Miniature Nut-Filled Pastries

These little pastries are like pecan pie in cookie form. A rich, flaky dough made with butter, egg yolks, and sour cream wraps around a filling of chopped pecans (or walnuts) bound together with dark corn syrup. Each one bakes into a golden, bite-sized package with a gooey, nutty center.

The sour cream in the dough is what makes it special. It adds moisture and a slight tang that balances all the sweetness from the corn syrup filling, and it keeps the pastry tender even after it cools completely. This dough also kneads smoothly and rolls out easily at an eighth of an inch thick without cracking.

The shaping technique is clever: cut 2-inch squares, place the nut filling diagonally across the center, then bring the two unfilled corners up to meet in the middle and pinch firmly. You get a little bow-tie shape that holds its form during baking.

Chef Tips

• Chill the dough for the full 20 minutes. Warm dough sticks to the counter and tears during rolling.
• Use only half a teaspoon of filling per square. More than that and the pastries won’t seal, leaving the filling to ooze out.
• Pinch the corners together firmly. A light press won’t hold once the butter in the dough starts melting in the oven.
• These store well in an airtight container at room temperature. They actually get better after a day as the flavors meld.

Variations

• Add a quarter teaspoon of cinnamon to the nut filling for a spiced version.
• Use a mix of pecans and walnuts for more complexity.
• Dust the cooled pastries with confectioners’ sugar for a prettier finish on a holiday cookie tray.