Last but not least in Recipe Rescue: Thanksgiving Edition... pumpkin pie! Pumpkin pie is actually one of the healthier pie choices, relatively speaking. We've made some tweaks here and there, but the major change is simple portion control. Rather than serve smaller slices, amp up the fun factor with mini pumpkin pies!

Traditional Pumpkin Pie

• 9-inch unbaked deep dish pie crust
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 eggs
• 15 ounce can 100% pumpkin
• 12 ounce can evaporated milk
• Whipped cream

• 9-inch unbaked deep dish pie crust: Used refrigerated crust for convenience, cut dough into rounds for mini pies (decreases the portion size significantly)
• 3/4 cup white sugar: Used brown sugar for deeper flavor
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon: Replaced spices with pumpkin pie spice for convenience
• 1/2 teaspoon salt: Decreased to 1/4 teaspoon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger: Replaced spices with pumpkin pie spice for convenience
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves: Replaced spices with pumpkin pie spice for convenience
• 2 eggs
• 15 ounce can 100% pumpkin
• 12 ounce can evaporated milk: Used low-fat evaporated milk
• Whipped cream: Instead of layering over top of pie, topped each mini pie with a dollop

Nutrition Facts Face-Off!

1/12 recipe (1 mini pie with 1 tablespoon of whipped cream), compared to a larger serving with whipped cream layer on top

Mini Pumpkin Pies (Printable PDF Version)

Makes 12 pies

Ingredients

• 1-2 prepared 8-9" pie crusts

Filling:

• ¾ cup packed brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 12 ounce can evaporated low-fat milk
• 2 eggs
• 15 ounce can 100% pumpkin
• Whipped cream (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Prepare a muffin tin with nonstick spray.
2. To make pumpkin pie filling, whisk together eggs and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. Whisk in evaporated milk, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Add canned pumpkin and stir with whisk until smooth.
3. Meanwhile, prepare pie crust. Cut into 4" diameter rounds using a cookie cutter. Carefully position each round into muffin tins and press into tins. Gather dough scraps and re-roll as needed to get 12 rounds. Reserve extra pie crust for other uses if desired.
4. Divide pie filling evenly among the mini pie shells. The pie shells will be very full – you may not use all of the pie filling.
5. Place muffin tin on lowest oven rack and bake at 425° for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° and bake an additional 20 minutes or until almost set (the pies will jiggle slightly in the center). Let cool for about 30 minutes on countertop, then refrigerate until ready to serve. Use a plastic knife to loosen the pies from the muffin tins and remove carefully.
6. Top each mini pie with 1 tablespoon whipped cream if desired.

Nutrition Facts (1 mini pie with 1 tablespoon whipped topping): Calories 180, Total Fat 7g (Saturated 3g), Cholesterol 40mg, Sodium 190mg, Total Carbohydrate 27g, Dietary Fiber 1g, Protein 4g, Vitamin A 90% DV, Vitamin C 0% DV, Calcium 8% DV, Iron 2% DV

Today's post was written by Leia Kedem. Leia Kedem, MS, RD, is a registered dietitian and Nutrition & Wellness Educator covering Champaign, Ford, Iroquois, and Vermilion Counties. She appears weekly on WCIA-3/WCIX-49 and is a biweekly contributor to the Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette. She also maintains Facebook and Twitter accounts where she regularly posts health tips and answers nutrition questions for free.