These Pecan Tassies only have 6 ingredients! They are made of a buttery pie crust and filled with brown sugar and pecan filling. They’re the perfect bite-sized treat!
It’s the best time of the year for making quick and easy holiday dessert! Be sure to try our easy pumpkin cake and no-bake chocolate salami.
Table Of Contents
Recipe Details
I love these Pecan Tassies because they are just the right size after a big meal. Serve them with coffee or other sweets for an elegant dessert course.
- TASTE: These Pecan Tassies have the most incredible caramelized brown sugar flavor in the filling. Sweet and nutty, this dessert is the perfect end to a holiday meal.
- TEXTURE: The pie crust is so flaky and buttery, it practically melts in your mouth with each bite. And the sticky filling with its chunks of pecan are scrumptious.
- TIME: This recipe will take about 45 minutes for you to make.
- EASE: These mini pecan pies are really easy to make. With just 6 ingredients, they’re simple while looking really elegant.
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes
- Brown sugar- This is what gives the filling in these Pecan Tassies its deliciously sweet, caramelized flavor. I prefer light brown sugar for this recipe.
- Butter- Cold butter is mixed into the crust of this dessert to make it flaky and buttery. Make sure to keep it cold until you’re ready to use it.
- Cream cheese- This ingredient adds richness and flavor. And the higher fat content helps hold everything together in the crust.
- Pecans- Chopped for little bits of crunchy nuttiness, these make the dessert.
- Eggs- This is the binder that holds the sugar and pecan together. Don’t forget them!
How to Make Pecan Tassies
- Make the brown sugar filling. Combine the golden brown sugar and eggs in a bowl along with the finely chopped pecans. Set aside.
- Cut up the butter. In a separate bowl, cut the cold butter into the flour until the butter becomes pea-sized.
- Add the cream cheese. Then combine the cream cheese with the butter and flour. At this point, I just use my hands as the dough begins to form into one piece.
Pro Tip: I like to use a pastry cutter when I cut the butter, but you can do it in a food processor as well.
- Scoop out the dough. Scoop out tablespoon-sized pieces of the dough and form them into balls. Then place them into a greased mini muffin tin.
- Form and fill the pecan tassies. Using your fingers, flatten out each ball so it takes the shape of the hollow tin. Then fill each pocket with the pecan filling.
- Bake. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20-25 minutes. After they cool, you can leave them as is or add toppings.
Recipe Tips
- Use cold butter– Just like with pie dough, you want to make sure the butter is straight out of the fridge. This will ensure super scrumptiously flaky dough.
- Speed up the dough-making– By using a food processor, you can really speed up the dough steps. Just be sure to keep an eye on the size of the butter as you want them no smaller than a pea.
- Fix a sticky pie dough– If you begin to notice the dough sticking to your fingers too much when placing it into the muffin tin, just pop it in the fridge for about 25 minutes to harden the butter a bit.
- How to use leftover pecans– If you have some leftover pecans after you’re done, use them to make some Candied Pecans, or in a Spinach Strawberry Feta Salad or Bread Pudding with Vanilla Rum Sauce (VIDEO).
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Add toppings- Try these Pecan Tassies with a drizzle of melted semisweet chocolate on top.
- Make them gluten-free- Substituting the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free baking flour is the only change you need to make!
- Add bourbon- Make these mini pecan pies even more flavorful by adding a little boubon to the filling. Some of the alcohol will be retained though, so keep it in mind when serving.
- Substitute a graham cracker crust- Try this dessert with a different crust, such as a chocolate or graham cracker crust, like in this Pumpkin Cheesecake (VIDEO).
FAQs
If the sticky filling leaks out while baking, it will harden as it cools. Place the muffin tins back in the oven for a minute or two, then use a sharp-tipped knife to gently peel the pecan tassies away from the sides and remove.
Tassies got their name from Scotland, where it means “miniature cup.” A pecan tassie is a mini pecan pie. This term is also used for mini tarts.
Serving Suggestions
These Pecan Tassies are a very versatile dessert and can be served after holiday meals, with coffee or other sweets. Here are some ideas.
- Meats: Serve this dessert after a meal of Juicy Thanksgiving Turkey, Garlic Herb Crown Roast of Pork, or Roast Duck Stuffed with Apples.
- Coffee: Try these Pecan Tassies with hot coffee, or with a Pumpkin Spice Latte, Iced Caramel Macchiato, or Caramel Frappuccino Recipe (Starbucks Copycat).
Make These in Advance
Make ahead: You can make these Pecan Tassies ahead of time and store them in an airtight container. Wait to add any toppings until you are ready to serve.
