Description
Bite-sized mini pecan pies with buttery crusts and gooey caramel pecan filling. Perfect individual desserts for holidays.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1½ cups All-purpose flour
- ½ cup (1 stick), cubed Cold unsalted butter
- 4 oz (½ block) Cream cheese
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 1–2 tbsp Ice water
- 1½ cups Pecan halves
- ½ cup Dark corn syrup
- ½ cup Brown sugar (packed)
- 2 large Eggs
- 2 tbsp Butter, melted
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp Salt
Instructions
- Make the Cream Cheese Crust (10 Minutes) — Pulse flour, cold butter cubes, cold cream cheese, and salt in a food processor until pea-sized crumbles form (about 10 pulses). Add ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing until dough just comes together. Do not over-process — visible butter chunks create flaky layers. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (up to 2 days). The cream cheese makes this crust tender, slightly tangy, and incredibly easy to work with.
- Press Crust into Muffin Tin — Divide chilled dough into 12 equal balls (about 1 tablespoon each). Press each ball into a greased or sprayed standard muffin cup, pushing dough up the sides to create a small bowl shape. Aim for even thickness — thin spots bake faster and get too crispy. Place the prepared tin in the refrigerator while you make the filling.
- Prepare the Pecan Filling (5 Minutes) — Whisk together eggs, dark corn syrup, brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Do NOT use a mixer — you want a smooth filling, not a foamy one (air bubbles cause cracked tops). Stir in pecan halves by hand. The mixture will look loose — that’s correct; it thickens dramatically in the oven.
- Fill and Bake (22 Minutes) — Spoon filling evenly into each crust cup, dividing pecans equally. Each cup should be about ⅔ full — filling puffs up during baking. Bake at 350°F for 22–25 minutes until edges are set and centers have a slight jiggle (they’ll firm up as they cool). Let cool in the muffin tin for 10 minutes, then run a thin knife around each pie and lift out gently.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 285
- Sugar: 22g
- Sodium: 125mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g