When I have a lot of people coming over, I love to make mini pies, or “pie cups.” I coined the name “pie cup” when I created a “pie program” for one of my restaurants and vowed to make pie the new cupcake in NYC.
Since then, the mini, handheld pie has exploded in popularity. The beauty of the mini pies is that they are portable, easy to make and the perfect proportion size.
Most people I know don’t make their own pie because they are afraid to make the pie dough from scratch. There is so much pressure on the cook for Thanksgiving that the holiday is not the time to learn how to make pie dough. This recipe offers the option of using pre-made graham-cracker crusts. If you already make your own pie dough, you can make this pie in mini pie shells or a muffin pan.
Once the pie crust is taken care of, you will understand the meaning of “easy as pie”: Assembling the filling requires just a bowl and a fork.
I add dark chocolate to a traditional pecan pie for all those chocolate lovers out there. I also add a touch of Kahlua to deepen the flavor of the chocolate, but you could stick with the traditional bourbon if you prefer. If you don’t like pecans, this pie is also delicious made with walnuts.