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Sneak Preview: These mini pecan pie tarts feature a buttery shortbread crust and a rich pecan filling with optional chocolate drizzle. Ready in about 3½ hours, including chilling.

Chocolate pecan tartlets on a plate with a fork on the side.

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The first time I made these pecan tarts, the filling puffed beautifully in the oven—then sank into little craters as it cooled. After several batches, I discovered the solution was surprisingly simple: don’t skimp on the pecans. Plenty of nuts give the filling enough structure to stay full instead of collapsing.

pecan mini tarts with craters — **Fixed it! Full of nuts**

cross section of pecan pie mini tart — **Fixed it! Full of nuts**

Ingredients & Substitutions

BUTTER: Use chilled unsalted butter for flaky texture.

CORN SYRUP (light or dark)

PECANS (toast; don’t skimp)

TART SHELLS (homemade or purchased)

CHOCOLATE (optional)

Step-by-Step: Shaping Shortbread Mini-Tart Crusts

Don’t miss the video in the recipe card.

tart dough shaped into a log — Shaping dough into a log

Slicing the dough log into 15-16 pieces. — Shaping dough into a log

Step-by-Step: Making Tart Filling

⬇️ See the recipe card for exact amounts and complete instructions.

Melting butter in a pan on the stove. — **Melt butter over low heat**

Browning butter in a pan--golden butter seen in the spoon. — **Melt butter over low heat**

How To Drizzle Chocolate

Place chocolate chips in a small zip-top bag and microwave until melted (about 1 minute, 15 seconds). Snip a tiny corner, test on a plate for flow, then drizzle over the cooled tarts. Optional—but it adds a polished, festive finish.

Mini Pecan Pie Tarts with a Buttery Shortbread Crust

By Paula Rhodes

Mini Pecan Pie Tarts feature a gooey pecan filling baked in buttery shortbread crusts. These bite-size desserts are perfect for holidays and parties, and a drizzle of chocolate on top makes them extra festive.

5 from 1 vote

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Video

Prep time: 1

Cook time: 25

Chill Time: 2

Total time: 3 25

Ingredients

Tart Crust:

1½ cups (180 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
⅓ cup (40 g) powdered sugar
¼ teaspoon table or sea salt
½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, chilled
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon heavy cream or half and half

Pecan Filling

½ cup (113 g) butter
⅔ cup (133 g) sugar
¾ cup (255 g) corn syrup such as Karo, not the same as high fructose corn syrup
¼ teaspoon table or sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Lemon juice from half a small lemon
3 eggs, mixed with a fork
1⅔ cup (165 g) pecans, coarsely chopped and toasted
15 unbaked and frozen tart shells

Chocolate Drizzle:

¼ cup (45 g) semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Make the Tart Crusts: Combine 1½ cups (180 g) unbleached all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup (40 g) powdered sugar, and ¼ teaspoon table or sea salt in a food processor. Cut ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, chilled into 8 slices, and add to flour mixture, pulsing several times until mixture resembles oatmeal. Add 1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tablespoon heavy cream or half and half. Pulse until all ingredients are moistened.
Allow the machine to run for a few seconds until the dough comes together in a ball. (Add additional drops of cream if the dough seems too dry.) Press dough into a roll like refrigerated cookie dough. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
Prepare Molds: Individual silicone tart molds make removal easy and need no greasing. If using metal molds, spray generously with a baking spray containing flour, such as Baker’s Joy.
Shape the Dough: Slice the chilled dough roll into 15–16 pieces. Flatten each piece between two sheets of plastic wrap into a circle slightly larger than your tart molds. Press into the molds with your fingers, keeping the thickness consistent. If you have them, wear food-safe disposable gloves while pressing the crusts into the molds to help keep your hands from warming and softening the dough. If you skip the gloves, work quickly to keep the dough cold. Trim excess dough from the top edges with a small knife. Use scraps to make another tart or two. Freeze the shaped shells for at least 30 minutes or up to a month.
Preheat oven to 375˚F (190˚C).
Prepare the Filling: Brown ½ cup (113 g) butter in a medium saucepan over low heat until golden and fragrant. Stir ⅔ cup (133 g) sugar into hot butter until it dissolves. Add ¾ cup (255 g) corn syrup , ¼ teaspoon table or sea salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and Lemon juice from half a small lemon and stir. Whisk in 3 eggs, mixed with a fork and whisk gently into the butter mixture until combined and smooth. Add 1⅔ cup (165 g) pecans, coarsely chopped and toasted.
Fill and Bake: Fill each frozen tart shell almost to the top, distributing the pecans generously and evenly among the shells. The nuts support the filling and help prevent craters as the tarts cool. Place the filled shells on a rimmed baking sheet.
Bake in oven at 375˚F (190˚C) until browned and set. My mini tarts take about 25 minutes, but the time may vary depending on the size of your tarts.
Add Chocolate Drizzle (Optional): Melt chocolate chips in a zip-top bag in the microwave. Snip a tiny corner and drizzle over cooled tarts.

Notes

Make Ahead: Bake the tarts 1–2 days ahead and store in an airtight container.
Freezing: Freeze baked tarts for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
Storage: Store covered at room temperature for 1–2 days or refrigerate for longer storage.

Equipment

Nutrition

Final Thoughts

Whether you call these mini-tarts, tartlets, mini pies, or small pies, they are easy to serve, fun to eat, and quite luxurious on your taste buds. My family loves them in place of a full-size pecan pie.

If you like these mini pies, you might also like this these favorites: Mini Fruit Tarts Recipe with Pastry Cream and the BEST Shortbread Crust, Chocolate Ganache Mini Tarts, or these Lemon Mini-Tarts with a Shortbread Crust.

— Paula, Home Economist
Homemade Food Worth Sharing

Need help troubleshooting?
Email me: Paula at saladinajar.com — photos help!

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Paula Rhodes, Owner and Author Salad in a Jar

Paula Rhodes, Home Economist & Owner

As a retired home economist, I created Saladinajar.com to prove that you don’t have to be a chef to find joy in creating food worth sharing. Bread machines (used in an unconventional way), homemade yogurt, and quick microwave recipes are my favorite ways to do that.

5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

8 Comments

Jade says:

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I make this filling for my cream cheese dough that I cut fit into my tart molds. Filling is really delicious but mine flowed a little over the top of the dough so I guess next time I’ll either have to use a little less filling or make the edges of the dough a little higher. Really nice result though.

1. Paula says:
  
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  Hi Jade,
  Thanks for taking the time to write. Because of the eggs, the pecan filling tends to puff up quite a bit. Now you’ll know for next time.
  
Suzanne says:

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I like the tip here on the pecan mini tarts with more nuts in each one. I’m also thinking of making mini tarts for all my favorite pies that way I get a little bit of everything in a smaller bit!

sis says:

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Just an “interested why” question. Why the lemon juice?

1. Paula says:
  
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  Cuts the sweetness a touch and makes the whole pie sing a bit. 🙂
  
judy jursch says:

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Is the Karo syrup in the recipe the light colored or the dark colored? I have seen both. Thank you..this recipe looks amazing!

1. Paula says:
  
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  Good question! I always use light.
  
  1. judy jursch says:
    
    at
    
    Thanks Paula!!