Small Pecan Pie Cheesecakes

Ingredients 0/13

Step 1

Start by generously greasing a 12-cup muffin tin with melted butter, making sure to coat the entire top of the pan as well. Lightly flour your work surface and unroll one pie crust at a time, keeping the other chilled while you work. Use a 4-inch round cookie cutter to cut out 4 circles from each crust. Gather the scraps, roll them out again, and cut one more circle so you end up with about 10 circles total.

Step 2

Press each dough circle into the muffin cups, gently pushing down in the center and making sure the dough fits snugly against the sides. Smooth the edges so each mini crust is even with the top of the cups. Pop the tin back into the fridge until you’re ready to fill them.

Step 3

In a bowl, beat together the cream cheese, half a cup of brown sugar, one egg, a tablespoon of bourbon, vanilla extract, and a pinch of sea salt until the mixture is smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides if needed. In a separate bowl, whisk together the corn syrup, a third of a cup of brown sugar, one egg, another tablespoon of bourbon, vanilla, and salt until it’s well combined to make the pecan pie filling.

Step 4

Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and move the rack to the lowest position. Spoon the cheesecake filling into each crust, filling them about two-thirds of the way. Give the muffin tin a gentle tap on the counter to release any air bubbles. Sprinkle each one with a tablespoon of chopped pecans, then top off with the pecan pie filling, finishing each with a pecan half in the center.

Step 5

Bake the mini pies on the bottom rack for about 40 minutes, or until they’re puffed up and golden brown. Let them cool completely on a wire rack, ideally for a couple of hours, before digging in.