Pecan Tassies With Cream Cheese Crust

By Lucy BrewerPublished Sep 20, 2026

Miniature pecan pies baked in a tender cream cheese crust, filled with toasted pecans and dark corn syrup. One mini muffin pan makes twenty-four.

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Reader Rating

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 30

Total Time 1 10

Servings 24 tassies

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Pecan Tassies go on my holiday tray every single year. My crust for these babies is made with cream cheese crust and it’s turns tender and a little flaky. The filling is dark corn syrup and toasted pecans, just like a pecan pie. Every one has a crisp little edge of crust around a filling that stays soft in the middle. I adore these bite-sized treats and they are a great holiday gift option.

A group of mini pecan pies sits on a white surface, with one in the front showing a bite taken out, revealing the nutty filling and flaky crust.

Blue cursive text reads "Lucy's notes" on a transparent background.

There’s no need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to old-fashioned Southern food. What we’ve been enjoying for decades still works perfectly. Sometimes, a little update doesn’t hurt anything though. I took a traditional pie crust and added cream cheese to give these little pecan tarts more flavor in the crust, which goes so well with the sweet, gooey filling.

Testing results for Pecan Tassies

I tried pressing the dough into the cups with my fingers and then with the blunt end of a wooden spoon, and the wooden spoon gave me a far more even shell. If you have a muddler the correct size, that would work great too (if it’s got a smooth edge).
I used light corn syrup in this version, but dark corn syrup would work too. It’s really personal preference as to what type of flavor you’re looking for. I use cane syrup in my Southern Pecan Pie, because I like the deeper, more complex flavor. You could use that here as well, but I think that might be overpowering in these mini pies.

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I hope you make this recipe. I think you’ll love it!

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P.S. I always serve these Pecan Tassies with my Homemade Whipped Cream, sometimes flavored with bourbon or almond extract. This Caramel Sauce is also yummy drizzled over the top.

Mini pecan tassies are arranged on a white board with several pecans scattered around, surrounded by white plates and small bowls of pecans.

Ingredient notes

Here are a few things to know about the ingredients in this recipe.

➡️➡️➡️ The full ingredient amounts and instructions are listed below on the printable recipe card. Scroll below the recipe card for frequently asked questions and tips for success.

Cream cheese: Use full-fat block cream cheese, softened all the way through so it creams smoothly with the butter.

All-purpose flour: Stop mixing as soon as the dough comes together.

Pecans: Toast them on a sheet pan at 350 degrees F for 6 to 8 minutes before they go into the filling. Chop size is up to you. A rough chop gives you a chunky bite, and a fine chop spreads the pecan flavor through every tart.

Related 📖 ➡️ How to soften hard brown sugar

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How to make Pecan Tassies

Cream the butter and cream cheese together, then work in the flour just until a dough forms.
Divide the dough into equal balls, drop one into each cup of a mini muffin pan, and press it across the bottom and up the sides to make the shell for each of the mini pecan tarts.
Toast the pecans, then stir them into the brown sugar, corn syrup, egg, melted butter, vanilla, and salt.
Spoon the filling into the shells, coming up only to the top edge of the crust.
Bake until the filling has set, then cool in the pan before lifting them out.

Why the cream cheese dough works

A classic pie crust gets its flake from cold fat left in visible pieces and from a little water. This dough works differently. The cream cheese brings both the fat and the moisture, so the butter, the cream cheese, and the flour come together into a soft dough with nothing else added.

That’s why there is no rolling needed, no rest in the refrigerator, and no blind bake. The dough is soft enough to press straight into the pan with the blunt end of a wooden spoon, and pressing doesn’t develop the gluten the way rolling and re-rolling scraps would. The shell bakes up tender and flaky and is absolutely delicious, even without filling!

Variations

Nuts: Try chopped, toasted almonds, walnuts, or pecans.
Refrigerated pie crust: If you don’t have time to make your own, cut small circles in refrigerated pie crust and call it good.
Vanilla bean paste: Use it in place of the extract for visible flecks of vanilla through the filling.

Close-up of mini pecan tassies stacked on a white surface, with whole pecans scattered nearby.

If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below!

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Questions and tips

Storage

Storage. These individual pecan pie tarts freeze for up to three months. Cool them completely, wrap them in plastic wrap, and put them in a freezer bag. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator, or for about two hours on the counter, before serving.

Can I use a pre-made crust?

You can, and it will save you the pressing. It will not have the buttery, tender texture the cream cheese dough gives you.

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About the author

Hi, I’m Lucy! I’m a home cook, writer, food and wine fanatic, and recipe developer. I’ve created and tested hundreds of recipes so that I can bring you the best tried and true favorites.