These homemade Pecan Tassies are sweet little pecan pies but only in a smaller size. You will love the buttery and flaky cream cheese pastry crust and the gooey golden pecan filling that is totally luscious.
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These classic tarts are always favorite treats and one of the most requested desserts to bring to parties. Made in a mini-muffin tin, these bite-sized tassies are quick and easy to make and the perfect bite-sized dessert.
These tarts are always on my holiday table for Christmas and Easter desserts, but I have been known to make them in the middle of summer. Since they freeze well, you can make them ahead of time, keep them in the freezer and pull a few out when you are craving a sweet treat.
Table of contents
Why I Like These Nut Tarts
- These tarts are really the perfect dessert; you can pick them up to eat, no fork required.
- They look impressive on a dessert table; pile them up on a platter.
- These classic tarts are everyone’s favorite, and they make the perfect dessert gift year-round.
Baking with Pecans
- If you love baking with pecans, this easy Pecan Pie with Bourbon is just like the classic pie but taken up a notch in flavor.
- When was the last time you made a batch of blondies? I think these cookies are so underrated, and once you try these easy-to-make Brown Butter Blondies, you will understand my thoughts.
- Bake these Pecan Thumbprint Cookies and fill them with your favorite jam.
- My favorite yeast bread has swirls of pecans. Bake a loaf of this Nutmeg and Pecan Braided Bread; it’s quick to make and delicious to eat.
Tart Recipe Ingredients
For the Crust
- Unsalted Butter
- Cream Cheese
- All-purpose Flour
For the Filling
- Large Eggs
- Brown Sugar – You can use light or dark brown sugar or make homemade brown sugar for a fresh flavor.
- Salt
- Vanilla – Make sure to buy high-quality vanilla, or make your own vanilla using your favorite beans.
- Chopped Pecans
How to Make Pecan Tassies
Step 1. In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese together on high until creamy, about 1 minute.
Step 2. Add the flour and beat on medium speed until a soft dough begins to come together, about 3 minutes.
Step 3. Divide the dough into 24 balls. Press 1 ball into each cup in the muffin tin and use a tart tamper to form the dough into a little cup. When doing the sides of your dough cup, it is best to go a little bit above the edge of the pan.
Pro Tip
If you don’t have a tart tamper, you can roll the dough out on a floured surface, cut out circles, and press the circles into the muffin pan. You can also use your fingers or a spoon to form the dough into a cup.
Step 4. Once that is done, set it aside while we start on the filling. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and pecans.
Step 5. Add approximately 1 tablespoon of the filling to each cup, filling it to the level of the pan (slightly lower than the dough). Do not go past that mark.
Step 6. Bake for 20-25 minutes. The crust will be golden, and the filling will appear a little crispy on top. Cool in the pan for 6-7 minutes, then move them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
More One Hot Oven’s favorite bite-sized treats
- Quick and Easy Jam Tarts are made with a simple pie dough, or even leftover pie dough, and filled with your favorite jam.
- Sweet Cherry Handpies – no fork is required to eat these handheld pies.
- Mini Swiss Cheese Quiche are perfect for breakfast, brunch, or even lunch.
- Apricot Puff Pastry Pinwheels have just four ingredients, all rolled up in buttery puff pastry.
- Baked Cheese Crackers are made with Cotswold cheddar cheese, and these crackers make a great addition to your cheese board.
- Pears & Asiago Cheese Pinwheels are tasty bite-sized appetizers filled with fruit and cheese wrapped in puff pastry.
FAQ’s
These tarts are totally freezable so that you can make them ahead of time. Let the baked tarts cool completely, then store them in an airtight container for up to 3 months. To serve, let them thaw at room temperature.
You can freeze the extra filling for later use in many different desserts.
1. Add the leftover filling to ice cream for a rich butter pecan flavor.
2. When making brownies, mix the pie filling into the batter or pour it on top of it and bake.
3. If you love bread pudding, add the leftover filling to the unbaked pudding and bake.
Most likely, the pecan pie filling has overflowed the pastry dough while baking and dripped down the sides of the pan. To keep this from happening, try these tricks.
1. Don’t overfill the tart shell
2. Lightly grease the muffin pan before adding the tart dough
3. As soon as the tarts come out of the oven, run a knife around the edges to loosen them.
4. Use a non-stick mini muffin pan.
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Recipe
Classic Pecan Tassies
Ingredients
Tart Shells
- ½ cup butter softened
- 3 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
Pecan Filling
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
- 1¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup pecans finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In the bowl to your stand mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese together on high until creamy, about 1 minute.
