Name: Pecan Tassies
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 80 min
Ingredients: 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (softened (1/2 cup/4 ounces)); 4 ounces cream cheese (softened); 1 cup all-purpose flour (5 ounces); 1 cup chopped pecans (divided use); 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (melted); 1 large egg; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt; 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar; 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

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Grab the taste of pecan pie in bite size bundles with these easy pecan tassies! Make a double batch because they’ll disappear in a flash.

A round board holds fifteen mini pecan tarts on a white table, with a glass of milk and decorative bottle brush trees in the background.

My sister-in-law has an enormous pecan tree, which means we’re frequently gifted with fresh pecans. I don’t mind though! Pecans became one of my favorite nuts while living in Texas, so I use them in everything from pecan pancakes to chicken salad.

Pecan tassies are a classic dessert that uses just one cup of pecans. Whether you consider them to be cookies or mini pecan pies, they’re definitely delicious!

Never heard of a tassie? Well, the word is derived from French and Arabic and simply means cup or bowl, which makes sense because these cookies are shaped as little filled cups. The “cup” is made from an easy press-in dough that bakes up wonderfully flaky.

Add these pecan tassies to your holiday table in lieu of pecan pie, or tuck them into a cookie box for sharing!

Ingredients for pecan tassies

Full list of ingredients including quantities is located in the recipe card.

Top-down view of separated baking ingredients including cream cheese, flour, butter, egg, brown sugar, maple syrup, pecans, and a bottle of vanilla on a white surface.

You’ll need:

Unsalted butter
Cream cheese
All-purpose flour
Pecans
Egg
Vanilla extract
Salt
Brown sugar
Maple syrup

You’ll need only half a pack of cream cheese, so you can use the other half to make a batch of cheese danish for brunch.

Most of the butter needs to be softened, while we will melt 1 tablespoon of it. It’s easiest to soften all of it, so it melts faster—and you’re not wondering where that other butter went off to.

I definitely recommend using pure maple syrup here. We’re using it in place of corn syrup for that classic gooey pecan pie texture. Plus it adds great flavor!

A round tray holds fifteen mini pecan tarts arranged in a circular pattern, next to a gray and white striped cloth on a white surface.

Equipment

You will need a mini muffin pan to make these cookies.

I have not tried making these in a standard-size muffin pan for larger tassies. If you try it, I recommend portioning into 12 instead of 24. You’ll need to keep watch on the cookies in the oven; they may need more time to fully bake the center, but you don’t want to overbrown the crust.

A cookie scoop is also very helpful to portion the crust dough and press it into the pan.

How to make this recipe

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a mini muffin pan with nonstick spray and set aside.

In a medium bowl using an electric hand mixer, beat together the butter and cream cheese. Add the flour in batches (so it doesn’t fly all over your kitchen when mixing) and mix until the dough is well blended and no dry bits remain. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

A white bowl with cookie dough and a handheld electric mixer on a white surface next to a red striped cloth.

Twenty-four evenly spaced raw dough balls on a white cutting board with a metal scooper and a red striped cloth nearby.

After chilling, divide the dough into 24 pieces (here’s where the cookie scoop is handy!) and press into the bottom and sides of each muffin cup. There should be enough dough that it goes to the top of the cups.

Divide 1/2 cup of the pecans between the muffin cups.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, egg, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Stir in the brown sugar, maple syrup, and 1/4 cup pecans, mixing until the filling is smooth aside from the pecans.

White mixing bowl with a spoon, containing a mixture of chopped pecans and a brown liquid, on a white wooden surface next to a red-striped cloth.

A muffin tin filled with unbaked mini tarts, each containing chopped pecans, sits on a white surface next to a pink striped cloth.

Divide pecan filling between muffin cups, filling about 3/4 full. Sprinkle the remaining pecans over the tops.

Place in the oven and bake for 16-20 minutes. You want the center to be just nearly set, but not quite. It will firm up as it cools, but keep the inside at the perfect gooey level. Overbaking can make the cookies dry.

Let the tassies cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before carefully removing with an offset spatula or spoon.

Fourteen mini pecan tarts are arranged on a round wooden serving board with a handle, next to a few whole pecans and a striped cloth.

Storage tips

Store pecan tassies in an airtight container for up to 5 days at room temperature.

For longer storage, place in the fridge, where they will keep for about 2 weeks.

You can also freeze them! Store in a freezer-safe container with a piece of parchment paper or waxed paper between the layers to prevent sticking. Freeze for about 1 month for the best quality.

Thaw frozen tassies in the refrigerator.

A group of mini pecan pies on a round tray, with one pie in the front showing a bite taken out to reveal the nutty filling.

More holiday cookies

Rounding out your cookie collection? Make some of these!

For nut lovers, make salted caramel cashew cookies.

Love shortbread? Try lemon shortbread or checkerboard cookies.

Biscotti is a great option for the holidays! Choose from almond biscotti or cranberry pistachio biscotti.

Two chocolate favorites: Mexican hot chocolate cookies and chocolate macaroons.

Make pecan tassies this holiday season—or any time of year!

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Pecan Tassies

Pecan tassies are little cookies with all the goodness of pecan pie! These easy cookies are great for the holidays.

Author : Megan Myers

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Print Pin Recipe Review

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 20

Chill time 30

Total Time 1 20

Servings

Calories 133 kcal

Ingredients

For the pastry:

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (1/2 cup/4 ounces)
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup all-purpose flour, 5 ounces

For the filling:

1 cup chopped pecans, divided use
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 24-count mini-muffin pan with non-stick spray.
In a medium bowl, beat together the softened butter and cream cheese using an electric hand mixer. Add the flour in batches and mix until well blended. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, 4 ounces cream cheese, 1 cup all-purpose flour
Divide the dough into 24 pieces (optionally use an 18/8 scoop to assist) and then press dough into the bottoms and up the sides of the prepared pan. The dough should go all the way to the top of the cups.
Evenly divide 1/2 cup of chopped pecans between the muffin cups.
1 cup chopped pecans
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, egg, vanilla, and salt. Stir in the brown sugar, maple syrup, and 1/4 cup of the remaining pecans. Mix until smooth. Fill each cup to about 3/4 full and sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup chopped pecans evenly among the cups.
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
Bake until the center is almost set, 16-20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely in the pan before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 133 kcalCarbohydrates: 12 gProtein: 1 gFat: 9 gSaturated Fat: 4 gCholesterol: 16 mgSodium: 42 mgPotassium: 44 mgFiber: 1 gSugar: 7 gIron: 0.4 mg

Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate based on online calculators. Any nutritional information found on Stetted should be used as a general guideline only.

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