Pecan tassies are cream cheese cookie dough cups stuffed with chewy, sweet pecan centers. They taste just like a mini bite of pecan pie--heavenly! One of my favorite holiday cookies!
This is normally the time of year when I try to score good deals on plane tickets home for Christmas and Thanksgiving. You would think that buying this early in advance would be cheaper, and it is, but only slightly. However, I’m just a few weeks away from moving within driving distance of my family. Hallelujah!, no more flying home for the holidays. I’m so ecstatic, I can't stop thinking about it.
All that thinking about the holidays made me crave the pecan pie my Dad bakes every Thanksgiving and Christmas. I hope this doesn’t embarrass him, but my Dad can bake one helluva pie.
Pecan tassies are Southern delights:
Instead of baking a whole pecan pie, I made pecan tassies. If you’ve never had a tassie, it’s a cookie cup with a custard filling. It tastes like a bite of pecan pie encased in a rich cream cheese dough.
Pecan tassies are a classic Southern cookie to bake around the holidays, but what do you do when you crave them in April? Do you make an entire batch of 4 dozen cookies? No way, we make a scaled down version that only makes 8 cookies.
Pecan tassies recipe, step by step:
In case you've never made tassies, I did a little step-by-step of how to get a ball of dough into a cup shape.
After chilling your dough, divide it into 8 balls
Then, using your thumb, press the dough down into the cup and press the dough up the sides of your mini muffin pan. Please note that we're using a mini muffin pan, not a full-size regular muffin pan, ok?
You just made tassie cups! Now, pour in your pecan custard mixture, bake 20 minutes, and enjoy!
Pecan Tassies
Makes 8 pecan tassie cookies.
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (plus extra for pan)
- 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup flour
For the custard filling:
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon whiskey (or vanilla)
- ⅓ cup chopped, toasted pecans
Instructions
- First, make the dough: combine with an electric mixer the softened butter and cream cheese. Add the flour and beat until incorporated. It might not come together into a dough just yet; use your hands to clump it together into a ball. Wrap with plastic wrap and chill 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, grease 8 cups in a mini muffin pan with the extra butter, and preheat the oven to 350.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal-sized balls, then press the dough in the cups, as shown above.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, melted butter, brown sugar, whiskey and pecans. Divide this mixture evenly among the dough cups.
- Bake for 20 minutes. The pecan filling with puff up and rise above the edges of the dough. Yummy!
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 184Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 49mgSodium: 46mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 1gSugar: 8gProtein: 3g
Heather (Heather's Dish) says
my hubby (ok fine, me too) would totally devour these all at once!
Stephie @ Eat Your Heart Out says
You are all that is wonderful.
Erin @ The Speckled Palate says
My grandmother always made these for us, and I LOVE that you've shared this! And the way you make the crust! Because my grandmother had a special wooden spoon thingy to form the dough, and it is pretty IMPOSSIBLE to do without that. So next time I make the tassies, I'm definitely following the dough-ball steps you just put out here!
Thanks, lady!
Becca -Cookie Jar Treats says
These are so cute, and much better than having an entire pecan pie, especially when you're not trying to feed the holiday crowd. Baby Treats = <3
Lora @cakeduchess says
So happy for you to be moving near your family. That is just wonderful! How sweet that your dad bakes a wonderful pecan pie...it's one of my favorite pies and just love these sweet little tassies!xx
vianney says
I love pecan tassies. They were one of the first sweets I made for christmas with the family!! happy to have a scaled down version. Happy your moving closer to your family!!
Kriss Morton says
OMG My grandmother made these, and her recipe was close but NOT as easy! MUST.. MAKE NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!
Christine (The Raw Project) says
Wow on the move, that's huge! Good luck! These look wonderful and would be a huge hit with my hubby!
thelittleloaf says
I love these cute little morsels of pecan pie - so much less dangerous than making a whole one, although I do love a proper slice too :-)
Em (Wine and Butter) says
Mmmmm - cream cheese in dough?! That sounds amazing! Im pecan pies biggest fan.. April or whatever!