These mini Pumpkin Pie Tarts are individually portioned and made to be enjoyed with your fingers around the holidays! They’re made using a homemade cream cheese pecan crust which, compared to pie dough, is much easier to work! So grab your tart shells or mini muffin tin and let’s get baking!
I am a wee bit pumpkin obsessed.
How much?
I meannnn...could easily put down these pumpkin muffins, my pumpkin dip, these pumpkin pie crust cookies, AND a pumpkin spiced latte every single week (fall or summer) and never get sick of them. It's a weakness I just can't control. 😂
So let's just throw these pumpkin tartlets to our Thanksgiving or Christmas dessert menu now, shall we?
Don't forget to check out this list of holiday finger foods!
🥧 Why You'll Love These Pumpkin Tarts
- 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!
- 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!
- 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.
- They bake & cool fast! Unlike a large pumpkin pie, these bake and also cool off much quicker which is a bonus!
- 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 an ingredient list, instructions and tips 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
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Add all of your pumpkin filling ingredients to a large mixing bowl and whisk until blended.
- Add all your crust ingredients to another large bowl and mix well with a paddle attachment or your hands.
- 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.
- Use a mini ice cream scoop to pour the filling into each shell. Fill almost to the rim.
- Place tart shells to a sheet pan and bake for 20-22 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean.
- Allow pumpin tarts to slightly cool before removing from shells.
- Garnish with a dollop of whipped cream and cinnamon if desired.
🥣 Equipment
Here are a few things that will help you make these tarts quickly while ensuring they look beautiful!
- A tart mold or muffin tin. I love this silicone mini muffin tin and I used these tart shells from Amazon.
- Ice cream scoop. A mini ice cream scoop making filling your tart shells fast and clean! This one is my favorite.
- Mini food processor. I have this one which I use to QUICKLY puree things like the pecans we use in this recipe.
- 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.
👉 Substitutions
You can swap out the flour in the crust with GF or almond flour. I have not tried this recipe with dairy free ingredients but if you do, please comment below to let me know1 I imagine the cream cheese in the crust will be difficut to swap out.
Storing Tips
Once your pumpkin tarts are fully cooled, serve within a few hours. After that, store in a tupperware container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To freeze, cool baked mini pumpkin tarts completely and add to a large freezer-friendly tupperware container. Seprerate the layers with a sheet or parchment paper so you can stack your pumpkin tarts without having them stick together. Freeze for up to 3 months.
🙋♀️ Frequently Asked Questions
No. They are made with dairy which can spoil. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Yes and yes however then they will turn out more like mini pumpkin pies rather than pumpkin tarts.
The difference is in the texture. Pie crust is much more flakey and buttery. Tart crust are softer and more tender like a cookie. It's much easier and quicker to make tart crust then pie crust.
Yes! For up to 3 months. Just defrost int he fridge overnight before working with.
Other Mini Pumpkin Recipes You'll Love:
Pumpkin & Maple Sausage Flatbread
3 Ingredient Sweet Pumpkin Dessert Dip
Pie Crust Pumpkin Spice Cookies
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Easy Pumpkin Pie Tartlets (Mini Tarts)
Equipment
- Mini Tart Shells or Mini Muffin Tin
Ingredients
Pumpkin Pie Filling
- 1 egg
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 1¼ tsp. pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Tart Crust
- 2 cups flour
- 6 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened ((2 sticks))
- ⅔ cup crushed pecans
- ½ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Add all of your pumpkin filling ingredients to a large mixing bowl and whisk well.
- Add all your crust ingredients to another large bowl and mix well using a stand mixer or hand mixer. You can also use your hands if you want!
- Add a piece of dough to each tart shell or mini muffin tin and, using your fingers, press the dough into the shell all the way up to the edges. Make sure the dough is evenly dispersed and the bottom isn’t too thick. Aim for about ⅛" in thickness.*Chill the dough for 30 minutes to make it easier to work with.
- Use a mini ice cream scoop or add your pumpkin filling to a measuring cup with a spout and add the filling into each tart. Fill each tart just under the rim. They will rise just a bit.
- Place tart shells on a sheet pan and bake for 20-22 minutes or until the middle is set. Insert a knife and see if it comes out clean. Note* It will set more as it cools.
- The tarts will be easier to remove while still warm.
- Wait until fully cooled and garnish with a dollop of freshly whipped cream and cinnamon if desired.
Recipe Notes
- This recipe will make aout 26 tarts using the molds I used above.
- This tart crust is more tender like a cookie, not flakey like traditional pie crust is.
- The crust is must easier to work with and does not require chilling of the dough or butter.
- Add ¼ cup more sugar to the filling if you like your tart sweeter.
- Store tarts in the fridge covered for 3-4 days.
- Freeze tarts for up to 3 months.
Tried the recipe? I'd love to hear your thoughts below!