Whipped Pumpkin Pie Bites
“I don’t like it!” This is the sentiment shared with me after the little sous chef sampled her first bite of pumpkin pie. “What? Are you serious?” was my reply. I just couldn’t fathom that my little sugar monster wouldn’t like pie. But she made it clear that she never wanted anything to do with pie ever again. Oh the horror! But I’ve got a little trick up my sleeve this year. It’s called Whipped Pumpkin Pie Bites.
Keep it Simple and Separate
If there’s anything I’ve learned in the past 6 years of my little one’s life it’s that she doesn’t like complicated food and she doesn’t like it “together.” Let me explain. And it’s actually quite simple. She likes INGREDIENTS. Not dishes. So if we’re having sandwiches, the bread and the meat and cheese are all eaten separately. Yep. Parenting fail? Nah. I mean she’s eating it, right? And just to be sure, I always ask her to try it TOGETHER to see if she likes it that way…yet. So for now, I’m down with keeping things separate.
Whipped Pumpkin Pie Bites
That “separate” mentality made me realize that’s why she might not be interested in pie. I mean, it is kind of weird. Soft, jiggly stuff in a crust? Texturally confusing at 6 years old. But, what if, the ingredients are proportionately the same? And what if we skip that custard filling and swapped in a known favorite, whipped cream? Well, what do you think happened? You know the answer already…she LOVED it! Success! And because these are “bites,” they’re a sweet treat I can fell good about treating her with!
Keep it Fun!
Beyond these tasting delicious, they’re also really fun to make. And your little sous chef can help every step of the way. Make the dough, roll it out and cut it out! Plus, it’s soooooo fun to pipe whipped cream onto things. Am I right? And here’s the other thing, you can totally customize these. Make the dough savory and top with hummus and pickled veggies. Or swap chocolate mousse for the pumpkin whipped cream. The fun just doesn’t end! Now get baking!
Whipped Pumpkin Pie Bites
Description
Turn your favorite holiday dessert into something bite-sized and fun! These Whipped Pumpkin Pie Bites are perfectly pumpkin-y with a buttery, flakey crust!
Ingredients
For the pumpkin whipped cream:
- 1 teaspoon butter
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup confectioners sugar
- 1 tablespoon + 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
For the pie dough:
- 1 recipe Best Whole Grain Pie Crust
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon milk
- cinnamon and sugar, for dusting
For the candied pecans:
- 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup whole or chopped pecans
Instructions
To make the pie cut-outs:
- Prepare the pie dough recipe. Wrap and chill dough for at least 30 minutes in the fridge.
- Preheat the oven to 350’F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Unwrap dough and on a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 1/4-inch thick disk. Using a round, 2-inch diameter cookie cutter, cut out pieces of dough and place on prepared baking sheet.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and milk. Gently brush tops of pie dough with egg wash then sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake 12-15 minutes or until tops are golden. Remove from oven, cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
To start the pumpkin whipped cream:
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add spice and stir for 30 seconds. Stir in pumpkin and cook an additional 30 seconds. Remove from heat and mix in the confectioners sugar. Transfer to a bowl to cool. Cover and refrigerate to speed up the cooling process.
To make the candied pecans:
- Turn oven temperature up to 400’F. Clean the small saucepan used for the pumpkin and use to make pecans. Add the brown sugar and water to the pan and set over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the cinnamon and salt and the pecan. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and pecans are coated in sugar mixture, about 1 minute. Spread on a bake and bake 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
To finish the pumpkin pie whipped cream:
- Stir 1 tablespoon cold cream into pumpkin mixture. Set aside. Place remaining cream in a large, cold mixing bowl and beat until soft peaks form, about 1 minute if you’re using a hand-held mixer. Gently fold pumpkin mixture into whipped cream.
- Transfer whipped cream to a piping bag or plastic bag. Insert your favorite tip or no tip at all. Line up cooled pie crust cut-outs then pipe a small amount of whipped cream on each. Top with cooled candied pecans and enjoy!
Notes
Tips:
For the whipped cream, a cold bowl and cold beater makes the process easier. And be sure the pumpkin mixture is fully cooled before folding it in.
