Description
Old Fashioned Pecan Tassies are classic bite-sized pecan tarts featuring a rich, buttery cream cheese crust filled with a sweet, gooey pecan filling. Perfectly topped with a pecan half, these mini treats offer a delightful balance of creamy, nutty, and caramel flavors, ideal for holiday gatherings or anytime you crave a nostalgic dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 3/4 cup salted butter, room temperature
- 5 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Filling
- 1 ½ cups dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 2 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon maple extract
- ½ cup finely chopped pecans
- 36 pecan halves (for topping)
Instructions
- Make the Crust: In a small bowl, use a hand mixer to cream together the butter and cream cheese until well combined and smooth. Gradually add the all-purpose flour and mix until a smooth dough forms.
- Prepare the Mini Muffin Pans: Spray three mini muffin pans to provide 36 total cups with cooking spray. Use a mini cookie scoop to divide the dough evenly, placing dough balls into each muffin cup. Refrigerate the pans to chill the dough while preparing the filling.
- Make the Filling: In a medium bowl, whisk together the dark brown sugar, melted butter, eggs, maple extract, and finely chopped pecans until thoroughly combined.
- Preheat the Oven and Shape the Dough Cups: Heat your oven to 350ºF (175ºC). After the dough has chilled for about 15 minutes, remove one muffin pan from the refrigerator. Press the dough in each cup firmly on the bottom and up the sides to create a small cup shape.
- Fill the Cups: Spoon the pecan filling into each dough cup, filling them about two-thirds full. Top each tart with a single pecan half for garnish.
- Bake the Tassies: Place the pans in the oven and bake for approximately 18 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and the filling is set. Remove from the oven and let cool.
- Cool and Serve: Once cooled, carefully loosen the tassies from the pans using a small knife and transfer them to a cooling rack. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Notes
- Make sure both the butter and cream cheese are at room temperature for easy creaming and a smooth dough.
- Pressing the dough evenly into the muffin cups ensures uniform cooking and a good crust structure.
- Refrigerating the dough before baking helps prevent shrinking and keeps the crust tender.
- You can substitute maple extract with vanilla extract if desired.
- Store tassies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
- For a gluten-free version, use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend instead of regular flour.
