No cookie cutters or royal icing required.
Aside from the lights, the holiday cheer, and perhaps (if it gets cold enough where you live) the light dusting of snow, one of the clues that Christmas is upon us is the butter set out on the counter to reach room temperature. Baking is a quintessential part of the holiday season, and for some that means stunning layer cakes; for others Christmas candies. But perhaps our favorite category of all are Christmas cookies. Colorful, elegant, fussy, or extra simple, we love them all. And it turns out, we aren’t alone.
Across the South, people are searching for all sorts of Christmas cookies. Sugar cookies have proven enduringly popular, but aside from cut-outs, Southerners are looking for another old-school recipe. No, it’s not Spritz or Gingerbread men.
The most searched for Christmas cookies in the South are… Pecan Tassies! We were a little surprised at first, but it only makes sense that these buttery treats, stuffed with super a Southern ingredient like pecans would be the recipe everyone’s looking for this holiday season.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Wait, What’s A Tassie?
For the unfamiliar, at first glance you might be thinking, “Are those just mini pecan pies?” Well, not quite. A tassie is somewhere between a pecan pie and a shortbread cookie. Our recipe uses a savory dough, made with just butter, cream cheese, flour, and ground pecans, to off-set the sticky and sweet pecan filling. Speaking of the filling, it combines pecans with brown sugar, maple syrup, vanilla, and bourbon; warm, cozy flavors that work perfectly with the South’s favorite nut.
If you’re curious as to why these pecan cookies have an anything but Southern sounding name, we figured out why. The term “tassie” is a Scottish word for cup, which these little pecan treats certainly look like. For the French speakers, tassie might also sound familiar. That’s because the Scottish term is derived from the French la tasse of the same meaning.
Other Delicious Ways To Enjoy A Tassie
Although Pecan Tassies are the most popularly searched for, its savory and slightly tangy cream cheese dough makes the cookie an extremely customizable treat. If you’re looking for a tropical vibe this winter, try our Key Lime Tassies filled with lime curd instead of pecans. You could also riff on a lemon meringue pie by filling the cups with lemon curd, and finishing each with a dollop of toasted meringue. It’s a little fussy, but super cute.
For the chocolate lovers, there’s always our Chocolate-Pecan Tassies, with both a chocolate crust and chocolate drizzle over top. You could also use the classic tassie dough to make a savory treat stuffed with bacon and Parmesan (you could use bacon jam here), or broccoli and Cheddar. You could also fill these tiny cups with cheese, cooked spinach, and artichokes, as a nod to creamy artichoke dip. Get creative and have fun with customizing the recipe this holiday season and throughout the year.
Related: This Is The Most Searched Pound Cake Recipe In The South
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Read the original article on Southern Living.
