Bite sized Apple Pecan Cookie Cups have a cream cheese cookie crust and are filled with gooey caramelized apple that’s sweetened with brown sugar and overflowing with crunchy pecans.
This recipe was originally published in September 2013. I have updated the recipe notes and published new photos in August 2025.
Aimee’s Recipe Notes
These apple cookie cups are based off my family’s favorite pecan tassies recipe! They taste like mini apple pies in a cookie!
Cookie- the base of this cookie is a cream cheese cookie, much like kolachky cookies. Soft and lightly sweetened.
Tools- I use a mini muffin pan and tart press (you could also just use your fingers to press the dough).
Prep Note- You will need to chill the dough for about an hour. I’ve made this before without chilling, and the dough is quite sticky.
Serving- Keep these cookies stored in the refrigerator for best flavor and texture. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving!
Ingredients Needed
If you’re looking to make the recipe, be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for a full list of ingredients with measurements.
- Apples- I prefer a tart variety like Granny Smith. A combination of those with Gala, Honeycrisp is a nice sweet flavor. Choose what you love.
- Cream Cheese- Be sure to pick the blocks of cream cheese, not the tubs. They act differently when baked.
- Pecans- chop them up! You can toast the pecans prior to assembling if you prefer.
How to Make Apple Pecan Tassies
Make the cookie cup.
- Beat cream cheese with butter then add in remaining cookie ingredients.
- Lay out a piece of plastic wrap and drop dough in the center. Wrap up dough and chill for an hour.
Make the filling.
- Combine the filling ingredients in a bowl with a fork.
- Use a 1 Tablespoon cookie scoop and press into a mini muffin tin. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of filling into the cup. Bake and cool.
Recipe FAQS
This is common when making apple pecan cups, especially if you accidentally use too much filling. To prevent spills, place a baking sheet or a sheet of foil under your muffin pan when baking these.
Yes, if you won’t be eating them all right away, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They’ll keep for about 3 days.
A tart shaper is a hand held tool that helps press dough into tart of muffin pans to form an even, round shape with a cavity to hold fruit filling.
Don’t have a tart shaper? No worries. Use your hands to press the cookie dough into the muffin cavity, doing your best to get it evenly distributed and being careful not to let the dough poke over the tops of the muffin cavity.
I like Granny Smiths in my apple pies and other apple treats. Other tart or sweet varieties like Pink Lady or Honeycrisp would be good choices too.
Easy Apple Desserts
- Apple season is one of my favorites around here. I love making these soft and chewy Apple Blondies every year.
- Bake up a couple loaves of Apple Pound Cake for a delicious dessert, it’s freezer friendly too!
- My Apple Cake is delicious and moist with a honey glaze that is hard to resist.
- Make a batch of homemade applesauce and use the leftovers in my moist applesauce cake!
Pin this now to find it later
Pin It
Apple Pecan Cookie Cups Recipe
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 8 ounce cream cheese softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
For the filling:
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup pecans chopped
- ½ cup apples peeled and diced small
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- powdered sugar for garnish
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese with butter until fully combined. Beat in flour and powdered sugar and continue mixing until fully incorporated. Lay out a large piece of plastic wrap and drop dough into center. Wrap up dough and chill in freezer one hour.
- For the filling, combine all ingredients into a large bowl and mix together gently using a fork.
- After dough has chilled, use a 1 Tablespoon measuring spoon and scoop out a large ball. Roll into a ball and press into a mini muffin pan. I don't usually spray my pans, but if you want you can use a baking spray. Use a tart shaper (or finger tips) to press dough into pan, trying not to go over the edge of the cup. Repeat for remaining dough.
- Scoop about 1 tsp of filling into each cup of dough. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool in pan about 15-20 minutes.
- After cooled, pop out of pan, sprinkle with powdered sugar and enjoy.
Notes
- Filling may bubble out, you may want to place muffin pan on a cookie sheet or piece of foil.
- If you won’t be eating them all right away, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They’ll keep for about 5 days.
- I like Granny Smiths in my apple pies and other apple treats. Other tart varieties like Pink Lady or sweet apples like Honeycrisp would be good choices too.
- Freeze apple cookie cups in an airtight freezer safe container for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
More Cookie Recipes
Apple Pecan Cups make a perfect addition to your holiday menus, bake sales or fall potlucks.
Has anyone tried to freeze these in advance of serving? Cant wait to make them!
Yes, these can be frozen. Thaw and sprinkle with extra powdered sugar!
Cupcakes with pecan nuts are my favorite. Not now (as my brother seems to have an allergy) but used to be in my childhood. I notice you used an apple crunchpak here. Want to figure out a bit… Can I use anything else to speed up my cooking? You see I am lover of sweet tasties but I don’t have enough time at all. And your pecan little cups taste great I believe.
This is officially the best week ever. ALL APPLES ALL THE TIME WOO! (sorry I’ve been drinking a lot of Pumpkin spice lattes lately). I love the combo of apples and pecans, like a little perfect pie! 😀
Love the look of these, saving and pinning! I want one or two or maybe double that.
Bite sized goodies are my favorite 🙂 this recipe is wonderful!!
So yummy and perfectly sized!
What a perfect fall dessert! I have never heard of nut cups before but I am loving this!
YUM! Cream cheese crust with apples and nuts nestled inside? I’m very into apples right now, so these couldn’t be in front of me at a better time!
We ate our first fall apples the other day and they tasted so.good. I’ve missed them! These are so cute and I really like the nuts on top. And your pictures! I saw them on Pinterest and was like, those are gorgeous! Thumbs up!
These are adorable! I’d be tempted to pop a few of these in my mouth and then go back and finish the rest of the batch… 🙂
I’ve never heard of nut cups! But I’ll have to try these for sure! Lookin’ good!!!!
Found your blog and subscribed through your “apple week” collaboration with Jocelyn at Inside BruCrew Life.
Saved the recipe. It looks SO good. We have a couple of apple trees in our yard or I’d be all over those pre-cut slices! I love time-savers.
These sound fantastic! Yay for apple week!!
Amazing!!
These look delicious!