Author: Add these adorable mini pecan pies to your holiday menu this year! With an easy one-bowl recipe, these can be made months in advance and frozen. Thaw them before your Thanksgiving dinner for the perfect, easy dessert. Make these with einkorn flour or your favorite pie crust!
Back in Feb, my sister-in-law was expecting her first child. As a welcome gift, I made a bunch of food to fill her freezer. Things like these easy egg bites, a ton of hidden veggie mac and cheese, as well as a big bag of portioned chocolate chip cookie dough!
But one thing that she wanted most of all was my homemade pecan pie. It’s her favorite dessert (at least that I make!), and so I wanted to make sure to take her a ton of it. But I didn’t want her to have to commit to a whole pie anytime she wanted a single piece.
And so these mini pecan pies were born! They are perfect for baking in bulk and freezing!
Adorable Mini Pecan Pies
All the joy of a slice of pecan pie, wrapped in a ready-to-take dish! These mini pecan pies are perfect for any holiday celebration! Here are a few of the things I really love about this recipe.
- Slice Size – Each finished mini pecan pie is still a slice worth! Each person can “doctor” their pie the way they want and eat it right from the mini tin!
- Make in Advance – You know I love making food in advance, especially during the holidays. And these pies check all my boxes! You can make them up to 6 months in advance and thaw them the night before for an easy holiday dessert!
- Dessert to Go – We all know that sometimes there just isn’t room for dessert. This way, your family and friends can still take a piece of pie to go, without the extra dishes!
Ingredients
The ingredients for pecan pie are relatively simple and come together quickly to make that gooey pie we all love so much! The exact measurements can be found in the printable recipe card at the end of the post.
- White sugar: Can be substituted for coconut sugar, but a texture change may occur!
- Brown sugar: Light or dark will work. Don’t worry if you run out, you can easily make your own brown sugar!
- Cane sugar syrup: You can use corn syrup or maple syrup instead, if desired.
- Butter: Salted and unsalted work just fine. We use salted because that’s what we keep on hand.
- Whole Eggs: Act as the binding agent and contribute to the custard-like texture. Egg replacements are not suitable for this recipe.
- Salt: We use pink sea salt, but use what you have. This is a flavor enhancer, so do not skip!
- Vanilla extract: We love our homemade vanilla extract, but use what you have.
- Pecan halves: The star of the pie, providing the nutty and crunchy topping. Can use other types of nuts, but they will change the flavor profile!
- Pie crust recipe: The base of the pie, a tender, flaky vehicle for the filling. Use your favorite homemade pie crust for the best results (we use einkorn). Store-bought will work too, if you’re in a time crunch.
Instructions
It’s a blessing and a curse how quickly this recipe comes together! A blessing because it’s easy to whip up and have these mini pecan pies in the freezer, but a curse because once you realize how simple it is, you might make it all the time (ask me how I know, haha)!
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, cane sugar syrup, and butter.
- Add eggs and beat until frothy. Stir in the salt and vanilla extract.
- Cut rounds from the pie crust and fit them into the mini pie pans. Do not crimp the dough over the edges if you want to fit the lids on the pan for storage.
- Place the prepped pie pans on a baking tray for easy movement in and out of the oven and to prevent overflow onto the oven floor!
- Divide pecan halves evenly into the bottom of mini pie shells. Add the mixture on top.
- Bake pies for 22-25 minutes. Check often to avoid burning the crust or the pecans.
- Pie should not be too wiggly (yes, that’s a technical term) when you remove it from the oven. If it is, put it back in until it sets in the middle.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 15-20 minutes before serving.
To Thaw and Serve These Mini Pecan Pies
If you are making these mini pies more than a few days in advance, you will want to follow these steps for serving them on the big day.
- Remove as many pies as you plan to serve from the freezer the night before your event. Leave them to thaw on the counter at room temperature, or in the fridge, if you have room.
- About 20 minutes before serving, preheat the oven to 350°F and remove the plastic lids from all the pies.
- On a baking tray, arrange the mini pies and add them to the hot oven. Bake for about 12 minutes, or until the center of the pie is at least 135°F.
- Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes before serving and enjoy!
Even More Holiday Dessert Ideas
These tried-and-true recipes are a wonderful addition to any holiday table!
- Classic Cherry Cheesecake
- Old-Fashioned Molasses Cookies (Gingersnaps)
- Cranberry Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Mini Pecan Pies
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups white sugar
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 cup cane sugar syrup
- 1/3 cup butter
- 3 whole eggs
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups pecan halves
- 1 pie crust Prep pie crust according to directions, cut it to size for the pans of your choice.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°
- In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, cane sugar syrup, and butter.
- Add eggs and beat until frothy. Stir in salt, and vanilla extract.
- Cut rounds from the pie crust and fit them into the mini pie pans. Do not crimp the dough over the edges if you want to fit the lids on the pan for storage.
- Place the prepped pie pans on a baking tray for easy movement in and out of the oven and to prevent overflow onto the oven floor!
- Divide pecan halves evenly into the bottom of mini pie shells. Add the mixture on top.
- Bake pies for 22-25 minutes. Check often to avoid burning the crust or the pecans.
- Pie should not be too wiggly (yes that’s a technical term) when you remove it from the oven. If it is, put it back in until it sets.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 15-20 minutes before serving.
Notes
To Thaw and Serve These Mini Pecan Pies
If you are making these mini pies more than a few days in advance, you will want to follow these steps for serving them on the big day.- Remove as many pies as you plan to serve from the freezer the night before your event. Leave them to thaw on the counter at room temperature, or in the fridge, if you have room.
- About 20 minutes before serving, preheat the oven to 350°F and remove the plastic lids from all the pies.
- On a baking tray, arrange the mini pies and add them to the hot oven. Bake for about 12 minutes, or until the center of the pie is at least 135°F.
- Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes before serving and enjoy!
Nutrition
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