17 Popular Holiday Pies (and Mini-Tarts) You Don’t Want To Miss

Sneak Preview: These popular holiday pie recipes are so good they might make you famous–especially in your family. If you need some dessert ideas, these are some of the most popular pie recipes on this website, appropriate for any holiday dinner.

Swedish apple pie in backgroundPin
Crustless Apple Pie for people who don’t like to make crusts.

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Are you looking for a pie that will start a tradition? Maybe you want something different that will start a buzz. Or maybe you need something quick to throw together at the last minute. You’ll find all of these here.

This collection includes pies for year-round holidays and special occasions. Enjoy watching the video or browse below. I’ve also included a couple of crust recipes if you want to make that, too.


Most of these pies are also good for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any other holiday. When summer rolls around, take a look at the fresh fruit pies and mini-tarts. Finally, if you want something different from a store-bought crust, I have included two of my favorite crust recipes at the end.

1. Mini Pumpkin Tartlets Recipe with the BEST Shortbread Crust

These taste like the traditional pumpkin pie we all expect, except they are neater to serve and easier to eat. Another point–the little tartlets don’t crack in the middle like the regular-size pies often do.

Mini Pumpkin Tarts Recipe with a Homemade Shortbread Cookie Crust
These Pumpkin Pie Mini-Tarts are easy to carry to Grandma’s house or put them on your dessert buffet. The small size makes them easy to grab and eat. Please note: the yield may vary according to the size of your tart shells.
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2. A Crustless Apple Pie for People Who Don’t Like Making Crusts

Afraid of piecrusts? Try this apple pie with no crust. Apples are covered with a tasty cinnamon-spiced batter and baked until golden brown. You’ll love it with ice cream.

Crustless Apple Pie
Bake this Crustless Apple Pie in a standard pie crust dish. A sweet batter spread over the apples turns into a crust on top. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream along-side it.
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3. Grandma’s Pumpkin Custard Pie with Magical Layers

My dad was never a pumpkin pie lover, but he loved this pumpkin custard pie flavored with a pinch of nutmeg and cloves. Remember this pie when you only have a small amount of pumpkin puree leftover from another recipe.

Grandma’s Layered Custard Pumpkin Pie Recipe
This non-traditional pumpkin pie is flavored with only 2-3 tablespoons of pumpkin puree. As the pie bakes, it magically turns into three distinct custard-like layers.
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4. An Unforgettable Deep Dish Fudge Pecan Pie (+Video)

This Chocolate Fudge Pie has a velvety smooth, soft, but firm, and fudge-like texture, similar to a flourless chocolate cake. The filling contains no flour, milk, cream, or corn syrup. Serve this pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. You will love it!

Green Parrot Chocolate Fudge Pie with Pecans
This pie is all about a velvety chocolate texture contrasted with a flaky crust and whipped cream or powdered sugar topping. It’s an indescribable treat for your taste buds.
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5. Easy French Silk Pie with a Pecan Cookie Crust

The nutty crust sets this recipe apart from all the other French Silk Pies in the world. Skip the whipped cream if you prefer, and sprinkle with chopped Heath or Skor bars.

French Silk Pie Recipe with a Pecan Cookie Crust
One recipe makes a smaller 7½-inch silky smooth chocolate pie with a memorable pecan cookie crust. Top it with chopped chocolate-covered toffee candy bars. If using a 9-inch pie plate, double the recipe using the calculator in the upper right hand corner of the recipe card.
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6. Browned Butter Pecan Pie in a Crust That Won’t Stick to the Pan

Try this recipe for Browned Butter Pecan Pie and pick up some tricks for making a crust that won’t stick to the pan.

Browned Butter Pecan Pie Recipe
This recipe for pecan pie with browned butter is totally worth the calories once or twice a year. I predict this will be your new favorite pecan pie recipe.
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7. Mini Pecan Pie Tarts in a Shortbread Crust: A Pecan-Lover’s Dream

If a full-size pecan pie seems like a big commitment, try this mini version. They don’t take nearly as long to bake.

Sweet Chocolate Pecan Filling Recipe for Shortbread Mini Tarts
Browned butter provides the base for this pecan lover’s dream dessert. You don’t have to make the crusts but this recipe for shortbread crusts makes them the BEST pecan tarts ever!
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8. Microwave Pastry Cream: How To Make it Lump-Free

Skip the pudding mix and learn how to make a silky smooth cream pie filling in a microwave as good or better than making it on top of the stove. No worries about scorching, tempering eggs, lumps, etc. Try it out for yourself with a scrumptious banana cream pie or a coconut cream pie.

