Mini Pumpkin Pie Pops Recipe | Mini Pumpkin Pies (2024)

FAQs

Should I pre-bake my frozen pie crust for pumpkin pie? ›

Typically, the crust takes longer to cook than the filling. This is often the case for pie recipes with custard fillings, like this chocolate chess pie, this pumpkin pie, or this rhubarb custard pie. Pre baking the crust for those types of pies will give the pie crust a head start by partially baking it.

Eggs, when cooked, thicken and set the custard, but when overcooked the egg proteins will tighten up quickly and create cracks. The key to perfectly baking a pumpkin pie is to pull it out of the oven before it's actually finished cooking. Let the old adage, "it should jiggle like Jello," be your guide.

On the flip side, leaving out most of the sugar creates a beautiful flavor profile. Using one-third of the amount of called-for sugar resulted in a more pumpkin-forward flavor. Though it didn't have much sugar in the batter, the pie still tasted somewhat sweet.

If the crust is frozen in the pan there's no need to defrost it. You can simply fill it and bake the pie. Putting a cold crust into the oven prevents shrinkage. It is a good idea to put the pie on a preheated baking sheet to encourage quick thawing and prevent those soggy bottoms.

You do not need to pre-bake a pie crust for an apple pie or any baked fruit pie really, but we do freeze the dough to help it stay put. Pre-baking the pie crust is only required when making a custard pie OR when making a fresh fruit pie. you should probably get: Pie weights are super helpful to have for pre-baking.

Often, blind-baking solves this problem. If you're making a single crust custard-filled pie, like a pumpkin pie, bake the pie dough first before adding filling to allow some of the moisture in the crust to evaporate. You can also totally blind-bake fruit pies.

Too many pumpkin pies have soggy crusts that never fully brown. To avoid this, recipes often call for blind baking your crust. That is, baking the empty crust before the filling is added. This gives the crust time to firm up and brown, time it typically doesn't get if the faster cooking filling is added first.

My pumpkin pie always cracks or separates from the crust.

The solution? Blind-bake your pie crust with pie weights until light gold, then pour in the filling and bake until inch or so diameter in the center is still jiggly like jello—not soupy. Edges getting too brown? Just cover them with foil or a pie shield.

Solution if it's too late: If the pie hasn't been out of the oven for too long, you can put it back in the oven. Cover the pie with foil and bake it at 425°F, checking after 15 minutes.

Some things that may be going on: Crust is shrinking because you are not blind baking it before filling it with the custard. You may be over baking the custard. Pumpkin pie, and other custard type pies, need to be baked until they are done around the outside, but still slightly wobbly in the center.

How to tell if a pumpkin pie is done without sticking a knife in it? ›

Gently Nudge It

Similar to how you check a cheesecake for doneness, open the oven door and gently nudge, don't shake, the pie. The outer edges of the pie should be firm while the center will be a little jiggly, but not sloshy or unsteady.

During my testing of pumpkin pies, I tried lots of different milk options – heavy whipping cream, regular milk (I used 2% in my testing), sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk. Ultimately, I found heavy whipping cream to be the best. It produced the creamiest pie in my opinion.

As the name suggests, sweetened condensed milk makes the pie sweeter and gives it a denser, creamier texture. Evaporated milk, on the other hand, yields a lighter, airier result. Evaporated milk isn't sweetened either, which is why you can't simply swap one thickener for the other.

Now if your pie tends to come out bland, you may not be letting your spices hit their full potential. Joy Wilson of Joy the Baker suggests, "To get the most festive flavor out of the spices in your pumpkin pie, bloom the spices with the pumpkin puree in a small saucepan before incorporating into the filling.

Pre-baking is a must if you're looking for a flaky pie crust. It's especially helpful for recipes with a wet center. Recipes for most tarts, pies, and quiches call for pre-baking to ensure that the final product doesn't end up soggy.

Pie Crust. Let refrigerated crusts stand at room temperature for about 15 minutes, or microwave one pouch on DEFROST (30% power) for 10 to 20 seconds before unrolling. Remove frozen crusts from box and let stand at room temperature for 60 to 90 minutes before unrolling. Do not microwave frozen crusts.