How to Make Easy Mini Cranberry Pecan Pies
Mini Cranberry Pecan Pies are a MUST-make dessert that deserves a spot at the top of your fall baking list! Once the weather cools off, these little pies become one of the most requested desserts. They’re not as sweet as traditional pecan pie, with tart cranberries adding a delicious tang that balances the rich, nutty filling.
And the best part? They’re a little boozy, making every bite even more irresistible. These mini pies are the perfect combination of sweet, tart, nutty, and rich, and they’re sure to become a favorite for the holidays and beyond!
These little guys are double SOUTHERN COMFORT Food then!
Southern Comfort is an American fruit-flavored liqueur infused with fruit and spice accents from New Orleans. Bourbon is a nice substitute in this recipe.
Along with pecans and cranberries, the amazing flavor of the booziness (use maple syrup for a non-boozy option).
Why You’ll Love These Mini Cranberry Pecan Pies
I love the graham cracker crust in these little pies. It adds a buttery crunch that pairs perfectly with the sweet, nutty pecan filling and tart cranberries. And a great flavor combo in every single bite.
I’ve made batch after batch of these over the years, and they’re one of the most requested desserts in my family. The combination of flavors makes them a favorite for holiday gatherings, dessert tables, and sharing with friends.
What Makes These Mini Cranberry Pecan Pies So Good?
The perfect balance of flavors. Pecans add a rich, nutty flavor, while fresh cranberries bring a little tartness to balance the sweetness of the filling.
A buttery graham cracker crust. Instead of traditional pie dough, these mini pies have a graham cracker crust that adds a delicious texture to every bite.
A little extra flavor. Southern Comfort gives the filling a warm, fruity flavor that complements the cranberries and pecans. You can also use bourbon or maple syrup as an alternative.
Easy to serve. These individual pies are baked in a regular cupcake pan, making them just the right size for serving at Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any fall gathering. No pie slicing required!
Tips for Making Mini Cranberry Pecan Pies
Use a regular cupcake pan. Although they’re called mini pies, I make these in a standard cupcake pan, not a mini muffin pan. This gives you enough room for the graham cracker crust and a generous amount of filling.
Toast the pecans first. Toasting the chopped pecans brings out their nutty flavor and makes the filling even more delicious.
Don’t worry if the filling looks generous. The cranberries will cook down as the pies bake, so you can fill each crust with about 3 tablespoons of filling.
Let the pies cool before removing them. Allow the mini cranberry pecan pies to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes. Then gently run a firm spatula or thin plastic utensil around the edges to help release them.
Decide whether to use cupcake liners. You can bake these with or without liners. Without liners, the graham cracker crust may leave a few crumbs behind when you remove the pies. If you prefer a neater presentation, bake them in liners or place them in fresh cupcake liners after cooling.
When to Serve Cranberry Pecan Pies
These mini pies are especially good for Thanksgiving and Christmas, when cranberries and pecans are popular holiday ingredients. They’re easy to arrange on a dessert platter, and their individual size makes them convenient for parties and potlucks.
Serve them alongside other holiday desserts, or add them to a dessert table with cookies, bars, and other bite-sized treats.
They’re also delicious with a cup of coffee. I may have even enjoyed one for breakfast!
Can You Make These Mini Pies Without Alcohol?
Yes! If you don’t want to use Southern Comfort or bourbon, maple syrup is an option. It will give the filling a different flavor, but it still pairs nicely with the cranberries and pecans.
The flavor will be slightly different from the original recipe, but you can still enjoy these little pies without the bourbon.
I often bake these in a muffin/cupcake pan (not the mini size, there wouldn’t be enough room for filling and be too fussy) Prepare the pan with a baking spray or use a pan release, or cupcake liners. You can bake them, then place them into clean cupcake liners, which is what I often do. I find baking them in liners is more work to remove the liner when it comes to enjoying them.
What tool to use to shape the crust?
Here are a few similar tart tampers you can use to press the graham cracker crust firmly into the pans, helping it hold together and keep its shape.
More pies to try:
- Mini Cranberry Lemon Meringue Pies
- Cranberry Cheesecake Pie
- No Bake Apple Pie
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie
Mini Cranberry Pecan Pies
Ingredients
- Crust:
- 2 cups graham crackers crumbs
- 8 tablespoons melted butter
- 1/3 cup sugar
- Mix graham cracker crumbs with butter and sugar use a fork or a pastry cutter to blend it all well
- Filling:
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 cup Southern Comfort Bourbon or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 3/4 cups pecans toasted (chopped then measured)
- 1 3/4 cups cranberries since these don’t fit into cups easily, I most often use heaping cups, so closer to 2 cups if they don’t go over the rim
- 1 cup light corn syrup
Instructions
- Crust:
- In a cupcake pan that holds 12 cupcakes, put 3 Tablespoons of graham cracker mix into each area. Press it in with a small fondant rolling pin, the back of a spoon will work also.
- Filling:
- Mix flour with Southern Comfort and cinnamon.
- Toast the chopped pecans over med heat,
- the taste of them toasted makes them so delicious. (the warmth also helps melt the corn syrup to stir it easily)
- Put the toasted nuts in a bowl with cranberries and light corn syrup, then pour flour mixture on top and stir to coat well.
- Put 3 tablespoons filling for each mini pie
- (I use a large scoop, it hold 3 T and makes it easy to portion out the crust and filling as well as a cupcake) the cranberries will cook down so it’s okay to pile it up.
- Bake at 350 for 25 minutes
i love trying different recipes
Hi, Diane
Love the recipe and am anxious to make them, however, we are all non-drinkers, is there another liquid I can use instead of bourbon?
The alcohol does bake out, the taste is absolutely delicious.(Liquor stores sell tiny bottles if you don’t want to purchase the large bottle) There is no substitute that comes to mind really, but you could try coffee, rum extract, or chocolate flavor if you prefer another taste all together even water with vanilla extract I’m sure would work, even maple syrup, but it won’t give you the depth of flavor that the Southern Comfort does.
Hi Diane:
Love the recipe, however, is there another liquid I can use instead of the Bourbon? We are all non-drinkers and I have to bourbon.