Description
These Mini Vegan Pumpkin Pies with Frosted Cranberries are a delicious and beautiful way to serve Thanksgiving dessert as individual portions.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the frosted cranberries:
- 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
For the mini vegan pumpkin pies:
- Coconut oil cooking spray
- 2 vegan pie crusts
- 1 15-ounce can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot powder
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon cloves
Instructions
- To make the frosted cranberries, combine ¼ cup sugar and ¼ cup water in a small saucepan. Turn the heat to low and whisk to dissolve the sugar in the water. Remove the saucepan from heat and add the cranberries. Stir to coat the cranberries in the sugar water.
- Place a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet and set a wire cooling rack on top. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cranberries to the cooling rack and allow them to dry for at least 30 minutes.
- Pour the remaining tablespoon of sugar in a small bowl. When the cranberries are dry, yet sticky, place them in the bowl and toss with the sugar until all of the cranberries are coated. Set the frosted cranberries aside.
- Preheat your oven to 350F degrees. Wipe the silicone baking mat clean or replace the piece of parchment paper on the baking sheet. Mist the mat or parchment paper with coconut oil cooking spray.
- Gently roll out the pie crusts. Place your mini pie dishes upside down on the pie crusts and use a butter knife or pastry wheel to trace a circle ever so slightly larger than each pie dish. Pull away the extra pie dough and set the scraps aside.
- Flip the mini pie dishes right side up and press the pie crust circles into each, covering the bottoms and sides. Prick the bottom of each crust with a fork.
- Roll the leftover pie crust dough into a ball and use a rolling pin to flatten it to a bit thinner than ¼ inch. Use leaf shaped pie crust cutters to make a series of shapes for topping the pies. Make a few more than you think you’ll need in case some leaves get too crispy in the oven.
- Arrange the leaf shapes on the prepared baking sheet and mist with more coconut oil cooking spray. Sprinkle the pie crust leaves with a teaspoon of sugar. Place the prepared mini pie dishes on another baking sheet. Bake the pie crusts and pie crust leaves for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool the leaves on a wire rack and set the pie crusts aside to cool slightly while you prepare the vegan pumpkin pie filling.
- Combine the chickpeas, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cornstarch or arrowroot powder, coconut sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger, and cloves in the bowl of your food processor. Blend until completely smooth and adjust the sweetness to taste.
- Divide the pumpkin pie filling between the pre-baked mini pie crusts and smooth out the tops with a spatula. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the pies have firmed up slightly and a toothpick inserted in the middle of a pie comes out clean.
- Cool the pies at room temperature for 30 minutes, then place in the fridge to cool for 2 to 3 hours.
- Before serving, decorate the mini vegan pumpkin pies with frosted cranberries and pie crust leaves. Cover and refrigerate the pies until ready to serve.
