Ingredients
½homemade pie dough
2tbspunsalted butter
½cupdark brown sugar,packed
1large egg
1tsppure vanilla extract
¼tspground nutmeg
½tspground cinnamon
¾cuppecans,chopped
coarse salt,for sprinkling
Preparation
Make the homemade pie dough. Once chilled, place the dough onto a floured work surface. Roll into a large 12-inch circle. From the circle, cut 24 to 30 rounds using a 2.5-inch cookie cutter. Work quickly, as the dough becomes much more delicate the longer it is at room temperature.
Place the dough rounds into a greased 24-count mini muffin pan(s). Press the dough flat into the bottom of the crevice and up the sides. Then chill the entire pan in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Once the dough has chilled, pre-bake the tart crusts for 7 minutes. This allows the bottom of the crust to be properly baked and not become soggy from the liquid pecan filling.
Prepare the filling by melting the butter in a small bowl in the microwave or using a stovetop. Allow to slightly cool for a few minutes. Whisk the brown sugar, egg, vanilla, nutmeg, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl. Whisk in the melted butter, then stir in the pecans.
Remove the tart crusts from the oven when they’re finished and spoon about 1 to 2 teaspoons of the filling into each. Top with coarse salt.
Turn the oven up to 350 degrees F and bake the tarts for about 14 to 16 more minutes. Be careful not to overbake. Once you see the crust begin to slightly brown, the tarts are done.
Allow the tarts to cool completely in the pan before serving. (A spoon helps get them out easily.) Top with a dollop of whipped cream or even a small drizzle of pure maple syrup. Leftovers are great for up to 3 days – store covered at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
