No-bake Mini Eggnog Pies

Nothing tastes quite like the holiday season the way that eggnog does for me. When I start seeing cartons of this holiday drink in the grocery stores, I know Christmastime is here! My love and nostalgia for this seasonal beverage inspired me to create an eggnog pie. But sometimes a full pie can be overwhelming, and people shy away from cutting into it. So I went small-scale with these no-bake mini eggnog pies. These sweet treats have the flavor of eggnog but aren’t overly sweet, thanks to Greek yogurt, which adds a bit of tang here. Their crust also packs some fantastic flavor, thanks to ground gingersnap cookies and browned butter. Not like anybody can really resist a mini pie, but that little whipped cream on top makes them that much more appealing and fancier for the holidays!

Ingredients for these no-bake mini eggnog pies

This no-bake dessert recipe has a short ingredient list. For the filling and topping of these mini eggnog pies, you’ll need:

• Full-fat Greek yogurt
• A can of sweetened condensed milk
• Eggnog (fresh or store-bought; I went with the latter for convenience)
• Heavy cream
• Rum extract, which is optional but a fun addition

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For the crust of these eggnog pies, you’ll need:

• Gingersnaps
• A pinch of salt
• Browned butter

If you haven’t enjoyed the taste of browned butter before, you’re in for an added treat here. It gives a slightly nutty aroma and flavor, which works well with the sweetness of the eggnog and balances it out.

To successfully brown butter, watch your pot closely. On medium-high heat over a burner, your butter should brown in a few minutes. There is a fine line between nicely browned and sadly burned butter, so take care to avoid the second option! You want to get to the point where you see little brown flecks scattered throughout the butter. It will overall turn a more amber color, too.

Worth noting, it can be helpful to use a pot that is lighter in color or clear so that you can see the difference. If you’re using a darker-colored pot, you’ll have a harder time noticing the subtle changes in your butter’s color. But it’s a pretty simple step and one I really recommend following here.

For finishing touches, you’ll also top these no-bake mini eggnog pies with homemade whipped cream and some nutmeg.

Highlights on making these mini eggnog pies

This is a quick and straightforward recipe, the kind I like for holiday desserts. Time can be short during this busy period of the year, so sticking with easy desserts is usually the route I try to take! And no-bake desserts are even simpler.

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I’m flagging a few tips here, but the recipe card below will serve you well.

• Finely grind the gingersnap cookies for your crust. Clumps of cookie crumbs don’t look as nice, and their heavier weight makes them sink more into the filling of your pie.
• For smooth-looking mini pies, I highly recommend reusable silicon liners instead of paper or foil. They peel away from the mini pies pretty cleanly once they’ve frozen. I have and really like this set from OXO. If you don’t have silicone liners, foil works, but the sides aren’t quite as sturdy as what you’d get with silicone. You may want to fill your foil liners slightly less than what I recommend, too. When I tested this, the foil had a tendency to spread open as the weight of the filling pushed them outward. I would not recommend paper, as it may stick to the sides upon removal, and it is very flimsy.

Serving your no-bake mini eggnog pies

Because you must freeze this no-bake dessert, they will melt if left out for long at warm (or even room) temperatures. Don’t remove them from the freezer until you’re ready to serve and add the homemade whipped cream to the top of them. I have a guide for making homemade whipped cream, too, if you want more tips and tricks there.

Alternatively, you could fully prepare these mini eggnog pies in advance. Let them completely harden in the freezer in an airtight container. Then peel them away from the silicone liners and place on a surface to decorate them. Pipe the whipped cream on top and place them all back in the freezer as is. This way, they will be ready to serve straight from the freezer. But piping the topping doesn’t take much time, so divvy up these steps however works best for your schedule. 

More recipes and sweets to enjoy this Christmas

If you’re looking for other sweet treats for your holiday dessert table, check out my mini cranberry Bundt cake recipe or my mini apple apple Bundt cake recipe.

If you know me well, you also know I love decorating cakes! I have this Christmas tree farm cake tutorial that you can recreate in under 30 minutes. Definitely check that out if you’re looking for a sweet and simple Christmas cake design!

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