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Lightened-Up Maple Pecan Pie Bites: Easy Mini Desserts

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These lightened-up maple pecan pie bites are perfectly portioned mini desserts with a buttery crust and a rich, sweet filling made with maple syrup and ripe banana. They come together in about 30 minutes and are a guilt-free treat that doesn’t compromise on flavor.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 3–4 tablespoons ice water
  • 1 large ripe banana, mashed
  • ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil or unsalted butter
  • ¾ cup chopped pecans
  • 24 pecan halves (for topping)
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • Pinch of nutmeg
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Make the crust dough. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add the cold, cubed butter. Use a pastry blender or two forks to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse sand with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining. Drizzle in 3 tablespoons of ice water and stir with a fork. If the dough is still dry, add the remaining tablespoon. It should hold together when you squeeze it. Form it into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 20 minu…
  2. Preheat and prep. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease your mini muffin tin with non-stick spray or butter.
  3. Roll and cut the crust. On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough out to about ⅛-inch thickness. Use a 2-inch cookie cutter to cut out 24 rounds. Re-roll the scraps once to get all 24 rounds.
  4. Press into the muffin tin. Gently press each dough round into a mini muffin cup. Make sure it goes all the way to the bottom and up the sides. Prick the bottom of each crust a few times with a fork to prevent bubbles.
  5. Make the filling. In a small bowl, mash the ripe banana with a fork until it is smooth. Whisk in the maple syrup, egg, vanilla extract, and melted coconut oil or butter until everything is well combined. Stir in the chopped pecans, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt.
  6. Fill the cups. Spoon the filling into each crust-lined cup, filling them almost to the top. Place one pecan half on top of each bite.
  7. Bake. Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until the filling is set and the edges of the crust are golden brown. Let them cool in the tin for 10 minutes before carefully removing them with a small spatula or butter knife.
  8. Cool completely. Transfer the bites to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Do not overwork the crust; handle as little as possible. Use a very ripe banana for best sweetness and texture. Start checking bake time at 14 minutes; filling should be slightly jiggly in center when removed. Let bites cool completely in tin before removing to prevent breaking. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend and add an extra tablespoon of ice water. For vegan, use a flax egg and coconut oil.

Nutrition

Keywords: maple pecan pie bites, mini desserts, lightened-up, healthy pecan pie, banana pecan bites, easy dessert, portion control

Find it online: https://ariaappetite.com/lightened-up-maple-pecan-pie-bites-easy-mini-desserts/