The Icing On The Cake: Pumpkin Pie Bites

I love pumpkin. So much. And while I can find canned pumpkin in the store, I have to make all the pumpkin recipes that I can find! Sadly, my husband isn't a huge pumpkin fan, but he is willing to try anything once. Seriously, he will try anything. I've convinced him to taste straight vanilla, cocoa powder, shampoo, face wash.... Anyway, he tried these and liked them. They are a creamy pumpkin flavor as pumpkin-y as regular pumpkin pie. So, go and make these right now while there is an abundance of pumpkin!

Pumpkin Pie Bites

Source: Bakerella.com

Makes 30 pies

Ingredients:

1 box refrigerated pie crusts

3 eggs
1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Chocolate Drizzle:
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil

Directions:

Bring pie crusts to room temperature for 15 minutes. Unroll pie crusts, using rolling pin, roll out each crust to 12 inches. Use 2 1/2 inch round cookie cutter to cut 15 rounds from each crust.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In small bowl, beat 1 egg white (reserve yolk); brush dough rounds with egg white. Press rounds, egg wash side up, into 30 miniature muffin cups.

In medium bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add pumpkin, reserved egg yolk, remaining 2 eggs, the vanilla and pumpkin pie spice; beat on medium speed until smooth. Spoon 1 generous tablespoon filling into each dough cup.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until filling is set and crust is lightly browned. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack.
In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips uncovered on 50% power at 20 second intervals, stirring each after each interval until the chips cane be stirred smooth. Stir in oil. Spoon into small resealable food storage plastic bag, seal bag. Cut off tiny corner of bag. Squeeze bag to drizzle chocolate over cooled pies or decorate pies with pumpkin faces. Store in refrigerator.

Amy's Notes:
Let's just say, I think I have a special talent for burning chocolate. It's super annoying. It took me three tries to get this tiny bit of chocolate melted for these little suckers. The chocolate was worth the burning hassle, but they would be delicious without the chocolate also. These are amazing and really not too hard to make (with the exception of me burning lots of chocolate). I love pumpkin pie and these make for a yummy two-bite pumpkin pie. I think they are the best right out of the oven!