Introduction
There’s just something magical about pecan pie, isn’t there? It brings back memories of holiday gatherings, cozy kitchen smells, and that perfect balance of sweet, nutty, and buttery goodness. But let’s be honest, baking a full-sized pie can sometimes feel like a whole thing. That’s where these mini pecan pies come in! They take everything you love about a classic pecan pie and shrink it down into adorable, individual bites. And the best part? The crust is a simple, buttery shortbread that’s practically foolproof. You’re going to be amazed at how easy and quick these are to whip up, making them perfect for your next potluck, party, or just a sneaky treat all to yourself (I won’t tell!).
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fast: Much quicker than a traditional pie.
- Easy: Simple ingredients, straightforward steps.
- Giftable: Perfect for sharing with friends and family.
- Crowd-pleasing: Everyone loves a mini dessert!
Ingredients
Gathering your ingredients is the first step to deliciousness! Here’s what you’ll need for these little gems:
- All-purpose flour: Just your standard flour, the base for our lovely crust.
- Packed brown sugar: This gives our shortbread crust a wonderful depth of flavor and a little chewiness. Make sure it’s packed tightly!
- Cold butter: Cold butter is key for a tender, flaky shortbread crust. Cut it into cubes before you start.
- Large eggs: These bind our filling together and give it richness.
- Dark corn syrup: The classic thickener and sweetener for pecan pie filling. Dark corn syrup adds a richer molasses-like flavor than light.
- Granulated sugar: Just a little extra sweetness to balance the corn syrup.
- Vanilla extract: A splash of vanilla enhances all those sweet, nutty flavors.
- Salt: Don’t skip the salt! It balances the sweetness beautifully.
- Chopped pecans: The star of the show! Make sure they’re roughly chopped so they distribute nicely in the mini pies.
How to Make It
Alright, let’s get baking! Follow these simple steps and you’ll have a batch of mini pecan pies ready in no time.
First, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grab your mini muffin tin – you’ll want to use a non-stick one, and giving it a light spray with cooking spray is a good idea just to be safe.
For the Buttery Shortbread Crust:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the 2 cups of all-purpose flour and 1 cup of packed brown sugar. Cut in the 1 cup of cold, cubed butter. You can use a pastry blender, your fingers, or even a food processor (pulse until crumbly) to mix it until it looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter still visible. This is your crust mixture.
Now, take a tablespoon or so of the crust mixture and press it firmly into the bottom of each mini muffin cup. Use the back of a spoon or your fingers to make a compact base. Don’t worry if it doesn’t go perfectly up the sides – this is a bottom crust, and it’s going to be wonderfully buttery!
Pop the muffin tin into the freezer for about 10-15 minutes while you make the filling. This helps the crust hold its shape.
For the Pecan Pie Filling:
In another bowl, whisk together the 5 large eggs. Add the 1 cup of dark corn syrup, ⅔ cup of granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and ⅛ teaspoon of salt. Whisk until everything is well combined and smooth.
Stir in the 2 cups of chopped pecans. Give it a good mix to make sure the pecans are evenly distributed.
Assemble and Bake:
Take your chilled muffin tin out of the freezer. Carefully pour the pecan filling over the crust in each cup, filling them almost to the top. Try to get an even amount of pecans in each one.
Place the muffin tin in the preheated oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the filling is set but still looks slightly soft in the very center. The edges will look more firm. I like to give the pan a gentle jiggle – if the center doesn’t slosh around much, they’re ready.
Once baked, carefully remove the tin from the oven.
Substitutions & Additions
This recipe is wonderful as is, but you can absolutely play around with it!
- Nuts: Not a fan of pecans, or just want to mix it up? You could try chopped walnuts or even a mix of nuts.
- Chocolate: A sprinkle of mini chocolate chips over the filling before baking? Yes, please! Pecan and chocolate are a match made in heaven.
- Spice: A tiny pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg in the filling can add a lovely warmth.
- Crust Flavor: You could add a tiny bit of almond extract to the shortbread dough for a different twist.
Tips for Success
- Measure Carefully: Especially the flour and sugar for the crust. Using a light hand when measuring flour is always a good idea.
