Warm pecan pie is one of my favorite desserts of all time, especially straight out of the oven when the weather is colder and the nights are darker. It's not the easiest of dishes to make though, so I'm always on the lookout for ways to get the same flavors with less effort.
I was delighted when I found this mini pecan pie recipe while searching for Christmas recipes. The original recipe bakes the pies in a traditional oven, but if my time reviewing the best air fryers has taught me anything, it's that any recipe can be adapted with relative ease.
Granted, my air fryer pecan pies didn't look as neat as the ones in the original, but they tasted as good as any shop-bought pie I've tried. And my family and friends loved the fact you can eat them in almost a single bite.
Below, I'll show you how to create cute yet delicious mini air fryer pecan pies for the holidays and beyond.
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Air fryer mini pecan pies recipe
The air fryer mini pecan pies recipe I have followed is from the Bellyfull.net TikTok channel. It's been watched 265,000 times and counting.
@bellyfull.net Mini Pecan Pies are the perfect bite sized dessert for holiday entertaining!
♬ original sound - amy@bellyfull.net
Air fryer mini pecan pies ingredients
The only real adjustment I made when making these air fryer pecan pies was putting them in muffin cases rather than a muffin tin. I've also found ramekins work well. This recipe makes 24 pecan pies cooked in batches of six, but if you don't want to make that many, you'll need to adjust the recipe accordingly.
- Pie crust (shortcrust) pastry
- 1 cup of white sugar
- 1 cup of brown sugar
- Handful of finely chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (melted)
- 2 eggs (beaten)
- Vanilla essence
- Pinch of salt
Air fryer mini pecan pies method
To make air fryer mini pecan pies you will need the following:
- Air fryer – I used the Tower Vortx 9 Litre Duo Capacity Basket Air Fryer with Smart Finish 5.2L and 3.3L
- Mixing bowl
- Separate bowl for the beaten eggs
- Muffin cases or ramekins
- Circular cookie cutter
Step 1: Melt the butter in a bowl, finely chop the pecans, and whisk the eggs,
Step 2: Mix the white and brown sugar with the vanilla essence, chopped pecans, eggs, melted butter, corn syrup, and a pinch of salt.
Step 3: Roll out the pie crust pastry then using the cookie cutter, create 24 even circles.
Step 4: Spray the muffin cases or ramekins with non-stick cooking spray or a small amount of oil.
Step 5: Line the bottom of each muffin case or ramekin with a circle of pastry, making sure the edges are sealed as much as possible.
Step 6: Spoon the pecan and syrup mixture into each pastry case, and place in the air fryer.
Step 7: Heat your air fryer to 350F / 175C. Once pre-heated, bake for 8-10 minutes or until the pastry starts to turn golden.
Step 8: Carefully remove the cases from the air fryer, tip the pecan pies out onto a plate, and serve with ice cream or custard.
Air fryer mini pecan pies wrap-up
These mini pecan pies are the perfect bite-sized treat for dinner parties or family gatherings over the Christmas period and beyond. The crunch of the pecans with the soft, gooey center is delicious.
They're pretty forgiving too so even if you don't get an even edge on the pastry or your timings are slightly out, they still taste amazing.
A couple of things I've learned along the way is to make sure to oil your cases; otherwise, you have to cut the pies free. Also, if you find your pies having a cake-sponge lid that covers the pecans, reduce the amount of egg you add to the mixture. They still taste good with this sponge topping, but they don't look like pecan pies.
If you're still sitting on the fence and wondering whether to buy an air fryer, you may want to read our article to decide whether air fryers are worth it.
