Pumpkin Pie Pop Tarts with Maple Glaze

Yep. You read it right, Pumpkin. Pie. Pop. Tarts. 

Fall seems to be evading me this year and it's making me really sad! The weather here in Vegas can't seem to make up its mind - scorching heat one day and gusty winds the next, then freak storms and frigidly cold nights. Being that Fall is my favorite season and it hasn't really arrived yet makes me kind of pissed off or at least a bit disgruntled.

But despite the lack of a true fall, I will not give up my right to cook up all things Fall, namely all things pumpkin. These little things? Two layers of crispy, buttery, flaky pie stuffed with lightly spiced, smooth pumpkin pie filling. Yes, it is perfection. Joy the Baker is seriously a genius. I really enjoyed these but the pastry was a little too delicate and broke quite easily. Next time I make these, I'd probably use a sturdier pie crust, other than that: I definitively concur that these are amazing. 

Pumpkin Pie Pop Tarts with Maple Glaze

Yields: 9 tarts

Original recipe here.

For the crust:

2 cups flour

1 tbsn. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 cup (2 sticks or 8 oz.) unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes

1 large egg

2 tbsn. milk

1 large egg, whisked (for brushing)

For the filling:

3/4 cup pureed pumpkin

1 large egg

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

1/3 cup sugar

For the maple glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tsp. maple syrup

2 tbsn. milk

To prepare the crust, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and salt. Add the cold butter and break it up in the flour mixture using your fingers, a pastry cutter or a food processor. Work it in until only pea sized lumps remain in your mixture. In a small bowl, beat the egg with the milk. Add the mixture all at once to the dry ingredients and stir to make sure it is well combined. Lightly dust a clean counter with flour and knead the dough on the floured counter for a few turns until it really starts to come together. Divide the dough in two, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

To make the filling, in a small saucepan, heat the pumpkin puree and spices over medium heat. Heat heat through until the spices become fragrant. Remove from the heat and place the spiced pumpkin in a medium bowl. Whisk in the egg, salt, and sugar and place in the refrigerator to rest. On a well floured surface, press the dough into a 3x5 inch rectangle, roll the dough out to about 1/8-inch thickness. The dough should be slightly larger than 9x12 inches. Trim dough with a pizza cutter, creating a rectangle that is 9 inches tall and 12 inches long. Using a pizza cutter, cut each side into thirds, creating 9 squares. 

Place the dough squares in the fridge while you roll out the second piece of dough in the same way. Brush one set of the 9 squares with the beaten egg. Spoon about one tablespoon of pie filling into the center of each brushed dough square. Top with a piece of dough and use a floured fork to crimp the sides closed. Use the tines of the fork to create vent holes in each tart. Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 350 F. Let the tarts rest in the fridge for 30 minutes while the oven preheats. Remove the tarts from the fridge and place in the oven and bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until golden brown on top. To make the glaze, whisk together all the ingredients and set aside. Glaze the tarts when they are completely cooled.

Pumpkin Pie with Cinnamon Crunch and Bourbon-Maple Whipped Cream

Fall is synonymous with pumpkin to me. The instant the weather starts to turn and the leaves start to change their color, the smell of pumpkin fills the air. When I was little, I swore to myself that I hated cheesecake and pumpkin pie. In my mind I never really knew why, but my sister told me she hated them, so I just knew I had to hate them too. Oh, how wrong I was! When I finally tried them for myself, I figured out that not only did I not-not like them, I loved them!

Last year was pretty ridiculous with the pumpkin shortage, so this year I made damn sure to stock up on all the pumpkin I would need and then some. I decided to try Bobby Flay's winning pumpkin pie from Throwdown! It boasts an untraditional graham cracker crust, an intensely flavored and smooth filling, all topped with boozy whipped cream and crispy oat crunchies to boot! The filling is incredibly dense (in a great way) and as smooth as can be - thanks to the straining. The oat crunchies provided a nice contrast in texture and I loved the maple scent of the whipped cream. 

Pumpkin Pie with Cinnamon Crunch and Bourbon-Maple Whipped Cream

Yields: 2 8" Pies

Original recipe here.

