Kumquat Mini Cookie Pies

For Pi Day, I wanted to create a very unique kind of pie. I was gifted some kumquats and had no idea how to eat them or how to use them. They look like little oblong oranges. In case you don’t know, it turns out you eat the entire fruit. The inside has an almost unpleasant tartness but eating the rind balances out the tartness with sweetness! I had enough of these unusual little fruits to make some jam. Then I thought about using the jam in little pies. How about cookie pies??? Perfect!! I had my idea for this Instructable! You can follow along to see how I easily made them!

Kumquat Jam

Ingredients

2 cups fresh ripe kumquats

2 cups water

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground ginger

Supplies/Tools

tongs

cutting board

candy thermometer

sharp knife

cheesecloth

3-quart saucepan

spoon

scissors

small bowl

When I received the kumquats, they were in a cute little red bag. Here are all of my kumquats. I thinly sliced each one, placing the seeds in a separate little bowl. There is pectin in the seeds and that will help to thicken the jam.

Place the sliced kumquats into a 3-quart saucepan.

Roughly cut a piece of cheesecloth, using enough to wrap the seeds in. Add the seeds to the center of the cheesecloth. Tie the cheesecloth in a knot, enclosing the seeds completely. This is done so the seeds can be removed later from the jam mixture.

Add 2 cups of water to the kumquats in the pan along with the packet of seeds. Allow to sit for 3 hours so that some of the pectin can extract from the seeds into the water. Place the pot over medium high heat. When it starts to simmer, lower the heat and simmer the jam for 45 minutes.

Using tongs, remove the seed packet from the jam. Stir in the sugar and ginger. Continue simmering the jam for 15 minutes, or until the jam reaches 220 degrees on a candy thermometer. Allow the jam to cool in the pot. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use. Use it as is, covered, within one month or process jars of jam in a water bath for 10 minutes. It is delicious on toast!

Cookie Dough Ingredients

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1 cup shortening (or 1 stick) plus more for greasing the pan

2 large eggs

1/4 cup light corn syrup or pancake syrup

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Supplies/Tools

rolling pin

(2) 24 count mini muffin tins

12 inch square of plastic wrap

spoon

spatula

paper towel

rolling mat

electric mixer

metal spatula

2-inch cutter, drinking glass or jar

Beat sugar with shortening using an electric mixer at medium speed until blended.

Beat in eggs, syrup and vanilla.

Add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Combine on low speed until blended.

Form a ball of dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.

Using a paper towel, grease boths pans with shortening. If you only have one 24-count pan, you can reuse the pan, repeating the following steps.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the dough in half. Roll the dough half 1/4-inch thick.

Using the 2-inch cutter or jar, cut 24 circles. Place each circle into a greased mini muffin cup. Press dough to cover the bottom and up the sides of each cup. Repeat with remaining dough.

Spoon jam into each cookie cup.

Reroll the scraps of dough. Using a small spatula or knife, cut small dough strips.

Tear strips so each piece will fit on top of the pies. Carefully arrange and place 3 strips onto each pie. Place 3 more strips in the opposite direction on each pie, forming a lattice.

Bake each pan of cookies at 350 degrees F. for 16 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool in pans completely. Twist out each cookie pie, using a knife if necessary.

And here are the finished mini cookie pies. By using mini muffin pans, they really do look like little pies! They are so very cute!!!! I was so happy with the taste of the unusual kumquat filling inside. The addition of ground ginger adds just the right amount of spice. My kids and grandkids really enjoyed them! If you are able to buy kumquats, I hope you will give this recipe a try! They would be great served at a family gathering since it makes 48 cookie pies. I enjoyed making them as much as I enjoyed eating them!