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Mini pecan pies are the richest thing I put on a holiday tray. Sweet and soft in the middle, buttery crust underneath, and a layer of pecans in every one. You get a whole pecan pie in two bites.
My favorite thing about these little pies is that you taste the pecans and the filling separately. The pecans do not disappear into the sweet filling.
I can make 24 of these without it turning into a project. The crusts get pressed in with your fingers, and one bowl of filling covers the whole pan.
If you want the whole pie instead of a tray of little ones, my full size pecan pie recipe is where I would start. The rest of my easy pie recipes live in one place if you are looking for something else to bake.
HOLIDAY FAVORITE
Why These Little Pies Are Always a Party Favorite
Nobody has to commit to a whole piece of pie. By the time dessert goes out at a party everybody has already eaten, and a full slice is a decision.
One of these is not a decision. You pop it in your mouth and keep moving, with no plate and no fork and nothing to finish.
That is why I make my pecan pie this size now. It is the same pie, and every time they disappear.
The Ingredients That Do the Work
- Pecans: Break them into pieces by hand instead of running them through a food processor. Hand-broken pieces stay more uniform, and you do not end up with the fine pecan dust a processor leaves behind.
- Corn syrup, maple syrup, and the eggs: The maple goes into the filling alongside the corn syrup, not in place of it. The filling also takes one whole egg plus one extra yolk rather than two whole eggs, so separate them before you start whisking and let both come to room temperature.
- Unsalted butter, used two ways: The butter shows up twice and it is not the same both times. The crust needs it at room temperature so it creams with the brown sugar, and the filling needs it melted before it gets whisked in.
- Ice water: Add two tablespoons first, then the third only if the dough will not come together. You are looking for a dough that is soft but not sticky.
How to Make Mini Pecan Pies
Step 1: Make the Crust Dough Spray a 24-count mini muffin pan with non-stick baker’s spray and set aside. Cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, then mix in the flour and salt. The dough will look very crumbly at that point, which is right, and the ice water is what brings it into a rough ball.
Step 2: Press the Crusts Divide the dough into approximately ¾ tablespoon-sized balls, one for every cup in the pan. Press each one into the bottom and up the sides with your fingers.
Step 3: Add the Pecans and Filling Preheat the oven to 350°F. Divide the chopped pecans evenly between all 24 crusts. Whisk the filling gently just until combined so you do not beat air into it, then spoon about 2 teaspoons into each cup, stopping just shy of the rim. Do not overfill or you will have a sticky mess all over the pan.
Step 4: Bake and Cool Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the crust is lightly golden and the centers are set. Let the pies cool in the pan for 3 to 5 minutes, then gently loosen the edges with a small offset spatula if needed and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
How Long These Keep and How to Freeze Them
These mini pecan pies do not have to go in the refrigerator. Store them at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days, or refrigerate them for up to 4 days.
For anything longer, freeze the baked and cooled pies in an airtight container for up to 2 months, then thaw them completely before serving. If you want more to put out alongside them, my easy Christmas desserts roundup has plenty of options.
More Pecan Desserts to Make
A few more pecan recipes worth having on hand this time of year.
Mini Pecan Pies
Ingredients
Crust
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ¼ cup light brown sugar packed
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 to 3 tablespoons ice water
Pecan Filling
- ½ cup roughly chopped pecans
- ½ cup light corn syrup
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large whole egg room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk room temperature
Instructions
Crust
- Spray a mini muffin pan (24 count) with non-stick baker's spray and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and brown sugar on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes or until light and fluffy.½ cup unsalted butter, ¼ cup light brown sugar
- Add the flour and salt, mix until fully combined (the dough will be very crumbly). Add 2 tablespoons of ice water (adding the third tablespoon only if needed for the dough to come together), mix on low just until the dough comes together and forms a rough ball. The crust should be soft but not sticky.1¼ cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 to 3 tablespoons ice water
- Divide the dough evenly (approximately 3/4 tablespoon-sized dough balls) between all the mini muffin tins.
- Using the tips of your fingers, or a small tart press, press the dough into the cups to form a crust in the bottoms and up the sides of each mini muffin cup.
Pecan filling
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Divide the chopped pecans evenly between the 24 mini muffin cups.½ cup roughly chopped pecans
- In a small bowl whisk together the corn syrup, brown sugar, maple syrup, butter, vanilla extract, whole egg, and egg yolk until fully combined. Whisk gently, just until combined, to avoid adding air bubbles. The filling should have a thick syrupy consistency.½ cup light corn syrup, ½ cup light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 large whole egg, 1 large egg yolk
- Carefully spoon the filling (about 2 teaspoons) to fill each of the pecan filled crusts. You want your crusts filled just shy of the very edge without overflowing the crusts. The filling will expand slightly when baked, but will settle back down once cooled. If you overfill the crusts with the filling, then you will have a sticky mess all over your baking pan. If you have a lot of drips of filling liquid on the pan, be sure to wipe up the drips with a damp paper towel prior to baking.
- Bake the mini pecan pies for 18 to 20 minutes or until the crust is lightly golden and the centers are set.
- Allow the pies to cool in the pan for 3 to 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely before plating and serving. If the pies stick slightly, gently loosen the edges with a small offset spatula before lifting out of the pan.
Jenn’s Notes
- Break the pecans into pieces by hand instead of running them through a food processor. The pieces stay more uniform and you do not get the fine pecan dust a processor makes.
- A small pastry tamper helps start the cup shape, but use your fingers to press the dough farther up the sides and smooth the edges before baking.
- Fill each crust just shy of the very edge. The filling expands a little while it bakes and settles back down as it cools, and filling past the edge makes a sticky mess on the pan.
They are easy to make! I took them on vacation and everyone loved them!!
I’m confused, in the recipe itself it states to “completely cool before removing from pans” yet in the tips it states “remove while they are still warm”. They sound delicious and I can’t wait to try them but I don’t want to make a mess.
These LOOK SUPER YUMMY 👏🏼👏🏼👍🏼♥️❗️Thank You FOR Sharing There’s ONLY a CO of US in Our Family WHO are pecan pie eaters SO At Holidays It’s Hard Being Left W/ ALOT of PIE 😱😂CHOCOLATE and Other Flavors GO Fast😂 Thank You 😊G-d♥️Bless
Not sure what asset cream butter is? What can be substituted?
Hi – I looked at the enitre post and couldn’t find where you saw “asset cream butter”. Could you point it out to me? If it is in here, it is a typo. The recipe uses salted sweet cream butter.
Butter is best for this type of mini pie
Even if I’m not hungry, after looking at the website and reading the ingredients I’m salivating. Then I pick up any ingredients I don’t have on hand, and make them. Of course, everyone volunteers to be the official taste tester!