Mini Egg Pies with creamy custard filling and a super buttery crust are the ultimate snack or dessert. They are fun to eat and make a great party or on-the-go sweet treat.
Before there was Kawaling Pinoy, my long-time dream was to have my own restaurant or catering services. Over the years, I thought of quitting my full-time job and taking the risky plunge, but the prospect of jumping into the water with both feet was daunting, especially with a dependent child still in college.
All I could do was take small steps and see where they brought me. I contacted a few restaurants, and Asian supermarkets in our area to offer my mini egg pies, leche flan, and cassava cake on a consignment basis and had a friend design a packaging label on Photoshop for my products.
I'd come home from work late in the afternoon, bake my goodies till dawn, and deliver them the next day before I went to work again. It was an exhausting one-person show but nonetheless exciting.
If you happened to be at a certain Asian supermarket in Carson, California mid-October of 2010 and saw a suspicious-looking woman taking pictures of their refrigerator, that would have been me. It was so surreal to see something I baked actually on the shelves for sale!
Unfortunately, after a year of sweating it out, I had to accept it was all but wishful thinking. Although the venture was successful on its own merits, it was too small-scaled to warrant hiring another pair of hands to help or to give up my job to focus on it a hundred percent.
But even if I don't sell these mini egg pies anymore, I still regularly make them for potlucks or gatherings. Conveniently bite-sized with a crust so crisp and flaky and a custard filling so smooth and velvety!
Give them a try and let me know in the comments if I could have been the next Sara Lee if I held on to the dream a little longer. ๐
Helpful tips
- The key to buttery, flaky crusts is starting with VERY cold ingredients. I recommend freezing the butter cubes and chilling the flour for a few minutes to maintain cool temperatures.
- For a tender crust, use ice-cold water and add just enough amount for the dough to hold together. The dough should not be sticky but shaggy and feel almost dry to the touch.
- Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before rolling it out, especially during hot weather. Work fast while rolling and lining the muffin pans, so the dough doesn't heat up. If it softens, tears apart, or sticks on the work surface, return it to the refrigerator to chill for about 5 minutes.
- Handle the dough gently and do not over-manipulate to prevent gluten formation.
How to store
Wrap the pies tightly with film, transfer to a container with a tight-fitting lid, and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Note that the crust can become soggy over time.
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 8 ounces butter
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ยผ cup ice water
For the Custard FIlling
- 6 egg yolks
- 1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
- 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
- Cut butter into cubes and freeze for about 30 minutes to an hour.
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and sugar and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
- Add butter to flour mixture. Cut the butter into the flour using a pastry blender or by pinching the fat into the flour mixture with hands. Work them together until resembling coarse cornmeal with pea-like, butter-speckled pieces.
- Slowly drizzle ice water to the flour-butter mixture and with hands, mix until just combined. Gently gather dough and press into a ball. If the dough is too crumbly and does not hold together, add more water a tablespoon at a time. DO NOT ADD TOO MUCH LIQUID and DO NOT OVERWORK DOUGH.
- Wrap dough with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine egg yolks, evaporated milk, and condensed milk until blended. Using a cheesecloth, strain custard mixture.
- Divide dough into 12 balls. Place each ball between two sheets of parchment paper and with a rolling pin, gently flatten each ball into 4-inch diameter and โ -inch thickness.
- Spray holes of a 12-hole muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. Lift each flattened dough and place into each muffin holes and with hands, gently press on sides and bottom. Trim off excess dough on edges.
- Pour custard mixture into prepared dough-lined muffin pan up to ยพ full.
- Bake in a 350 F oven for about 20 to 25 minutes or until crust is golden and a toothpick inserted in the middle of custard comes out clean.ย
- Remove from oven and allow to cool before removing from pan. Best served at room temperature.
Notes
- The key to buttery, flaky crusts is starting with VERY cold ingredients. I recommend freezing the butter cubes and chilling the flour for a few minutes to maintain cool temperatures.
- For a tender crust, use ice-cold water and add just enough amount for the dough to hold together. The dough should not be sticky but shaggy and feel almost dry to the touch.
- Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before rolling it out, especially during hot weather. Work fast while rolling and lining the muffin pans, so the dough doesn't heat up. If it softens, tears apart, or sticks on the work surface, return it to the refrigerator to chill for about 5 minutes.
- Handle the dough gently and do not over-manipulate to prevent gluten formation.
Video
Nutrition Information
โThis website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.โ
Jane says
hi, i have tried these eggpies and they are really yummy. but i have one problem though, there are lots of dark dots on the crust and they dont look good. what did i do wrong?
Lalaine says
Hi Jane
Try placing the muffin pans on middle rack so the custard filling doesn't brown too much.
Christine says
Hi! Can i put buko in the filling?
Lalaine says
Hi Christine,
Buko has a lot of water and will make the eggpie spoil faster. Bottled macapuno might work better.
