🥧 Gluten-Free & Vegan Sweet Potato Mini Pies

Comforting, allergy-friendly, and perfectly portioned for guests, gifting, or holiday tables.

There’s something magical about a mini pie. Not only do they bake faster and serve beautifully, but they’re ideal for sharing, gifting, or giving each guest their own personal dessert. These gluten-free and vegan sweet potato mini pies, made even richer with a touch of kabocha or butternut squash, are the perfect upgrade to a classic fall or holiday treat.

The filling is silky and warmly spiced, the crust is tender yet sturdy, and the topping (hello, vegan whipped cream!) finishes it off like the perfect bow on a gift.

Let’s bake!

🧡 Why Mini Pies?

Mini pies are fun, elegant, and incredibly practical. They:

• Bake in less time than full-sized pies
• Portion perfectly for individual servings
• Travel well for gifting or potlucks
• Look adorable at dinner parties
• Allow you to serve multiple flavors if you want variety

And when they’re made gluten-free + vegan? Everyone at the table can enjoy one!

🥧 Gluten-Free Vegan Pie Crust

This crust is sturdy enough for mini pies but tender and subtly nutty. The almond–oat–tapioca combo ensures a workable, sliceable crust without gluten or dairy.

Ingredients

• 1 cup almond flour
• 1 cup gluten-free oat flour
• ¼ cup tapioca starch
• ¼ tsp salt
• 3 tbsp maple syrup or sugar
• ¼ cup solid coconut oil or vegan butter (cold)
• 3–5 tbsp cold water

Instructions

1. In a bowl, whisk together almond flour, oat flour, tapioca, and salt.
2. Cut in the cold coconut oil or vegan butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Add maple syrup or sugar.
4. Add cold water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough holds together like soft Play-Doh.
5. Wrap and chill for 30–45 minutes for easier shaping.

🍠 Sweet Potato + Kabocha (or Butternut) Filling

Combining sweet potato with squash gives this pie a richer flavor and a silky, custard-like texture — even without eggs.

Ingredients

• 1½ cups mashed roasted sweet potato
• ½–1 cup mashed roasted kabocha or butternut squash
• ½ cup full-fat coconut milk (from the can, shaken well)
• ¼ cup melted coconut oil or vegan butter
• ¾ cup brown sugar, coconut sugar, or maple syrup
• 2–3 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot (use 3 tbsp if using butternut)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• ½ tsp ginger (optional, but delicious)
• ¼ tsp salt

Instructions

1. Roast sweet potatoes and squash at 400°F (cut-side down) for 35–50 minutes until very soft.
2. Scoop the flesh into a bowl and mash until smooth.
3. Add coconut milk, melted coconut oil/vegan butter, sugar or syrup, vanilla, spices, and salt.
4. Whisk in cornstarch or arrowroot until fully combined.
5. Set aside while preparing your mini pie crusts.

🥧 Assemble the Mini Pies

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Divide chilled crust dough into portions (recipe makes ~5–6 mini pies depending on tin size).
3. Press or roll the dough into each mini pie tin.
4. Spoon the filling into each crust, leaving ⅛” at the top.
5. Bake for 35–45 minutes, until the filling is set and the crust edges turn golden.
6. Cool completely before serving or packaging — cooling helps the filling firm and improves texture.

🍽️ 4-Inch or 5-Inch Tins? Which Size Is Best?

You’ll find both sizes online (like Amazon), and each works, but they serve slightly different needs:

⭐ 4-Inch Mini Pans

• Small, bite-size style
• Great for dessert flights, tastings, or lighter portions

⭐ 5-Inch Mini Pans (Recommended)

• More substantial individual serving
• Feels like a “real” personal pie
• Best for gifting or dinner parties
• Sturdier for transporting

Recommendation:
Use 5-inch tins for gifting, entertaining, and classic mini pie servings. Use 4-inch for appetizer-style desserts or large dessert buffets.

🧁 Toppings: The Perfect Finish

The ideal topping for these pies is something light that complements the richness of the sweet potato–squash filling.

⭐ Best Option: Vegan Whipped Cream (Non-Dairy)

Convenient, pretty, and delicious.

Top Choices:

• Reddi-Wip Non-Dairy Coconut Whipped Cream
  • Light coconut flavor
  • Easy to add right before serving
• Reddi-Wip Non-Dairy Almond Milk Whipped Cream
  • More neutral flavor
• So Delicious CocoWhip (tub)
  • Thick, fluffy, great for piping

Optional Extras

• Tiny candied ginger flakes
• Toasted pecans
• Maple drizzle
• Cinnamon sugar dusting

🎁 Gifting Mini Pies

Mini pies make fantastic gifts during the holidays or anytime someone needs a little joy.

Tips:

• Cool pies completely before packaging
• Use disposable mini tins for easy transport
• Add a note with reheating instructions:
  “Warm at 300°F for 8–10 minutes for best flavor.”
• Decorate boxes with twine, labels, or a sprinkle of cinnamon on top of the pie

These store well in the fridge for 3–4 days or in the freezer for up to a month.

Traditional-Style GF Vegan Pie Crust (Using Any GF All-Purpose Flour)

This crust bakes up flaky, tender, and very similar to a classic pie crust — perfect for anyone who prefers a traditional texture or only keeps one GF flour blend in the pantry.

Ingredients

• 1½ cups gluten-free all-purpose flour (with xanthan gum) (OR 1 cup fine brown rice flour, 1/3 cup potato or arrowroot starch, 1 1/2 tbsp tapioca starch, and 1 tsp xanthan gum)
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar (optional, helps browning)
• ½ cup cold vegan butter (or ¼ cup vegan butter + ¼ cup solid coconut oil)
• 4–7 tbsp ice water

Instructions

1. In a bowl, whisk together the GF flour, salt, and sugar.
2. Cut in the cold vegan butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Add ice water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough just comes together.
4. Chill for at least 1 hour.
5. Press the dough into muffin tin cups or mini pie pans.
6. Add filling and bake as directed for mini pies.

This option is reliable, easy, and produces a sturdy crust that holds up well — great for when you don’t have the specialty flours like oat and almond!

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