Mini Pumpkin Pies

The perfect treat for your healthy Thanksgiving gatherings: Mini Pumpkin Pies with added protein!

I wanted a pie crust that was lighter in color than the one I usually use, so I tried mixing almond flour, coconut oil, egg whites, and a vanilla pea protein blend. It came out great! This crust holds together a bit better than my other recipe, too. If you'd like to make a vegan version, I think flax eggs would certainly work!

For the filling, I used the same as with my Pumpkin Protein Pie, except that I lessened the water just a bit. It turned out to be just the right amount to fill the 12 mini pies!

For a vegan version, you might try adding a little pea protein blend, but not quite as much as the whey. I think too much of any vegan protein would compete with the smoothness you'd want in a pie filling.

I used these fall cookie cutter/stampers for the crust cut-outs, and they worked very well! It was my first time using cutters that have a spring-loaded mechanism to push the dough out after stamping. Love it!

Enjoy these Mini Pumpkin Pies, and have a very happy Thanksgiving! :)

Mini Pumpkin Pies (High Protein)

Bring these delicious Mini Pumpkin Pies to Thanksgiving this year! High-protein, gluten-free, and delicious!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Servings: 12

Calories: 240kcal

Author: Andréa

Ingredients

Crust:

• 2 ¼ cups almond flour 280g
• ¾ cups vanilla pea protein blend pea protein blend (84g)
• 4 large egg whites 132g *save one of the yolks
• 1 ½ tablespoons coconut oil melted (21g)

Filling:

• 1 can pumpkin puree 15oz
• 2 large eggs whole
• ½ cup natural vanilla whey protein 50g
• ⅔ cup water 5.3 oz, 160ml
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• ½ teaspoon sea salt

Glaze for crust cookies:

• yolk of one large egg you'll use half

Instructions

• Mix almond meal and pea protein in a large bowl.
• In a separate bowl, mix egg whites and coconut oil. Add to large bowl.
• Mix to combine, using your hands if necessary. (If it is too dry, add a little more egg white.)
• Preheat oven to 325F (163C).
• Roll out crust dough on a sheet of parchment paper, and cut (with a cookie cutter or top of a small bowl) 12 circles of about 4" diameter. If the dough sticks to the rolling pin, cover the dough with plastic wrap or another sheet of parchment, and roll. Use remaining crust dough to make the 12 crust cookies. Set the crust cookies aside, and cover with plastic wrap.
• Place the circles into muffin tin. Press into each cavity. The dough may break, but that's okay. Press it back together with your fingers.
• Mix together pumpkin and eggs.
• Separately, mix whey and water. Add to pumpkin and eggs. Mix well.
• Add pumpkin spice and salt. Mix well.
• Spoon or pour pie filling into each crust.
• Bake for about 20 minutes, then (after adding crust cookies) for 8-10 minutes more.
• To prepare crust cookies, beat the egg yolk and brush a thin layer on each cookie. This gives them a nice shine, and prevents them from looking dry.
• Place one on each mini pie, and continue to bake.
• Remove from oven, and let cool. They may look puffy when removed from oven, but will settle once cooled.
• Enjoy! Store in the refrigerator.

Notes

Eggs and egg whites are best if at room temperature. (For pie filling so heating is uniform, less cracking. For crust so the cold doesn't make the coconut oil harden.) You can speed the process by putting whole eggs in a bowl of warm water.

A note about substitutions: because each type of protein powder has a distinct flavor and texture when baked, I would only recommend vegan powders (pea, rice) in the crust. In the pie filling, whey would be the best, but you could also add a smaller amount of pea protein (or a blend) or casein. For egg-free versions, flax eggs should work for the egg whites and eggs in the crust and filling. For the glaze, I would use coconut oil. See my Recipe Basics video to learn what goes wrong when you use the wrong protein powder.

If you prefer a sweeter pie, add your favorite natural sweetener to the fie filling.

Nutrition

Serving: 1mini pie | Calories: 240kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 15g | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g

Tried this recipe?Mention and tag us! @proteincakery