Tassies are little tarts or mini pies. This buttery cookie cup can be used for a wide variety of fillings such as nut fillings, fruit fillings, puddings, and ganaches. This particular Tassie sports a refreshing, velvety smooth lemon, cream cheese filling. These are perfect little two-bite cookies and store well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. If desired, when serving, top each with a tiny dollop of whipped cream and lemon rind or zest garnish.
Preheat Oven to 350 degrees. Coat two 24 cup mini muffin tins with cooking spray and set aside.
Make Shortbread Crust
Process the flour and butter in a food processor (or use the tongs of a fork or pastry blender) until the mixture is the consistency of fine crumbs.
Add the sugar, egg yolks, vanilla, lemon zest, and salt. Process until combined and sandy in texture. Do not overprocess.
Form the Dough and Bake
Divide dough into quarters. Divide each quarter into 12 equal pieces and shape into balls. Place each ball in a muffin cup; press into the tin, forcing the dough up the sides to form a cup. Set muffin tins on a baking sheet and bake until lightly browned approximately 12 to 15 minutes. Cool.
Make the filling
Using an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, paddle the room-temperature cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar, egg, lemon zest and lemon juice, and vanilla and continue to mix on low to medium speed until smooth. Using a 1″ ice cream scoop or small spoon, fill the cooled crusts with filling.
Bake the filled cookie cups, rotating the sheets halfway through, until filling is set and just beginning to color at the edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool completely on wire racks before serving.
Tassies can be refrigerated in single layers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. If desired, when serving, top each with a tiny dollop of whipped cream and lemon rind garnish.
- Crust:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 10 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks
- 6 Tablespoons sugar
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Filling:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 3 Tablespoons finely grated lemon zest, plus 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ tsp. vanilla extract
- Preheat Oven to 350 degrees. Coat two 24 cup mini muffin tins with cooking spray and set aside.
- Make Shortbread Crust
- Process flour and butter in a food processor (or use the tongs of a fork or pastry blender) until the mixture is the consistency of fine crumbs.
- Add the sugar, egg yolks, vanilla, lemon zest, and salt. Process until combined and sandy in texture. Do not overprocess.
- Make the filling: Using an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, paddle the room-temperature cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar, egg, lemon zest and lemon juice, and vanilla and continue to mix on low to medium speed until smooth.
- Using a 1" ice cream scoop or small spoon, fill the cooled crusts with filling.
- Bake the filled cookie cups, rotating the sheets halfway through, until filling is set and just beginning to color at the edges, 10 to 12 minutes.
- Let cool completely on wire racks before serving.
- Tassies can be refrigerated in single layers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. If desired, when serving, top each with a tiny dollop of whipped cream and lemon rind or zest garnish.
