Crafty Home Cook Uses A Cookie Cutter To Transform Premade Pumpkin Pie Into 2 Bakery-Level Desserts

When it comes to holiday meals, many people want the comfort of eating their favorite foods year after year. Others may enjoy trying something new. Putting a twist on an old standby can be a great way to satisfy both parties. One home cook, Amy Flanigan (founder of Belly Full), shared a video on YouTube in which she turns a classic pumpkin pie into two elevated desserts. For the first, she uses a greased two-inch biscuit cutter to cut rounds out of the center of the pie. The mini pumpkin pie discs are arranged on an attractive serving plate and topped them with a swirl of homemade whipped cream — a twist on the usual sliced serving.

And don't worry, the "scraps" won't go to waste. Rather, the leftover pie filling is turned into decadent white chocolate-coated truffles. It's a simple matter of blending your pie leftovers — crust and all — in a bowl along with a little heavy cream. Portion the mixture into balls and let them freeze. Then, coat the frozen pumpkin pie balls in melted white chocolate. Garnish them with a dusting of pumpkin pie spice or whatever you prefer. 

Alternately, if you're in the mood for an immediate treat, you could blend the scraps together with vanilla ice cream to make yourself a pumpkin milkshake instead. Either way, if you have a family member who insists on pumpkin pie at the holidays, this is a fun way to satisfy that need while also making it extra special.

Because the foundation of these desserts is a store-bought pumpkin pie to keep things simple, make sure you start with one of the better ones on the market (if you do end up with a bland pie, feel free to add in your own spices or flavorings into the truffle mix). Sam's Club and Costco both have 12-inch pies, so if you're feeding a crowd, they're a great way to go. While Amy Flanigan gets nine mini pies out of her pumpkin pie, a 12-inch one should easily result in 11.

The YouTuber also advices against using canned whipped cream for the mini pumpkin pies, as it melts faster than a homemade whipped cream. If you want to elevate your mini pies just a notch further, there's no reason you couldn't use a fluffy meringue topping or a toasted marshmallow one. For a more interactive element, you could also set up a topping bar for mini pumpkin pies so guests can add their own nuts, caramel sauce, and anything else of their choice.

When it comes to the pumpkin pie truffles, the most important factor is heat. You'll want the uncoated truffle balls as cold as possible to make them easier to work with. And don't shy away from a high-quality white chocolate, like Ghirardelli. You could also go for milk or dark chocolate if that's what you prefer. And just like that you'll have turned one pumpkin pie into two stunning bakery-worthy desserts.