Mini Mason Jar Pies

In the words of Lady Whistledown from the Netflix original series Bridgerton…“Dearest gentle reader, All is fair is love and war….and pie season!”

Ok, maybe she didn’t say the last part, but it’s true nonetheless. When it comes to pies at Thanksgiving time, anything is fair game. Apple. Pumpkin. Pecan. Custards and creams. The list goes on and on.

Unfortunately, so does the list of reasons why pie is on the clean eating no-no list. Traditional pies are filled with processed sugars, artificial flavors, preservatives, dairy, and grains. Sure, pie tastes great, but is an inflammatory super food.

That’s why I’ve been on a personal mission to create a healthier compromise. A Thanksgiving dessert that tastes like the classics, but without as much added garbage. After some experimenting (and lots of family taste testing) I finally struck gold.

I started with three of my favorite holiday flavors; sweet potato, cherry cheesecake, and French silk. I studied original recipes, then deconstructed them into individual parts. From there, I assembled my favorite dairy, grain, and sugar replacements and got to work.

These easy to make pies-in-a jar are broken down into a la carte style recipes. This allows you, dearest reader, to mix, match, and multiply to your heart’s content. Only need the crust recipe? I’ve got you. Don’t like sweet potato? Sub it for pumpkin. Is apple your favorite flavor? Then take the crust and whipped cream recipes to layer between your favorite apple filling. Take what you need and leave the rest!

Ready to get started? Then go grab six 8oz mason jars, pick your favorite pieces, and gather your ingredients. It’s pie time!

Pie Crust Crumbles

Makes 6 Pies

• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1/4 cup arrowroot starch
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp 100% maple syrup
• 1/4 cup Country Crock Plant Butter

Whisk together almond flour, arrowroot starch, salt, and maple syrup until mixture is crumbly. Cut butter into small pieces and stir into flour mixture until consistency resembles wet cookie dough. Drop 1/2 tsp sized pieces onto a baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Edges should be golden brown. Allow to cool completely. Set aside.

Whipped Cream

Makes 6+ Cups

• 1 1/2 cup Country Crock Plant Cream
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 6 tbsp 100% maple syrup

Combine ingredients together in a medium bowl. With an electric mixer, whip on medium speed for 2 minutes until desired texture is reached. Transfer to a large piping bag or gallon ziploc bag. Use a piping tip with the piping bag for extra detail. Set aside.

French Silk Pie Filling

Makes 6 Pies

• 10oz bag Enjoy Life chocolate chips
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 4 cups homemade whipped cream, divided (recipe above)

Heat chocolate chips in the microwave in increments of 30 seconds, stirring in between, until just melted. Let cool for 5-10 minutes. Mix 2 cups of the whipped cream into the cooled chocolate until well combined. Stir in vanilla. Gently fold in the remaining 2 cups of whipped cream. Transfer to a large piping bag or gallon ziploc bag and set aside.

Sweet Potato Pie Filling

Makes 6 Pies

• 2 cups sweet potato puree (about 2 medium sweet potatos)
• 1 cup 100% maple syrup
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 4 cups homemade whipped cream (recipe above)

Mix together puree, maple syrup, vanilla, and spices until well combined. Gently fold in whipped cream. Transfer to a large piping bag or gallon ziploc bag and set aside.

Cheesecake Pie Filling

Makes 6 Pies

• 16 oz Kite Hill cream cheese
• 8 tbsp WayFare dairy free sour cream
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2/3 cup 100% maple syrup
• 2 cups homemade whipped cream (recipe above)
• 10 oz canned or homemade cherry pie filling (I like this one)

Whisk together cream cheese, sour cream, vanilla, and maple syrup until well combined. Gently fold in whipped cream. Transfer to a large piping bag or gallon ziploc bag set aside with the cherry pie filling.

Time To Assemble

Once you’ve made all your chosen pie elements, it’s time to put them together. First, divide your crust crumbles evenly between your six mason jars. I like to pinch and sprinkle the crumbles to make a graham cracker like consistency, but you can leave them intact if you prefer. The crumbles should fill your jar 1/4 of the way.

Next, cut the tip off the bag of your chosen pie filling. Fill the jar until it’s about 2/3 full. You can gently tap the jar on the counter a few times to get the filling to disperse evenly.

Finally, fill the jar the rest of the way with whipped cream, leaving enough room at the top to put your lid on. If you’re making the cherry cheesecake, replace the whipped cream portion with your cherry pie filling.

You can make these pies-in-a-jar several days in advance. Simply fill them up and pop them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days until you’re ready to serve. It’s that easy!

Just a friendly reminder, these pies-in-a-jar are meant to reduce the inflammatory effects of dessert on your body, not reduce calories. Coming in at 561 calories per assembled jar, the sweet potato pie has the lowest calorie count. Followed by the cheesecake coming in at 656 calories and the french silk topping the chart at 706. Dessert is still dessert and meant to be a splurge. These delightful Thanksgiving alternatives will leave you feeling less cruddy and are far easier to recover from than traditional slices of pie.

Conclusion

So, whether you choose to make these pies in a jar as gifts for neighbors, or you serve them as part of your family’s Thanksgiving feast, you are sure to be “the talk of the ton.” Who knows? You might even make it into Lady Whistledown’s scandal sheets.

Until then, dearest gentle readers, may your homes be filled with love and laughter this Thanksgiving season. May your tables be filled with feasts. It’s my sincerest of hopes that the attitude of gratitude surrounds you and those you love most. Let us give thanks for all our blessings, both big and small. And above all else, make sure you save room for pie...wink!

Yours truly,

Messy Masterpiece