Microwave Pastry Cream for a Cream Pie Filling
Use a microwave to make this smooth vanilla custard or pastry filling without any lumps.
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9. Speedy Microwave Chocolate Pie with a Graham Cracker Crust

This Speedy Microwave Chocolate Cream Pie with a Graham Cracker Crust is appropriate for any celebration or just because. Using the microwave makes a quick filling with no chance of scorching.

How To Make a Chocolate Cream Pie with Microwave Magic
Whip up this chocolate cream pie with a filling made in the microwave, then nestled into a graham cracker pie crust. Top with whipped cream and more chocolate.
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10. Zebra Pie: Surprise Them with Unexpected Stripes (+ Video)

Zebra Pie is a fun layered chocolate and vanilla cream pie recipe in a dark chocolate crumb crust. A video is included to show you how to make the stripes.

Zebra Cream Pie
This layered chocolate and vanilla cream pie is nestled in a chocolate crumb crust. Directions are for cooking the cream filling in a microwave oven.
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11. Mini Fruit Tarts Recipe with Pastry Cream and the BEST Shortbread Crust

This recipe is what you need for your next celebration whether it’s a wedding, shower, party, or reception. These tarts couldn’t be easier to serve and eat. This is the most popular pie in this list.

Mini Fruit Tarts with Vanilla Pastry Cream
These shortbread-crusted tarts are filled with a light, creamy custard made in the microwave, and then topped with the fresh fruit of your choice.
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12. Easy No-Bake Fresh Nectarine Pie

Depending on where you live, this fruit pie would make a good Fourth of July pie. Use peaches if you prefer.

No-Bake Fresh Nectarine Pie Recipe
A beautiful glaze showcases fresh nectarines or peaches in this summertime pie.
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13. Baked Key Lime Pie (and How To Squeeze a Lime the Right Way!)

Baked Key Lime Pie is made with the traditional sweetened condensed milk, but it’s lightly baked, so there are no raw eggs. Don’t miss the discussion about the correct use of a citrus squeezer.

Baked Key Lime Pie Recipe
This easy Baked Key Lime Pie Recipe contains not only sweetened condensed milk and key limes, but also egg yolks and whipped egg whites
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14. Chocolate Ganache Tartlets with the BEST Homemade Shortbread Crusts

Chocolate lovers will go crazy for these easy tartlets with pure and unadulterated chocolate flavor. Don’t forget the whipped cream. There’s a video if making the crust sounds scary.

Chocolate Ganache Tartlet Recipe
These mini chocolate tarts or tartlets feature chocolate or vanilla-flavored homemade shortbread crusts. Fill them with a rich but effortless bittersweet chocolate ganache.
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15. Mini Cheesecake Tarts: Mascarpone is the Secret Ingredient

Change the fruit to suit your tastes or color scheme. Combining fresh fruit, Mascarpone cream in the filling (or substitute cream cheese), and a homemade shortbread crust is unbeatable.

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Sweet Mascarpone Cheesecake Mini Tarts
A no-bake filling featuring mascarpone cheese makes these two-bite cheesecake mini-tarts easy to make ahead of time. Garnish with the fruit of your choice.
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16. Fresh Strawberry Pie Recipe with Jello in the Glaze

Fresh Strawberry Pie with Jello in the Glaze is a summer treat you won’t be able to resist. An easy pat-in-the-pan cookie crust recipe is included.

17. Easy Mini Lemon Tarts with the BEST Shortbread Crust

This recipe will satisfy any lemon addiction. Pull it out when lemons are plentiful and less expensive. These tarts have the same fabulous shortbread crust all the other mini tarts boast.

Mini Lemon Tarts with a Shortbread Crust
These Easy Mini Lemon Tarts are made with lemon curd and homemade créme fraîche. Pile the filling into homemade shortbread crusts and decorate with fruit. It’s a little bit rich but the perfect size for satisfying an after-dinner sweet tooth.
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Favorite Pie Crust Recipes When You Want To Make it From Scratch

If you’re a beginning pie baker, I suggest you start with the second recipe. It’s a bit easier to handle. If you love a super flaky, buttery crust, try the yogurt pie crust.

Flaky Yogurt Pie Crust Recipe
This recipe for an all-butter pie crust with unflavored yogurt produces an incredibly tasty, flaky, and tender crust that bakes up beautifully, even without a filling.
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Flaky Pie Crust with Shortening for a Beautiful Pie
Use shortening and some butter as the fat in a pie crust recipe that combines the flavor of butter with the flakiness and stability of shortening.
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If you have questions or suggestions, email me privately for a quick answer: Paula at saladinajar.com. Hope to see you again soon! 

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