Gluten Free Pecan Tassies Recipe

First of all, let me just say that I am not really a baker. I once heard that cooking is art and baking is science. I’m not sure I totally prescribe to that theory as I have personally seen baked goods that rival da Vinci in terms of aesthetic quality. However, cooking is a little more forgiving than baking. Baking requires all that measuring. I am more of a pinch of this, a splash of that kind of gal. Plus there’s all that sifting and turning the pans while baking. And then there’s the uncertainty. Why does the same recipe come out great one time and too wet or dry the next? Humidity, measuring, precise temperatures. Sounds like science to me. It’s hard enough to do regular baking but when you factor in the whole gluten intolerance thing with the fact that you can’t just substitute one kind of gluten free flour for regular wheat flour but in fact must combine flours, well it’s enough to have me swearing off baking for good.

Come time for the Holidays, however, and I suddenly decide I love to bake! Something about Christmas just screams cookies to me.

Years ago, in the days BFN (Before Food Network) I was watching Natalie Dupree on PBS and she made these delightful little southern cookies called Pecan Tassies. I found them so charming I have been making them at Christmas ever since. My friends and family look forward to these wonderful little gems that are like a less sweet, mini version of pecan pie.

Over the years I have tweaked Natalie’s recipe to fit my tastes and up until this year I have always made them with wheat flour and suffered the consequences. But this year, I put my foot down. NO MORE GLUTEN! So I substituted the flour with Pamela’s Wheat-free Bread Mix. Such an easy solution to mixing all that potato starch and xanthan and what not. The result? Well in the words of my gluten-loving husband, “These are the best EVER!”

I always have a little filling left over which I eat with a spoon when no one is looking!

This Gluten Free Pecan Tassies Recipe came out so beautifully that I have decided I love baking! (Well, I really love eating and there is just nothing better than freshly baked cookies so, I love baking!)

I am planning on submitting this to Ginger Lemon Girls Christmas Cookie Round Up and I am looking forward to seeing all the other gluten-free cookie recipes as I am such a baker now!

Happy Holidays everyone!

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe

Gluten Free Pecan Tassies Recipe

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Total Time1 hr 45 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 24 cookies

Calories: 121kcal

Author: Gluten Free & More

Ingredients

Crust

• ▢ 8 tablespoons butter softened
• ▢ 4 ounces cream cheese softened
• ▢ 1 cup Pamela’s Wheat-free Bread Mix don’t use the yeast - sifted

Filling

• ▢ 1 large egg
• ▢ ¾ cup brown sugar
• ▢ 1 tablespoon butter really softened
• ▢ 1 teaspoon gluten-free pure vanilla extract
• ▢ Pinch salt
• ▢ 2/3 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

• ▢
  Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix together the butter, cream cheese and wheat-free bread mix in a food processor (or you can use a mixer). The dough should be well mixed but will be soft. Shape into 24 balls (just shy of about a tablespoon each), wrap in plastic wrap and chill for about an hour. Place each ball in a cup of a mini muffin tin and press with your fingertips against the bottoms and sides. (Or you can do like Natalie and I do - use a piece of a 1” dowel that has been put into some more bread mix and press down. This forms perfect little crusts with very little effort.) 
• ▢
  For the filling, whisk together the egg, sugar, butter, vanilla and salt very well until all lumps are gone. Put about a teaspoon of mixture into each crust. Top each cookie with chopped pecans. Bake for about 30 minutes (turn pan once half way through baking) or until the crust is browned and the filling is set. Start checking at 25 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan and then remove and place on a wire rack to finish cooling. The easiest way to remove the cookies is with a small off-set spatula or butter knife. Make sure to get those cookies out of the muffin tins before they completely cool, otherwise the caramel will set and they will be difficult to remove.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Gluten Free Pecan Tassies Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 121 Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Fat 8g12%

Saturated Fat 3g15%

Cholesterol 23mg8%

Sodium 99mg4%

Potassium 30mg1%

Carbohydrates 11g4%

Sugar 8g9%

Vitamin A 205IU4%

Calcium 15mg2%

Iron 0.2mg1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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