Essentially tiny, cookie-like pecan pies, pecan tassies are single-serving or bite-size sweet snacks that can be homemade or purchased at the store. They are commonly served at Christmas celebrations in the United States. Like pecan pie, pecan tassies are made of a pastry crust filled with a pudding or custard and topped with caramelized candied pecans. They usually have a bottom crust and no top crust, similar to tarts. When eaten, the crunchy crust and sugared caramelized pecans give way to a soft, sweet center.
Pecan tassies are a popular snack for parties, and they store well in the freezer. Since they have no top crust, pecan tassies are often considered small tarts. They are also commonly called pecan pie tarts, pecan pie mini tarts, or tartlettes. Though pecan tassies can be homemade, they are most commonly seen in the bakery section or snack section at the grocery store. They usually come in plastic containers that support each individual tiny pie to keep the shape of the pie and the crust intact.
When they are homemade, pecan tassies are usually shaped using crust shapers called mini-tart shapers, which create the tiny cart crusts that hold the pecans and filling. The crusts for pecan tassies are similar to pie crusts, and generally contain ingredients like flour, sugar, and salt with cream cheese and butter. They are baked in the oven until the pastry crust and the sugar on the pecans have browned and the soft filling inside is cooked and hot. These sweet treats are cooled before they are served or stored in the refrigerator or freezer.
The ingredients used to make the pie filling in tassies can vary, but include sugar, corn syrup, and eggs in addition to pecans and vanilla flavoring. To create the filling, beaten eggs are gently stirred into a mixture of melted butter, sugar, and salt. The result is a pourable liquid that turns into a sweet custard-like filling when it is cooked.
Pecans are tree nuts that grow naturally in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. There are many varieties of pecan trees, some of which are extremely large, and can grow taller than a two-story house. The pecan is the official tree for the state of Texas in the United States.