quick tip: miniature pumpkin pies

I don’t know how deep you are in the school circuit, but during my kids elementary school days (this is the first year I haven’t had a kiddo in elementary school in 11 years, but I digress) we had a whole lot of potluck meals. One of the most loved, was the annual thanksgiving feast.

And one of my favorite treats to bring, were these mini pumpkin pies. Often made in the hundreds.

The secret? Premade, store-bought graham cracker crusts. Makes the whole process so much easier.

Then, all you do is make a batch (or three) of my pumpkin custard filling and use a pitcher to fill each crust.

Oh, and top with a squirt of canned whipped cream. Easy peasy.

I mean, you can make your own whipped cream, but why not make it easier on yourself.

Ingredients:

mini pie crusts

4 heaping Tbsp pureed pumpking

3 eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 heaping tbsp all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

2 cups whole milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a saucepan, bring milk just to boiling and remove from heat.  Set aside.

In an electric mixer, beat eggs until fluffy and light in color.

In a separate bowl, whisk sugar, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and flour, until combined. Add to eggs and blend until combined. Stir in milk a little at a time.

Add pumpkin and beat on low for 1-2 minutes.

Space pie crusts out on foil lined baking trays. Pour a little bit of mixture in each pie shell, almost to the top.

Bake in oven for 5 minutes.  Turn heat down to 350 and bake for around an hour. Checking often. To check for doneness, shake baking sheet. Pie is done when the middle is firm, after jiggling the pan. You can also insert a bread knife into the center of the custard-- if it comes out clean, it's ready.