As I mentioned in my Grandma Cookies blog post, my grandmother’s thing was definitely Christmas cookies. This time of year was her time to shine. Her cookie platters were piled high with different shapes - discs, balls, slices… and mini pies? Yes! These “mini pies” were called Tea Time Tassies, and at their core they are just a bite-sized pecan pie.
As a kid, I skipped over these cookies and opted for others that were iced, dipped in chocolate, or rolled in powdered sugar. For some reason in my head I deemed Tea Time Tassies as cookies that only grown-ups would enjoy. Oddly enough, this is also how I felt about oatmeal raisin cookies, but at 33 years old, I can confidently say I still hate raisins.
Skipping Tea Time Tassies, however, was an error in my childhood judgement because these cookies are damn delicious. You have all the elements of a pecan pie that you can easily pop into your mouth - no long bake times or slicing required! This recipe is from my grandmother’s archive, and it actually originally called for walnuts, but have you ever really heard of walnut pie? Me either.
For bite-sized pies, consider a mini muffin tin
The only “special” item you need to make these are mini muffin pans (like this one from Michaels). If you don’t have or want them, you may be able to try with a standard cupcake tin, but it won’t yield as many and you’ll have to adjust your baking time from what I have noted below. No matter which way you try these Tea Time Tassies, I’d love to hear how they turn out. Leave a comment below or on the TikTok or Instagram Reel showing how to make them!
Tea Time Tassie | Christmas Cookie Recipe
By Bake Gia BakeAt its core, a Tea Time Tassie is just a mini pecan pie. While we love the classic comfort of a regulra pecan pie, these are a wonderful bite-sized alternative that are small enough to cater to a larger crowd & an adorable addition to any holiday cookie platter!
Prep time: | Cook time: | Total time:
Yield: 26 cookies
Dough Ingredients
- 3oz room temperature cream cheese
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold, unsalted butter
- 1 cup all purpose flour
Filling Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon softened, unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 2/3 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)
Instructions
- Put all dough ingredients into a bowl and work with your hands until a shaggy dough starts to come together.
- Remove dough from bowl and place on a lightly floured surface & continue to work until a dough ball forms, then wrap in plastic wrap & chill in fridge for 30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 375ºF and spray (or oil) mini cupcake tins, and set aside.
- Once dough has chilled, remove from fridge & place on a floured surface. Then roll with a rolling pin until until thin, about 1/8 inch.
- With a small round cookie cutter,or top of a small glass, cut out circles & place each circle into your mini cupcake tin. It should come up & over the the sides just a small amount, similar to a normal pie dough in a pie tin.
- Poke holes in the bottom of your mini pie dough with a fork, then par-bake in the oven for 6 minutes. Remove and let cool.
- In a stand mixer, start your filling by beating your egg, then add brown sugar, vanilla, & salt and mix well.
- Once mixed, add in your pecans (or walnuts) on your slowest speed (or fold in with a spatula by hand) until just combined.
- Place a small spoonful of the filling into each mini-pie crust. Careful not to overfill! Then bake in the oven for 18 minutes or until filling becomes more solidified.
- Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before removing the pies from the tins. Enjoy!