A Fun and Festive Halloween Treat 🎃

Looking for an easy, festive, and fun Halloween dessert? These Easy Jack O’Lantern Pumpkin Tarts are just the ticket! With cozy fall spices and creamy pumpkin filling, they’re like handheld pumpkin pies with a spooky twist. The warm aroma while they bake will bring back memories—and create new ones!

Perfect for lunchboxes, after-school snacks, Halloween parties, or fall gatherings, these cute little tarts are quick to make and don’t require any special equipment. They look impressive, but they’re surprisingly simple!

• Refrigerated Pie Crust Dough (1): The flakey pastry that holds the tart filling.
• Sugar (1/2 cup): Adds sweetness to the filling.
• Pumpkin Pie Spice (1 teaspoon): Adds the classic fall flavor of pumpkin spice with hints of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. (Make sure your pumpkin puree does not include added sugar as this will make the filling overly sweet.)
• Salt (1/4 teaspoon): Helps enhance the flavors of the filling and balances the sweetness.
• Pumpkin Puree (15 ounce can): Also called canned pumpkin. It is pure steamed pumpkin with no extra flavoring.
• Daisy Sour Cream: The sour cream adds rich, tangy flavor and creaminess to the filling. It helps the tarts stay moist and velvety.
• Eggs (2 large): It creates thickness and binds the other ingredients together in the filling and helps the crust turn a glossy.
• Water (1 tablespoon): Used to thin the egg wash used for the crust.

• Bring dough and eggs to room temperature before assembling for best results.
• Make mini tarts using a mini muffin tin: Spray with nonstick spray, press in dough, fill, and bake for 8–10 minutes.
• Don’t have pumpkin pie spice? Make your own with:
  • 2 tbsp cinnamon
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp ground cloves
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
    (Store the rest in an airtight container.)
• Pumpkin pie filling can be used in place of plain pumpkin + spices.
• Swap in mashed butternut or acorn squash or sweet potato purée in place of pumpkin.

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Make the filling: In a bowl, combine sugar, pumpkin pie spice, salt, pumpkin purée, sour cream, and 1 egg. Beat on low until smooth.
3. Cut the dough: Use 3-inch cookie cutters to cut 8 bottoms and 8 tops from the pie crust. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of filling onto each bottom round, leaving a ½-inch border.
4. Add Jack O’Lantern faces: Use a small knife to cut spooky or cute faces into the top rounds. Wet the edges of the bottom dough with water, place the tops over the filling, and seal edges with a fork.
5. Egg wash: Beat the remaining egg with 1 tablespoon water. Brush over the tops of the tarts. Optional: Sprinkle with coarse sugar or cinnamon sugar.
6. Bake for 12–13 minutes, until golden and filling is set. Let cool before serving.

Store leftovers in an airtight container—if there are any!