Mini Sweet Potato Pies

Sweet potato pies are a beloved dessert across the Southern United States, offering the perfect balance of creamy sweetness, spices, and buttery crust. But what if you could take that classic treat and make it into a delightful, bite-sized dessert? Enter Mini Sweet Potato Pies—the ultimate party or holiday dessert that packs all the flavor of traditional sweet potato pie into convenient, individual servings.

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Why Choose Mini Sweet Potato Pies?

There are many reasons to love mini versions of classic desserts:

1. Portion Control: Mini pies are already perfectly portioned, making them great for parties, holiday gatherings, or as a grab-and-go dessert option.
2. Aesthetic Appeal: The small, individual size of these pies makes them visually stunning. They’re a great way to elevate the presentation of your dessert table.
3. Customizable Toppings: With mini pies, you can easily customize each one with a different topping. From whipped cream to candied pecans, the possibilities are endless.
4. Easy to Serve: No need to cut slices or worry about messy servings. Each person gets their own pie, making cleanup and serving a breeze.

Ingredients Breakdown

Before diving into the recipe, let’s break down the essential ingredients that come together to make these pies so delicious.

For the Pie Crust:

• Refrigerated Pie Crusts: For convenience, we’re using store-bought refrigerated pie crusts, but feel free to make your own homemade pie crust if you prefer. The buttery, flaky texture is the perfect complement to the creamy filling. Using pre-made crusts saves time without sacrificing flavor.
• Flour (for dusting): Dusting the surface with flour prevents the pie dough from sticking as you roll it out. This ensures that your dough maintains its integrity when being transferred to the muffin tin.

For the Sweet Potato Filling:

• Sweet Potatoes: The star of the show! You’ll need two large sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed. Sweet potatoes provide a naturally sweet and creamy base for the filling, while also offering a rich, earthy flavor.
• Granulated Sugar & Brown Sugar: A combination of these two sugars adds sweetness to the filling. Granulated sugar provides the bulk of the sweetness, while brown sugar contributes a deeper, caramel-like flavor.
• Unsalted Butter (melted): Butter adds richness and moisture to the filling, ensuring it has that luxurious texture we all love in sweet potato pie.
• Eggs: Eggs act as a binder, helping to give the filling structure as it bakes. They also add creaminess to the texture.
• Evaporated Milk: Evaporated milk adds a creamy texture without thinning out the filling too much. It’s a traditional ingredient in many sweet potato pie recipes, adding a velvety smoothness.
• Vanilla Extract: This adds warmth and enhances the flavors of the sweet potato and spices.
• Ground Cinnamon & Ground Nutmeg: These two spices are key to giving sweet potato pie its distinctive warmth and flavor. Cinnamon adds a sweet, woody note, while nutmeg brings a slightly nutty, spicy depth.
• Salt: A small amount of salt balances the sweetness and brings out the natural flavors of the ingredients.

Optional Toppings:

• Whipped Cream: A dollop of whipped cream adds a light, airy contrast to the richness of the sweet potato filling. It also adds an elegant finishing touch.
• Ground Cinnamon: Dusting the tops with a little extra cinnamon not only enhances the presentation but also amplifies the warmth of the spices in the filling.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Making Mini Sweet Potato Pies

Now that you’re familiar with the ingredients, it’s time to dive into the recipe. Follow these steps to create delicious mini sweet potato pies that are sure to impress.

Step 1: Prepare the Pie Crust

Preheat the Oven: Before doing anything else, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). This ensures that the oven is ready to go as soon as your mini pies are assembled.

Roll Out the Pie Crust: If using refrigerated pie crusts, allow the dough to come to room temperature for about 10 minutes before rolling it out. Lightly dust your work surface with flour and unroll the pie dough. Using a rolling pin, gently roll it out to smooth any creases. You want the dough to be thin but sturdy enough to hold the filling.

Cut the Dough into Circles: Using a round cookie cutter (or the rim of a drinking glass), cut out circles of dough that will fit into a standard muffin tin. The size of the circles will depend on the diameter of your muffin cups, but aim for circles that are about 3 to 4 inches in diameter.

Press the Dough into the Muffin Tin: Carefully press each dough circle into the wells of the muffin tin, ensuring that the dough is pressed firmly against the sides. This forms the mini pie crusts that will hold your sweet potato filling. If you have any excess dough, trim it off with a small knife.

Set Aside: Once all of your muffin cups are lined with dough, set the muffin tin aside while you prepare the filling.

