Mini Sweet Potato Pecan Pies

A traditional Sweet Potato Pie is a Southern staple that has been on the favorites list for years. However, this recipe kicks things up a notch with added caramelized pecans on top and a vegan crust made from toasted pecans and graham crackers. Believe me, these Mini Sweet Potato Pecan Pies are absolutely delicious, gooey, soft, and the perfect bite for kids and adults-alike. All ingredients are dairy-free and vegan. Gluten-free option.

I decided to make this beautiful number over the weekend after such a long work week and oh was I happy I did! These Mini Sweet Potato Pecan Pies actually only lasted 2 days and I must admit, it was super disappointing to watch it finish after the last slice was had. Usually, I'd wait until around Thanksgiving to even begin thinking about Sweet Potato pie, but I couldn't resist the temptation once Fall officially blossomed on this past Friday.

Being a Southern girl, this is one of those recipes, along with the Classic Banana Pudding, that will surely get your tastebuds dancing. Perhaps, you'd like to try something with a twist and grab your fork into these Banana Pudding Cheesecake Bites!

Ahhhh! I can still smell the sweet aroma of the sweet potatoes baking by the way! I've read that it's much better to bake your sweet potatoes instead of boiling them, however, I still chose to do the latter, since this has always been the tradition. After peeling and dicing them into medium-sized pieces, it's super easy to boil them (just under 30 minutes, depending on high your heat burns). I did choose to make not only a vegan crust (since this recipe is vegan), but a Gluten-free one because I find that it all just works perfectly together. 

Looking for Great Sweet Treat Ideas for the Family?

• Best Vegan Chocolate Cake
• Deconstructed Vegan Sweet Potato Bread
• Dutch Apple Pie 
• Sheet Pan Maple Roasted Pear Crisp
• Baked Vegan Apple Cider Donuts

How to Make Mini Sweet Potato Pecan Pies

This recipe took a few tries to get just right because honestly----anything with a custard is really hard to perfect when using vegan ingredients----at least that's my opinion. I wanted to make sure the mini pie tasted as delicious as a great Fall-spice drink with the firm and creamy texture you expect from a custard-filled pie. 

Mini Sweet Potato Pecan Pies Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make these impressive Mini Sweet Potato Pecan Pies from start to finish:

• Sweet potato puree. You can buy this canned or make your own by roasting a sweet potato until totally tender and pureeing it in a blender or food processor. 
• Butter. Use vegan butter from Earth Balance for a great taste! You can also substitute with organic canola or coconut oil, if preferred!
• Graham crackers. You'll need about 7 to 8 graham crackers for this crunchy crust. 
• Toasted pecans. If you like a richer, more buttery crust, you can add more pecans and reduce the amount of graham crackers accordingly. 
• Brown sugar. I always recommend organic sugar. Brown sugar adds a new layer of caramel flavor to the crust. 
• Spices. For the pie filling it's all about the spice blend, which includes cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.
• Coconut cream. You can find coconut cream next to the cans of coconut milk at the grocery store. It's luxurious without being too heavy. If you already have a can of coconut milk, you can use the cream from that. simply refrigerate the can of milk overnight. Then scrape off just the creamy top layer and add it to your pie filling.
• Vanilla extract. This complements the flavors.
• Arrowroot. This is a great gluten-free thickening option, however, feel free to substitute with regular cornstarch or all-purpose flour, which both act as a thickening agent.
• Maple syrup. The best sweetener that I enjoy using. I like to use pure maple syrup that’s premium and organic.

Mini Sweet Potato Pecan Pies

September 26, 2017 •

By Shanika

5 from 5 votes

These little Mini Sweet Potato Pecan Pies are the perfect sweet treat for the entire family! Made with a nutty crust, creamy spice-filled sweet potato filling, and a delicious pecan topping.

