Pecan Tossies

Pecan tossies are miniature pecan pies that fit in a muffin tin. A tender cream cheese pastry gets pressed into each cup, filled with a brown sugar and egg mixture loaded with chopped pecans, and baked until set.

The cream cheese pastry is what makes these special. Blending cream cheese with butter and flour creates a dough that’s incredibly tender and flaky, richer than standard pie crust, and easy to work with. Just press each ball into the tin with your thumb. No rolling pin, no fuss.

The filling is essentially pecan pie in miniature: brown sugar, egg, butter, and vanilla beaten smooth, poured over a layer of pecans in each cup, then topped with more pecans. The brown sugar melts into a caramel-like filling that sets around the nuts as it bakes.

Chilling the pastry cups while you make the filling firms the cream cheese dough so it holds its shape during baking instead of slumping down the sides.

Kitchen Tips

• Let the cream cheese and butter soften to room temperature before blending. Cold lumps won’t incorporate smoothly.
• Press the dough evenly up the sides of each muffin cup. Thin spots can crack and leak filling.
• Bake at a low temperature so the filling sets gently without puffing up and overflowing.
• Let them cool completely in the pan before removing. Warm tossies are fragile and the filling is still liquid.

Variations

• Use walnuts instead of pecans for a slightly milder, less buttery nut flavor.
• Add a pinch of cinnamon to the filling for a warm spice note.
• Drizzle cooled tossies with melted chocolate for an extra-indulgent holiday version.