Step 2: Make the Sweet Potato Filling

Prepare the Sweet Potatoes: If you haven’t already, start by cooking the sweet potatoes. You can either boil them or bake them until they are tender and mashable. Once cooked, remove the skins and mash the sweet potatoes until smooth. You’ll need about 2 cups of mashed sweet potatoes for this recipe, which is roughly equivalent to two large sweet potatoes.

Combine the Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, add the mashed sweet potatoes, ½ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup brown sugar, and ½ cup melted butter. Mix until the sugars and butter are fully incorporated.

Add the Eggs and Wet Ingredients: Next, add the 2 large eggs and ½ cup evaporated milk to the sweet potato mixture. Beat the eggs lightly before adding them to help with blending. Stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, then mix until smooth.

Add the Spices and Salt: Finally, add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon salt to the mixture. These spices add warmth and depth, while the salt enhances the overall flavor of the filling. Stir everything together until the filling is smooth and well combined.

Step 3: Assemble the Mini Pies

Fill the Pie Crusts: Using a spoon or small scoop, divide the sweet potato filling evenly between the prepared pie crusts. Aim to fill each one about ¾ full, leaving a little room for the filling to puff up as it bakes.

Smooth the Tops: Use the back of the spoon to smooth out the tops of the pies, ensuring they have a nice, even surface.

Step 4: Bake the Mini Sweet Potato Pies

Bake for 20-25 Minutes: Place the muffin tin in your preheated oven and bake the mini pies for 20-25 minutes. The filling should be set, and the crusts should be golden brown. You can test the pies by inserting a toothpick into the center of one—if it comes out clean, the pies are ready.

Cool the Pies: Once the pies are done baking, remove the muffin tin from the oven and let the pies cool in the tin for about 10 minutes. Afterward, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. This step is essential to avoid soggy bottoms as the pies cool and set.

Step 5: Serve and Enjoy

Add Toppings: For an extra touch, top each mini pie with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon. The whipped cream adds a light, airy contrast to the rich filling, while the cinnamon enhances the warmth of the spices in the pie.

Serve and Enjoy: These mini sweet potato pies are perfect for serving at family gatherings, holiday meals, or even as a special treat for yourself. Serve them at room temperature or slightly warmed for the best experience.

Tips for Making the Best Mini Sweet Potato Pies

Here are a few tips to ensure your pies come out perfectly every time:

• Keep the Dough Chilled: If the pie crust dough becomes too soft while working with it, pop it back in the fridge for a few minutes. This will make it easier to handle and prevent shrinking during baking.
• Smooth Filling: For an extra smooth filling, you can pass the mashed sweet potatoes through a fine mesh sieve before mixing them with the other ingredients.
• Customize Your Spices: Feel free to adjust the amount of cinnamon and nutmeg to suit your taste. You can also experiment with other spices like ginger or allspice.
• Make Ahead: You can prepare the sweet potato filling a day in advance and store it in the refrigerator. This allows the flavors to meld together, resulting in an even tastier filling.

Recipe Variations

• Mini Sweet Potato Tarts: For a different twist, use puff pastry instead of pie crust to create mini sweet potato tarts with a

flaky, buttery crust.

• Sweet Potato-Pecan Mini Pies: Add a layer of chopped pecans on top of the sweet potato filling before baking for a delightful crunch and extra sweetness.
• Vegan Mini Sweet Potato Pies: Substitute the butter with vegan margarine, use flax eggs (1 tablespoon flax meal + 3 tablespoons water per egg), and replace evaporated milk with a non-dairy milk like coconut or almond milk.

Storing and Freezing Mini Sweet Potato Pies

• To Store: Mini sweet potato pies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For the best texture, allow the pies to come to room temperature before serving.
• To Freeze: These pies freeze beautifully! Place the cooled pies in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. They’ll keep for up to 3 months in the freezer. When you’re ready to serve, thaw them in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat them in a 350°F oven for 5-10 minutes.

Final Thoughts

Mini Sweet Potato Pies offer the perfect combination of rich, spiced sweet potato filling and buttery pie crust, all in a perfectly portioned size. Whether you’re hosting a holiday dinner, a family gathering, or just want a fun baking project, these mini pies are a great choice.

By following these steps, you’ll have a delicious dessert that’s sure to impress. Top them with whipped cream, serve them plain, or even freeze them for later—whatever you choose, these mini pies will be a crowd-pleaser.