My mother-in-law, Barbara, makes the best pecan tassies. I look forward to them every year, and even though I tell myself that I am only going to have a couple, I end up eating way too many. Luckily, it seems like the whole family does the same thing, so she always makes enough. If you’ve never had a pecan tassie before [I hadn’t before I met my husband], they are a cross between a pecan pie and a cookie. I highly recommend that you add them to your Christmas cookie repertoire; just make sure that you make enough.

Pecan Tassies

from my mother-in-law, Barbara

Ingredients:

• For the pastry:
  • 1/2 cup butter – softened
  • 3 oz cream cheese – softened
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
• For the Pecan Filling
  • 1 egg
  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Beat butter and cream cheese until thoroughly combined.
3. Stir in flour.
4. Press a rounded teaspoon of pastry evenly into the bottom and up the side of a mini muffin cup. Make an indent with your thumb (about the size of a quarter).
5. Mix egg, sugar, and butter. Add in pecans.
6. Fill each muffin cup.
7. Bake for 30 minutes or until pastry is a golden brown.
8. Cool slightly in the pan then remove to cool completely.