Mini Pecan Tartlets

Dessert

Rich and nutty, like your eccentric uncle. Must be held and served at room temperature.

Ingredients

Sweet Tart Dough

2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 cup unsalted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 /2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

Filling

1 cup unsalted butter

1 1 /2 cups brown sugar

1 /4 cup sugar

1 /2 cup honey

1 /4 teaspoon fine salt

1 /3 cup heavy cream

4 1 /2 cups pecan pieces

Instructions

Sweet Tart Dough

Preheat oven to 325

To make the sweet dough: Place the sugar, butter, and vanilla extract in the bowl of an electric mixer. With the paddle attachment, beat ingredients until creamy. Add flour and salt and mix until just combined. Add egg and mix until just combined (this can also be done in a food processor). Form a disk out of the dough, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 1/2 hour.

When dough is slightly chilled, place on a lightly floured surface. Roll dough out in a rectangular shape, approximately 11×15-inches in size. Transfer dough to a 9×13 baking sheet, and gently press dough into bottom and sides of the pan (dough should come up the sides of the pan about one inch).

Refrigerate dough 30 minutes, and bake for 10 minutes. While crust is cooling, prepare the filling.

Filling

While the pastry is cooling, combine butter, brown sugar, white sugar, honey, and salt in a large pot over high heat. Boil six minutes. Remove from the heat and carefully stir in the cream (Mixture will boil up while adding the cream, so be very careful during this step not to burn yourself).

Add pecans and mix thoroughly. Pour the filling evenly over the baked pastry. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Recent Recipes

Robert’s Christmas Turkey 2025

There's nothing like a well-roasted turkey to anchor a holiday table, and no one made it quite like my grandmother. She didn't wait until Thanksgiving to serve it. She'd roast a turkey once a month throughout the year, never mind the occasion. It was a staple at her table. My mother, on the other hand, always made a formal Christmas Eve dinner, complete with turkey, dressing, and gravy. As kids, the excitement of Christmas Eve was almost too much to bear. Those big dinners felt like the beginning of Christmas itself. It’s a memory that comes to mind every time I cook a turkey or make gravy. And a good gravy can make or break the meal. Making sure the roux browns just right and finishing the gravy with a touch of lemon juice or fresh herbs are tricks worth remembering. A little extra attention to the gravy goes a long way.

Bayou Bacon & Cheddar Spread

I can lay waste to a block of cream cheese with pepper jelly and crackers in a matter of minutes. It’s a weakness. No matter how hard I try to exercise self-control, I always find myself standing over the plate at a cocktail party, making it disappear without even thinking. This spread hits the same notes, but with a smoky, savory punch that’s hard to beat. It’s become a go-to for Christmas parties, and if you’re smart, you’ll double the recipe because it’ll be gone before you know it. It’s best when made a day in advance—giving all the flavors time to mingle.

Orange and Bourbon Glazed Duck for Drew

My brother Drew and I were always wound up on Christmas Eve. He was four years older, but you’d never know it by how excited we both were. He’d be bouncing off the walls, too keyed up to sleep, while I’d follow his lead like I always did. When we finally did drift off, it wouldn’t be long before he’d shake me awake before dawn, eyes shining like he hadn’t slept a wink. Those early mornings felt like magic. Now, Christmas means he’s usually out duck hunting in the Delta, his favorite place on earth. He loves the hunt and the calm that comes with being out in the field before the sun rises. I thought of him when I put together this recipe. It’s a little bit of Drew—those wild December mornings in the Delta and the quiet way he’s always looked out for me.

RobertStJohn.com