Mini Pecan Pies

These Mini Pecan Pies are the cutest and easiest dessert for your holiday table. With a foolproof pie crust and simple pecan filling, it’s a mess-free way to serve pie to a crowd.

I love pecan pie. For my entire life, my Aunt Carolyn has made these Mini Pecan Pies for every family holiday get-together. Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, July 4th, you name it, she’s bringing them!

Now this is a homemade pie crust, but don’t worry, this one is truly hassle-free thanks to adding cream cheese. It’s decadent and so flaky. When it comes to the filling, it doesn’t have corn syrup that’s traditionally in a pecan pie. It only has brown sugar and comes out beautifully every time. You’ll say it’s best pecan pie you’ve ever had.

Try them out and let me know what you think, they’re bakery-worthy in my opinion. Be sure to also try our Pecan Pie Dip and Oatmeal Pie too!

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

• Individual pecan pies are great for a party. This makes serving pie so much easier. You can put these on a platter and everyone can enjoy their own!
• Celebrate the Derby! Mini pecan pies with a touch of chocolate make the perfect Derby party treat. Either replace 2-3 chocolate chips for pecans in the filling before baking OR add a drizzle of melted chocolate on top after they’ve baked and cooled. They’ll have your guests cheering “and they’re off… for another one!”
• Foolproof pie crust that isn’t a hassle. This pie crust recipe is so simple to make, anyone can master it. Thanks to the cream cheese, it comes out perfectly every time.
• Pecan pie without corn syrup. We just use brown sugar and eggs to make our filling for these pies. They’re even more delicious than the classic corn syrup recipe.

Ingredients

Scroll Down for Ingredient Amounts Listed in the Recipe Card Below

Crust Ingredients:

• All-purpose flour: Structure for the crust.
• Full-fat cream cheese: Makes this pie crust foolproof and also adds a nice soft texture and rich flavor.
• Salted butter: Key to any good pie crust recipe for flakiness.

Filling Ingredients:

• Finely diced pecans: The nutty base for the pie filling.
• Large eggs: Binds the pecan pie filling together.
• Packed brown sugar: Sweetens the pie filling.
• Salted butter: Adds richness in every bite.
• Vanilla extract: Caramel and floral notes really enhance this pie filling.

Tools You’ll Need

• Tamper Tool
• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Mixing Bowls
• Liquid Measuring Cups
• Spatula
• Scoop
• Cooling Racks
• Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
• Mini Cupcake Pan: 1 pan has 24 wells, and this recipe makes 72.

How to make mini pecan pies

1. In a stand mixer or large bowl with a hand mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add butter and mix again. Once combined, add flour and blend just until the dough comes together.

2. Place in a covered dish and refrigerate at least 6 hours.

3. Next day, preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 3 24-cup mini muffin pans with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
4. Using a cookie scoop or 2 spoons, add approximately 1 tablespoon of the dough to each muffin pan well.

5. Flour a tart press or your fingers and press the dough down and up the sides of each muffin well.

6. Evenly sprinkle the pecans in each muffin pan well.

7. For the filling, in a bowl, whisk together eggs, brown sugar, melted butter, salt, and vanilla until smooth.

8. Spoon this mixture evenly over the top of each prepared muffin well. DO NOT overfill. The crust should be exposed above the filling. Depending on your crust press depth, pecan fill and topping, you might have a little filling leftover. Discard or save for later.

9. Bake 20-26 minutes or until the filling is set and crust is golden around the edges.
10. Cool 1-2 minutes then transfer the tarts to a cooling rack. Allow them to cool completely.

expert tips

• Don’t fill the pies too much. You want to add the same amount of pecans and filling to each crust so that they bake at the same rate. DO NOT fill over the crust. See the picture or video for reference.
• Make sure your butter and cream cheese for the pie crust are room temperature. This is a no-fuss pie crust recipe and to make sure the crust ingredients are combined evenly, you want to make sure they are room temperature.
• Make the pie crust in advance. This is a great prep-ahead recipe for the holidays, the crust needs to be refrigerated at least 6 hours, so be sure to plan ahead.
• You know when the mini pecan pies are done when the crust is golden brown and the filling has just set. The filling may even jiggle a little bit when you remove the pies, but don’t worry, they continue to bake in the pan as they cool.
• Serve with ice cream or whipped cream. Just like regular pecan pie, these are so delicious with whipped cream or ice cream! A dusting of powdered sugar is pretty as well.

Storage

Store any leftover pecan pies in an airtight container in at room temperature for up to 3-5 days.

You can freeze the pies as well for up to 2 months. Just thaw on the counter overnight until easy to eat.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Easy dessert Recipes

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• Peanut Butter Sheet Cake
• Old Fashioned Ginger Snap Cookies
• Almond Pound Cake