Mini Beef Tourtières (Printable)

Flaky cream cheese pastries filled with savory spiced ground beef. A delightful Canadian appetizer in 55 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Cream Cheese Pastry

01 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
02 - 8 oz unsalted butter, cold and diced
03 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Beef Filling

05 - 1 lb ground beef
06 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
07 - 1 clove garlic, minced
08 - 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
09 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
10 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
11 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
13 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
14 - 1/4 cup beef broth
15 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
16 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

→ Assembly

17 - 1 large egg, beaten

# How-To:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, blend softened cream cheese and cold diced butter until smooth. Add all-purpose flour and salt, mixing until a soft dough forms. Divide dough in half, flatten each portion into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
02 - In a skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add chopped onion and cook until translucent, approximately 3-4 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it up with a spoon. Add allspice, cinnamon, cloves, thyme, salt, and pepper. Pour in beef broth and simmer until mostly evaporated, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in fresh parsley, and allow to cool completely.
03 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
04 - On a floured work surface, roll out chilled pastry dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Using a 2 3/4 inch round pastry cutter, cut circles from the dough. Place half of the rounds on prepared baking sheets.
05 - Spoon 1 heaping teaspoon of cooled beef filling onto each pastry round on the baking sheets. Brush the edges lightly with water, top each with another pastry round, and seal edges firmly by pressing with a fork.
06 - Brush the tops of each pastry with beaten egg. Using a small sharp knife, cut a small slit in the top of each tourtière to allow steam to escape during baking.
07 - Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool slightly on baking sheets before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cream cheese pastry is impossibly tender and melts on your tongue without feeling heavy.
  • Warm spices like allspice and cinnamon make the beef filling taste both familiar and surprising at once.
  • They freeze beautifully, so you can pull out a tray whenever friends show up unannounced.
  • Theyre small enough to eat in two bites but satisfying enough that people always ask for the recipe.
02 -
  • Dont skip chilling the dough, warm pastry is impossible to roll and will shrink in the oven.
  • Let the filling cool completely before assembling or the heat will soften the dough and make sealing nearly impossible.
  • Press the fork tines all the way around the edge to create a tight seal, gaps will let the filling bubble out.
  • If your oven runs hot, check the pastries at eighteen minutes to avoid over browning.
03 -
  • Use a fork dipped in flour to seal the edges so the dough doesnt stick to the tines.
  • Roll your dough between two sheets of parchment paper if it starts to get too soft, you can chill it again without losing your progress.
  • Brush the egg wash on gently, too much will pool and make the pastry soggy instead of shiny.
  • Let the baked tourtières rest for five minutes before serving so the filling sets and doesnt spill out when you bite in.
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