Easy and Quick Holiday Pecan Tarts. Photo by Teresa Knudsen.
Written by Teresa Knudsen. First published on Suite 101 November 28, 2009. 
Republished January 11, 2012 on Sweet Suite Writings

Easy and Quick Holiday Pecan Tarts

During the holidays, one of the biggest baking challenges is coming up with a dessert that is easy to make, easy to keep, and popular with friends and family.

Delicious pecan tarts, the smaller cousin of pecan pie, offer a sumptuous taste, and are a wonderful addition to any holiday feasting, whether with a lot of people, or alone during a break.

Recipe for the Crust

• 12 ounces cream cheese (Note: With 16 oz., add 1/2 cup flour, but dough will taste more "floury.")
• 2 cups butter
• 4 cups flour
• 1 1/3 cup finely chopped pecans (walnuts or almonds will also work)

After pre-heating the oven at 350 degrees, blend the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the flour, one cup at a time. Then, add the finely chopped pecans. Chill for about 20 minutes.

On a floured surface, roll out the dough, cut into 3" or 4" circles, and place into a greased muffin pan.

For smaller, 1" tarts, cut about 1 1/4". For creative edges, experiment with fluted teacups, pressed gently into the dough.

Or, to make crust without rolling out the dough, just shape dough into 1 inch balls, place into muffin pan, and press to make the muffin shape.

Recipe for Filling

• 3 cups brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 3 tsp. vanilla
• 3 tablespoons soft or melted butter
• 1 cup finely chopped pecans (or walnuts or almonds)

Blend the ingredients for the filling. Use a large spoon or a small measuring cup and almost fill to the top of each tart crust in the muffin pan. (About 3/4 to the top will work).

Baking Directions

Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the crust is golden, and the top of the tart is fairly solid.
Usually the top is cooked so that a light tap will feel solid.
(Note: The filling inside is sometimes jelly-like or sometimes runny. Both are good!)

Remove muffin pan from the oven and place it on a cooling rack to cool for about 5 minutes.
Then, run a flat knife between each tart and the muffin pan to loosen the tart.

Then lift each tart out of the pan and onto the cooling rack. Tarts should be lightly browned on sides and bottom. If not, place in muffin pan and cook for another five minutes or so.

Let the tarts cool completely; then place into a holiday cookie tin, lined with waxed paper. Cooled tarts can be stacked in the tin, with a layer of waxed paper between each layer of tarts.

Pecan tarts should keep for several weeks in the tins, usually through the holidays, especially if the tins are kept in a cool location. However, these tarts are eaten so quickly, that keeping them fresh is usually not a problem.

Displaying Tarts

These tarts are "sleepers" in that holiday guests will often select them last, after the brightly colored sugar cookies. Then, someone will try a tart, and then another. Soon, all the guests will be trying the tarts, often with a guilty look as they reach for their fourth or fifth tart.

Tarts look very attractive on paper doilies, or holiday plates.
Because there are nuts in the crust, the gooey tart center often drips a bit.
Be sure to provide plates or napkins, though most people will just lick their fingers.
Serve the tarts with freshly ground and brewed coffee, tea, or herbal teas like peppermint or chamomile.

Special Uses for Tarts

Sharing the tarts with family, friends, and co-workers is ideal. But these tarts are also wonderful in a quiet moment, alone with a nice book or novel, sitting by the window and looking out at the winter day.