Pecan Tassies

Crust

3 oz cream cheese, room temperature
½ c (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 c (120g) all-purpose flour
Pinch of kosher salt

Filling

¾ c (128g) packed dark brown sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 T unsalted butter, melted
Pinch salt
1 t vanilla bean paste or extract
2 t bourbon or maple syrup (optional)
¾ c chopped pecans

Spray or butter a 24-count mini muffin tin (or two 12-count mini muffin tins). Transfer to the freezer while you make the dough.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth, about 3 minutes. Slowly add in the flour and salt, mix for another minute, until dough comes together. Turn dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap. With floured hands, flatten dough into a rectangle and wrap. Refrigerate at least 1 hour (can be made 2 days ahead and kept refrigerated).

Preheat the oven to 350. Remove dough from the refrigerator and using a sharp knife, divide the rectangle into 24 cubes of dough. Roll each into a ball and press into the bottom and up the sides of each mini muffin cup (a mini tart tamper works wonders here, but your fingers will work too). Transfer pan to the freezer (or refrigerator) while you make the filling.

Make the pecan pie filling by combining brown sugar, egg, butter, salt, vanilla, and bourbon and mix with a whisk (or mini prep) until blended and smooth. Remove muffin pan from the freezer. Spoon 1 teaspoon chopped pecans into each tartlet shell. Pour filling over pecans until it comes almost to the top of the shell.

Transfer the pan to the oven. Bake 15 minutes, then lower oven temperature to 250 and bake 10 more minutes, until crusts are lightly browned and filling in the center is just set. Transfer to a wire rack to cool to room temperature. Carefully remove tassies from the muffin tin with an offset spatula.