Pecan Tassies

These pecan tassies are bite-size pecan pies with a buttery cream cheese crust and a rich brown sugar pecan filling. They’re an old-fashioned holiday treat made with simple ingredients, and one mini muffin pan makes 2 dozen cookies.

The dough presses right into the pan with your fingers, so there’s no rolling pin and no cutting. Spoon in the filling, bake, and you have a whole tray of little pies that are easy to grab and go.

They fit right in on a Thanksgiving dessert table or a Christmas cookie tray. If you love pecan pie as much as I do, try my pecan pie dump cake and pecan pie cheesecake too.

What Is a Pecan Tassie?

A pecan tassie is a classic holiday cookie that tastes like a tiny pecan pie. A tender cream cheese pastry crust gets pressed into a mini muffin pan and filled with a brown sugar pecan filling.

The name comes from “tassie,” a Scottish word for a small cup. You’ll also see them called pecan tarts or mini pecan pies.

Ingredients

This section includes ingredient notes and substitution options. Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.

• Butter and cream cheese – Both need to be softened to room temperature so the dough comes together easily. The cream cheese makes the crust tender and flaky.
• All-purpose flour – This gives the dough its structure.
• Chopped pecans – The star of the filling. You can lightly toast them before adding to the filling for even more flavor.
• Light brown sugar – This gives the filling its caramel flavor. Dark brown sugar can be used if that’s what you have.
• Eggs, melted butter, vanilla extract, and salt – The eggs help the filling set as it bakes, and the butter keeps it creamy. Vanilla and a little salt bring out the flavor of the pecans.

How to Make Pecan Tassies

This section shows you how to make the recipe with step-by-step photos and instructions. For the full printable recipe, see the recipe card below. 

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly coat a mini muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Step 2: Make the crust. Add the softened butter, cream cheese, flour, and salt to a bowl. Mix with your hands or a pastry blender until the dough comes together in a ball.

Step 3: Scoop a tablespoon of dough and roll it into a ball (about 13 grams if you have a kitchen scale). Place it in a cup of the mini muffin pan. Use your fingers (or a tart tamper) to press the dough into the bottom and all the way up the sides to the top. Repeat with the rest of the dough to fill all 24 cups.

Step 4: Make the filling. Stir the pecans, brown sugar, eggs, melted butter, vanilla, and salt together in a bowl until everything is well combined.

Step 5: Spoon the filling into each crust, filling each one to slightly below the top edge. You’ll have a little filling left over.

Step 6: Bake for 20 to 24 minutes, until the filling is cooked through and lightly puffed.

Step 7: Set the pan on a wire rack and let the tassies cool for 15 to 20 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edge of each one to loosen it, lift it out with the knife, and let it finish cooling on the rack for another 10 to 15 minutes.

Serving Suggestions

Set these out on a holiday cookie tray next to buttery pecan snowball cookies and cream cheese cookies, or add them to your Thanksgiving dessert table. For more ideas, browse my Christmas cookie exchange recipes.

Storage

Store pecan tassies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to a week.

To freeze, layer the tassies in an airtight container with parchment paper between the layers. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.

More Christmas Cookie Recipes

• Pecan Crescent Cookies
• Double Chocolate Pecan Cookies
• Southern Pecan Pralines
• Pecan Turtles
• Kitchen Sink Christmas Cookies