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These simple and delicious mini pumpkin pies are just about the only thing better than a traditional pumpkin pie. These bite-size beauties will amaze your holiday guests!
You guys all know that my FAVORITE season of the year is fall. If it’s pumpkin and spice and everything nice, I’m all in.
I mean, in case you hadn’t noticed by the number of pumpkin recipes I’ve made over the years.
These bite-size mini pumpkin pies have been a fan favorite for years. This year, I decided to spruce up the post with new photos to show you just how simple and delicious they are.
What could be better than my favorite kind of fall pie? My favorite kind of fall pie in bite-size form.
MINI PUMPKIN PIES IN PHYLLO SHELLS
These mini pumpkin pies are super easy to make and are seriously the most perfect little treat for any party or gathering.
And they’re totally poppable! No need for forks or spoons. Just pick up one of these little cuties and pop it directly into ya’ mouth!
I always have to stop myself from popping these little pies into my mouth repeatedly.
Several years ago I discovered bite-size shortbread tart shells at my local grocery store. I loved using them for this recipe! But since then, they’ve become really hard to find.
So I decided to channel my mini pecan pies and give this recipe a try using mini phyllo shells instead. They’re much easier to find year-round and at a variety of grocery stores.
Turns out, I actually really enjoy the flaky, crisp phyllo with the smooth, sweet pumpkin pie filling. Add a dollop of whipped cream or whipped topping and these mini pumpkin pies are downright perfect!
Add them to your menu along with other mini desserts such as mini pumpkin cheesecakes, mini lemon cakes, mini apple pies, and apple cider jello shots for a truly adorable dessert table.
HOW TO MAKE MINI PUMPKIN PIES
Because the mini phyllo shells are pre-baked and you don’t have to fuss with a traditional pie crust, these bite-size pumpkin pies only take about 30 minutes to make.
Ingredients you’ll need
To make these mini pumpkin pies, you will need:
- 60 pre-made mini phyllo pastry shells
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons homemade pumpkin pie spice
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup pure pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 small can evaporated milk (5 ounces)
Make sure you buy pure pumpkin puree for this recipe, not pumpkin pie filling. Since you only need 1 cup of pumpkin puree for this recipe, consider using the rest of the can for pumpkin snickerdoodles or pumpkin scones.
You also want to make sure that you buy evaporated milk for this recipe, not sweetened condensed milk. The cans are often right next to each other and look similar, so I always have to pay attention!
If you are able to find mini shortbread shells, keep in mind that they are usually a bit larger than the phyllo shells so you will probably only need about 48 of them for this recipe.
Making this recipe
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and line the phyllo shells on the baking sheet. Since phyllo shells don’t have perfectly flat bases, you may want to use some foil to stabilize them on the baking sheet.
To make the pie filling, use a mixer to combine the sugar, salt, pumpkin pie spice, egg, pumpkin, vanilla, and evaporated milk. Beat this mixture well until it is smooth.
Fill each of the phyllo shells with the mixture. You’ll add about 1 ½ teaspoons to each shell.
Carefully transfer the pan to the oven and bake the pies for about 11-13 minutes. They’re done when the filling appears to be set.
Let the pies cool before serving – since they are so small, this won’t take much time at all!
MAKE-AHEAD AND STORAGE
Store mini pumpkin pies in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
You can easily make these pies the night before your party or holiday dinner; simply pop them into a container and keep them refrigerated until you’re ready to place them on a platter and serve them.
You can also freeze the mini pumpkin pies for up to a month. Let them thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
FAQS
Can I use fresh pumpkin puree instead of canned pumpkin?
Of course! Mini pumpkin pies are delicious with fresh pumpkin puree.
Remember that fresh pumpkin puree has a lighter color than canned pumpkin, since canned pumpkin is typically made from a variety of squash that fall into the pumpkin family. So the color of the pies will be lighter, but the flavor will be just as delicious.
Can I freeze mini pumpkin pies?
Yes, you can make these bite-size pies up to a month in advance and freeze them in an airtight container. I recommend placing a piece of parchment paper or waxed paper between layers of the pies in the container.
Let the mini pumpkin pies thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
If you want to reheat them, place them on a baking sheet and cover them loosely with foil. Place them in a warm oven for about 5 minutes.
Are there other pastry shell options for these mini pumpkin pies?
