High Altitude Pecan Tassies with Cream Cheese Crust
Bite-sized and bursting with flavor, these High Altitude Pecan Tassies with Cream Cheese Crust are the perfect marriage of buttery, flaky pastry and rich, gooey pecan filling. This recipe guarantees that irresistible balance between a tender crust and a nutty-sweet filling that you’ll want to share (or keep all to yourself!).
Keep reading to discover the secrets to mastering this festive favorite at high altitude!
Try out this High Altitude Pecan Pie recipe or these other high altitude holiday recipes: Pumpkin Pie, Caramel Sauce, Pumpkin Bread, Apple Pie, and Apple Bread.
Pecan Tassies are the perfect bite size mini pecan pie. My dad loves pecan tassies and asks for them every Christmas. The first time I made my mom’s pecan tassie recipe in Colorado the pecan filling was liquid. With a few key adjustments for high altitude baking, they turn out beautifully every time I make them at 8,000 ft.
These High Altitude Pecan Tassies are made at 8,000 ft elevation. To adjust the recipe for other elevations check out High Altitude Baking Adjustments.
Why you’ll love these Mini Pecan Tarts
- PERFECTLY BITE SIZE – these mini desserts are great for snacking, sharing, or serving at holiday parties
- BUTTERY, FLAKY CRUST – the cream cheese and butter create a rich, flaky, melt-in-your-mouth crust
- RICH, NUTTY FILLING – a gooey, caramel-like filling loaded with crunchy pecans creates an irresistible balance of sweetness and texture in every bite
- HIGH ALTITUDE PERFECTION – adapted specifically for baking at 8,000 ft so your pecan tassies don’t sink, overflow, or have an under baked crust
- MAKE-AHEAD FRIENDLY – this pecan tassies recipe is easy to prepare in advance, making them perfect for a stress-free holiday dessert
Recommended Tools:
- LARGE MIXING BOWL OR ELECTRIC STAND MIXER – I find it easiest mix the dough in an electric mixer but use whatever you have
- MEDIUM MIXING BOWL – the pecan filling needs to be mixed in another bowl
- MINIATURE MUFFIN PAN – also called “tassie pans”
- MEASURING CUPS AND SPOONS – baking (especially at high altitude) is a science and accurate measurements are needed
High Altitude Pecan Tassies Ingredients:
Cream Cheese Crust:
- ALL PURPOSE FLOUR – creates the base for the crust
- CREAM CHEESE & BUTTER – creates the rich buttery and flaky crust
Pecan Filling:
- BROWN SUGAR – creates the beautiful caramel-like filling
- LARGE EGGS – helps hold the filling together
- MILK – I love to use whole milk in all my baking
- VANILLA EXTRACT – small amounts help to enhance the flavors (a little secret of mine…I never measure vanilla)
- CHOPPED PECANS – the best ingredient for the nutty flavor and crunchy texture
See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full ingredients list.
How to make Pecan Tassies:
- PREHEAT OVEN TO 375° F
- MIX TOGETHER CREAM CHEESE CRUST – the key to getting a smooth crust is ROOM TEMPERATURE cream cheese and butter
- MIX TOGETHER PECAN FILLING
- PUT TOGETHER THE PECAN TASSIES
- BAKE FOR 25 MINUTES
- COOL & ENJOY!
Making Pecan Tassies at Sea Level:
This Pecan Tassies recipe was originally my mom’s and made in Illinois with different ingredient. Use the following ingredient changes if you are making these nutty, flaky Pecan Tassies at lower altitude.
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup brown sugar
- Bake at 350° F for 25 minutes
FAQs:
How to store pecan tassies:
Store pecan tassies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Or freeze the pecan tassies in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
What to serve with pecan tassies:
Serve bite-size pecan tassies with a scoop of a vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
What is a tassie pan?
A “tassie pan” is merely a miniature muffin pan. The word tassie is a Scottish term for a small cup. The crust of a tassie is shaped into a cup to hold a filling when baked in a mini muffin pan.
How do you keep pecan tarts from sticking to the pan?
The butter in the crust of a pecan tart helps the crust from sticking to the pan. If the tarts stick despite the butter in the crust then lightly spray the pan prior to putting the crust into the pan.
Other High Altitude Recipes:
High Altitude Pie Recipes:
- Blueberry Pie with Frozen Berries
- Pumpkin Pie
- Apple Pie with Crumb Topping
- Fresh Peach Pie
- Apple Pie with Cream
- Fresh Strawberry Pie – No Bake
- Pecan Pie
- Homemade Flaky Pie Crust
High Altitude Bread Recipes:
- Cornbread
- No-Knead Artisan Bread
- Fail-Proof Flaky Biscuits
- Soft & Fluffy Dinner Rolls
- Pumpkin Bread with Streusel Topping
- Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Chips
- Banana Bread
High Altitude Breakfast Recipes:
- Blueberry Coffee Cake with Streusel Topping
- Blueberry Muffins
- Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs
- Cinnamon Rolls
- Waffles with Dairy Free Option
- Easy Crepes with Dairy Free Option
- Fluffy Pancakes
High Altitude Pecan Tassies with Cream Cheese Crust
Equipment
- large mixing bowl or Electric Stand Mixer
- medium mixing bowl
- Miniature Muffin Pan
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
Ingredients
Cream Cheese Crust
- 8 oz Cream Cheese 1 package
- 1 cup Butter
- 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
Pecan Filling
- 2 Large Eggs
- 2 tbsp Milk
- ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
- ¾ cup Brown Sugar
- ½ cup Pecans chopped finely
Instructions
- PREHEAT OVEN to 375° F
- MIX TOGETHER CREAM CHEESE CRUST – use room temperature or softened cream cheese and butter. Mix the flour, cream cheese, and butter together until the dough is smooth.
- MIX TOGETHER PECAN FILLING – mix all the ingredients together
- MAKE 24 EQUAL DOUGH BALLS – place each dough ball into a well of the miniature muffin pan. Press down in the center to create a hole for the filling. Press down until the sides and bottom are about 1/8".
- FILL THE CRUST WITH FILLING – fill the crust with pecan filling. Leave about 1/4 inch of crust not filled.
- ADD CHOPPED PECANS – sprinkle chopped pecans over the top of the filling.
- BAKE for 25 minutes
- COOL & ENJOY – allow the pecan tassies to cool in the pan before removing them.
Notes
If you make these delicious High Altitude Pecan Tassies leave a comment below and let me know how they turned out. If you have any questions, post them below and I would love to help you out.