For the cinnamon crunch:

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup quick cooking, rolled oats

1/4 cup light muscavado sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

3 1/2 tbsn. unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes

For the graham cracker crust:

2 cups graham crackers

8 tbsn. unsalted butter, melted

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1 egg, whisked (for brushing crust)

For the pumpkin filling:

3 large eggs

3 large egg yolks

3/4 cups dark muscavado sugar

2 tbsn. molasses

1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree

1 1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup whole milk

1/2 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped and reserved (or 2 tsp. vanilla extract)

3 tbsn. unsalted butter, melted

For the bourbon-maple whipped cream:

1 1/4 cups heavy cream, cold

1/2 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped and reserved (or 2 tsp. vanilla extract)

2 tbsn. grade B maple syrup

1 - 2 tbsn. bourbon (to your taste)

To make the cinnamon crunch, preheat the oven to 350 F. Combine the flour, oats, sugar and cinnamon in a food processor and pulse a few times. Add the butter and pulse until combined. Pour the mixture onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet and pat it into a rectangle, about 4x6 inches. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Break up into small pieces and store in an airtight container. 

To make the crust, keep the oven temperature at 350 F. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, butter and cinnamon to a medium bowl and mix until combined. It should feel like wet sand and just come together. Spread the mixture evenly into a 10-inch pie tin and use your fingertips or the flat bottom of a glass to firmly press the mixture over the bottom and up the sides of the dish. Brush with the whisked egg. Put the pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake until the crust is light brown and firm to the touch, about 10 - 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.

For the filling, reduce the oven temperature to 300 F. Whisk together the eggs, yolks, sugars and molasses in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the pumpkin puree, spices, salt, cream, milk and vanilla seeds and continue to whisk to combine. Strain the mixture through a coarse strainer into a bowl (this will make it velvety smooth). Whisk in the butter. Place the pie plate on a baking sheet and pour the strained mixture into the pre-baked shell. Bake until almost set, about 1 hour (the edges will be set and the center will be jiggly slightly when shaken). Transfer to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until chilled, if preferred. 

For the bourbon whipped cream, combine the cream, vanilla seeds, syrup and bourbon in a large chilled bowl and whip until soft peaks form. To serve, cut the pie into slices and serve each slice with a large dollop of whipped cream and some of the cinnamon crunch.

I had some leftover filling, so I made some extra mini tarts!

Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

I think about food a lot. Maybe too much? Is that possible? I cook food, I eat food, I read about food, I take pictures of food - I think it really consumes my life. Sometimes I come across people who think of food as sustenance only and I get so confused. Food is so central to my life that it seems strange that people see it as such a small thing.

I'm always dreaming about what I'm going to be making next. While dreaming, I stumbled upon The Cupcake Project and her pumpkin pie frosting. Mind you, not pumpkin pie flavored frosting, actual, honest-to-goodness pumpkin pie AS frosting. Did I lose you? Let me break it down... a baked pumpkin pie filled into a piping bag and used as frosting! Genius right?


I knew exactly what I wanted to make: pumpkin pie cupcakes. So that's what we have here: a crispy graham cracker crust, vanilla cake and the creamiest pumpkin pie frosting. I think the perfect Fall treat!

The anatomy of a pumpkin pie cupcake:

Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

Yields: 15 cupcakes

Inspired by this; adapted from here and here.

For the cupcakes:

1 3/4 cups cake flour

1 cups sugar

1/2 tbsn. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup or 1 stick unsalted butter, diced, at room temperature

1/2 cup milk, divided

2 large eggs

1 large egg white

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. cinnamon

For the graham cracker crust:

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

2 tbsn. light brown sugar

3 tbsn. unsalted butter, melted

For the pumpkin pie frosting:

2 large eggs, beaten

1 can (16 oz.) pureed pumpkin

2 tbsn. molasses

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 tbsn. flour

1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk

The "frosting" should be made first as it takes the longest to bake and needs to cool before using. Preheat the oven to 425 F. In a medium bowl, mix together all the filling ingredients until well combined. Pour the filling into a 9-inch round pan. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce to 350 F and continue cooking for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the filling comes out clean. Let cool completely before using.

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a cupcake pan with liners, set aside. Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add the butter and 1/4 cup of milk. Mix on medium speed until smooth, about 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. In another bowl, blend the eggs, egg white, remaining 1/4 cup milk and vanilla. Add to the batter in 3 additions, mixing for 2 minutes on medium speed after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl in between additions. Set aside.

