PECAN PIE CLOSE-UP / SEA TURTLE / CC BY , IMG_5886 / ISABELLE / CC BY
Calling all nut lovers – satisfy your sweet tooth this season with you very own homemade pecan pie tarts! You shouldn’t have to settle for only a slice of pecan pie when you can have your very own mini-pecan tarts overloaded with healthy nuts and a gooey mixture of brown sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla. These pecan pie tarts are hands down my favorite dessert and make the perfect treat to toss in a zip-lock bag and take with you on the go. You can even make this recipe in advance and display the tarts on tiered cupcake holders for an elegant presentation and a warm welcome to the upcoming season. If you are looking for a Thanksgiving dessert or a mini gift for x-mas, I would definitely have these tarts at the top of my list.
Granny’s Mini Pecan Pie Tarts
Yields 12
These mini pecan tarts are easy to make desserts and make great snacks to take to school or to the office!
Ingredients:
For Pie Tarts
- 2 (3-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
- 2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chopped pecans
For Filling
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 3/4 cup light corn syrup
- 2 tbsp butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions:
To Make Pie Tarts
- In a medium bowl, beat together cream cheese and 2/3 cup butter at medium speed. Beat in flour and salt until combined and divide the dough in half. Flatten each half into a circle about 1 inch thick, wrap in plastic wrap and let it chill for 1 hour.
- Shape dough into 2-inch balls and flatten them. Place each into in 3-inch muffin cups, forming each into a shell and letting it form a lip above the cups. You can use a fork to press into the edges to make little decorative lines. Sprinkle pecans evenly in pastry cups.
To Make Filling
- Whisk together eggs, brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, vanilla extract and salt until blended.
- Pour mixture evenly over pecans until pastries are full. Bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes or until set.
I’m very confused. I have found and used this recipe before, and now every link I see to it bring to a picture but not the actual recipe. Where can I find the actual recipe???
Hi Tiffany, the recipe is above. Let me know if you are having troubles seeing it. Thanks!
Is a 3 inch muffin cup a standard muffin cup size?
Hi,
Standard size is 2 1/2″.
Can you tell me how many calories each one is? Thanks!
Hi Kim!
I’m not exactly sure, but approximately 360 calories.
Lol….i don’t care about the calories!!!
Where do you buy the foil cups?
Hi,
You can buy them just about anywhere. Try bulkbarn, the Dollarstore and Michaels craft store.
Do these freeze well? Since you say it can be made ahead, I assume so.
Nice recipe!
Hi Corky,
These pecan pie tarts freeze beautifully. Just let the fresh pecan pie cool completely, then wrap tightly and freeze. Thaw in the refrigerator, or reheat for 20 minutes in a low oven.
Me and my gma are making these….how do they taste?
Delicious, I’m a huge fan of pecan pie!
My father loves pecan pie and I was looking for a mini recipe for his birthday. This recipe was fantastic. I made them in a standard size muffin pan, and I used maple syrup (grade A) instead of corn syrup. They came out great! Thanks for this recipe.
No problem Mary, glad you liked the recipe! I’m a huge fan of pecan pie as well!
Can I use butter instead of cream cheese?
Hi Stacey, the recipe already calls for butter so adding even more may make the recipe a little heavy on the stomach!
Hi, how much is two packages of cream cheese??
Thank you!
I made this recipe yesterday. I cooked it for 35 minutes and let it set. The filling never really became solid. It was pretty runny when I bit into them. Did I do something wrong?
Hi Daisy, make sure you let it cool completely before you eat the tarts. It’s best to leave it overnight in a cool place and eat it the next day, this way it will be 100% set.
Hi. a few questions:
– do you line muffin pan with liners before putting dough in?
– This is using regular muffin pan not mini-muffin pan?
– 1/2 tsp salt is for dough or filling?
Thanks!
Did you ever got an answer
SuzyQ- can you please answer her three questions. Thanks so much!
I’m a little confused with the 2 butters which amount is for the dough?
What if I put it as an actual full pie, how long should I bake it for? An hour?
You don’t bake the crust a little before you add the filling and bake again?
Do you use a mini muffin pan?
Hi Helen, yes you can use a mini muffin pan to make smaller tarts if you wish.
How should these be stored? The Thanksgiving dinner will be out of town and I need desserts that I can make ahead and transport. These would be great IF I can store them and transport them.
Thank you
Hi Lee,
You can transport them in a baking pan just cover with tin foil.