Mini Beef Tourtières (Printer-friendly)

Flaky pastries with savory spiced beef filling. A Canadian-inspired appetizer perfect for entertaining guests.

# What You'll 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 egg, beaten for egg wash

# How To Make It:

01 - In a large bowl, blend softened cream cheese and cold diced butter until smooth. Add flour and salt, mixing until a soft dough forms. Divide dough in half, flatten each into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
02 - Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until translucent, approximately 3-4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it apart with a spoon. Stir in 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 - Roll out pastry dough on a floured surface to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut 2 3/4 inch rounds using a round pastry cutter. Place half the rounds on prepared baking sheets.
05 - Spoon 1 heaping teaspoon of cooled beef filling onto each pastry round. Brush edges lightly with water, top with another pastry round, and seal edges firmly with a fork.
06 - Brush tops of tourtières with beaten egg. Cut a small slit in each pastry to allow steam to escape during baking.
07 - Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool slightly before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The cream cheese pastry stays tender and flaky without being fussy or temperamental like traditional pie dough.
  • These freeze beautifully unbaked, so you can pull out exactly as many as you need and bake them fresh whenever company arrives.
  • The warm spice blend makes the filling taste comforting and a little unexpected all at once.
02 -
  • The pastry dough must be cold when you roll it out or it will stick to everything and become impossible to handle.
  • Let the beef filling cool completely before assembling, or the heat will soften the dough and make sealing a frustrating mess.
  • Don't skip the fork crimping step, it's the only thing keeping the filling securely inside while they bake.
03 -
  • Chill your rolling pin in the freezer for a few minutes before rolling the dough, it helps keep everything cold and prevents sticking.
  • Use a kitchen scale to portion the filling evenly so every tourtière bakes at the same rate and looks uniform on the plate.
  • If the dough gets too soft while you're working, pop it back in the fridge for 10 minutes rather than fighting with it.
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