Almond Raspberry Tassies

Tassies are the bite-sized cousin of the pecan tart, baked in mini muffin tins and finished in a single afternoon. This version layers raspberry preserves under a frangipane-style almond filling, so each one delivers a buttery shell, a tart fruit pop, and a soft almond center in three quick chews.

The pastry is the clever part. Equal parts butter and cream cheese bound with flour produces a dough that stays workable cold, presses easily into the cups with your thumbs, and bakes into a flaky shell with a tang from the cheese. No rolling pin, no fussing.

The filling reads almost like a French frangipane but takes a shortcut by starting with almond paste instead of grinding nuts and sugar from scratch. A splash of orange juice in the filling brightens the marzipan flavor and keeps it from going one-note sweet.

These freeze beautifully, which makes them a quiet workhorse for holiday cookie trays.

Pro Tips

• Chill the pastry dough until firm before pressing into the tins. Warm dough sticks to your fingers and tears at the rim.
• Press dough up the sides as well as the bottom so the filling has a wall to climb.
• Drop the raspberry preserves in first, then spoon the almond filling on top. The jam should be hidden, not visible.
• Cool fully in the pan before lifting out. Warm tassies break at the rim where they’re thinnest.

Variations

• Swap apricot or sour cherry preserves for raspberry. Both pair with almond.
• Top each cooled tassie with a single fresh raspberry and a dusting of powdered sugar for a more dressed-up look.
• Replace the orange juice with amaretto for a stronger almond note and a touch of warmth.