Pecan Pie Tarts (Pecan Tassies)

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These mini pecan pies feature a crispy top and gooey pecan pie filling in bite-size buttery and flaky homemade pie crust shells. This recipe is made without corn syrup and stands out from the crowd with a touch of bright orange zest for a zippy take on a classic.

With their flaky edges, lightly crisp tops, and slightly gooey filling, these bite-size cookies deliver big on flavor and, believe it or not, without being overly complicated to make.

There are honestly so many reasons I love these easy pecan tassies:

They’re different: yes, they’re a nutty cookie, which is nothing new when it comes to a cookie spread. But a cookie that’s actually a pie? Sign me up! Add a touch of coarse of flaky sea salt to help them stand out from the rest as a salty/sweet option on a cookie tray with sweet choices.

Easy as easier than pie: not into making a whole pie? I get it. People are often intimidated by pecan pie! This recipe for pecan tassies is similar to a large pie but much less to worry about. When you’ve mastered these, make my chocolate chip pecan pie next! 

Made without corn syrup: while a larger pecan pie utilizes corn syrup for structure, these cuties don’t need it. They create their own sticky filling with simple ingredients. 

They’re cute: while they aren’t a particularly beautiful or festive color, bite-size/mini things are always cuter.

You can make them ahead of time: the pie crust can be made and chilled for up to 3 days ahead of time, and the filling can hang out in the fridge for about a day if you need it to. This saves time in a big way! Leftover dough because you ran out of filling? Make pie crust cookies.

PIE DOUGH: you can certainly use store bought pie crust for these cute little pecan pie tarts, but I promise you, my pie crust is worth learning how to make. If you have a favorite of your own, feel free to use it! Making the pie crust and creating each individual tart’s crust is the hardest part of this recipe. So… If you can handle rolling and cutting and shaping with your fingers, you can handle these cookies. This is a great recipe for little helpers!

ORANGE ZEST: you’ll notice the list of ingredients includes orange zest. I beg of you… Do not leave it out. I have use jarred (found in the spice aisle) as well as fresh. The fresh will give you a more prominent orange flavor. The zing of the zest (say what?!) complements the brown sugary pecan filling so nicely! There is so(oooo) much flavor packed into each one of these little pie tarts!

CHOPPED PECANS: you can chop your own or use pre-chopped nuts. I have used both coarsely pre-chopped and finely pre-chopped pecans, both with success. I’ve made these so many times with so many variations of sizes of pecan pieces– anything you can make or buy works well here, as long as they’re not full halves!

STEP #1: make your favorite pie crust recipe, or start with pre-made pie crust, and roll it out into a large circle, about 12″ in diameter.

Mine always take exactly 15 minutes to finish. You do not want to over bake these pecan pie tarts, because all you’ll be left with is a dry filling. Baking just the right amount of time ensures the filling stays soft and crispy, not crunchy and burned.

If you want to add flaky sea salt, be sure you’re adding that while the tops are still hot so the salt can adhere to the filling.

Use pre-chopped pecans to save yourself time: I have made these so many times and have chopped my own and utilized pre-chopped nuts. Your preference! 

Use pre-made crust to save even more time: while I will always encourage you to make your own pie dough, you can use pre-made crust to save time. Just… Promise me you’ll make your pie dough from scratch for another pie someday!

Don’t overmix the filling: overmixing can turn some of the egg whites frothy, which will bring bubbles to the top of the filling and create a frosty look on the tarts. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this– they will still taste delicious! Just cover up the frostiness with some powdered sugar. No big!

Use a #110 cookie scoop for the perfect amount of filling: you’ll want about 1 teaspoon of filling in each of these mini pecan pie tartlets. This is the scoop size I use for all of my mini cookies! 

Don’t overfill: overfilling these mini tarts means the filling can overtake the crust and the tarts might stick to the pan and be difficult to remove. 

Don’t overbake: this pecan pie tarts recipe is written to yield gooey insides. Overbaking will start to dry out the filling.

Allow the tarts to cool completely in the pan before removing: until the small pecan pie tarts are completely cool, the crust can be a bit delicate. When they’re completely cool, use a butter knife to loosen the tarts from the pan and remove.