Description
Old Fashioned Pecan Tassies are delightful bite-sized tarts with a creamy, buttery crust filled with a rich pecan and brown sugar filling, topped with a whole pecan half. These classic Southern treats offer a perfect balance of sweet and nutty flavors, ideal for holiday gatherings or everyday indulgence.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Dough
- 3/4 cup salted butter, room temperature
- 5 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
For the Filling
- 1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon maple extract
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
- 36 pecan halves (for topping)
Instructions
- Make the dough: In a small bowl, use a hand mixer to cream together the 3/4 cup salted butter and 5 ounces of cream cheese until well combined and smooth. Gradually add 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour and mix until the dough is smooth and holds together.
- Prepare muffin pans: Spray three mini muffin pans (totaling 36 tart cavities) thoroughly with cooking spray. Using a mini cookie scoop, portion the dough evenly into the muffin cups, dividing the dough among all 36 cups. Place the filled pans in the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the filling.
- Make the filling: In a medium bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar, 2 tablespoons melted salted butter, 2 large eggs, 1/2 teaspoon maple extract, and 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans. Mix well until the filling is smooth and well incorporated.
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 350ºF (175ºC) to preheat while assembling the tassies.
- Shape the dough cups: After chilling for about 15 minutes, remove one muffin pan from the refrigerator. Using your fingers or the end of a wooden kitchen tool, press and shape the dough evenly along the bottom and up the sides of each muffin cavity to form small cups. Repeat this process with the remaining pans, working one at a time to maintain dough chill.
- Fill the cups: Fill each dough shell about two-thirds full with the prepared pecan filling, making sure not to overfill as the filling will rise slightly during baking. Place one whole pecan half on top of each filled cup as a garnish.
- Bake the tassies: Place the filled muffin pans in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 18 minutes or until the tarts turn a golden brown color on top.
- Cool and remove: Allow the tassies to cool in the pans for a few minutes, then gently loosen each tart with a small knife around the edges and transfer them carefully to a cooling rack to cool completely before serving.
Notes
- Room temperature butter and cream cheese ensure a smooth dough texture.
- Chilling the dough before filling helps prevent shrinking during baking.
- Using mini muffin pans allows for perfect bite-sized tassies.
- Be careful not to overfill the shells to avoid spillage during baking.
- Cool completely before removal to keep tassies intact.
- These tassies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Southern American
Keywords: Pecan tassies, mini pecan tarts, pecan dessert, Southern dessert, bite-sized tarts, holiday treats
