Don't Toss That Leftover Pie Filling. Turn It Into Another Decadent Dessert

As the winter holidays come and go, many home chefs are sure to be stuck with odd amounts of leftovers in need of repurposing. For example, if you're someone who enjoys making classic confections, such as pumpkin pie, there's a strong chance you wind up with excess pie filling if you don't know how many pumpkins you need for a pie (2 cups of pumpkin puree is sufficient for one pie; estimating the right amount for two or three pies is a trickier feat). Fortunately, you can easily turn any remaining filling into no-bake truffles.

Truffles are a great way to repurpose leftovers since they're simple to make and fun to eat. Believe it or not, all you need to make three-ingredient pumpkin spice truffles is pumpkin puree or canned pumpkin pie filling, crushed gingersnap cookies, and white chocolate. Simply mix together any leftover pie filling along with the cookie crumbs, then divide this combined mixture into bite-size balls. Next, all you need to do is cover these seasonal snacks in melted white chocolate. The best part about this recipe is you can make impressive truffles with more than just leftover pumpkin puree. As a matter of fact, you can repurpose a variety of leftover pie fillings, including apple and blueberry, into new, delectable treats most dessert lovers are sure to enjoy.

Whether you like to make pumpkin pie or bakery-worthy blueberry pie, you can turn any delicious filling into two-bite truffles with the right extras. Specifically for fruit-based fillings, mix in crushed cookies or graham crackers, plus a creamy ingredient that can work as a binding agent (such as cream cheese). Whichever fruit filling you use, make sure your leftovers are sufficiently cooled and the fruit is chopped extra-small before preparing your truffles. Upon assembling, let your truffles set in your refrigerator before coating them in melted white or dark chocolate.

Apart from using leftover pie filling, you can also make no-fuss, dessert-worthy truffles with whole pieces of leftover pie, such as pumpkin or apple pie. The process of making truffles with whole pieces of pie is even more simple than those made with excess filling. All you need to do is break apart your pie pieces into pea-sized crumbs, then form this broken down mixture into truffle-size balls. Try to get equal amounts of filling and crust in every truffle. Upon chilling and coating these treats in white or dark chocolate, feel free to sprinkle on a few extra toppings for added crunch. For pumpkin pie truffles, add crushed graham crackers or Biscoff cookies. For truffles made with leftover pecan pie or apple pie, add a sprinkle of chopped, cinnamon-spiced nuts.