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 45 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr

Serves: 12 servings

Units:

US Customary|Metric

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Ingredients

CRUST:

• 1 cup pecans, toasted
• 1 cup Graham crackers, roughly chopped (Vegan-friendly crackers; About 7-8 sheets)
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 3-4 Tbsps vegan butter, melted

SWEET POTATO FILLING:

• 2 cups sweet potato puree (About 1 lb. sweet potatoes; See Post for How To)
• ½ cup full-fat coconut cream/milk
• ½ cup pure maple syrup
• 3 Tbsps Arrowroot starch (See Notes!)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• Pinch of sea salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsps vegan butter, melted (See Notes!)

PECAN 'PIE' TOPPING:

• 1 cup pecans, chopped or halved + toasted (See Notes!)
• ¼ cup organic brown sugar
• 3 Tbsps vegan butter
• 2-3 Tbsps full-fat coconut cream/milk
• Pinch of ground cinnamon
• Pinch of ground nutmeg

Instructions

TO MAKE THE CRUST:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare a 12-cavity cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
• Grind the pecans + graham crackers, until almost finely ground (it’s OK to leave a few medium chunks, if your’e a lover a little crunch!). Combine the Pecan-Graham cracker mixture, cinnamon, salt and melted butter in a small bowl and mix with a spatula until well incorporated.
• Divide the mixture between the cupcake liners (about 2 Tbsps per well) and press down into the bottoms with your fingers (focusing on the middle) to ensure that it’s perfectly covering the bottom and sides (like a deep well).
• Bake the crusts for about 5 minutes and then remove from oven and allow it to cool until you’re ready to use.

TO MAKE THE SWEET POTATO FILLING:

• In a large bowl, add the sweet potato puree along with: coconut cream/milk, vanilla extract, melted butter, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, sea salt, and arrowroot starch, whisking everything together until combined and smooth, using an electric hand-mixer on high-speed. NOTE: Filling mixture should be thickened at this point.
• Add a small amount of filling to each cupcake liner (about 2 Tbsps), repeating until all batter is used.
• Bake the cheesecakes for 35-40 minutes, then turn off the oven and allow them to sit in the oven for another 5 minutes with the oven door halfway open to avoid mini pies from deflating.
• Remove mini pies from the oven and allow them to continue to cool for another 25-30 minutes or until at room temperature coolness, before adding topping.

TO MAKE THE PECAN 'PIE' TOPPING:

• In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, add the butter and brown sugar, stirring until it begins to bubble. Add in the cinnamon, nutmeg, and coconut cream/milk, and whisk until well combined. Add in the toasted pecans and stir until pecans are fully coated. Once done, remove from heat and let cool (at room temperature) so that the sauce thickens, about 5-6 minutes.
• Once cooled enough, remove the mini pies from the fridge and remove cupcake liners. Top each one with the 'Pecan Pie' topping. NOTE: let the sauce further 'set' as both the topping + mini pies continue to cool.
• Grab a bite and enjoy.
• Bon Appetit!

Tips & Tricks

• STORAGE: Keep leftover mini pies tightly sealed in an airtight container or foil and refrigerated for 3-4 days. Re-heat each one when serving.
• SWEET POTATO PUREE: See post for more + how to make this!
• ARROWROOT: If you don’t have arrowroot starch, feel free to substitute with regular cornstarch or all-purpose flour, which both act as a thickening agent.
• COCONUT CREAM: If you don't have full-fat coconut cream on hand, you can use canned full-fat coconut milk and refrigerate it overnight so that it thickens into a "cream", which you separate from the water in the can.
• EQUIPMENT: Here, I’ve curated a list of cooking + baking essentials that I use to achieve my favorite baked goods or cooked meals, especially with these Mini Sweet Potato Pecan Pies. Everything from my fave baking sheet, liners, pie weights, hand-mixers, mixing bowls, and more.SEE THEM HERE!
• TOASTED PECANS: Add chopped pecans to a baking sheet and toasting them in the oven (400 degrees Fahrenheit) for 5-10 minutes, tossing them halfway to avoid browning on one side.
• GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: To make these mini pies entirely GF, simply ensure that graham crackers are certified gluten-free or substitute with GF rolled oats.

Nutrition

Calories: 245kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 227mg | Potassium: 317mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 8969IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 1mg

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