This 6-Inch Pumpkin Pie with Cranberry Whipped Cream features an all-butter flaky pie crust with a velvety and perfectly spiced pumpkin pie filling. Finish the pumpkin pie with a sweet and tart cranberry whipped cream. A beautiful holiday dessert for Thanksgiving and Christmas!
Small batch 6-Inch Pumpkin Pie
Is it the holidays without a pumpkin pie on the dessert table? Nothing says the holidays more than a silky pumpkin pie – except when you top it with cranberry whipped cream! This small holiday pie takes all you love about pumpkin pie and delivers it in a small package.
And if it’s pumpkin pie you crave, try my pumpkin pie small batch bars with spiced apples and gluten-free crust option. Or the creamy pumpkin pudding dessert for two that has all the flavors of pie in silky custard form.
Or for lighter desserts with a big pumpkin flavor, try the pumpkin spice latte overnight oats or the pumpkin pie chia pudding.
What Makes This Pumpkin Pie So Special
- All-Butter, Flaky Crust – Why an all-butter pie crust? Because it is super flaky and full of flavor. I have yet to test out a pie dough made with shortening. But, I am having a hard time thinking it would yield the same flaky crust! The same is true for a flaky gluten free pie crust to make a gluten free mini pumpkin pie!
- Silky Pumpkin Pie Filling – Some pumpkin pie fillings can taste watery or overly sweet. This recipe avoids all of that by using heavy cream, brown sugar, and maple syrup (no sweetened condensed milk here!) And when you think about it, all of the ingredients in the pumpkin pie filling are all of the ingredients we would use to make a homemade custard!
- Complimentary Topping – The tartness of cranberry is a delicious balance to rich pumpkin pie. And Cranberry Whipped Cream is the perfect vehicle to deliver the light complimentary flavor. Not to mention, it just looks stunning!
Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour – AP flour keeps the crust light and flaky.
- Unsalted Butter – My preference is unsalted butter since we add salt.
- Granulated Sugar – I like to add a little sugar to enhance the flavor of the crust.
- Salt – The pie dough needs a little salt for flavor!
- Vanilla Powder – For a hint of flavor in the pie dough.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – I find a little vinegar keeps the dough soft and flaky, if you don’t have apple cider vinegar, white distilled vinegar also works.
- Canned Pumpkin – Make sure it is pure canned pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling.
- Egg – The egg works as a binder for the pie filling and adds flavor and texture.
- Dark Brown Sugar – I recommend dark brown sugar for the pie filling because it adds a deeper molasses flavor. However, light brown sugar will also work.
- Pure Maple Syrup – I like the layers of sweetness in the pie filling and maple syrup adds caramel and butter notes. You can certainly use all brown sugar if you prefer.
- Heavy Cream – For both the pie filling and whipped cream.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice + Ground Cinnamon – Both punctuate the pumpkin pie flavor.
Helpful Tips
- The butter MUST be cold – The butter is what makes this pie dough flaky and flavorful. Butter contains moisture, and when the moisture is heated, it creates steam within the dough. The steam causes the dough to puff and create flaky layers.
- Press the butter into discs – After many test pies, I found the best pie crust came from butter that was pressed into flat discs rather than pea-sized pieces. The discs cover more surface area, without clumping together, thus a better distribution of butter in the dough.
- Freeze the shaped pie dough – Once you have crimped dough in the pie dish, I recommend freezing the dough for few minutes. This allows the butter to firm back up after it has been handled.
- Blind Bake the pie dough – This will ensure you don’t have a pie with a soggy-bottom!
- Weigh down the dough before the blind bake – Adding weight onto the pie dough will keep it from puffing up.
- Use leftover pumpkin puree in other pumpkin small batch desserts – Like gluten free pumpkin small batch cupcakes, pumpkin chocolate chip oatmeal cookies or gluten free pumpkin spice whoopie pies!
Cranberry Whipped topping Cream
I first fell in love with all things creamy and cranberry with the no-bake cranberry mousse mini cheesecake. A great dessert for the holidays by the way! Below are a few tips to make the fluffy cranberry whipped cream:
- Fresh cranberries – I recommend fresh cranberries simply for the fresh flavor, and they are abundant this time of year! However, frozen cranberries will also work.
- Stabilize the whipped cream if making it ahead of time – I have added instructions for stabilizing the whipped cream with a little gelatin. This is valuable if you plan to make the pie ahead of time because whipped cream can deflate.
Recipe FAQ
If I add the apple cider vinegar, will the pie crust taste like vinegar?
No! The small amount of vinegar produces a soft and flaky pie crust. However, it can be omitted and the pie crust will still bake beautifully.
Do I have to pre-bake the pie dough?
You do not, but I highly recommend it. Pre-baking the pie dough will alleviate an undercooked pie crust.
My pie crust shrunk. What did I do wrong?
Two things could have happened: 1. You did not give the dough enough time to relax and chill after mixing it. I recommend chilling the dough for at least 1 hour after it is mixed and before you roll it out. 2. The butter wasn’t cold enough. I recommend freezing the pie dough for at least 10 minutes after you form it into the pie dish.
I want to save time. Can I just use pumpkin pie filling?
You certainly can! You will probably need about 1 cup of filling, and follow the directions on the can.
6-Inch Pumpkin Pie
Yield: 6 Servings
This 6-Inch Pumpkin Pie with Cranberry Whipped Cream features an all-butter flaky pie crust with a velvety and perfectly spiced pumpkin pie filling. Finish the pumpkin pie with a sweet and tart Cranberry Whipped Cream. A beautiful holiday dessert for Thanksgiving and Christmas!
