Mini Pecan Pie Cheesecakes

1. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin generously with melted butter, including the entire top of the pan.

2. Dust a flat work surface with flour. Unroll 1 pie crust at a time, refrigerating the other while you work. Cut into 4 circles using a 4-inch round cookie cutter. Roll dough scraps into a ball; roll out and cut out 1 more circle. Repeat with the remaining crust to yield 10 circles total.

3. Place dough circles into the muffin cups, working quickly, by pressing down centers and ensuring dough is in full contact with the sides. Smooth down the top edges so the mini pie shells are uniform and even with the top of each cup. Refrigerate until ready to use.

4. Beat cream cheese, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon bourbon, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/4 teaspoon sea salt in a bowl using an electric mixer until cheesecake mixture is well combined and no lumps remain, scraping down sides of the bowl as necessary.

5. Whisk corn syrup, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon bourbon, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/4 teaspoon sea salt together in a separate bowl to make the pecan pie filling.

6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Move oven rack to the lowest part of the oven.

7. Fill the chilled crusts 2/3-full with the cheesecake mixture using an ice cream scoop with a lever. Knock the bottom of the muffin tin onto the counter to expel air bubbles. Top each pie with 1 tablespoon chopped pecans; fill to the top with pecan pie filling. Garnish the center of each pie with a pecan half.

8. Bake on the lowest rack in the preheated oven until puffed and golden, about 40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours.

Cook's Note:

Instead of a cookie cutter, you can also use the lid of a quart sized yogurt container to cut out the dough.