To make the crust, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter in a medium bowl and mix well. Add 1 tbsn. of the mixture into the bottom of each cupcake liner and bake for 5 minutes until the graham crackers are golden. Remove from the oven then fill about 1/2 full with the cake batter. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely. To frost, scoop the pumpkin pie "frosting" into a piping bag and pipe onto the cupcakes.

Latticed Peach Pie

I was studying at the dining room table in our family living room, when my dad emerges from our backyard clutching onto a basket with a smile on his face. He called me to the door and when I looked inside, I smiled too! He had a big basket of small, pretty, little fuzzy peaches. Our garden has been sprouting all kinds of goodness lately, from Chinese apples to plums to mint and basil! It's such a joy for our family to enjoy things that we have grown from our garden.

Well to grow something is one thing. But to grow something that is delicious, is a whole other thing. These peaches, homely and small they might be, were perfect. Just a bit soft to the touch but still firm, bright and yellow on the inside and sweet like nobody's business. My dad, who loves pie, begged me to make a pie with them. So I did, and here it is!

I used my favorite pie crust, one that is unctuous and incredibly flaky. I sort of created my own recipe, drawing inspiration from many sources. I wanted to make sure I didn't spice it too much, so that the peach flavor would shine and I also wanted to make sure it wasn't overly gooey or runny, which is why I decided to pre-cook the peaches slightly in a pan before baking them in the pie. This pie, simply put, was perfect, just like the peaches. I really felt I did them right, which they deserve, quite frankly!

Not the perfect lattice top, but I like how rustic it is.

Latticed Peach Pie

Yields: 1 9-inch pie, about 8 servings

Pastry for a double-crust pie, my favorite

2 1/2 lbs. peaches, about 5 large peaches

2/3 cup brown sugar

4 tbsn. flour

1/8 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1 tbsn. butter

To prepare the crust, sprinkle a clean surface with some flour. Roll out one disk, large enough to fit a 9-inch pie tin. Fit to the tin and leave one inch hanging over the side, removing the excess. Refrigerate until ready to use, and save other disk for the top.

To prepare the filling, combine the peaches, sugar, flour, salt, and spices in a large pan. Heat over medium heat until the peaches release their juices. Remove the peaches from the pan, using a slotted spoon, leaving the juice mixture. Continue to cook for about 5 minutes to allow the liquid to thicken, then add the peach pieces back and continue to cook for another 5 minutes or so. Pour the mixture into the prepared pie tin. With the remaining disk of dough, roll out large enough to fit the pie tin. Cut into 9 even strips and lattice across the top of the pie, 5 going widthwise and 4 going lengthwise. Bake at 425 F for 10 minutes, then lower the heat to 350 F and bake for 20 - 30 minutes until the crust is lightly browned and the filling is bubbly.

Add some lightly sweetened cream, and you're all set!

All hail the perfect peach pie!

Open-Faced Fresh Blueberry Pie

There's nothing more summery than a pie! Well, that's what I think at least. A nice cool slice of pie topped with mounds of fluffy whipped cream or a big scoop of vanilla ice cream, doesn't the thought of it sound dreamy? Dream no longer folks. Make this pie and the reality is yours!

This is quite possibly one of the easiest, but most delicious, pies I have ever made. You could even do without making your own crust and buy a pre-made crust (don't worry, I won't tell). What I love about this pie is that only 1/4 of the berries are cooked while the rest are folded in later, untouched and impossibly fresh. This pie isn't too sweet, and bursts in your mouth with every bite. It really is spectacular! Oh, and the filling to this pie stands really well! After letting the pie rest, the pie slices soooo nicely and doesn't goop and gush all over the place, which is nice for a change!

I didn't have enough blueberries on hand so I used a mixture of blueberries and blackberries, and by gosh was it fantastic! This was a new pie crust recipe I tried, which though I did like, I prefer the one I used here better. This pie crust was not as flaky and more cookie-ish. So depending on your preference, you can use either one.

Had to have that gratuitous innards shot!

Open-Faced Fresh Blueberry Pie

Yields: 1 9-inch pie, about 6 servings

Original pie recipe here.

Original pie

crust recipe here.

