Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Food & Drink

This Costco pumpkin pie hack turns 2 whole pies into 60+ mini desserts for Thanksgiving

For around $15 you can please an entire crowd

By

Pumpkin pie

We put a lot of effort into Thanksgiving dinner. Between turkeys, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, stuffing, sweet potato and green bean casseroles, topped with – of course – buckets of gravy, there’s a lot of time spent in the kitchen. And that’s all before dessert even comes into play. So if there’s ever a way we can skip a step or two, a small hack we can apply to make life a little bit easier on this gluttonous of all the holidays, we’re going to take it.

That’s why we love this pumpkin pie hack. Of course, Costco is known for its humungous Thanksgiving pumpkin pies. The huge warehouse store sells them by the cartload at most locations throughout November, and for very good reason. They’re delicious. After all, why make the stupid pie when Costco does a better job anyway? We are all for this Thanksgiving cheat and have been using it for years. But what if we told you you could create over 60 bite-sized desserts for even the biggest of holiday gatherings, and you can do it all with just two Costco pies?

Recommended Videos

Cake pops

How to turn 2 Costco pies into 60+ desserts

Using a small, round biscuit cutter, punch out bite-sized portions from the centers of the pies. You’ll be left with several elegant pumpkin pie petit fours, perfect for a bite-sized sweet treat following a hefty meal. Depending on the size you use, you can get at least 60 mini-pies.

Related

But that’s not even the best part. You can create pumpkin pie cake pops from the remaining crust and thin slivers between spaces.

  • Using a food processor, simply pulse the remaining crust and pie together until a sticky dough forms.
  • Using your hands, form small 1 – 2″ balls from the dough and skewer them onto popsicle sticks.
  • After all of the dough has been shaped onto sticks, simply dip each one into tempered chocolate and allow them to sit until the chocolate has hardened.

This dessert hack serves many wonderful purposes. First, it’s economical. Over 60 desserts with just two pies? Well, hello there, savings. It’s also simple. If you can turn on a food processor and melt chocolate, you’re set to impress with your culinary skills. We also love the practicality it offers. Sure, we all love Thanksgiving pies, but how often do we really want a humungous piece immediately following such a sizable feast? This provides a simple, elegant bite to complete the meal that won’t leave you unbuttoning your jeans to make room.

We also love the idea of doing this with multiple pies so that people don’t have to commit to just one dessert. With these little cuties, you can try one of everything!

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Lindsay Parrill
Lindsay Parrill
Contributor
Lindsay is a graduate of California Culinary Academy, Le Cordon Bleu, San Francisco, from where she holds a degree in…
Forget the wine this Thanksgiving: 5 batch cocktails that just might be better for your group dinner
Batch cocktails are better than wine - here's why
Crowd of people toasting with cocktails

If we're completely honest with ourselves, alcohol on Thanksgiving is every bit as important as the turkey. Maybe you're the sole cook in the kitchen, upon whom the entire culinary burden is placed, and you need a little stress relief. Maybe your single, child-free lifestyle is something that, for some reason, is up for debate between every member of your family. Or maybe you just really need something to get you through dinner with Uncle Steve yammering on about his rifle collection. Whatever the reason, on Thanksgiving, booze is a necessity.

In many families, the social lubricant of choice with Thanksgiving dinner is wine, which makes sense. For many, wine feels like the correct, most sophisticated choice for what may be the most elegant meal of the year. But the truth is, not everyone likes wine, and it's nice to have other options available for those who would prefer to douse their familial frustrations in mezcal or whiskey and not pinot noir.

Read more
A chef’s tips for making a dry-aged roast duck recipe that beats your dried-out Thanksgiving turkey any day
Dry-aged roast duck vs dry turkey - the choice is clear
dry aged duck dish

On holidays, there are things that are done for the sake of tradition. Red hearts are strung about, eggs are painted, flags are flown, pumpkins are carved, and turkey is eaten. Turkey on Thanksgiving is just one of those givens in life. The question, "What are you having for dinner" on Thanksgiving day, is never something that needs to be asked. That would just be ridiculous. But what if - caused by some extremely blasphemous flaw in your genetic design - you (gasp) don't care for turkey? What if you've spent your entire life hiding your distaste for this blandest of birds, and your whole Thanksgiving career has been a lie? First of all, forgive yourself. Turkey can be dry and gross and, if we're honest, is probably the least exciting protein out there. Save for, perhaps, boneless, skinless chicken breast. That's why we love a non-traditional Thanksgiving meal. This year, give yourself some grace and step away from the Thanksgiving turkey. Instead, consider duck.
There are plenty of non-turkey Thanksgiving meal ideas out there, and we are completely on board with this trend. From a whole roasted salmon, to an elegant prime rib, to a casual outdoor crab feed, there are thousands of ways to celebrate the spirit of thankfulness that have nothing to do with turkey. But this recipe might just be our favorite. One that still features poultry, but lacks the lackluster tradition just for tradition's sake.
Chefs Dan Jacobs and Dan Van Rite, of esteemed Milwaukee restaurants DanDan and EsterEv, have shared with The Manual their famous dry-aged roast duck as an amazing alternative to a boring turkey this Thanksgiving. These five-time James Beard-nominated chefs are determined to turn your tired holiday table into something deliciously exciting with this recipe, and we are here for it. Their amazing dry-aged roast duck recipe features an easy dry-aging technique to tenderize the meat, develop flavor, and ensure extra crispy skin. The best part is there's absolutely no fancy equipment or ingredients necessary.
Dry aging meat at home sounds like an intimidating process, but all that's really needed is a little extra room in the refrigerator. Dry aging is a process of tenderizing and flavoring meat that helps to develop a far more rich and robust flavor than it would have when fresh. And yes, it can be safely done at home. Refrigerators have built-in circulation systems that will allow fresh air to surround the meat as it dry-ages, keeping it cool, dry, and safe from bacteria.

And while this recipe calls for simply roasting in a regular oven, Chef Van Rite explains that a combi oven works even better, telling The Manual, "At EsterEv, we cook our duck in a combi oven at 378 degrees with 60% humidity. We roast it for seven minutes and then flip it for another seven minutes before letting it rest for 10-15 minutes. If you have access to one, the combi oven really elevates the taste of the bird."

Read more
Deviled egg recipe: From basic to advanced, just in time for Thanksgiving
Everyone likes deviled eggs, right?
Deviled eggs

Classic Southern deviled eggs are often thought of as a summer side dish, pairing well with barbecues and outdoor summer lunches. But we think deviled eggs are too good to enjoy only one season of the year. Deviled eggs make the perfect light appetizer for guests to nibble on before the main event since they're not too heavy or filling. Not to mention, they're perfect for adding and changing up your Thanksgiving routine to keep things interesting.

If you've ever made deviled eggs before, you know there's an endless amount of variations in recipes. Variations can come from the deviled egg mixture itself, using different condiments to add a creamy texture (mayo, Miracle Whip, mustard, avocado, cream cheese, etc.). In addition, the variation in recipes can also come from different toppings and garnishes used to add flavor and complete the look of your deviled eggs for serving. As delicious as these all sound, which deviled egg recipe is best for Thanksgiving? We've got you covered with four of our favorite trustworthy deviled egg recipes -- from basic to advanced.

Read more