Bite size beauties filled with bourbon pecan, pumpkin spice and caramel apples. Miniature Fall Pies are a perfect way to sweeten up your table throughout the holidays!
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Growing up, one of my favorite memories of Thanksgiving was making the pies with my mom the night before. We would all pitch in and peel pounds of apples, whisk together the pie fillings and bake till the late hours of the night. Classic Thanksgiving pies are definitely a huge part of our Thanksgiving table, but what I loved even more than making all of them was tasting them. Having a small bite of each pie was the best way to end the night. As our table has grown with more family and friends that join us on Thanksgiving, Miniature Fall Pies have become a favorite. Keeping all the classic flavors, but making them miniature makes for the most beautiful dessert table for all your holidays and events but also allows your guests to have a bite size pieces of each flavor. When hosting an event it is always thoughtful to have several flavor options to be sure you have something for everyone and Miniature Fall Pies is the way to go! 
Cream Cheese Dough is the base for your miniature pies. This handmade dough has wonderful rich flavor, a flakey texture and because of the cream cheese addition it has more elasticity which makes it easier to work with. Once the dough is made it needs to be chilled before rolling out. The dough will then be rolled out and cut into small round circles to fit in a miniature tart mold or mini muffin tins.
Classic Thanksgiving flavors are what bring back our holiday memories. A Classic Bourbon Pecan, Pumpkin and Apple Pie are three of my all time favorite fall flavors and they are as good in miniature size.
I loved creating these mini pies to share on Do Say Give! Head over to visit Lee at Do Say Give and you will get another look at these adorable pies as well as her fabulous Holiday Gift Guide!
photos by Audrie Dollins
Cream Cheese Pie Dough
Ingredients
- 1 ½ Cups All Purpose Flour
- ½ tsp Salt
- ½ Cup Unsalted Butter, Cold
- 4 ounces Cream Cheese, Cold
- 1-2 Tbsp Water, Ice Cold
Instructions
- Cut the butter and cream cheese into cubes and cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until ready to use
- In a mixing bowl with paddle attachment, combine the flour and salt
- Slowly add the butter and cream cheese to the flour mixture and mix on low until the dough is small pea size crumbles
- Add in water, one tablespoon at a time until the dough comes together
- Remove the dough from the mixing bowl onto a floured surface and knead the dough until smooth (if the dough is to crumbly add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time)
- Press the dough into a round disk, wrap with cellophane and refrigerate for 1-2 hours
- Once the dough is chilled, remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll it out to ⅛ inch thick and cut into desired size to fit the mini tart shell pans or keep it in a large circle and place in a 9” tart shell pan
- Bake the tart shells according to pie filling instructions
Miniature Bourbon Pecan Pies
- Yield: 24 1x
Ingredients
- 1 Recipe Cream Cheese Dough
- ½ Cup Granulated Sugar
- ½ Cup Light Corn Syrup
- 1 tbsp Vanilla Extract
- 2 Tbsp Bourbon
- ½ tsp Salt
- 2 Eggs
- ¼ Cup Unsalted Butter, melted
- 1 Cup Pecans, Chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and prepare the miniature tart pans with the Cream Cheese Dough; Roll out the dough to ⅛” thick.
- Using round or scalloped cookie cutter cut into 24 circles using approx 2 inches bigger than the tart pan (I used this tart pan)
- Press the dough into each tartlet mold and refrigerate until ready to use.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, corn syrup, vanilla extract, bourbon, salt, eggs and melted butter until smooth
- Set aside until ready to use
- Fill the tart pans prepared with pie dough; sprinkle chopped pecans into the tart crust
- Pour the filling over the pecans to the top of the pie dough shell
- Bake the Bourbon Pecan Miniature Tarts for 20-25 minutes or until the filling is set and the crust is light golden brown
- Remove the tartlets from the oven and allow them to cool
- Makes 24 miniature tarts
- Using a small spatula or knife, carefully pop the tartlets out of the pan and place them on a serving platter
- Serve and Enjoy!
Miniature Pumpkin Pies
- Yield: 24 1x
Ingredients
- 1 Recipe Cream Cheese Dough
- 1 Cup Pumpkin Puree
- 2 Eggs
- ¼ Cup Light Brown Sugar
- ½ Cup Heavy Cream
- 2 Tbsp Sour Cream
- ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
- ½ tsp Cinnamon
- ½ tsp Ginger
- ⅛ tsp Nutmeg
- ⅛ tsp Salt
Fresh Whipped Cream- 1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- ¼ Cup Powdered Sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and prepare the miniature tart pans with the Cream Cheese Dough; Roll out the dough to ⅛” thick.
- Using a round or scalloped cookie cutter cut 24 circles approx 2 inches bigger than the tart pan (I used this tart pan).
- Press the dough into each tartlet mold and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Prepare the pumpkin filling; In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all the ingredients until smooth
- Fill the crust ¾ full of pumpkin filling
- Bake the Pumpkin Tarts for 20-25minutes or until the pumpkin filling puffs up and the center no longer moves
- Allow the Pumpkin Tarts to cool completely before removing them from the metal molds
- Once you remove the tartlets from the molds, garnish with fresh whipped cream
- Serve and Enjoy!
- Makes 24 miniature tartlets
Miniature Caramel Apple Pie
- Yield: 12 1x
Ingredients
- 1 Recipe Cream Cheese Dough
- 3 Cups Apples, peeled, cored and diced
- 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
- ¼ Cup Light Brown Sugar
- ¼ Cup Granulated Sugar
- 2 Tbsp Cornstarch
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
- ¼ tsp Nutmeg
- Pinch of Salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and prepare the miniature tart pans with the Cream Cheese Dough; Roll out the dough to ⅛” thick.
- Using a round or scalloped cookie cutter, cut 12 circles approx 2 inches bigger than the tart pan (I used this tart pan).
- Press the dough into each tartlet mold and refrigerate until ready to use.
- In a skillet, saute the apples, lemon juice, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt until sugar dissolves and it becomes a thick caramel sauce coating the diced apples
- Scoop the caramel apples into the tart shells
- Roll out the remaining dough and cut into rounds that fit the size of the tart shell
- Press the top piece of dough into the bottom half of the tart dough
- Cut three small slits in the piece of dough
- Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until the dough is slightly golden brown
- Remove the tartlets from the oven and allow them to cool completely
- Using a small spatula or knife pop the tartlets out of the pan and place on a serving platter
- Serve and enjoy!
- Makes 12 Tartlets
Beth says
Can the pies be made ahead of time?
kristen massad says
Hi Beth,
The mini pies can be made in advance and placed in an airtight container and in the freezer until ready to use. If you don't want to freeze them, it is best you make them just a day before you are going to serve them!
Thank you and enjoy!
Kristen
Heather says
What type of apples did you use?
kristen massad says
I love using honey crisp, but you can also use Granny Smith if you like a more tart flavor!!!;