Storing: You can store them at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a week, or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Freeze: Once they have cooled, place them in a ziplock bag or airtight container and keep them frozen for 3-4 months. Just be sure to thaw them to room temperature before serving.
More Holiday Recipes!
Full Recipe Instructions
Pecan Tassies
Ingredients
Dough
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1 cup unsalted cold butter equal to 2 sticks
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
Pecan filling
- 2 cups pecans chopped
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 2 eggs
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the chopped pecans, brown sugar, and eggs. Then set them aside.
- In a separate bowl cut the cold butter into the flour until the butter becomes pea-sized. I like to use a pastry cutter for this but you can do it in a food processor as well.
- Then combine the cream cheese with the butter and flour. At this point, I just used my hands because the dough begins to form into one piece.
- Scoop out 1 tablespoon-sized piece of the dough and form them into balls. Then place them into a greased mini muffin tin.
- Using your fingers flatten out each ball so it takes up the shape of the hollow tin. Then fill each pocket with 1 tablespoon of the pecan filling.
- Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20-25 minutes. After the pecan pies cool, you can leave them as they are or drizzle a little bit of melted semisweet chocolate on top. Tip: These can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Notes
-
- If you don’t have a pastry cutter, a food processor will work too. Just be careful not to overmix the dough.
- If your dough begins to get too soft, just place it in the fridge for 20-30 minutes to firm it back up.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted on Nov 16, 2015, we’ve tweaked it a bit since then.
- Rolo Cookies - November 27, 2023
- Apple Fritter Bread - November 25, 2023
- Turkey Melt - November 20, 2023
Jenna says
Hello Dina!
I plan to make these sometime, but I don’t have the mini muffin tin. Would the recipe work in a regular muffin tin just adjust the baking time?
Let me know!
Thank you
Dina says
Hi Jenna, yes you can make them in regular muffin sizes and increase the bake time just a tad but not too much more. I would keep a close eye on them since I don’t have an exact time to give you. I have not made them in larger muffins sizes yet.
Tanya says
Does the cream cheese need to be cold or room temp
Dina says
Hi Tanya, the cream cheese needs to be cold.
Luda says
These are sooo good. Made them so many times. The only bad thing is you can’t eat one or two or three😂 so hard to stop.
Dina says
You are too funny Luda! Happy to hear you loved these pecan tassies so much! 🙂 Thank you so much for taking the time to leave your feedback and for supporting my blog! 🙂
Tania says
These are hard to put down 😩 so good! Thank you for the delicious recipe
simplyhomecooked says
I know right?? The crunchy nuts and caramelized brown sugar is so addictive. Thank you for sharing your feedback, Tania!
Vicky says
Made these for Christmas party !! They were super delish and unique :)) I used walnuts instead of pecans, and it was super !!!!
simplyhomecooked says
Vicky thank you so much for taking the time, to leave feedback. I am so thrilled that these were a hit!
Luda says
These are simply the best !!!
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you Luda! They are one of my favorite mini treats 🙂
Carolina Vasylyshyn says
made these several times & this is my go to recipe!! 🙂 perfect, delicious, and easy to make! Especially perfect for the holidays. I didnt have pecans this time, so i used almonds! 🙂
simplyhomecooked says
That’s awesome Carolina! So glad this has become a favorite of yours! 🙂
Julie says
These mini pies are out of this world delicious! I love the crumbly crust, gooey filling and crispy top. Will be making them for thanksgiving!
Marina says
Does this make 24 count or 48?
simplyhomecooked says
It makes about 35 mini pies.
Anna says
A gal made these for a girls tea party a few weeks ago and they were very tasty. I especially like the crumbly texture 🙂
simplyhomecooked says
Oh how nice! Thank you for leaving feedback Anna 🙂 glad you enjoyed it ????
Kristina says
Where did you buy the tray to make the dough shapes ?
simplyhomecooked says
it’s been sometime since I bought the mini muffin tin, so I’m not too sure where I bought it. I’m almost certain bed bath and beyond have it.
LORETTA GILBERT says
How long do these keep? Can you make them several days ahead of a special event?
simplyhomecooked says
I usually make them the day before the event. I’m sure you can make them 2-3 days ahead, as long as you keep them in an airtight container.
Anna says
So using a mixer would not be helpful in this recipe? Do you combine the filling ingredients with a spoon?
simplyhomecooked says
If you don’t have a pastry cutter, you could mix the butter and flour with the paddle attachment of your stand mixer. For the filling, I mixed it with a whisk.