Ingredients
Scale
- 2 refrigerated pie crusts (or homemade equivalent)
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg (for egg wash)
- 1 tablespoon milk or water
- Coarse sparkling sugar for dusting
- Optional: Flour for dusting the work surface
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla extract. Stir the mixture vigorously until it is smooth and the sugar has fully dissolved. Taste the filling to ensure the spice level is to your liking, then set the bowl aside while you work on the pastry.
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out your pie crusts on a lightly floured surface. Use a 4-inch round cookie cutter or a large glass to cut out 16 circles. Take 8 of the circles and use a small, sharp paring knife to carve Jack O Lantern faces—think triangles for eyes and jagged lines for mouths. These will be your top crusts.
- Place the 8 solid circles onto the prepared baking sheet. Spoon about 1 to 1.5 tablespoons of the pumpkin filling into the center of each circle, leaving a border around the edges. Lightly brush the edges with a mixture of the beaten egg and milk. Place the carved faces on top of the filling.
- Use the tines of a fork to press and crimp the edges of the top and bottom crusts together, ensuring a tight seal so the filling doesn’t leak. Brush the tops of the pies with the remaining egg wash and sprinkle generously with coarse sparkling sugar for a professional, glittering finish.
- Slide the baking sheet into the oven and bake for 18 to 22 minutes. You want the pastry to turn a beautiful golden brown and the filling to be set. Remove the pies from the oven and let them cool on the pan for at least 10 minutes before moving them to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
- Cook Time: 50 minutes