I absolutely cannot believe that I have never posted this recipe!
Yes this much butter, this much cream cheese. Get your jaw off the floor and get cooking!
For the last I don’t know how many years — since my neighbor Teresa brought some over for us one holiday season and was kind enough to give me the recipe — Marianne and family and I (and now Leandro) have included this recipe in our Christmas cookie baking extravaganza although think last year we did Walnut Toffee Triangles instead. When we went to do the cups this year, I went straight to my own blog and was horrified (or perhaps I should say gobsmacked, simply because I can) to find I had never shared this with you!
Little balls of yumminess
They are not difficult to do (although somewhat time-consuming) and the result is magazine-beautiful little cups that are like bite-sized pecan pies with a cream cheese crust. Rich and just a little bit sticky…they are worth the pain-in-the-neck it can be to wash up the mini-muffin tins.
Making the shell
Fill up 3/4 of the way (a bit less than this; we had a bit of a mess to clean)
So, pardon the oversight, buy yourself some walnuts and cream cheese and try these this holiday season. I am sure they will become part of your holiday baking too!
Happy Holidays!
Walnut Cups
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Crust
Mini-muffin trays (this recipe yields 48 mini-muffins)
8 oz cream cheese
2 sticks butter
2 Cups flour
In a bowl, cream butter and cream cheese, then mix in flour. Roll into small balls and press into muffin shells so that crust is even on all sides.
Filling
1 Cup dark brown sugar
1 Cup light brown sugar
2 Cups chopped walnuts
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 Tbs butter
(confectioner’s sugar for post-baking)
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and then use to fill shells. Fill only to ¾ as they will bubble up and make a mess.
Put in oven for 35 minutes (less if your oven is powerful. When the crusts just begin to turn golden and the filling is bubbling a bit, they are ready. Remove from oven, cool, and sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar.
I have never frozen them, but neighbor Teresa does and says they keep very well. IMPORTANT! If you have leftover filling, try this with crescent roll dough!
