Make the dough:

Cup of Yum
1. In a small bowl, use hand mixer to cream together the butter and cream cheese until well combined. Add the flour and mix until smooth. 3/4 cup salted butter, 5 ounces cream cheese, 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2. Spray three mini muffin pans (36 tarts total) with cooking spray. Using a mini cookie scoop, scoop dough balls into the muffin pans, dividing the dough between the 36 cups evenly.
3. Refrigerate the dough while making the filling.

Make the filling:

1. In a medium bowl, mix together the brown sugar, melted butter, eggs, maple extract and finely chopped pecans. 1 ½ cups dark brown sugar, 2 tablespoons salted butter, 2 large eggs, ½ teaspoon maple extract, ½ cup finely chopped pecans

Assemble the tarts:

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. After the tarts have refrigerated about 15 minutes, remove one pan from the fridge. Press the dough on the bottom and up the sides of each muffin cavity to create a “cup” with the dough.
2. After the first pan is done, remove the other pan and do the same. (I use the end of a wooden kitchen tool to start the process and make it a little faster. Then use my fingers to finish forming the cups.)
3. Fill the dough shells ⅔ full with the filling. (They rise slightly so if you fill them too much they will overflow.) Place a pecan half on top of each cup. 36 pecan halves
4. Bake for 18 minutes or until the tarts are golden brown on top. Allow the tarts to cool, then loosen them with a small knife and remove to a wire rack.