If you love the nutty, buttery flavor of pecan pie you’ll fall in love with these pecan pie bites. You may actually like them BETTER than traditional pecan pie recipes. If you find traditional pecan recipes too cloying or heavy, give this pecan pie bites recipe a try. It delivers all the warmth and richness of a homemade pecan pie, without being overly sweet.
How do we make this happen? Instead of corn syrup, this recipe uses maple syrup( or honey). This creates a balanced sweetness that does not overpower. You’ll enjoy the lightly sweetened, perfectly nutty flavors of pecan pie without corn syrup. The filling has a caramel-like richness without the cloying sweetness. It’s really good.
These pecan pie bites are great finger food. No plates or forks required since they are easy to handle. Just serve them on a party tray with a stack of napkins and you’re ready to go. Perfect for holidays, dessert trays, or family gatherings. These pie bites are also so simple to make. Enjoy!
Some Options For Pecan Pie Bites Recipe:
It’s always nice to have options for a recipe like this one. Parties can be large or small and have an infinite variety of ways to present food to your guests. Here are some ideas to make this recipe work in many different ways to accommodate your needs.
This recipe works perfectly in either mini muffin tins (12 servings) or regular muffin tins (6 servings).
- Mini Bites are Ideal for parties served on dessert trays.
- Full-Sized Muffins are great for individual desserts. They can also be served as a group on a party tray at the end of a meal or set on a side table with napkins for self serve. For fancier presentation after a more formal meal, serve these on small plates directly to each guest.
Holiday and Party Presentation Ideas:
One of the best things about Pecan Pie Bites is how effortlessly they can fit any occasion. Here are some ideas for dressing them up for different holidays and venues.
- Thanksgiving: Top each mini pie with a candied pecan or a dollop of whipped cream dusted with cinnamon.
- Christmas: Use maple syrup and a caramel drizzle with a sprinkle of sea salt for a sweet-salty twist. Serve on a red platter for a festive look.
- Valentine’s Day:If you have a valentine that loves pecan pie, try this. Put them in a heart shaped plate and drizzle with melted chocolate. Add pink or red sprinkles over top.
- Birthdays or other Parties: Arrange mini bites on tiered dessert stands. You can even bake them in colorful paper liners for easy serving and cleanup.
A drizzle of caramel or chocolate sauce on top adds the perfect finishing touch for those who want an extra layer of indulgence. Or keep it simple, as we did here, and serve them either plain or with a quick spritz of whipping cream. Yummy. Let that pecan pie flavor shine!
Pie crust options for Pecan Pie Bites:
We have homemade pie crust recipes that will work for this recipe if you want to make your crust from scratch. And a list of other options for a fast and easy crust.
- If you’re a sourdough baker, try our sourdough pie crust. It’s very simple to make and adds a nice depth of flavor to any filling, including this one.
- If you’re vegan our Coconut Oil Pie Crust is for you. It’s delicious and absolutely NO animal ingredients. Need help with vegan pie crusts? Check out King Arthur’s post on How to Make a vegan pie crust.
- Refrigerated Pie Crusts are an easy shortcut—they come ready to roll and cut.
- Pre-Made Mini Phyllo Cups make this an EXTREMELY fast recipe for the mini pecan pie bites version. You will find them in the freezer aisle. Just fill the mini muffin holes with the premade mini crusts and fill with the filling. Reduce baking time for these to 15 minutes. But make sure the filling is set before removing from oven.
- You may also enjoy your favorite cookie or graham crust recipe for this pecan pie dessert. Just press the crust in and fill as directed.
Tips for Faster Prep and Perfect Results:
- Use a food processor to blend the filling quickly. That what I did. I even chopped the pecan halves in at the same time. Took two minutes.
- Cut the crust circles ahead of time and store them between sheets of parchment in the fridge in an airtight container. This is a good ‘Day ahead’ tip to reduce party day assembly time.
- Cool completely in the muffin tin—this ‘must do’ step ensures the filling sets perfectly and prevents breaking. It will add time to the process but it is necessary.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days. Reheat in a toaster oven or regular oven for that just-baked texture.
Mini (or muffin) Pecan Pie Bites
Pecan Pie Bites are a favorite treat. These mini or full-size muffin desserts (or appetizers) deliver all the comfort and flavor of a homemade pecan pie—without the fuss of making a full pie.Perfect for holiday parties, dessert buffets, or cozy weekend baking, these adorable little bites are simple, sweet, and addictive. And great for party trays! This recipe has instructions for both mini and full size muffin recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 pie crust (or homemade or refrigerated)
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp maple syrup (or honey)
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- Drizzle with Caramel Sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
FOR 12 MINI MUFFINS:
- Lightly grease a mini muffin tin.
- Cut pie crust into 2-3 inch circles (a biscuit cutter or glass works great).
- Press into each muffin cup.
- Mix filling: In a bowl, whisk together brown sugar, maple syrup, egg, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon. Stir in chopped pecans.
- Spoon filling into each crust (about 1 tablespoon each).
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until crust is golden and filling is set.
- Cool completely before removing from pan. (They firm up as they cool.)
- Drizzle with caramel or melted chocolate
FOR 6 REGULAR SIZE MUFFINS:
- Lightly grease a 6 hole muffin tin.
- cut crust into six evenly sized 3.5” to 4” circles. press the dough circles into the muffin holes. TIP: They will have folds. Cut the excess with scissors And press together so tops are even thickness and go all the way to the top of the tin.
Filling:
- In a medium bowl or food processor, combine the brown sugar, honey( or maple syrup), vanilla, egg, cinnamon and salt. blend well and fold in chopped nuts.
- Pour evenly into muffin tins. Each hole will be about 3/4 full.
- Bake 25 minutes or until crust is golden and filling is set.
- Cool the muffins IN THE MUFFIN TIN so they completely set before removal.(they firm as they cool).
- Remove from tin to serving tray and drizzle lightly with caramel or chocolate sauce as desired. Whipped cream is also a nice touch sprayed or piped on top with sauce over it.
Notes
this is a great recipe for an holiday appetizer. Make is as mini bites. To speed up the process use a ready made crust.
Looking for More Pecan Pie recipes? Southern Living Has a Bunch of extremely delicious looking pecan pie recipes.
Looking For other Holiday Party Recipes?
We have a LOT of them in our appetizer section and check out our desserts too. Here’s a few recipe ideas to get you started!
- Simple Pumpkin Pie Twists
- Cranberry Whipped Feta Dip
- Cranberry Raspberry Brie Bites
- White Cranberry Mimosa Recipe with Rosemary
