love the classics? They’re great! But maybe you’re looking to bake something a little different for this year. And what if you’re not baking for 15 people? Maybe you’re hosting a small Friendsgiving with three of your closest friends and you know none of you will be able to eat an entire normal-sized pie. Or you know that everyone loves different pies, and you want to do your best to accommodate.

The solution: mini pies! They’re perfect for those of us who may have filled up on too much turkey, but still want to treat ourselves to pie. Plus, the pie pans fit right in the palm of your hand and are so! cute! With this in mind, we asked our So Yummy food stylist, Sade, to wow us with her take on three of the most classic Thanksgiving pie flavors: pecan, apple, and pumpkin. These are seriously the cutest pies, and we think that even novice pie bakers can make these in a snap!

Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie

We’ve put a fun twist on the classic pecan pie — a chocolate, boozy twist! Please note: this pie is 100% okay to serve to children, since the alcohol from the bourbon burns off during the baking process, and all that’s left behind is a bold, caramel-like flavor that punctuates the chocolate crust.

Prep time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: 3 mini pies (5-inch pies)

Ingredients, illustrated:

Sade’s Instructions:

1. For the pie’s filling, mix together 1 cup chopped pecans, 2 tbsp molasses, ¾ cup honey, 1 ½ tbsp bourbon, 2 tbsp butter, 1 egg, and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Set aside for the pie crust.
2. For the crust, mix together 1 cup chocolate cookie crumbs and 4 tbsp melted butter. Gently press it into the pie pans.
3. Pour the pie filling into the pie pan until it hits the edges.
4. Bake uncovered for about 45-50 minutes at 350°F/176°C, until the mixture is bubbly.

Apple Caramel with Almond Sugar Cookie Crust

Who doesn’t love getting caramel apples from the pumpkin patch every fall? The crisp bite and tang of the Granny Smith apple covered in sweet, melted caramel sauce is seriously heaven. This mini pie is essentially a deconstructed caramel apple.

Prep time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield: 3 mini pies (5-inch pies)

Ingredients, illustrated:

Sade’s Instructions:

1. Stir together 3 cups of diced Granny Smith apples, 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 2 tsp vanilla, ¼ cup caramel, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tbsp cornstarch, and 3 tbsp melted butter. Combine well. Pour in ½ cup sliced almonds and stir again.
2. For the crust, remove the sugar cookie dough from the package. Break off a small chunk and roll it out until you have enough to cover your pie pan.
3. Place cookie dough crust into a 5-inch pie pan. Half of the dough will line the bottom of the pan. The second half of the dough will be used for the top of the pie.
4. Fill the crust with the filling mixture and seal it closed with the other half of cookie dough crust. Bake at 350°F/176°C for 35-40 minutes, until the top of the pie is golden brown.

Gingersnap Pumpkin Pie with Cream Cheese Whip

There’s nothing more classic for Thanksgiving dessert than pumpkin pie. And no, we’re not using that fake whipped cream that comes out of a can. We’ll only be garnishing our pumpkin pies with this cream cheese whipped cream from here on out.

Prep time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Yield: 4 mini pies (5-inch pies, or 1 (9-inch) pie)

Ingredients, illustrated:

Sade’s instructions for the crust:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/176°C.
2. Combine 1½ cups gingersnap crumbs and 3 tbsp melted butter in a bowl.
3. Spread the crumb mixture in the pie pan and press with your fingers so that the mixture lines the bottom and sides of the pan.
4. Use your fingers again to form a smooth rim, and set aside for the filling.

Sade’s instructions for the pie filling:

1. Mix 1 can (16 oz) pumpkin puree, half a can (6oz) evaporated milk, ½ cup brown sugar, ¼ tsp cinnamon, a pinch of salt, ¼ tsp ground ginger, ⅛ tsp ground cloves, and 2 eggs until well incorporated.
2. Pour the mixture into the pie crust.
3. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes at 350°F/176°C or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Optional: top with whipped cream before serving.

Ingredients for topping, illustrated:

Sade’s instructions for the topping:

1. In a bowl, use a hand mixer and whip the 1½ cups heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form.
2. In another large bowl, beat together 4oz cream cheese with ¼ cup granulated sugar, a pinch of salt, and 1 tsp vanilla until smooth.
3. Using a spatula, fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture.
4. Chill until you’re ready to serve with the pie.

If you’re curious about what pie pans we used for these adorable mini pies, you can grab a 4-pack of your own from Amazon for $26!

Time to dig in!