- Add the flour and beat on medium speed until a soft dough begins to come together, about 3 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 24 – 1 inch balls (½ oz each).
- Press 1 ball into each cup in the muffin tin and use your fingers or a spoon to form the dough into a little cup. When doing the sides of your dough cup, it is best to go a little bit above the edge of the pan.
- Once that is done, set aside while we’ll start on the filling. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and pecans.
- Add approximately 1 tablespoon of the filling into each cup, filling it level to the pan (slightly lower than the dough). Do not go past that mark.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes. The crust will be golden and the filling will appear a little crispy on top. Cool in the pan for 6-7 minutes then move them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
- The dough of the crust can be really sticky so I would suggest dusting your fingertips with flour before handling.
- Do not overfill the dough with the filling. When baking the filling will bubble and rise before it falls. Overfilling the tart shell will cause the filling to leak around the sides of the cookie and it is a nightmare to get them out of the pan.
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Nutrition
First published Nov. 24, 2018, last updated Nov. 23, 2024.
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About Jere’
From learning to cook on a farm in Indiana to culinary school in California, my passion for food is never-ending. Turning on my oven to bake something for friends and family is my happy place, and I am glad to be here at One Hot Oven sharing both sweet and savory recipes with all my baking friends.
This does not make 48. I got 28 and had to make more dough. Was disappointed
I think the recipe makes 24! I’ve been doubling it to make 48! It’s been working for me!
Hi. I’m making these for Christmas Eve and I do not have a tamper tool. So I will be rolling the dough and cutting into circles. What diameter circle will I need? Thx
For the tart dough, your circles need to be about 2 3/4″ for the tart dough. I have a set of stacking round cutters that I find that is the best size for my tart pans.
Perhaps it’s because my parents live near one of the nation’s best pecan orchards, but I love just about anything made with pecans — and these pecan tassies are no exception. Due to a food allergy, I substituted dairy-free ingredients and they turned out delicious!
I bet those pecans are luscious, being so fresh. Lucky parents!
I made these years ago using my grandmothers recipe and they were so good, but I lost that recipe. I had left over pecans and thought that making Tassie’s again would be a great idea for Christmas. I searched through many recipe and came across this one. This recipe sounded closest to what I remembered making back then. This recipe is the best one out there. Everyone loved them and I will definitely will make them over and over. I will not loose this recipe again. I did spray the muffin tins with baking spray and they came out without any problem.
So glad you make the pecan tarts. This is a really old recipe and it is still a favorite.
These look super cute and delicious!
iimade them fantastic but I had trouble with the tamper.the dough keepsi sticking to the tamper
That can happen, make sure to dip the tamper in flour, that will help with the sticking.
Pecan Tassies – what a neat idea and just great while relaxing with a cup of hot tea.
I have bookmarked this recipe and it’s going to go to the top of my list. I’ve never heard of tastes, before now, but they sound just like the sort of thing that would go down a storm with friends and family – assuming I don’t eat them all beforehand.
Love old family recipes too. My grannie’s shepherd’s pie is a legend in the family as was her pastry. Sadly, she didn’t write down her recipes or teach anyone how to make them, so a legend they remain.
It wouldn’t be Christmas at our home without these delicacies! We’ve made them for years! Originally called Mrs. Williams Mini Pecan Pies, my mom found the recipe in an appetizer cookbook. Exact same recipe (only cut in half), so it has stood the test of time and of new discovery! We make 96 at a time in an assembly line of holiday fun! Enjoy!
I have been tempted to get the mega mini tart pan to make extra, mainly because I can eat a whole batch by myself.
I can understand making 96 tarts because they go fast, everyone loves them.
Not heard of these before, but the flavours sound perfect for this time of year – and I adore pecans! Lovely recipe
I’ve never heard of tassies before so thanks for explaining them! They look gorgeous and I love the look of the pecan filling too.
Little pecan pies!!!!! I had no idea what a tassie was! This really does seem like a party favorite!!! You must get so many requests for it. I am so glad it is easy to make!
These tassies are perfect for a party since you can just pick these up and eat them.
This is something new to me. Looks fantastic.i want to try this soon. Yum!
I love how gorgeous and dinky they are and such a cute name too – tassies! Perfect bite-sized treats and as there are pecans involved I would be all over them! 🙂
I love how you describe them as dinky.
Thanks for sharing such a well-loved family recipe. I’ve not come across any tassies before, but I think these pecan tassies are gorgeous – they would be a great lunchbox treat before we turn our full attention to Christmas desserts.
I had no idea that is what tassies meant when I have heard it before. Mini pies…but a cuter name. They look delicious!