Miniature Nut Cups (Tea Tassies) – Recipe
My sisters-in-law are experts in making these Miniature Nut Cups, also known as Tea Tassies. These present themselves exceptionally well on a holiday cookie tray and practically melt in your mouth. They are one of our family’s favorite holiday cookies.
This project runs much smoother with teamwork, rather than solo, so I would suggest a helping hand if possible.
This recipe yields between 80-100 pieces.
Miniature Nut Cups (Tea Tassies) – Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 oz Philadelphia Original cream cheese (not light)
- 2 cups unsalted butter, softened (1 lb)
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
- 4 cups brown sugar (light or dark)
- 3 cups finely chopped walnuts
- 1/2 cup of finely chopped walnuts for topping
Filling
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix the softened butter with the cream cheese.
- Add flour, and mix well.
- Cover the dough, and refrigerate for at least an hour, or overnight.
- Work with small amounts of the dough at a time, and keep the rest refrigerated.
- Shape 1 inch balls.
- Place them in an ungreased miniature cup form (much smaller cups than cup cake pans).
- Work with your fingers, to evenly line the miniature cup forms with the dough, creating dough cups.
- Prepare the filling.
- Pour hot filling into cups, filling them 3/4 full.
- You may sprinkle the tops with a pinch of finely ground walnuts.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 325F, for 20-30 minutes.
- Watch for the filling to set, which will be another sign that they are done.
- Cool them completely before storing or serving.
- Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.
- While the first batch is baking, work on the next batch, until you use up all the dough. If you only have a single oven, you will most likely be able to bake only two pans at a time.
- It is much easier to make these cookies with two bakers. One working with the cup formation, and the other one is cooking the filling, fills up the cups, and bakes.
- Mix all ingredients together (except 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts).
- Pour into a medium saucepan.
- Bring to boil.
- Cook on medium heat, until thickened.
- Do not overcook, or it will harden in the cups while baking. It needs to stay warm while filling the cups.
Filling
Notes
I have seen lots of similar recipes which do not require the filling to be cooked, but cooking the filling makes a big difference in its texture. The cooked filling becomes very light and airy while baking inside the cookies.
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