Easy Pumpkin Pie Tartlets (Mini Pumpkin Tarts)

🥧 Why You'll Love These Pumpkin Tarts

1. They're adorably mini-sized! If you love small, handheld desserts, check out this list of mini desserts for any party. They are also very kid-friendly!
2. They don't use condensed milk! I am not a huge fan and don't believe it's necessary for pumpkin pie so these tarts with made WITHOUT the stuff!
3. The're made with a deliciously easy crust! This crust is made with cream cheese and ground pecans and requires no rolling OR chilling of dough! It's not as flakey as normal pie doughs but it's delish! It's the same I use for my pecan tassies and is incredibly easy to work with compared to pie dough.
4. They bake & cool fast! Unlike a large pumpkin pie, these bake and also cool off much quicker which is a bonus!
5. They're perfectly spiced and not too sweet! I am not a huge fan of 'hit you in the face' sweet desserts so I made sure this tart was a good balance of sweetness and pumpkin spices.

🛒 Ingredients

Pumpkin Tart Filling

• Pumpkin puree: Make sure to use pure pumpkin puree NOT pumpkin pie filling. It IS different! Libby's canned puree is my go-to brand.
• Brown sugar: A MUST when it comes to pumpkin anything. It offers a deeper, richer molasses flavor that makes them SO good.
• Heavy cream: This is what will give your pie a rich, creamy texture. I do not recommend using milk instead of cream.
• Pumpkin pie spice: You can purchase this pre-blended or make your own at home!
• Vanilla extract: This adds lots of flavor to your pumpkin filling. You can use vanilla bean instead if you want.

📃 NOTE: You can print the FULL recipe with all ingredients & detailed instructions below!

Tart Crust

• Cream cheese: This will give you crust more of a cookie-like, softer texture.
• Pecans- Pecans and pumpkin pie go together incredibly well. You can use walnuts instead if you wish.
• Flour- You can swap out almond or GF flour if you are looking for something without grains or gluten.
• Powdered sugar- Granulated sugar is too course and will make your dough grainy so we want to use confectioners sugar instead.
• Butter- This will help add flavor and a pie crust-list texture to your tart crust.

📝 Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Add all of your pumpkin filling ingredients to a large mixing bowl and whisk until blended.
3. Add all your crust ingredients to another large bowl and mix well with a paddle attachment or your hands.
4. Press a chunk of dough into each pastry shell or mini muffin tin and, using your fingers, press the dough into the shell all the way up to the edges.
5. Use a mini ice cream scoop to pour the filling into each shell. Fill almost to the rim.
6. Place tart shells to a sheet pan and bake for 20-22 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean.
7. Allow pumpin tarts to slightly cool before removing from shells.
8. Garnish with a dollop of whipped cream and cinnamon if desired.

🥣 Equipment

Here are a few things that will help you make your pumpkin tarts quickly while ensuring they look beautiful!

1. A tart mold or muffin tin. I love this silicone mini muffin tin and I used these tart shells from Amazon.
2. Ice cream scoop. A mini ice cream scoop making filling your tart shells fast and clean! This one is my favorite.
3. Mini food processor. I have this one which I use to QUICKLY puree things like the pecans we use in this recipe.
4. Piping Tip. If you want to pipe whipped cream on your pumpkin tarts, this tip is a good one!

Easy Whipped Cream

Homemade whipped cream is the easiest and most delicious thing in the world!

It doesn't even compare to canned Reddi Wip or cool whip! Plus, it is much more stable meaning it will NOT melt on your tarts like the canned stuff will.

All you need to do is add heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar to a mixer and mix using a whisk attachment, or beaters, until the cream is light and fluffy (about a minute or so). Add vanilla extract, fresh vanilla bean or even maple syrup to the cream for added flavor.

Just make sure you stop whipping your cream when the peaks are stiff. Over-whipping can cause it to turn into butter. Yuck!

✔ Expert Tips

✔ Roll your tart dough to about an ⅛" of an inch thick and use a 2-3" round cookie cutter to help cut your rounds.

✔ Lightly flour your surface to prevent any dough from sticking. This goes for your hands as well!

✔ A fun idea is to add a mini marshmallows to the top and "broil" them in the oven until browned and slightly melted.

✔ Don't wait until the tarts cool completely before removing. They will loosen easier when still warm.

✔ Add a good pinch of black pepper to your filling to give it a robust flavor your guests will love! Check out the article here about adding pepper to pie filling!

✔ The size of your tart shells may change the baking time.

✔ Serve with, whipped cream, ice cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice for a beautiful presentation. You can also top with a meringue if you're feeling fancy.

🎃Other Mini Pumpkin Recipes You'll Love:

Pumpkin & Maple Sausage Flatbread

3 Ingredient Sweet Pumpkin Dessert Dip

Pie Crust Pumpkin Spice Cookies

Pumpkin Shaped Cheese Ball

Pumpkin Spiced Chex Mix

Make Ahead Thanksgiving Appetizers