Ruby says
Hi Lalaine,
Thanks for the recipe. it was a hit, I made 12 pcs last night and my family loves it especially my son. I used only 1 and half cup of evap and condensed and put a 1/2 tsp of vanilla and it was perfect. The crust is really flaky. Keep it up! 2 thumbs up. ๐
Lalaine says
Thanks for the feedback, Ruby. I am glad your family enjoyed the pies.
Chelle says
Hi, I made these mini pies yesterday. At first I thought the crust was too oily. So I rated it 3. I couldn't help myself from trying one mini pie they really look creamy and so golden. And so I did. I told myself it was just so-so. But my husband, who tried one about an hour after said it was awesome.
I didn't eat anymore. Not until breakfast today. You know what, you were right. They were best eaten at room temp. Haha. And like other baked goodies I have tried, these taste better (or best) a day after they were baked.
Thanks for this recipe. My husband asked me to bake another batch for him to bring for the kids he's been coaching this week at the Sports Camp. Hope they'll love it too. (Para may umorder din sa akin hahaha).
Lalaine says
Hello Chelle,
Yes, these pies are better at room temperature. I guess it allows them to set a little. Although, I've been known to pop them in my mouth hot from the oven. Too excited to wait, haha.
I am glad hubby liked them. I hope you do try selling them, I get orders for these all the time but blogging and work make it pretty difficult for me to start selling again.
Camille says
Omg. I love your place alredy.my kid will be baking thse today and I hope it turns out well. I'm also sving some other desserts you have here for next week. !!!
Lalaine says
Thanks, Camille. I hope you and your kids will have a fun baking adventure ๐
arlene javier says
can i cook in turbo broiler this recipe?
Lalaine says
Hi Arlene,
I've never personally tried baking these in a turbo broiler so I can't guarantee results. Does your turbo have temperature settings?
Moira says
I tried baking this yesterday, my kids love the mini egg pies but there's just one problem, i followed all the instructions and the exact measurement of the ingredients, the crust was so crunchy and powdery that it easily breaks, even when im taking them out from the molder they break easily, been wondering where i've gine wrong. Anyway, thanks for the recipe, i'll definitely try again ๐
Lalaine says
Hello Moira
The crust is really very flaky. Please allow it to cool completely before removing from the muffin pan so they won't break. Also, make sure to grease the muffin holes well.
Bham says
New fan here!
As I read your recipes, I noticed that there are "notes" in it on how to do it properly and this is what I'm looking for in a cooking website or cooking blog because I believe that in every recipe there are tricks or proper way on how to do it and not just cooking it. You really are a generous person to share your tricks and trade.Thank You so much.
Lalaine says
Thank you so much, Bham, for your positive feedback ๐
mel says
Hi Miss Lalaine:
gave me a sample food for today....
Ofelia says
I have been cooking for a while but I still look around for other things and I really try to make it. I like your igado. Even my husband who is fond of eating "junk foods" ate it twice. I just didn't call my son to try it, because it has been raining and when I make it again I'll for sure will call him so he can try it.
Lalaine says
Thank you so much for your feedback, Ofelia. I hope your son will like the igado as well.
Lala says
Hi! I am a newbie into baking scenes and just taking fetal steps into exploring what I can do with flour and oven. I have tried this recipe and the pies were gone in less than five minutes (or less) as soon as they were cool enough to be eaten. I would like to ask if you would consider adding flavorings to egg mixture such as lemon rind or vanilla?
Lalaine says
Hello Lala
Aren't they addicting? Every time I make these eggpies, they're gone in 60 seconds ๐
Yes, you can add flavorings if you want. Lemon/lime and vanilla would be perfect.
susan says
Hi i like all your recipes and im browsing it everyday just part of my routine when i am in my computer but much that i wanted to join your contest for the give away i would like to ask if is it poosible for me to join because i am living in italy, however continue sending me all of your recipes..
thanks
susan
Lalaine says
Yes, Susan, you can join the contest and giveaways. ๐
Rachel says
Hello Miss Lalaine,
Thanks a lot for the recipe! It was very clear and easy to follow. This is by far the best egg pie I've tasted in a long time! If you ever decide to make this your full-time job, I'm sure you will be successful. Next Sara Lee/ Goldilocks indeed ๐ Thank you again.
Lalaine says
Haha, that was so sweet of you to say. Who knows, right? I might just give Goldilocks a run for their money haha
charry says
hi miss lalaine,
tanong ko lng po sana kung ano po yung size ng muffin pan
thank you and more power....
Lalaine says
Hi Charry
Yung regular size ang gagamitan, yung 9 holes ๐
Julie says
Thanks for this.. i love the melt in mouth texture of the crust.. same as the filling ๐
Lalaine says
Yes, the flaky crust is the heart of these mini eggpies. I am glad you enjoyed them, Julie. I appreciate your positive feedback. ๐