Mini Beef Tourtières (Printable)

Flaky pastries with savory spiced beef filling. Perfect appetizers for any festive occasion or gathering.

# 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

# Step-by-step Directions:

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 - In a skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add chopped onion and cook until translucent. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it apart with a spoon. Mix in allspice, cinnamon, cloves, thyme, salt, and pepper. Pour in beef broth and simmer until mostly evaporated, approximately 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in 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 pastry dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Using a 2 3/4 inch round pastry cutter, cut rounds from the dough. Place half of the rounds on the prepared baking sheets.
05 - Spoon 1 heaping teaspoon of cooled beef filling onto each round on the baking sheets. Lightly brush the edges with water, top each with another pastry round, and press edges together with a fork to seal.
06 - Brush the top of each pastry with beaten egg. Cut a small slit in the center of each pastry to allow steam to escape during baking.
07 - Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the pastries are golden brown. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cream cheese pastry melts in your mouth and stays tender even after cooling, no tough or chewy edges.
  • You get all the cozy, spiced flavors of traditional tourtière in a bite you can eat standing up at a party.
  • They freeze beautifully unbaked, so you can pull out a tray whenever surprise guests show up.
02 -
  • If your dough gets too soft while rolling, pop it back in the fridge for 10 minutes, warm dough tears and sticks.
  • Let the filling cool completely before assembling or it will melt the pastry and make sealing impossible.
  • Don't skip the steam vent, I learned this the hard way when my first batch exploded and leaked filling all over the pan.
03 -
  • Use a fork dipped in flour to seal the edges, it keeps the dough from sticking and makes a pretty crimped pattern.
  • If you don't have a round cutter, a drinking glass with a thin rim works perfectly.
  • Rotate your baking sheets halfway through for even browning, especially if your oven has hot spots.
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