- Cold Butter is Key: For that perfect shortbread texture, make sure your butter is nice and cold when you cut it into the dry ingredients.
- Don’t Overbake: Overbaking will result in a hard, dry filling. The pies will continue to set as they cool.
- Cool Completely: This is crucial! The filling needs time to firm up properly before you try to remove or eat the pies. Patience is a virtue here.
- Removing from Pan: Once completely cool, you might need to gently run a small knife or offset spatula around the edge of each pie to help pop them out of the muffin tin.
How to Store It
Once your mini pecan pies are completely cooled, you can store them. They’ll keep at room temperature in an airtight container for 1-2 days. For longer storage, keep them in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days. If you want to store them even longer, they freeze beautifully! Place the completely cooled pies in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until firm, then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2-3 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
FAQs
Here are a couple of questions people often ask about making mini pecan pies:
Can I use a standard muffin tin?
Yes, you can! You’ll get larger pies, so you’ll need to adjust the baking time – it will likely take longer, perhaps 35-40 minutes or until the center is set. This recipe yields about 24 mini pies, so adjust quantities if you use a standard tin and don’t need as many.
Can I make the filling ahead of time?
You can mix the filling ingredients together a few hours ahead of time and keep it covered in the refrigerator. Give it a quick whisk before pouring it into the crusts.
My crust seems crumbly, is that right?
Yes, the shortbread crust mixture will be crumbly before you press it into the tin. The key is to really press it down firmly into the bottom of the cups to form a solid base.
Bite-Sized Bliss: Easy Mini Pecan Pies with Buttery Shortbread Crust
Equipment
- Mini muffin tin non-stick recommended; a light spray with cooking spray is a good idea
- Medium bowl
- pastry blender, fingers, or food processor for cutting in butter (use one)
- another bowl for filling
- small knife or offset spatula optional, for removing cooled pies
Ingredients
For the Buttery Shortbread Crust
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup packed brown sugar Make sure it's packed tightly!
- 1 cup cold butter Cut into cubes
For the Pecan Pie Filling
- 5 large eggs
- 1 cup dark corn syrup
- 0.67 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 0.125 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups chopped pecans roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare your mini muffin tin, preferably non-stick, by giving it a light spray with cooking spray.
For the Buttery Shortbread Crust
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the 2 cups of all-purpose flour and 1 cup of packed brown sugar.
- Cut in the 1 cup of cold, cubed butter using a pastry blender, your fingers, or a food processor until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter still visible.
- Take about a tablespoon of the crust mixture and press it firmly into the bottom of each mini muffin cup using the back of a spoon or your fingers to make a compact base.
- Pop the muffin tin into the freezer for about 10-15 minutes while you make the filling.
For the Pecan Pie Filling
- In another bowl, whisk together the 5 large eggs.
- Add the 1 cup of dark corn syrup, ⅔ cup of granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and ⅛ teaspoon of salt. Whisk until everything is well combined and smooth.
- Stir in the 2 cups of chopped pecans. Give it a good mix to ensure the pecans are evenly distributed.
Assemble and Bake
- Take your chilled muffin tin out of the freezer. Carefully pour the pecan filling over the crust in each cup, filling them almost to the top, trying to get an even amount of pecans in each one.
- Place the muffin tin in the preheated oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the filling is set but still looks slightly soft in the very center. The edges will look more firm. A gentle jiggle should result in the center not sloshing around much.
- Once baked, carefully remove the tin from the oven.
- Cool completely. This is crucial! The filling needs time to firm up properly before you try to remove or eat the pies.
- Once completely cool, you might need to gently run a small knife or offset spatula around the edge of each pie to help pop them out of the muffin tin.
Notes
Storage: Store completely cooled pies in an airtight container. At room temperature for 1-2 days. In the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Freeze for up to 2-3 months; thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
FAQs: This recipe yields about 24 mini pies. A standard muffin tin can be used, but baking time will be longer (likely 35-40 minutes), and the yield will be fewer larger pies. The filling ingredients can be mixed a few hours ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator; whisk before using. The shortbread crust mixture should be crumbly before pressing into the tin; ensure it is pressed down firmly to form a solid base.