For the crust:

1 1/8 cup flour

1 tbsn. sugar

1/8 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) very cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

3 - 4 tbsn. water

For the pie:

4 cups blueberries, rinsed and dried

1/2 cup + 2 tbsn. water, divided

2 tbsn. cornstarch

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

pinch of salt

1 1/2 cups whipped cream, optional

To make the pie crust, combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in a food processor. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal or large peas. Add 3 tbsn. of water and pulse until the dough begins to form a ball; you may need to add more water if dry. Turn out into a lightly floured surface and gather it into a ball. Divide the dough in half and gently pat each half into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before rolling. Roll out the crust, large enough to fit your pie tin. Transfer to the pie tin, cutting off the excess and crimping the edges. Let chill in the refrigerator before baking for 15 - 30 minutes to prevent shrinking. To bake, preheat the oven to 350 F. Line the pie shell with parchment paper or foil and fill with pie weights. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes covered, then remove the pie weights and liner and bake until lightly golden, about 10 - 15 minutes more. Cool completely on a wire rack before filling.

To make the filling, measure out 1 cup of blueberries, choosing the softest ones. Place them in a medium saucepan with the 1/2 cup of water. Cover and bring them to a boil. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and remaining 2 tbsn. water, set it aside. When the water and blueberries have come to a boil, lower the heat and simmer, stirring constantly for 3 - 4 minutes or until the blueberries start to burst and the juices begin to thicken. Stirring constantly, add the cornstarch mixture, sugar, lemon juice and salt. Simmer for a minute or until the mixture becomes translucent. Immediately remove it from the heat and quickly fold in the remaining 3 cups of blueberries. Spoon the mixture into the baked pie shell and allow to sit at room temperature for at least 2 hours before serving. When set, the berries will remain juicy but will not flow out of the crust. Just before serving, if desired, pipe or spread the whipped cream around the sides of the pie, leaving the center unadorned.

Blueberry dreams...

Apple Berry Pie

Pie & I are very good friends. We see each other often and that's the way I like my relationships with my friends. But as any relationship goes... well, there are some hard times. No relationship is perfect. There are amazingly delicious times and well, those "UGH, I'm really over this" times.

Thankfully, this is one of those amazingly delicious times. I have to say, never have Pie & I gotten along so well. Wow Pie, I really gotta give it to ya, you are one amazing friend. I think the best relationships are based on honesty, and honestly, I love you Pie.

This pie is quite possibly one of my favorite pies I have ever made, aside from this one. I would have never, ever thought to combine berries and apples in a pie but after reading numerous rave reviews, I just couldn't resist this recipe. I used a new recipe for the pie crust, most assuredly called "The Perfect Pie Crust," and it was, the most perfect crust I have made thus yet. Buttery, flaky, and incredibly easy to make. And that's saying a lot, considering I rolled it out with a PAM canister! Hey you gotta make do right?!? That was definitely interesting, to say the least. Anyways MAKE THIS PLEASE and when you do, send a slice my way :)

Apple Berry Pie

Yields: 1 pie/ 6 - 8 servings

Original recipe can be found here.

1 double-crust 9-inch pie (recipe below)

3/4 cup sugar (original calls for 1 cup)

1 tbsn. cornstarch (original calls for 4 tsp. tapioca)

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

2 cups blackberries

2 cups apples, peeled, cored and sliced

2 tbsn. butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 375 F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one crust and place into a 9-inch pie dish. Roll out the top crust and set aside. In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon. Add blackberries and apple slices. Toss to coat, but gently, without mashing the berries. Let stand for 20 minutes. Spoon into the crust, then dot with the butter. Moisten the edge of the pastry with water, cover with the top crust, trim and crimp the edges. Cut a few slips in the top to release the steam (or you can cut pretty little shapes with a cookie cutter). Cover the edges with foil to prevent the edges from burning. Bake for 25 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

Perfect Pie Crust

Yields: 1 double-crust pie or 2 single-crust pies

Original recipe can be found here.

2 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1/2 cup/ 1 stick cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1/2 cup chilled vegetable shortening, cut into small pieces

5 tbsn. or more of ice water

Blend together the flour, salt and sugar in a food processor. Add the butter and shortening and then pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Transfer to a medium bowl, then add the water and mix with a fork until the meal comes together, adding more water if dry. Gather the dough together, then split the dough in two and flatten each into a disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap and then refrigerate for at least an hour.

Isn't that the most gorgeous thing you've ever seen?

I don't mean to toot my own horn, but, damn this was mighty delicious!