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Texas Mini Pecan Pie Tarts

Check out this adorably delicious Mini Pecan Pie Tarts Recipe! These mini pies are the perfect portion-sized dessert that everyone will enjoy! And the best part? This simple dessert has less calories than a full size pecan pie but still has all the delicious flavor, buttery crust, and crunchy pecans that you expect from a classic pecan pie!

That sweet and gooey texture of pecan pie is quite addictive, right? We’ve found that while we COULD devour an entire pie in one sitting, eating mini tarts are just as fun and satisfying. Plus, this means that we can have another one later and enjoy that flavor and taste again and again without all the extra guilt that usually comes with it.

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With a cook time of less than 25 minutes resulting in 24 delicious tarts, this sweet treat would be perfect for parties, holidays, or quick and small snacks for the kids.

Why You’ll Love This Mini Pecan Pie Tart Recipe

  • Bite size perfection- you’ll love these little pies.
  • Tastes just like traditional pecan pie!
  • Quick way to feed a crowd and look adorable on a holiday party dessert table.

Mini Pecan Pie Recipe Ingredients

Get more information on these ingredients and when you’ll use them in the recipe card below.

  • All-purpose flour
  • Salt
  • Shortening 
  • Cold water 
  • Pecans
  • Vanilla 
  • Corn syrup 
  • Brown sugar 
  • Eggs
  • White sugar

Tools To Make Pecan Tartlets

Measuring Cup

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Mason Jars for Serving

Spatula for Stirring

U-Taste Silicone Spatula Set with 600 Degrees Fahrenheit Heat Resistant (Teal/Aqua Sky)
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Stand Mixer

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Cuisinart Stand Mixer, 12 Speeds, 5.5-Quart Mixing Bowl, Chef's Whisk, Flat Mixing Paddle, Dough Hook, and Splash Guard with Pour Spout, Silver Lining, SM-50BC, Silver Lining
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Dough Hook

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K45DH Dough Hook for KitchenAid Mixer, Coated Dough Hook Attachment for KitchenAid K45 K45SS KSM90 KSM150 Tilt-Head Stand Mixers, 4.5/5.0 Quart Bowel
  • 【Versatile Dough Hook for Kitchenaid】The dough hook is specially designed for mixing and kneading yeast dough. Making bread, pie, pizza dough is a breeze with this dough hook. You'll get the better results as hand kneading but at a fraction of the time.

Plastic Wrap or Bees Wrap

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Mixing Bowl

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Bee's Wrap - Assorted 3 Pack - Made in USA - Certified Organic Cotton - Plastic and Silicone Free - Reusable Beeswax Food Wraps - 3 Sizes (S,M,L)
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Rolling Pin

Joseph Joseph Adjustable Rolling Pin with Removable Rings, 13.6", Multi-Color
  • Adjustable rolling pin evenly flattens dough to ensure uniform baking
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  • Great for pizza and pie crusts, tarts, cookies, and more; hand-wash for best results
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Muffin Pan

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Dough Cutter

Pastry Cutter, Biscuit Cutter, Dough Scraper, Silicone Baking Mats, Stainless Steel Pastry Blender Set, Dough Cutter Biscuit Cutter Baking Pastry Mat Dough Blender Tools & Pastry Utensils (5 Pcs/Set)
  • 🎯Pastry Cutter, Biscuit Cutter, Dough Scraper, Silicone Baking Mats, Stainless Steel Pastry Blender Set, Dough Cutter Biscuit Cutter Baking Pastry Mat Dough Blender Tools & Pastry Utensils (5 Pcs/Set)

How To Make Texas Pecan Pie Tarts

  1. In the stand mixer, mix four and salt together.
  2. Then add in the shortening and use a fork, pastry cutter or your hands to help work it into the flour mixture. Your dough will start to resemble small crumbs.
  3. Attach your dough hook and blend on low. Add in 1/4 cup ice water (but do this 1 Tablespoon at a time until a dough ball forms. The dough will be sticky and firm. If it’s still dry, keep adding ice water if needed.
  4. Use beeswax wrap or plastic wrap to cover your dough ball and put it in the fridge.
  5. Then add the pecan pie filling ingredients to a mixing bowl and mix together until it forms a custard and set it aside.
  6. Flour a flat surface, get your dough from the frige and unwrap it. Roll out the dough using a rolling pin until it’s thin enough for pie crust. If it starts to break or has holes, it’s too thin.
  7. Use a dough cutter or biscuit cutter to cut dough into circles. These will be your tart shells.
  8. Spray muffin pan with cooking spray and add the dough circles to the pan, pushing to cover the side of each hole with the dough. Repeat for each dough circle into the muffin pans.
  9. Add 1 and a half Tablespoons of the pecan pie filling mixture to each dough circle tart and bake for 25 minutes at 350F.
  10. Let cool before serving and enjoying.