INGREDIENTS
Pie Crust
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla powder (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (or white distilled vinegar)
- 2 to 3 tablespoons ice water
Pumpkin Pie Filling
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup pure canned pumpkin
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Cranberry Whipped Cream
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla powder
- 1/4 teaspoon unflavored gelatin powder (optional)
- 3/4 teaspoon lemon juice (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
Pie Crust
- Note -The butter needs to be cold. Before you begin making the dough, cut the butter into cubes and place in the freezer for about 10 to 15minutes ahead of time.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, and vanilla powder (if using). Add the butter cubes to the flour and press the butter cubes into small flat, flaky discs (about the size of a nickel) – making sure they are all coated with flour.
- Fill a small liquid measuring cup with ice water – as long as you have at least 1/4 cup of water. Make a well in the center of the flour and add the vinegar and 2 tablespoons of ice water to the well. Using a fork or spatula, stir the flour around the water, and continue to add water 1 tablespoon at a time until you start to get larger clumps of dough. To check if you have added enough water, grab some of the dough in your hand and squeeze it. If it sticks together without crumbling apart, you have added enough water. If it still crumbles apart, add another tablespoon of water, and check again. Note – The dough is supposed to be rough and not overly moist. Adding too much water will likely result in a tough dough. So will overmixing the dough. Work the dough gently when mixing in the water.
- Note – Weather and humidity can impact how much water you need to bring the dough together. You may find you need more water than the recipe states.
- Pour the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and form into a ball, then flatten into a small disc. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. I recommend making the Cranberry Whipped Cream next to give it time to chill and set up.
Cranberry Whipped Cream
- In a small saucepan, add the cranberries and a splash of water. Heat over medium heat until the cranberries start to burst, and you are able to smash them with a spatula into a jam-like consistency – about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat.
- In a small bowl, add the lemon juice and sprinkle the gelatin over the top. The gelatin needs to bloom and set for about 5 minutes. Note – The gelatin will stabilize the whipped cream even more and is a great option if you want to make the pie ahead of time. Otherwise, the gelatin is optional.
- Add the set gelatin (if using) to the warm cranberry compote and stir until it is completely mixed in.
- Strain the cranberry jam through a fine mesh strainer set over a small bowl. Note Be sure to scrape the underside of the strainer to get all of the cranberry jam – which should be about 2 tablespoons. Allow the cranberry jam to cool in the refrigerator for a few minutes before adding it to the whipped cream.
- In a small mixing bowl, add the heavy cream. Using a hand held mixer fitted with the whisk attachments, beat the cream on medium high until soft peaks form. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and cranberry jam. Continue to beat on high speed until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Blind Bake (Pre Bake) The Pie Crust – Remove the cooled dough from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature for at least 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425F degrees and adjust the oven rack to the middle position.
- Lightly flour your work surface and dust the top of the dough with flour. Roll the dough into a 9-inch circle. This will give us enough dough to sit snuggly into the pan and for a designed crimp edge. Tip – To roll the dough evenly, roll and slightly rotate the dough after each roll.
- Trim off any jagged edges, then gently place the dough into the center of the pie dish, making sure it sits snug on the bottom and corners of the dish. Fold over the dough overhang so you still have about a 1/2 inch tall lip of pie dough sticking out of the pie dish. Crimp the edges in any method you prefer.
- Use a fork to poke holes into the bottom of the pie dough. This will help the dough from puffing up while it is baking. Place the formed pie crust in the freezer for at least 10 minutes. By this time, your oven should be heated.
- Weigh down your chilled pie crust before blind baking it to keep the dough from puffing up and shrinking too much. Some pie weight options: pie weights, a small oven safe dish that fits inside the pie dish (like a ramekin), uncooked rice, or dry beans. With any method, place a piece of parchment paper big enough to fit inside the pie crust, then add your weight.
- Pre-bake the pie crust for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges start to turn lightly golden. While the crust is pre-baking, make the Pumpkin Pie Filling.
Pumpkin Pie Filling
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk the egg. Add the pumpkin, cream, maple syrup, brown sugar, spices, and salt. Whisk until all of the ingredients are combined and the filling is smooth.
- Once the pie crust is done pre-baking, reduce the oven heat to 375F degrees.
- Pour the filling into the pre-baked crust (there is no need to cool the baked crust before filling it because it is going right back into the oven) and bake the pie for 25 to 35 minutes until the filling is set. The filling should still be soft and have a slight jiggle, but a toothpick inserted in the middle should come out mostly clean. Note – If the crust starts to brown too quickly, cover the edges with small pieces of folded aluminum foil.
- Turn the oven off and prop the oven door open slightly with a wooden spoon. Allow the pie to cool in the oven as the oven cools down. This will help avoid cracks in the pie filling. Note – If you are not concerned with cracks in the pie, remove the pie from the oven when it is done baking and cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
- When ready to serve, dollop the Cranberry Whipped Cream on top of the cooled pie, and Enjoy!
Loved the recipe?Please consider leaving a comment + star for the recipe! This greatly helps me continue to provide FREE recipes. Thank you!
NUTRITION ESTIMATES
Calories: 337kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 317mg | Potassium: 142mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 3962IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is calculated by a third-party and should only be considered an estimate and not a guarantee.
about the author ...
I'm Erin and I'm all about desserts - and a little bit of butter!
I've tested, written, and photographed hundreds of recipes on my website. Here you'll find the tastiest small batch desserts - all homemade, all simple, and all for you! Click here to learn more about me!