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Mini Pecan Pies

5 from 1 vote
prep 1 hour
cook 20 minutes
Additional Time 1 hour 30 minutes
total 2 hours 50 minutes
Serves 12 servings
My favorite caramel pecan pie made with homemade salted caramel and no corn syrup and baked on a flakey, buttery pie crust in muffin tins for individual servings!
Author: Bernice Baran
Servings 12 servings

Equipment

Ingredients

Salted Caramel Sauce

  • 100 grams granulated sugar
  • 30 mL water
  • 28 grams salted butter, room temperature
  • 60 mL heavy whipping cream , room temperature
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt

Crust

  • 15 mL whiskey , (bourbon, vodka, any spirit works)
  • 60 mL cold water
  • 150 grams all-purpose flour , spooned and leveled
  • 113 grams salted butter , cold
  • 1  egg*, for egg wash

Pecan Filling

  • 5 ounces salted caramel sauce**, plus more for topping
  • 67 grams light brown sugar, lightly packed
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 42 grams salted butter, softened or melted
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste, or extract
  • 150 grams pecans, roughly chopped
  • pinch of sea salt flakes

Method

Caramel Sauce

  1. Begin by preparing the homemade salted caramel sauce. In a medium saucepan, heat the sugar and water over medium heat. Place the lid on the pan and remove it every 2-3 minutes to swirl (NOT stir) the sugar.
    100 grams granulated sugar, 30 mL water
  2. Once the sugar changes to an amber color, remove it from heat (it will continue cooking because the pan is hot so do this immediately). Stir in the butter and whisk continuously. Once that's combined, stir in the heavy cream and then the salt.
    28 grams salted butter room temperature, 60 mL heavy whipping cream room temperature
  3. Once it's all mixed, pour it into a heat safe bowl and stir in the salt. Set it aside and allow it to cool at room temperature for about an hour. It doesn't have to cool fully, just enough not to cook the eggs.
    1/2 tsp fine sea salt

Crust

  1. Place the alcohol in a measuring cup and add the cold water. Place it in the freezer while you prepare the other ingredients. 
    15 mL whiskey  (bourbon, vodka, any spirit works), 60 mL cold water
  2. Place the flour and salt in the bowl of the food processor. Place the whole bowl in the freezer while you cube the butter. 
    150 grams all-purpose flour  spooned and leveled
  3. Add the cubed butter to the flour in the freezer, for 5-10 minutes.
    113 grams salted butter  cold
  4. Remove the bowl from the freezer, place it on the food processor and pulse until pea seize chunks form.
  5. While the food processor is on, stream in the water mixture just until it starts to come together. Start with only 2 Tbsp of water and use up to 1/4 cup if needed, I usually do 1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp of alcohol. You want the dough to be kinda crumbly but stick together when you press on it.
  6. Remove the dough from the food processor, press it together so it all sticks together. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for an hour (or overnight). 
  7. Preheat the oven to 350F (177C) convection (fan) (conventional/no fan should be fine too - mine just burns the bottom).
  8. Roll the pie crust out until it's about 1/8" thick. Try to work quickly so the dough doesn't get too warm. Use a 4" round cookie cutter to cut out 12 circles. If you position them strategically you should get exactly 12.
  9. Grease a muffin dish with baking spray and feel free to line them with a strip of parchment paper. I did this just in case but they didn't stick at all so I don't think it's necessary.
  10. Place each circle into a muffin tin and gently press it down and against the sides. Place the muffin tin in the freezer until the dough feels firm.

Filling

  1. In a large bowl, combine the cooled caramel sauce, brown sugar, eggs, butter and vanilla until they're completely smooth. Add the pecans and toss until they're fully coated.
    5 ounces salted caramel sauce** plus more for topping, 67 grams light brown sugar lightly packed, 2 large eggs room temperature, 42 grams salted butter softened or melted, 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract, 150 grams pecans roughly chopped
  2. In a small bowl use a fork to aggressively beat the egg until it's loosened. Use a pastry brush to lightly brush the frozen pie crusts with the egg wash.
    1  egg* for egg wash
  3. Pour about 1.25 ounces of filling into each pie crust (fill them about 2/3-3/4 full) and bake for about 20-25 minutes, until they're puffed and the pie crusts are little browned.
  4. Remove the pecan pies from the oven, allow them to cool for about 10-15 minutes in the pan before removing. Top with extra salted caramel sauce and a pinch of sea salt flakes if desired.
    pinch of sea salt flakes

Notes

Store fully covered in the refrigerator.
*You can easily double this recipe to make 24 but you'll need just 1 egg for the egg wash still. 
**feel free to replace caramel sauce with PURE maple syrup or honey.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 336kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 4gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 79mgSodium: 263mgPotassium: 97mgFiber: 2gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 521IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 29mgIron: 1mg
Course: Pies & Tarts
Cuisine: American
Keyword: caramel pecan pie, caramel sauce, fall baking, homemade caramel, homemade pie crust, mini pies, pecan pie, thanksgiving dessert, thanksgiving pie