Recipe: Mini Bourbon Pecan Pies

With Turkey Day only a week away, I thought we’d take a break from the cake and share a fun treat appropriate for Thanksgiving Dessert.  If you are a believer that everything good comes in small packages, I know you’ll love today’s recipe.    A traditional staple for the season, pecan pie gets a modern update when baked up in a small, cupcake-sized, mini portion.  Add a splash of bourbon and now we’re really talking!  So toss the pie pan, grab your muffin tin and let’s get baking!  Created by the ladies at Mini Empire Bakery for their new book, Mini Pies, you’re going to gobble up these little goodies!  Today’s Mini Bourbon Pecan Pies are the perfect way to indulge this Thanksgiving… without feeling like a stuffed bird!

{Recipe and photos courtesy of Mini Empire Bakery and Ulysses Press.}

Mini Bourbon Pecan Pies

Your Favorite Pie Crust
1 egg
¼ cup light corn syrup
¼ cup dark corn syrup
⅓ cup sugar
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 tablespoon bourbon (we like Maker’s Mark—who doesn’t?)
½ teaspoon salt
1¼ cups roughly chopped pecans

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously grease a 12-cup muffin tin with butter or cooking spray.

2. On a thoroughly floured surface, roll out the crust to a thickness of 3∕16 inch. Using a 4-inch diameter round cutter, cut 12 crusts. Re-form and re-roll the dough as necessary, keeping plenty of flour on your work surface. For this pie, you want the crusts to be slightly larger than normal. Cut them out as usual, then (working on the floured surface) tap around the edges of each crust  with the heel of your hand to stretch it slightly.

3. Using a mini cookie cutter (your choice) and leftover dough, cut out 12 shapes to use as pie toppers. (We like crowns to top Bourbon Pecan pie.)

4. Carefully shape the crusts into the wells of the muffin tin, crimping the edges with your fingers and folding them out over the top of the pan. This will help prevent the crusts from shrinking whilethey bake. Bake the crusts for 12 minutes, until lightly browned.

5. In a bowl, whisk together the egg, light corn syrup, dark corn syrup, sugar, butter, bourbon, and salt until well combined.

6. Fill each mini crust with ½ tablespoon of the egg mixture. Add chopped pecans, using smaller pieces on the bottom and larger pieces on top. Carefully add another ½ to 1 tablespoon egg  mixture to each mini pie, coating the pecans. Fill to just below the brim. Top each mini pie with a pie topper. {TIP: Be sure to completely coat the pecans with the egg mixture. This will ensure that the pie toppers stick and the pecans don’t burn.}

7. Bake for 15 minutes, until the crusts are golden brown. Allow to cool in the muffin tin for a few minutes, then carefully remove the pies from the pan and place on a wire rack to finish cooling. To remove, first try to spin the pies in the muffin wells. If they need a little extra help, run a butter knife along the edge of the crusts to pop them out of the tin.

8. Serve, or store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Hope you’re inspired to bake up some bite-sized treats this holiday season! If you’re a lover of everything mini, be sure to check out Mini Pies.  This book would be a cute addition to your homemade Christmas goodies this year… wrap it up with a batch of mini pies, tie with a bow and pass out to friends and neighbors!