When we were discussing which desserts to have for Thanksgiving this year, I immediately thought we must have my Grandma’s Mini Pecan Pies! These little bite-sized Mini Pecan Pies are what my childhood memories are filled with!
Well, my Grandma wasn’t jumping at the opportunity to make these, so I knew this year was the year for me to make the Mini Pecan Pies. And I have to admit, I was a little scared. I had never made them before because my Grandma always did.
I honestly thought these would be harder to make than a regular pecan pie. These look just like a pecan pie but taste a whole lot better! I expected to have to make a bunch of mini pie crusts (that didn’t sound fun). Delightfully, I was wrong! Mini Pecan Pies were incredibly easy and fast to make! Dangerously easy. Like now, I always want to have them around the house.
Mini Pecan Pie Crust
As I said, the crust for these is so much easier than a normal pie crust. Just throw all the ingredients into your stand mixer (or a mixing bowl with beaters) and combine them.
- 1 stick butter (8 tablespoons.)
- 1 cup flour
- 3 oz. cream cheese- softened
Yes, just three ingredients! Now, divide these into 24 small balls.
My Grandma suggested rolling the dough into a log, then cut the log into half over and over again until you have 24 sections.
Well, she told me this after I already made them and that is not what I did. I just pinched off about 1 Tablespoon of dough and shaped it into my mini muffin tin. When I got to the last few, I had to steal some small pinches of dough from some that looked like they had too much to fill in the last couple. Alternatively, if you had the leftover dough, just add the remaining dough to fill in some that looked a bit thin. Spray your muffin tin with non-stick spray before you add the dough.
This step went quite fast.
To Make Gluten-Free Mini Pecan Pies:
My 8-year-old daughter is gluten-free and wanted to try making these gluten-free. She made these ALL BY HERSELF!!!! I wasn’t exaggerating when I said these were easy!
The only thing she did differently was she used All-Purpose Gluten-Free flour and add 1 tsp of xantham gum to the crust. They turned out perfect and tasted the exact same as the regular recipe!
Mini Pecan Pie Filling
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
- 3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
- 1 Egg
- 1 Cup chopped pecans
Mix all those ingredients together. Put 1 teaspoon of filling into each little crust. Each one should be about 3/4 full.
Preheat your oven to 375° F.
Bake for 20-25 minutes.
Dust with Powdered sugar. Stare at them lovingly while you slowly devour them one by one.
When should you make Mini Pecan Pies?
The short answer is right now.
Okay, but seriously when I think of Thanksgiving or Christmas, these Mini Pecan Pies are part of those memories.
This would also be so perfect for a Christmas Cookie Exchange!
In case I have not given you enough reasons to love these, I love that they are BITE-SIZE! Okay, maybe 2 bites. But think about how full you feel after a big Thanksgiving or Christmas meal… and you still have dessert to eat! These are the perfect portion control. Well if you have self-control at stop at one or two they are.
These are much lighter than a traditional pecan pie. Did no you notice there is no corn-syrup in them!
Mini Pecan Pies
Easier to make and lighter than traditional pecan pie, these mini pecan pies are delicious and perfect for the holidays!
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 8 tablespoons softened butter
- 1 cup flour
- 3 oz softened cream cheese
For the Filling
- 1 Tablespoon softened butter
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 egg
- Powdered sugar (for dusting)
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Combine all ingredients for the crust and mix until dough forms.
3. Spray a mini muffin tin with cooking spray.
4. Divide the dough into 24 equal balls and spread into the bottom and up the sides of each muffin tin.
5. Combine all ingredients for the filling.
6. Put 1 teaspoon into each muffin tin, should be about 3/4 full.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
8. Let cool, then dust with powdered sugar.
Notes
To make Gluten-Free: Use All-Purpose Gluten-Free flour and add 1 teaspoon Xantham Gum to the crust.
Anna says
Blessed Beyond Crazy says