Mardi Gras Pecan Praline Cream Cheese Pop Tarts
Despite the longest name in the history of pop tarts, today’s Mardi Gras Pecan Praline Cream Cheese Pop Tarts are the EASIEST thing you might ever make.
They are perfect for celebrating Mardi Gras and Fat Tuesday and boy are they happy, happy, happy.
I filled them with my favorite King Cake filling, a pecan praline cream cheese and decorated them with a bit of royal icing and sprinkled them until they squealed in delight.
Here’s what you need:
Mardi Gras Pecan Praline Cream Cheese Pop Tarts
Ingredients
- 1 package refrigerated pie crust (2 per container)
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
- Icing:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tbsp half and half, plus more as needed
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Beat the cream cheese, cinnamon, sugar and vanilla extract together until light and fluffy. Fold in the chopped pecans.
On a floured surface, roll out the pie crusts. Cut out rectangles about 4 1/2 inches tall by 3 inches wide. You need 2 rectangles per pastry. Add 1 1/2-2 heaping spoonfuls
of cream cheese mixture to the base of the rectangles, in the center only, making sure to leave the edges clean. Top with additional pie crust and use a fork to crimp the edges to seal. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Repeat until desired number of pastries is reached.
Before baking, use a fork to prick a couple of times to
vent each pastry.
Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely on a
baking rack before icing.
In a mixing bowl whisk together all icing ingredients. Add more half and half 1/2 teaspoon at a
time to reach desired consistency. It should be slightly runny, but able to maintain its shape. Spread over tops of pop tarts, leaving a small rim uncoated around all sides. Sprinkle tops with sanding sugar while the icing is still
wet. Serve immediately.
Notes
*Each piecrust will yield about 4 rectangles. You can use
the scraps to reroll the crust to get additional pastries if desired.
And if Mardi Gras Pop Tarts aren’t your thing, don’t forget about these Pecan Praline King Cake Cookies or this Pecan Praline King Cake Pull Apart Bread.
Oh, and if pie is your thing say hello to my Mardi Gras King Cake Pie.
Cocktails your thing? Here ya go: Mardi Gras King Cake Cocktail.
Happy Fat Tuesday!
