How to Make Christmas Nut Cups

Christmas seems to stimulate the sweet tooth of most folks who celebrate the holiday. Many people enjoy giving baked sweet treats as Christmas presents, and these are often gladly accepted. If you give homemade fruitcake to everyone you know, however, expect plenty of fake gratitude. Rather than disappointing your friends or family, reward them with tasty nut cups that are sure to please.

Things You'll Need

• 1 cup softened butter (room temperature)
• 6 oz. cream cheese
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 medium bowls
• Large wooden spoon
• 2 cups flour
• Large plate
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp. melted butter
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• Whisk
• 2 cups chopped nuts (recommendations include pecans, walnuts or almonds)
• 3 tart pans or 36 mini muffin cups
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 cookie sheets (optional)

Instructions

1. Combine 1 cup of softened butter and 6 oz. cream cheese with 1/2 cup sugar in a medium bowl. Blend together with a large wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

2. Gradually add 2 cups of flour while stirring the cream cheese/sugar mixture and blend thoroughly until the dough is reasonably firm. This will make the pastry crusts.

3. Roll the dough with your hands into 36 small spheres roughly the size of large marbles and arrange them on a large plate. Refrigerate the dough balls for an hour.

4. Crack 2 eggs into another medium bowl. Add 2 tsp. melted butter, 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract and 1 1/2 cups brown sugar to the bowl. Blend ingredients thoroughly with a whisk. Add 2 cups chopped nuts of choice and mix well with a wooden spoon. This will provide the filling.

5. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

6. Place the dough balls into the cups of 3 tart pans, or into 36 individual mini cupcake cups. Use your fingers to press the dough around the edges and across the bottom evenly for mini crusts.

7. Add the nut-mixture filling into each cup, a little at a time, distributing it evenly among the cups. It should fill all of the cups nearly to the top. Drizzle 1/2 tsp. honey over the filling in each cup and slide the tart pans into the oven; or place the individual mini cupcake cups on two cookie sheets and place them in the oven.

8. Bake the nut cups until the crust rim around the edges is golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the nut cups from the oven and cool them at room temperature before attempting to remove them from the pans or cups.

References

• All Recipes: Little Nut Cups