Chocolate Caramel Pecan Tarts are mini (4″) decadent desserts, drizzled with homemade caramel topping (2-3 small servings per tart). THEY’RE SO GOOD!
Oh boy… this is one delicious dessert! Many, many years ago, I ripped a page out of one of my Sunset magazines because the dessert I saw was calling to me. Ha Ha! This is that dessert! I don’t even know which issue it was in, because I ripped the page out (oops). All I know is I LOVE this dessert.
I modified the original recipe to make two cute chocolate caramel pecan tarts. This was done to use my mini tart pans AND because you can never go wrong with smaller sized portions, especially when the dessert is so decadent. My husband and I cut each tart into small portions, but we can’t stay out of them, going back again and again for another bite. Dangerous!
Chocolate Caramel Pecan Tarts taste like a chocolate chip pecan pie… on steroids! This treat features a buttery shortbread bottom crust, chocolate pecan filling, and is drizzled with a homemade (easy) caramel sauce. Oh my goodness- it tastes AMAZING! Rich, dense, cute looking and sweet, this is one dessert you’ll enjoy serving to those you love. Here’s how to make it:
Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page
Make And Bake The Crust
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Place flour, sugar, and COLD chunks of butter in a small mixing bowl. Rub these ingredients together with your (clean) fingers (or use a pastry blender) until the mixture becomes coarse crumbs You will need to use cold butter so it doesn’t melt between your fingers. Add, and stir in a teaspoon of water.
Work the dough into a ball, squeezing dough together as you form the ball, to hold it together. Lightly butter two 4″ tart pans (the kind with removable rims). Divide the dough into two equal parts and place in the two tart pans. Firmly press the dough down to form a bottom crust, and let the dough extend up about 1″ around the sides of the pan.
NOTE: Don’t have 4″ tart pans? This recipe can also be made using one 6″ wide cake or tart pan (with removable rim). General directions and bake time are the same, and will yield one tart that you can be sliced into 6 small portions.
Bake the crust at 350°F. until the crust becomes golden brown. This will take about 20 minutes, and the crust should be firm to the touch when pressed lightly. Remove from the oven and transfer the pans to a wire rack.
Make The Chocolate Chip Pecan Filling
While the crusts are baking, make the filling for the chocolate caramel pecan tarts. Place the filling ingredients into a large mixing bowl. These ingredients are egg, granulated sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, chopped pecans and semi-sweet chocolate chips. Stir to fully combine the filling.
When the crusts come out of the oven, let them sit for 1-2 minutes to cool slightly. Carefully pour the filling onto the warm crust, dividing evenly between the two pans. Once filed, put the tarts back into the oven. Bake the chocolate caramel pecan tarts for approximately 30 minutes. When done, the surface will be golden brown and when the pan is lightly shaken, the filling will be set. Transfer the pans to a wire rack, and let the tarts cool for AT LEAST half an hour or more before removing the pan rims to serve.
Make The Caramel Sauce For Drizzling The Top Of The Tart
While the tarts cool, make the decadent, EASY caramel sauce to drizzle over the dessert for serving. Place a Tablespoon of butter and 5 Tablespoons of granulated sugar in a 1½ quart saucepan. Cook on HIGH heat, stirring often until the sugar has melted and turns amber in color. This will take about 3 minutes, and you will need to keep a close watch on it, so the sugar doesn’t burn.
When the sugar turns amber in color, remove the pan from the heat. Stir in ¼ cup of heavy whipping cream, and continue stirring until the mixture becomes smooth. When you add the whipping cream it will “sputter” a bit (that’s normal). Once fully combined, the warm caramel sauce is ready to drizzle on the finished tarts.
When the chocolate caramel pecan tarts have cooled for at least half an hour, you’re ready to serve this yummy dessert. Release the outer rims of the pans to reveal the tart. Doesn’t it look scrumptious? The buttery shortbread crust goes part of the way up the sides of the tart, and holds together very well.
Serving The Chocolate Caramel Pecan Tarts
The decision will have to be made about how many pieces to cut the tart into for serving. The chocolate caramel pecan tarts are VERY RICH in flavor, so we have found a small piece always satisfies. Each tart can be cut into either 2, 3 or 4 small pieces. We usually end up slicing 3-4 small portions per tart because it is so rich tasting, but the decision on serving size is up to you.
Below is a photo of one entire tart. To serve you can garnish the whole tart or you can make each individual slice look good with it’s own garnish. Again… your choice. For the sake of the photo, I am showing you an entire tart, garnished for serving.
To serve, drizzle the top of the tarts (or slices) with caramel sauce, allowing it to run down the sides. Dollop with whipped cream, and add a fresh sprig of mint for color! The second photo below is included to show you what the filling looks like inside the tart. It is dense and thick, and tastes quite amazing!
I really hope you’ll give the chocolate caramel pecan tarts a try. There are a few steps involved for the recipe, but trust me… you will love this dessert! Thank you for stopping by, and I invite you to come back again for more family-friendly recipes. Have a GREAT day!
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Recipe Adapted From: Sunset magazine (edition unknown), page 114 (page ripped out from an old magazine)
Chocolate Caramel Pecan Tarts are mini (4") decadent desserts, drizzled with homemade caramel topping (2-3 servings per tart). SO GOOD!
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 3 Tablespoons cold butter , cut in chunks
- 1 teaspoon water
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 Tablespoons chopped pecans
- 3 Tablespoons semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 5 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ cup whipping cream
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease or butter 4" tart pans (with removeable rims) on bottom and sides.
Make Crust: Place flour, sugar, and COLD chunks of butter in a small mixing bowl. Rub together with your fingers (or use pastry blender) until mixture becomes coarse crumbs Add/stir in a teaspoon of water. Work dough into a ball, squeezing dough to hold it together. Divide dough into two equal parts; place in pans. Firmly press dough to form bottom crust, letting dough extend up about 1" around sides of pan. Bake crust at 350°F. for about 20 minutes, until it becomes golden brown. Crust should be firm to the touch when pressed lightly. Remove from oven; transfer pans to a wire rack. Let cool 2 minutes before filling.
While crusts bake, make the filling. Place egg, sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, pecans and chocolate chips in a large mixing bowl. Stir to fully combine. Pour filling onto warm crust, dividing evenly between pans. Put tarts back into oven. Bake for 30 minutes. When done, surface will be golden brown and when pan is lightly shaken, the filling will be set. Transfer pans to wire rack; let cool AT LEAST half an hour (or more) before removing pan rims to serve.
While tarts cool, make caramel sauce. Place butter and sugar in a 1½ quart saucepan. Cook on HIGH heat, stirring often until sugar melts and turns amber in color. This takes about 2-3 minutes; keep a close watch so sugar doesn't burn. When sugar turns amber colored, remove pan from heat. Stir in whipping cream; stir until sauce becomes smooth. **When you add whipping cream it will "sputter" a bit (that's normal).
To serve, drizzle caramel on top of tarts (or slices), allowing it to run down the sides. Dollop with whipped cream, and add a fresh sprig of mint for color! Serve, and enjoy!
NOTE: Don't have 4" tart pans? This recipe can also be made using one 6" wide cake or tart pan (with removable rim). General directions and bake time are the same, and will yield one tart that you can be sliced into 6 small portions.
Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!