Description
Easy Pecan Tassies are delightful mini pecan pies with a creamy cream cheese crust and a sweet, nutty filling. These bite-sized treats feature a buttery pastry base filled with a rich pecan and brown sugar mixture, perfect for holiday gatherings or everyday indulgence.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Dough
- 3 ounces (85 g) cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup (114 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (125 g) all purpose flour
For the Filling
- 1 egg
- 3/4 cup (165 g) brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup (73 g) coarsely chopped pecans
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: Cream together the softened cream cheese, unsalted butter, and all purpose flour in a mixing bowl until a dough forms. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour to chill and firm up.
- Shape the Crusts: After chilling, divide the dough and roll into 1-inch balls. Press each dough ball evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a greased mini muffin pan to form small pastry cups. Set aside while you prepare the filling.
- Mix the Filling: In a separate bowl, beat together the egg, packed brown sugar, 1 tablespoon softened butter, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth and well combined.
- Assemble the Tassies: Divide the chopped pecans evenly among the pastry cups. Spoon the filling mixture on top of the pecans, about 1 teaspoon per cup, covering the nuts. Place the filled pan in the refrigerator briefly while preheating the oven.
- Bake: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Once preheated, bake the tassies for 25 minutes, or until the filling is set and lightly golden.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the tassies to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before carefully removing them. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Make sure the cream cheese and butter are softened to room temperature for easy mixing.
- Chilling the dough is important to prevent shrinking during baking and to make shaping easier.
- You can substitute pecans with walnuts if preferred.
- Store leftover tassies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
- For a festive touch, drizzle with melted chocolate or dust with powdered sugar before serving.
