Pecan Tassies are mini Pecan Pies in a flaky cream cheese crust. They are so addicting, you can never eat just one!
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Grammy used to make Pecan Tassies every Christmas. I can remember how excited I would get when she told me she was baking them. Those little mini pecan pies were so addicting I could never eat just one!
Pecan pie was one of Dad’s favorite desserts so he was also a huge fan of Grammy’s Pecan Tassies. In honor of their memory this holiday season I wanted to make sure these classic little sweet treats were added to the menu.
We will be having our annual family Christmas party this weekend so I baked up a big batch and popped them in the freezer. I’ll take them out the day before the party to add to my cookie tray and it will be like Grammy and Dad are at the party with us.
What are Pecan Tassies?
Pecan Tassies are basically a miniature Pecan Pie. They are super easy to make and you only need a few simple ingredients. That makes them a great addition to your Christmas cookie tray.
Grammy’s recipe is a classic Pecan Tassie. The filling is just a mixture of chopped pecans, brown sugar, eggs, butter and vanilla extract. There are many other additions that you can add if you want to mix things up a bit. By adding a little bourbon you can give your Pecan Tassies some Southern flair. You can also add some mini chocolate chips and turn them into mini Kentucky Derby Pies.
Grammy always added a little piece of maraschino cherry to the top of hers before she baked them. It added a nice little touch of color to brighten them up.
How long can you store Pecan Tassies?
The cream cheese dough for the crusts can be stored in your fridge unbaked for up to 2 days. Once you’ve baked your tassies you can either store them in a tightly covered container for 4-5 days or freeze them up to 1 month.
These little guys are perfect for freezing and taste just as good once they are thawed. That makes them a great make ahead holiday baking treat.
How do you make Pecan Tassies?
Pecan Tassies are easy to make. However any time you are making several little desserts you can expect that you’ll need a bit of time. Once they are prepared everything goes quite quickly. They bake up in just a few minutes.
The cream cheese dough mixes up quickly as well, but it needs to be chilled for about 30-60 minutes before you press them into your mini muffin tins.This makes the dough easier to work with.
There are many ways to prepare your crusts so you can do it whichever way you find easiest. The way that I prepare mine is by rolling them into little 1/2 inch-1 inch sized balls and placing them on a wax or parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
After that I pop them into the fridge to chill for about an hour.
Once they are chilled, I remove them from the fridge and start by flattening one ball between my palms. Then I presss it into one of the wells of the mini muffin tin pan working the dough up the edges with my finger.
After you make the first few you’ll get the hang of it and by the end you’ll be a pro!
Classic Pecan Tassies
Ingredients
For the cream cheese crust
- 6 Ounces Cream cheese ,softened
- 2 Sticks Unsalted butter ,softened
- 2 Cups All purpose flour
For the pecan filling
- 1 1/2 Cups Brown sugar
- 1 Cup Chopped pecans
- 2 Large Eggs
- 2 Tablespoons Unsalted butter ,melted
- 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Pecans or piece of marischino cherry for topping ,optional
Instructions
For the cream cheese crust
- Line a large cookie sheet with wax paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl cream butter and cream cheese until smooth.
- Add in flour and mix until well combined and a dough is formed.
- Roll mixture into 48 balls about 1/2 inch - 1 inch in size. Place on the lined cookie sheet and place in the fridge to chill for about 30 - 60 minutes. (I had mine in for 60 minutes)
- **While your dough is chilling make your filling.
For the pecan filling
- In a medium bowl combine all of the ingredients and mix with a spoon until everything is well combined and you no longer see any streaks of egg. (***You can also keep your chopped pecans separate and just add them to the dough lined muffin tin then pour sugar mixture over after.)
How to put the tassies together
- Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F and lightly grease your mini muffin tin to ensure your tassies don't stick. **I did this even though I used a non stick pan just to be safe.
- Remove your chilled cream cheese dough ball from the fridge.
- Place one of the dough balls between your palms and press to flatten a bit.
- Press the flattened dough into the well of one of the muffin tins and work the dough up the edges with your finger.
- Repeat with all 48 balls then fill with your pecan mixture. Each cup gets about 1/2 Tablespoon filled into it.
- Bake in your preheated oven for 20-25 minutes.
- Remove to a cooling rack and cool for about 10 minutes. Then remove tassies from the pan and cool completely on the cooling rack.
- You can eat them right away, store them in and air tight container for 4-5 days or freeze them in and air tight container for up to 1 month.
Nutrition
Looking for more delicious treats for the Holidays?
Try some of these!
Salted Caramel Turtle Thumbprint Cookies
These never last long when served , always a big hit
Pecan Tassies just like Grammy used to make!