Gram’s Tea Time Tassies

Going to my grandmother’s house for Christmas was always a holiday tradition.  The smell of hot rolls baking in the oven was a constant comfort, along with all the other sweet treats she’d prepared well in advance.  And one of her all-time favorite treats at Christmas was Tea Time Tassies.  I don’t know where her recipe came from, but she made a ton of them every year and we were so glad she did!

I remember the year I thought I would save Gram a ton of time in the kitchen.  One day I asked how she made those little tarts and she said she just used her thumb to press the hole in the center, then filled the indention with pecan filling.  Well, it just so happened that I knew of a little gadget that was made especially for that, so I purchased it for her for Christmas that year.

Well, if any of you have grandma’s who have made Christmas treats the same way for 40+ years, you know it’s no use trying to change their perfected techniques. Gram was very polite about it, but matter-of-factly, she told me her way worked a heck of a lot better than that little wooden gadget I bought for her. So, needless to say, when I’m making these little pecan pastries at Christmas time, I don’t use a gadget.  I use my thumb.  Just like Gram used to do.

Gram's Tea Time Tassies

 

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Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

55 mins

 

Author: Amy

Serves: 24

Ingredients

• For the Pastry:
• 1 pkg. 3-ounce Philadelphia Cream Cheese, room temperature
• ½ cup Unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup Flour
• Dash of Salt
• For the Pecan Filling:
• 1 Egg, room temperature
• ¾ cup Brown Sugar, firmly packed
• 1 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter, room temperature
• 1 tsp. Vanilla
• Dash of Salt
• ⅔ cups coarsely broken pecans

Instructions

1. For the Pastry:
2. Blend the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth.
3. Stir in flour and salt. Dough will crumbly, so knead with hands to form a stiff ball.
4. Chill dough for 20-30 minutes.
5. Once chilled, shape into 24 one-inch balls. Place in ungreased, 1 ¾ inch mini muffin cups.
6. Press dough down into bottom and up the sides of the cups. (If using wooden press dip into flour before pressing dough.)
7. Make sure shaped cup extends a little above the muffin cups. This will eliminate boil over and sticking.
8. For the Filling:
9. Beat together the egg, sugar, butter, vanilla and salt until just smooth.
10. Divide half of the pecans among the pastry-lined cups.
11. Fill muffin tins until almost full and top with remaining pecans.
12. Bake in a 325° F oven for 25 minutes or until filling is set.
13. Cool and remove from pans.

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