Canadian Butter Tarts

These are arguably my favorite Christmas "cookie".  They're really not a cookie, but more like mini buttery caramel pies that everyone loves.  They are a little tricky to bake, because more often than not the filling bubbles over, but they're still worth it!

Canadian Butter Tarts
yield 2 dozen mini tarts
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup currants or nuts
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 Tbsp cream
1 tsp vanilla
1 batch pastry

Use a circle cutter to cut the pastry and press down gently into a mini muffin pan.  Mix the ingredients, and place a tablespoon of the filling into the pastry.  Bake at 400 degrees for 5 minutes, then reduce to 325 degrees and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Mini Pumpkin Pies

These little pies are perfect for when a craving hits and you don't want a whole pie sitting around your house.  The fact that they look like little pumpkins is just a bonus.  For extra cuteness, you can used melted chocolate in a piping bag to draw jack o'lantern faces after baking!

Using a large pumpkin cookie cutter, cut out a piece of your favorite pie dough (homemade or store bought - I won't tell!) & press it down into a cupcake tin (no liner or nonstick spray needed!)  Fill with pumpkin pie mixture & bake at 375 for 20 minutes.  These baby pumpkins popped right out of the pan after cooling!  Top with some fresh whipped heavy cream & enjoy!

Pumpkin Pie Filling
makes 12 mini pies*


1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of ground cloves
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
3/4 cup evaporated milk

Mix together sugar, cornstarch, salt, spices, pumpkin & eggs, then add milk.  Stir until well combined.  Fill muffin tin about 2/3 full (should be about 1/4 cup).  Bake 20 minutes at 375 & let cool before removing from tin.

Pie filling adapted from Martha Stewart
*filling recipe can be doubled to fill a 9" pie

Southern Comfort Caramel Apple Pie

The Perfect Apple Pie recipe I posted last week was a delicious and simple apple pie.  This apple pie was on a whole other level.  The apples are cooked in cinnamon, caramel & southern comfort and then topped with a brown sugar & pecan streusel.  The apples are perfectly cooked, not mushy, while the streusel is nice and crunchy.

This will be making a presence at my Thanksgiving Dinner table.  Check out my Holiday Treats ordering page to order one for yourself!

Recipe from Ezra Pound Cake

Perfect Apple Pie

I've been on the hunt for the *perfect* apple pie.  It's one of my husband's favorite desserts, and he loves being the test subject for my experiments.  This time, I turned to my newest cookbook, Baking Illustrated.  They did not disappoint.

I made this in my tart pan (another experiment) which is why it's not as thick.  That aside, it was truly the perfect apple pie!  I think what I've been missing along was the allspice!

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie

If there is only room for one dessert on your holiday table, this should be it!

A graham cracker crust, filled with a layer of caramel and pecans, topped with a layer of apples sauteed with brown sugar & cinnamon, and a layer of creamy cheesecake.  Whipped cream, a drizzle of caramel & a sprinkle of pecans add the finishing touch to this delicious dessert.

Want one for Thanksgiving?  Check out my Holiday Treats page for ordering information.

Recipe from Annie's Eats