Delectable Pecan Tassies: A Step-by-Step Guide to Baking Perfection

Pecan tassies are bite-sized bundles of nutty, sweet goodness that are perfect for any occasion. These miniature pecan pies are surprisingly easy to make and are always a crowd-pleaser. Whether you’re looking for a festive holiday treat or a simple dessert to enjoy with coffee, pecan tassies are a fantastic choice. This guide provides a detailed, step-by-step recipe to help you bake these delightful treats to perfection.

What are Pecan Tassies?

Pecan tassies are small, tart-like pastries filled with a sweet and nutty pecan mixture. The name “tassie” comes from the Scottish word for a small cup or mug, reflecting their shape. They typically consist of a buttery, flaky pastry crust and a rich filling made from pecans, butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Pecan tassies are often served as part of a dessert buffet or as a standalone treat.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Easy to Make: Despite their elegant appearance, pecan tassies are surprisingly simple to prepare. The recipe involves straightforward steps and readily available ingredients.
• Perfect for Sharing: Their small size makes them ideal for parties, potlucks, and holiday gatherings. Everyone loves a bite-sized treat!
• Delicious Flavor: The combination of buttery crust and sweet, nutty filling is simply irresistible.
• Make-Ahead Friendly: You can prepare the pastry dough and filling ahead of time, making the baking process even easier.
• Customizable: Feel free to experiment with different flavorings and additions to personalize your pecan tassies.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Pastry Crust:

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 3 ounces cold cream cheese, cut into small cubes
• 4-6 tablespoons ice water

For the Pecan Filling:

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Equipment You’ll Need

• Mixing bowls
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Pastry blender or food processor (optional)
• Plastic wrap
• Muffin tin (standard or mini)
• Wire rack

Step-by-Step Instructions

Making the Pastry Crust:

1. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
2. Cut in the Butter and Cream Cheese: Add the cold butter and cream cheese cubes to the flour mixture. Use a pastry blender or your fingertips to cut the butter and cream cheese into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. If using a food processor, pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Be careful not to over-process.
3. Add Ice Water: Gradually add the ice water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing until the dough just comes together. Be careful not to add too much water; you want the dough to be moist but not sticky.
4. Form the Dough: Gently form the dough into a disk. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours. This chilling time is crucial for preventing the butter from melting and ensuring a flaky crust.

Making the Pecan Filling:

1. Combine Wet Ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, egg, vanilla extract, and salt until well combined.
2. Add Pecans: Stir in the chopped pecans until evenly distributed throughout the mixture.

Assembling and Baking the Pecan Tassies:

1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Prepare Muffin Tin: Lightly grease a muffin tin (standard or mini) with cooking spray or butter.
3. Roll Out the Dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled pastry dough to about ⅛-inch thickness.
4. Cut Out Circles: Use a cookie cutter or the rim of a glass to cut out circles of dough slightly larger than the diameter of the muffin tin cups.
5. Press Dough into Muffin Tin: Gently press each circle of dough into the muffin tin cups, making sure the dough covers the bottom and sides of each cup. If the dough tears, simply patch it up with extra dough.
6. Fill with Pecan Filling: Spoon the pecan filling into each pastry-lined muffin cup, filling them almost to the top.
7. Bake: Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is set. The baking time may vary depending on your oven and the size of the muffin tin.
8. Cool: Remove the muffin tin from the oven and let the pecan tassies cool in the tin for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Tips for Baking the Best Pecan Tassies

• Keep Ingredients Cold: Using cold butter, cream cheese, and ice water is essential for creating a flaky pastry crust. The cold ingredients prevent the butter from melting too quickly, which creates layers of fat that result in a tender and flaky texture.
• Don’t Overmix the Dough: Overmixing the dough can develop the gluten in the flour, resulting in a tough crust. Mix the dough just until it comes together, and avoid kneading it.
• Chill the Dough: Chilling the dough allows the gluten to relax and the butter to firm up, which makes it easier to roll out and prevents it from shrinking during baking.
• Use Quality Ingredients: The flavor of your pecan tassies will depend on the quality of the ingredients you use. Use good-quality butter, fresh pecans, and pure vanilla extract for the best results.
• Don’t Overfill: Avoid overfilling the muffin cups, as the filling may spill over during baking. Fill them almost to the top for a perfect balance of crust and filling.
• Monitor Baking Time: Keep a close eye on the pecan tassies while they are baking, as they can burn easily. The baking time may vary depending on your oven, so adjust accordingly.
• Let Cool Completely: Allow the pecan tassies to cool completely before serving. This will allow the filling to set and the flavors to meld together.

