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Air Fryer Mini Pecan Pies with Buttery Crust

Air fryer mini pecan pies bake in 4-inch pans with a flaky, buttery crust and a sweet pecan filling. Chilling the dough and air-frying the pies in two batches gives the crust time to turn golden while the centers set with a slight wobble.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 47 minutes
Chilling and cooling 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 12 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 670
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Make the crust
  • 1.5 cup flour all-purpose
  • 1 tbsp sugar granulated
  • 0.5 tsp salt fine
  • 11 tbsp unsalted butter divided: 10 tablespoons cold and cubed for the crust; 1 tablespoon melted and cooled for the filling
  • 4 tbsp ice water add up to 1 more tablespoon as needed
  • 1 nonstick cooking spray for the pans
Pecan filling
  • 1 egg large
  • 0.33 cup corn syrup light
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar packed, light
  • 0.5 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.5 cup pecans chopped

Equipment

  • 4 4-inch mini pie pans
  • 1 6-quart air fryer

Method
 

Make the crust
  1. Whisk the flour, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl, then cut in 10 tablespoons cold butter until the mixture has pea-size pieces.
  2. Stir in 4 tablespoons ice water, adding up to 1 more tablespoon as needed, until the dough holds together when pinched; shape it into a disk, wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  3. Lightly coat four 4-inch mini pie pans with nonstick cooking spray.
  4. Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/8 inch thick, cut four 5 1/2-inch rounds, and fit them into the pans without stretching; trim and crimp the edges.
Mix the filling
  1. Whisk the egg, corn syrup, brown sugar, melted butter, and vanilla in a medium bowl.
  2. Fold in the pecans.
  3. Divide the filling evenly among the crusts, leaving about 1/4 inch at the top.
Air-fry the pies
  1. Preheat a 6-quart air fryer to 300°F for 3 minutes.
  2. Air-fry the pies in two batches, with two pans in the basket in a single layer each time, at 300°F for 18 to 22 minutes per batch, until the crusts are golden and the centers are set with a slight wobble and register at least 160°F.
  3. Let the pies cool in their pans for 30 minutes before serving.

Notes

For a neat crust, fit the dough into the pans without stretching it. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days; freeze for up to 2 months. For a gluten-free variation, use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend.