Mini Mini Pecan Pie!

Since a lot of people seemed to be interested in the Mini Mini apple pies and since Fall is upon us, I thought I'd continue the mini mini with one of my favorite pies ever...

Mini Mini Pecan Pies!

Now due to some health concerns in the family we've been trying to cut back on sodium, and so this recipe is a low salt pecan pie. So delicious though, trust me. Plus feel free to use salted butter, or use already made crust if you don't care about an abundance of sodium.  Seriously though, this recipe is DELICIOUS either way.

Cast o Characters for Crust and Filling: All-purpose flour, white sugar, whole milk, vanilla extract, brown sugar, pecans, 3eggs and some low salt butter.

First things first: The Crust

Now if you're like me and forget to take out butter hours before you cook, just heat it up in the microwave for a few seconds then mash it up and heat it up again, just try to get it nice and workable.

Cream that butter up!

Next add the sugar and one egg yolk.  Beat that well and get everything nice and combined.

Next add some flour. Beat it in and be careful not to get it everywhere. I'm usually not careful. I had a layer of flour on all the kitchen counters. Such a joy to clean.

After you mix that in work it around with your hands.  Now I found this particular recipe to be way crumbly. I couldn't even spread it out so instead I just form fitted the mixture into the pan.  This ended up working just fine, just make sure to grease up that pan. 

I did 4 before adding some cooking spray and they were tough to get out. Definitely use some spray. Or some butter and flour. Or anything you need.

Once the pan is all done place it in the freezer for about 30 minutes. This will give you plenty of time to fix up the pecan pie innards.

Part 2: The Filling

Beat up the next two eggs.

You want them to be nice and bubbly and frothy. 

Next add in the rest of the butter.  If you melt it in the microwave make sure it isn't hot otherwise you'll start to cook the eggs and that is no bueno.

Then add in some brown sugar and mix it up.

Add some white sugar. If you are thinking this is much too much sweetness for a pie you are wrong. Since this recipe has no Karo syrup it definitely needs a kick in the face with some sweet. And the mixture of brown and white do just the trick.

Next add in some flour to thicken up the mixture just a bit.

If you try to add it in slow to capture a nice cascading flour picture you'll be out of luck. It'll just stick together to the bitter end.

After you mix that up turn your oven on to 400 degrees. You won't cook it at this temperature you just need to pre-heat to 400.

Then get your pecans ready for some processing.

Throw em in.

Mix em up.

Then go back to your mixture and add in the milk (mix well)

And the vanilla (mix well)

And finally the chopped up pecans.

It'll look disturbing but will taste amazing. Such a contradiction.

After your pan has been in the freezer for 30 minutes take it out and spoon the pecan mixture into the mini mini pies.

You'll want to fill them up to just under the crust. 

Psst hey come a little closer

That's better, you know what makes a mini mini pecan pie a mini mini pecan pie?

Its own halved pecan. 

Awww yea.

Once those are ready to go drop the oven temperature to 350 and throw in those pies.

After they finish cooking let them cool briefly before taking them out.

Be sure to take a moment to admire their deliciousness.

Wasn't that halved pecan a perfect touch?

So scrumptious. And you wouldn't even be able to tell that they were low salt pecan pies.

NOM NOM NOM!

Mini Mini Pecan Pie
The Crust:

• 1 stick of unsalted butter, room temp
• 1/4 cup of white sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 1/4 cup of all purpose flour

1. Make sure the butter is soft and manageable and beat the butter until smooth.
2. Add the sugar and egg yolk and beat it up until well blended.
3. Next add the flour and mix it together until it begins to clump. Once it is combined mold it with your hands into the pan.  
4. Place the pan in the freezer for 30 minutes.

The Filling:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 stick of unsalted butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• Extra whole/halved pecans for topping (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. In a large bowl beat the eggs until foamy and mix in melted butter (make sure butter isn't hot!)
3. Stir in brown sugar, white sugar and flour. Mix well
4. Add the milk, vanilla and chopped pecans.
5. If you used the crust recipe from above, after 30 remove pan and scoop batter into the pan. 
6. Once filled place a pecan half on each individual mini mini pie.
7. Before putting the pan in the oven reduce temperature to 350F and place pan in and cook for 15 minutes.  If the pies do not look golden brown leave them in for a few more minutes.

This recipe makes 24 mini mini pecan pies with some additional left over for two mini pies.  Does that make sense? By mini pies I'm talking about muffin pans and mini mini pies are mini muffin pans. I probably should have clarified this all up at the beginning. But regardless these are cute little pies perfect for Thanksgiving or other Fall get togethers! 

Oh and in case you are wondering the sodium per mini mini pie I estimate to be at.... drum roll please...

7.5mg! I know right?! Pretty Crazy. Oh and Calories ~137, and if you think wow that's high, let me just interject in your mind thought and say come it's a pie what do you expect?!

And if you want to question my math go ahead, but I have a minor in math so I basically right. BOOM.