Variations and Additions

Pecan tassies are delicious as they are, but you can also experiment with different variations and additions to customize them to your liking. Here are a few ideas:

• Chocolate Pecan Tassies: Add 1-2 tablespoons of cocoa powder to the pastry dough for a chocolatey twist. You can also add chocolate chips to the pecan filling.
• Bourbon Pecan Tassies: Add a tablespoon of bourbon to the pecan filling for a boozy kick.
• Maple Pecan Tassies: Substitute maple syrup for some of the brown sugar in the filling for a maple-flavored treat.
• Spiced Pecan Tassies: Add a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, or ginger to the pecan filling for a warm and spicy flavor.
• Salted Caramel Pecan Tassies: Drizzle salted caramel sauce over the baked pecan tassies for a decadent treat.
• Add Different Nuts: Experiment with adding other nuts, such as walnuts or almonds, to the pecan filling.

Serving Suggestions

Pecan tassies are perfect for serving as part of a dessert buffet, as a standalone treat, or as a gift. Here are a few serving suggestions:

• Serve with Coffee or Tea: Pecan tassies are a delicious accompaniment to a cup of coffee or tea.
• Serve with Ice Cream: Top warm pecan tassies with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a decadent dessert.
• Serve as Part of a Dessert Platter: Include pecan tassies as part of a dessert platter with other bite-sized treats, such as cookies, brownies, and mini cheesecakes.
• Give as Gifts: Package pecan tassies in a decorative box or tin and give them as gifts to friends, family, or neighbors.
• Serve at Holiday Gatherings: Pecan tassies are a classic holiday treat that is perfect for serving at Thanksgiving, Christmas, or other special occasions.

Storage Instructions

Pecan tassies can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. To store them, place them in an airtight container to prevent them from drying out.

Freezing Instructions

Pecan tassies can also be frozen for longer storage. To freeze them, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for 1-2 hours, or until solid. Then, transfer them to an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 2-3 months. To thaw, place the frozen pecan tassies in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for a few hours.

Troubleshooting

• Crust is Tough: This could be due to overmixing the dough or not chilling it long enough. Make sure to mix the dough just until it comes together and chill it for at least 30 minutes before rolling it out.
• Crust Shrinks During Baking: This could be due to not chilling the dough long enough or rolling it out too thin. Make sure to chill the dough for at least 30 minutes and roll it out to about ⅛-inch thickness.
• Filling is Too Runny: This could be due to not baking the pecan tassies long enough or using too much liquid in the filling. Make sure to bake the pecan tassies until the filling is set and use the correct amount of liquid in the filling.
• Pecan Tassies are Burning: This could be due to baking the pecan tassies at too high of a temperature or for too long. Make sure to preheat your oven to the correct temperature and monitor the pecan tassies closely while they are baking.

Recipe Card

Recipe Name: Pecan Tassies

Yield: 24 tassies

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Chill Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 20-25 minutes

Ingredients:

For the Pastry Crust:

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 3 ounces cold cream cheese, cut into small cubes
• 4-6 tablespoons ice water

For the Pecan Filling:

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Instructions:

1. Combine flour and salt in a large mixing bowl.
2. Cut in butter and cream cheese until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Add ice water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough just comes together.
4. Form the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a muffin tin.
6. In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, brown sugar, egg, vanilla extract, and salt.
7. Stir in chopped pecans.
8. Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface and cut out circles.
9. Press the dough circles into the muffin tin cups.
10. Spoon the pecan filling into each pastry-lined cup.
11. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is set.
12. Cool in the tin for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Conclusion

Pecan tassies are a delightful treat that are perfect for any occasion. With their buttery crust and sweet, nutty filling, they are sure to be a hit with everyone who tries them. Follow this step-by-step guide to bake these miniature pecan pies to perfection and enjoy the delicious flavors and textures that make them so irresistible. Whether you are baking for a holiday gathering or simply want a sweet treat to enjoy at home, pecan tassies are a fantastic choice that will not disappoint. Enjoy baking and sharing these delectable pecan tassies!