These days, mini phyllo shells are the easiest bite-size pastry shells to find in almost any grocery store. But that doesn’t mean they’re the only option!
If your store carries bite-size pie crusts or shortbread tart shells, feel free to use those instead. Keep in mind that if they are larger than the phyllo shells, you won’t need as many of them and they will need to bake for longer, probably closer to 15-17 minutes.
I accidentally bought sweetened condensed milk instead of evaporated milk. Will that work instead?
Nope. Sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk are very different things. You definitely need to make sure you use evaporated milk for this recipe.
Can I garnish these mini pies ahead of time?
I like to garnish my mini pumpkin pies with a bit of whipped cream or Cool Whip – or sometimes even candied pecans – before serving.
If you are using homemade whipped cream, you will want to wait until just before serving to garnish the pies. If you want to garnish them a few hours ahead of time, consider using stabilized whipped cream or Cool Whip instead.
If you want to finish the mini pumpkin pies with a candied pecan, add those just before serving.
Mini Pumpkin Pies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 60 pre-made mini phyllo pastry shells
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons homemade pumpkin pie spice
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup pure pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 can evaporated milk 5 ounces
- whipped cream or Cool Whip optional garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl with an electric hand mixer, combine sugar, salt, pumpkin pie spice, egg, pumpkin, vanilla, and evaporated milk. Beat until well combined and smooth.
- Line phyllo shells on prepared baking sheet. Fill each phyllo shell with pumpkin pie filling, about 1 ½ teaspoons per shell.
- Carefully transfer pan to preheated oven and bake for 11-13 minutes or until the filling appears to be set. Carefully remove mini pumpkin pies to a cooling rack.
- If desired, top with freshly whipped cream or Cool Whip.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Yes, Cleveland is freezing; but I too love autumn :) And these mini pies are too adorable!
I swear we were ripped off, we had like 2 days of actual fall weather and now it’s legit winter. Thanks so much for stopping by, Liz! I always look forward to your comments.
-Jamie
These look amazing! I’m going to make these. I love anything pumpkin!
Thanks so much, Janie!
If I only want to make 12, can I save the remainder of the mixture??
Hello! I haven’t attempted saving the filling, so I am not sure of the result. I’d make sure to use it within a day or so if you do. If you happen to give it a try, I’d love to know how they turned out. Thanks so much for stopping by.
-Jamie
Is it supposed to be kinda watery? And is it cause i accidently used pumpkin pie filling instead of purree?
Hi Alia – They shouldn’t be watery. I’m not sure if it’s from using pumpkin pie filling instead of puree, although the pie filling does have extra ingredients that will throw off the recipe. If you try them again, let us know how they turn out! Happy baking.
-Jamie
I tried it today and it was watery too; I repeated the process and this time I used just 2 oz evaporated milk instead of 6… it was perfect!
Have you ever made these ahead and refrigerated them?
You can make them a day or so ahead of time. Happy Holidays to you and yours!
-Jamie
Do you have any suggestions on making these sugar free for our diabetic family members??
Brittney-
I would just use whatever sugar substitute you are comfortable with for baking. I wish I had a little more advice, but I have never gone the sugar-free route with this recipe. Thanks so much for stopping by! Happy Baking!
-Jamie
I can’t find the 1.75″ shells, but I do have 3″ shells – how much pie filling should I put in? 3-4 teaspoons?
I think 3-4 teaspoons would probably be perfect. I hope you enjoy the mini pies!
Can I make these a day before and leave them in the refrigerator.
Hi, Michele! I think you can definitely make these ahead and leave in the refrigerator. If you’d like to garnish with whipped cream, I would do that right before serving. I hope you like them!
Does it work better to thaw the crust first? It seems to have taken Linder than 15-17 minutes to cook.
The crusts that I used are premade shortbread crusts, so there is no need to prebake them. If you are using homemade crusts, you’ll need to bake them prior to filling them. I hope this helps.
I am making these for the first time ever. I was reading the comments and now I think I just messed it up. In the ingredients it say 1 cup of pure pumpkin puree but then I was reading and saw it was to be a 15 oz can…I’m confused.
Hi, Trish! Pureed pumpkin generally comes in a 15 ounce can, and you’ll need one cup of that, leaving just a bit left over. I hope this helps!