Mini Desserts Available in Sandy Springs or To Make at Home

Mini-size desserts are the perfect sweet ending to a big holiday meal. Fun, festive and small, they won’t leave you stuffed or feeling too guilty.

The popularity of tiny desserts has sky-rocketed in recent years. Whether driven by health- conscious consumers desiring portion control or the food industry’s efforts to increase profits, here’s the bottom line: We still love our desserts.

The beauty of miniatures is you don’t have to skip dessert. Besides the benefits of smaller portions, the attraction to minis include:

• Variety. You can sample more than one dessert, since they’re tiny.

• Size - easy to store, serve and eat.

• Presentation - clever, creative and visually appealing.

• Healthier indulgence. If you don’t eat too many; which can be a challenge.

Miniature desserts are everywhere you turn in Sandy Springs. always stocks a great selection of bite-size treats. Their frozen sweet potato pie bites, encased in flakey phyllo dough and topped with candied pecans, is a delightful 50-calorie taste of holiday tradition.

At , which specializes in entirely gluten-free products, mini pumpkin breads are a year-round favorite.

You won’t be disappointed with the 3-inch seasonal pumpkin, pecan and pecan with chocolate chip pies at on Sandy Springs Circle. Try the pecan pie with chocolate chips for some rich and nutty, ooey, gooey, goodness or a slice of their .

The holidays call for baking so why not try your hand at making your own mini desserts. You’ll love these quick recipes for irresistible Chocolate Pecan Pie Truffles, Pumpkin Gingersnap Truffles and Apple Cranberry Pear Crumble. They follow my healthier, slimmed-down cooking style that’s better for you without sacrificing the taste and integrity of the dish. Mini blessings!

Chocolate Pecan Pie Truffles                                                              makes 12-16 bites

1 ¼ cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped

¾ cup graham cracker crumbs

½ cup dark brown sugar

Dash of salt

1 Tbsp. honey or agave

½ tsp. vanilla extract

1-2 Tbsp. water

 6 oz. chocolate (70 percent cocoa or your preference)

In a medium bowl, combine pecans, graham crackers, brown sugar and salt. Add honey/agave, vanilla and just enough water to bind all ingredients together.  Use a spoon and your hands to form one-inch round balls. Place on parchment lined cookie sheet and freeze for 2hrs. until hardened. Melt chocolate in a double boiler or in a bowl using a microwave at 50 percent power (stirring at 30 second intervals until melted). Dip balls in chocolate and cover completely using a fork to coat and remove balls. Place balls on cookie sheet and in refrigerator to harden for at least 20 minutes.  Store in refrigerator or freezer; serve at room temperature.

Pumpkin Gingersnap Truffles                                                              makes 12-16 bites

¼ cup canned pumpkin puree

½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 cup finely crushed gingersnaps

6 oz. white chocolate

¼ cup finely chopped toasted pumpkin seeds

¼ cup finely chopped dried cranberries

Combine pumpkin, spice and gingersnap crumbs in a small bowl. Form into one-inch round balls. Place balls on parchment-lined cookie sheet and freeze for 2hrs. Dip balls in melted white chocolate and roll in mixture of minced pumpkin seeds and cranberries. Place on cookie sheet to harden in refrigerator. Store in refrigerator or freezer; serve at room temperature.

Apple Cranberry Pear Crumble                                              serves 6

2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into chunks

1 cup fresh cranberries (I used half cup each of fresh and dried)

1 large Bosc pear, cored and cut into chunks

1 Tbsp. candied ginger, minced or 1/2 tsp. freshly grated ginger (optional)

½ lemon, zested and juiced

2 Tbsp. each of white and packed brown sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. fresh grated nutmeg

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

Topping:

1 cup old-fashion oatmeal

2 Tbsp. white whole wheat flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

½ cup brown sugar

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, diced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat ramekins with non-stick spray.

Place fruit in a large bowl and toss with the zest, juice, sugars, spices and cornstarch. Divide evenly into ramekins. For the topping, combine all ingredients in the bowl using fork or pastry cutter to cut-in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle topping over the fruit, covering completely. Place ramekins on parchment-lined cookie sheet; bake for 40-50 minutes or until topping is brown and the fruit bubbly. Serve warm.