Variations and Tips and Tricks

Use phyllo dough– If you don’t have time to make the crust, you can make the filling and put it inside phyllo dough cups instead. This is a super cute and fun way to make a mini dessert.

Drizzle syrup– for a sweeter pie, drizzle some maple syrup on the mini tarts.

  • Using your hands to mix in the shortening to make the crust is so much fun to do. It’s like a comforting sensory activity that results in feeding your tummy.
  • Make sure to let the little tarts cool all the way as they’re going to be super hot. They’ll also thicken up a bit as they cool, too.
  • Use a food processor to chop up the pecans if you only have whole ones or want finer ones.
  • It’s best to use a mini muffin tin or a small tart pans for these small pie tarts, but if you only have a full size muffin tin, that can still be used.
  • For more of a full size dessert, enjoy a few of these delicious mini pecan pies with a small scoop of ice cream.
  • If short on dough cutters, you can use a round cookie cutter.
  • These pecan tassies are commonly served as a Thanksgiving dessert or during the holiday season, but would be lovely on any holiday table.

What Is The Texas State Dessert?

Did you know the official dessert of Texas is a Pecan Pie?! Why not celebrate your love for Texas by making these adorable mini pecan pies.

These mini pie tarts are perfect for serving at parties, work get togethers or work luncheons and are just a fun thing to enjoy in general.

Mini Pecan Pie tarts can also be called Mini Pecan Pie Tassies.

Like recipes from Texas? Then you’ll love this Texas Cowboy Stew made in the Instant Pot!

Do You Have To Refrigerate Pecan Tarts?

If you want to put them in the fridge, you can. If you don’t want to, you don’t have to. It’s totally up to you. Leaving them out covered at room temperature is great for a short term storage solution.

Should Pecan Pie Be Served Warm Or Cold?

Most people actually prefer to eat their pecan pie at room temperature. It’s really totally up to what you prefer.

We’ve enjoyed these tiny tarts when they’re warm and again later when they’re cooler. Both ways were delicious. But we think the best way to chomp on these little pecan pies is still warm.

How Can You Tell Pecan Pie Is Done?

Since you’re not really cooking an entire pie, you’ll have to pay attention to the tarts individually. Once they’re done baking, the centers should be pretty solid, with possibly a slight jiggle. The jiggle should go away as the pie cools and starts to become thicker.

How Long Are These Pecan Tarts Good For?

These tiny desserts should be stored in an airtight container, like a Mason Jar, and should last about 3-5 days.

Honestly, our tarts never last more than a day or two. They’re always devoured in such a short time, it’s hard for us to say how long they’d stay fresh.

Other Delicious Pie Recipes To Try

Closeup of a mini pecan pie tart.

Texas Pecan Pie Tarts

Mason Jar Recipe
These mini pecan pie tarts are a simple way to make something that everyone will love.
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 24 tarts

Ingredients
  

To make the crust:

  • 2 cups  all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • cup shortening
  • 6 Tablespoons cold water

Pecan pie filling:

  • cups chopped pecans
  • teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 cup + 1 Tablespoon corn syrup
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • ¼ cup sugar, granulated

Instructions
 

  • In the stand mixer, mix four and salt together.
  • Then add in the shortening and use a fork, pastry cutter or your hands to help work it into the flour mixture. Your dough will start to resemble small crumbs.
  • Attach your dough hook and blend on low. Add in 1/4 cup ice water (but do this 1 Tablespoon at a time until a dough ball forms. The dough will be sticky and firm. If it’s still dry, keep adding ice water if needed.
  • Use beeswax wrap or plastic wrap to cover your dough ball and put it in the fridge.
  • Then add the pecan pie filling ingredients to a mixing bowl and mix together until it forms a custard and set it aside.
  • Flour a flat surface, get your dough from the frige and unwrap it. Roll out the dough using a rolling pin until it’s thin enough for pie crust. If it starts to break or has holes, it’s too thin.
  • Use a dough cutter or biscuit cutter to cut dough into circles. These will be your tart shells.
  • Spray muffin pan with cooking spray and add the dough circles to the pan, pushing to cover the side of each hole with the dough. Repeat for each dough circle into the muffin pans.
  • Add 1 and a half Tablespoons of the pecan pie filling mixture to each dough circle tart and bake for 25 minutes at 350F.
  • Let cool before serving and enjoying.
Keyword Mini Pecan Pie Tarts Recipe
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