Growing up, every year at Christmas, my mother made these delicious cookies called Pecan Tassies. I hate the name but I absolutely adore the cookies. They are like little tiny pecan pie bites. The center is sweet an goey and the outside is rich with a slight tartness from the cream cheese that is a perfect balance for the sweet inside. When I first had to go gluten free, I didn’t realize how easy these cookies would be to convert to a gluten free cookie but it’s only a matter of switching out the flour. Since the cookies do not require the stretching ability that is inherent in gluten, I just use a gluten free baking flour in a 1 to 1 measure and they come out great. Enjoy!
Pecan Tassies
This recipe was adapted from the Better Homes and Garden Recipe which never provides enough of the filling. More filling is better for a tasty bite, so this adaptation makes more filling.
Pastry:
½ cup butter, softened
1 3 ounce package
cream cheese,
softened
1 cup all-purpose flour
——————————
Filling:
1 egg
1 cup packed brown
sugar
1½ tablespoons butter,
melted
½ cup coarsely
chopped pecans
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- For pastry: In a mixing bowl beat the ½ cup butter and cream cheese until combined. Stir in the flour. Press a rounded teaspoon of pastry evenly into the bottom and up the sides of 24 ungreased 1¾-inch muffin cups. I use a melon baller and it is just the right size.
- For pecan filling: in a bowl beat egg, brown sugar, and the 1½ tablespoons melted butter untilcombined. Stir in pecans. Spoon about 1 heaping teaspoon of filling into each pastry lined muffin cup. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until pastry is golden and filling is puffed.
- Cool slightly in pan. Carefully transfer to a wire rack and let cool. Makes 24 cookies
For Gluten-Free folks like me
The only change I have to make to change this cookie to gluten free is to substitute the flour for a gluten-free baking flour. In the US, there are many brands that have a 1 to 1 gluten free flour which substitutes as the recipe indicated. The taste of the cookie is practically identical.
Be sure to visit Staci Troilo’s Blog for more cookie recipes.
40 responses to “My Favorite Cookie Recipe | Virtual Holiday Cookie Exchange”
I’ll have to try these some time.. I’m not a big fan of pecans, myself, but everyone in my family loves them and even have several of the trees in their yard.
I’m particularly fond of pfeffernusse cookies around Christmastime but I’ve never made them.
Thank you for sharing this with us, Tessa!
Pfeffernusse cookies are yummy. I love the texture of them.
I’m pleasantly surprised, this is the first time anyone’s even known what they are.. And I do too! But I like the dark spiced flavor the most.
I first picked up a box of them because I thought they were pecan sandies which my mom also makes at Christmas. The texture was similar but as you said, the pepper and other spices gives it a much different yummy flavor.
The pecan sandies, that’s the recipe you shared, right? I’ve never had them but I’ll definitely have to change that.. I know my entire family would love them!
And the pfeffernusse aren’t for everyone, probably too much going on, but I think they’re addictive. Glad to see someone else enjoys them, too!
These look delicious 💕
They are too yummy 😋
I’m not a pecan fan, but those look scrumptious! I’ll add it to my book. Thanks for sharing it!
They are so good!
[…] Tessa Pulver: Pecan Tassies […]
I love pecan tassies. My mom used to make them with walnuts, instead. Both ways are delicious. And I agree… the 1-to-1 GF flour does a great job as an AP flour substitute. Thanks for sharing this recipe, Tessa.
I’ve never had them with walnuts. That would be interesting. The nut flavor should be more powerful. Hmmm… I might have to try that some time.
It’s definitely a stronger flavor. You need to like nuts to like those. I didn’t so much as a kid but love them now. I bet hazelnuts would be fabulous, too.
I kind of want to try all kinds of nuts, now. Lol. I was wondering how cashews might taste.
Oooh. I bet they’d be delicious.
Oooo they sound lovely 😍
Very yummy! I provided English conversions further on in the comments.
Thanks love 😘
I love any and everything pecan-related, Tessa! Thank you for sharing this recipe. They sound delicious!
It’s hard to stop eating them, they are so good.
I was never a fan of these growing up – have no idea why, because I love pecans – but I tried them last week at a party and they were awesome. Thanks for the recipe, Tessa!
They are totally addictive.
Tessa, I am a big fan of tassies. As Staci’s sister, we enjoyed eating our mother’s walnut tassies every year. I’ll bet they would be good with some chocolate on top. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
I’vevseen them with chocolate on top and I was debating on trying them like that or to put chocolate in the filling like a chocolate pecan pie sort of.
Nice to meet you through Staci’s blog. This recipe sounds very nice. Thanks for sharing.
Nice to meet you! Thanks so much for stopping by. 🤗
My friend bakes these every year. I love them.
They are so yummy. ❤️
The cookies sound delicious – definitely one for me try (after I’ve used google to convert all the measurements 😂)
I didn’t think about that. I found a converter and this is what it spit out:
Pastry:
½ cup / 1 ⅛ dl butter, softened
1 3 oz / 85 g package
cream cheese,
softened
1 cup / 2 ⅓ dl plain flour
——————————
Filling:
1 egg
1 cup / 2 ⅓ dl packed brown
sugar
1½ tablespoons butter,
melted
½ cup / 1 ⅛ dl coarsely
chopped pecans
Directions:
Preheat oven to 160 ºC / gas mark 3.
For pastry: In a mixing bowl beat the ½ cup / 1 ⅛ dl butter and cream cheese until combined. Stir in the flour. Press a rounded teaspoon of pastry evenly into the bottom and up the sides of 24 ungreased 1 ¾ inch / 4 cm muffin cups. I use a melon baller and it is just the right size.
For pecan filling: in a bowl beat egg, brown sugar, and the 1½ tablespoons melted butter untilcombined. Stir in pecans. Spoon about 1 heaping teaspoon of filling into each pastry lined muffin cup. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until pastry is golden and filling is puffed.
Cool slightly in pan. Carefully transfer to a wire rack and let cool. Makes 24 biscuits
Thank you – I have absolutely no excuse for not making them now!
I love pecan and these biscuits look delicious. The gluten-free version looks good and I certainly will try. I saved the recipe. Thank you for sharing!
They are yummy 😋
I love these little treats, Tessa. It’s one of the few cookies I can actually make (I’m not known for my baking, LOL). They always say “Christmas” to me. Yum!
Merry Christmas!
Me too! I only make them at Christmas. I’ve never even considered making them at other times, which is kind of funny.
These sound and look wonderful Tessa. I’m not sure if I have the smaller muffin tins, I will have to check. I love, love, love pecans.
These cookies are so good. I only make them at Christmas because I would eat too many otherwise.
I hear you, Tessa. I have finished my baking for this year, but they are going on my list of cookie recipes to try.
I’m totally going to try this recipe. I just need to run out and get some cream cheese and pecans. Thanks so much for sharing
It’s incredibly yummy. And easy to make ❤️