Mini Pumpkin Pies with Maple Whipped Cream

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Everyone loves this holiday season because it is a time for baking and enjoying sweet desserts. Sweet potato pies, apple pies, and pear desserts make an appearance on every dinner table, almost every weekend of the season. This holiday season shake up the dessert table and make these adorable mini pumpkin pies. We heard you. An ordinary pumpkin pie is just that. Ordinary and sometimes plain. To make things fun, we started out by making the pumpkin pie into mini pies. We added warm seasonal spices to the filling and, instead of the usual pie shell, used phyllo pastry sheets as a shell. Butter and stack the sheets, then cut into squares and press them into the cups of a muffin tin. Top with the pumpkin filling and bake. The crowning touch to these pumpkin mini pies is the maple-spiced whipped cream, which is delicious spooned over a mug of coffee or hot chocolate.

Mini Pumpkin Pies with Maple Whipped Cream and Mini Pear-Cranberry Pies
Photo: David Malosh; Prop Styling: Robyn Glaser; Food Styling: Maggie Ruggiero
Active Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
1 hrs 45 mins
Yield:
12

Ingredients

  • 12 (14- x 9-inch) frozen phyllo pastry sheets (from 1 [16-oz.] pkg., such as Athens), thawed 

  • cup unsalted butter, melted

  • 1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin

  • ¾ cup granulated sugar

  • cup whole milk

  • 3 large eggs

  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt

  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger

  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided, plus more for garnish

  • cup heavy whipping cream

  • 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup

  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Unfold phyllo sheets; place on a work surface. Cover with plastic wrap and a damp towel. Brush top side of 1 phyllo sheet lightly with butter. Top with a second sheet. Brush top side of second sheet lightly with butter. Repeat until stack is 6 sheets thick (do not brush top side of last sheet). Cut stack into 6 (about 4 ½-inch) squares. Repeat with remaining sheets and butter for a total of 12 squares. Press 1 phyllo square into each cup of a 12-cup muffin pan. Cover loosely with a damp paper towel while preparing the filling.

  2. Whisk together next 7 ingredients and ¾ teaspoon of the cinnamon in a bowl. Divide mixture among phyllo shells (about 4 ½ tablespoons each), and smooth tops. Bake in preheated oven until filling is almost set and phyllo is golden, 14 to 20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack 30 minutes. Remove from pan; chill 30 minutes or up to 2 days.

  3. Before serving, whisk together cream, maple syrup, vanilla, and remaining ¼ teaspoon cinnamon until stiff peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a small star tip. Pipe whipped cream onto each pie. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

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