Mini Beef Tourtières (Printable Page)

Flaky pastries filled with savory spiced ground beef, perfect for appetizers or festive gatherings.

# 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

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - In a large bowl, blend the 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, approximately 3-4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking 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 parsley, and allow to cool completely.
03 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
04 - Roll out chilled 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 press edges together with a fork to seal.
06 - Brush the tops of each pastry with beaten egg. Cut a small slit in each for steam to escape.
07 - Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool slightly before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The cream cheese pastry stays tender without any fuss or chilling drama, and it bakes up so buttery you might forget theres a filling inside.
  • These freeze beautifully unbaked, which means you can pull off impressive appetizers on zero notice.
  • The warm spice blend makes your whole house smell like a holiday, even in July.
02 -
  • If the dough feels too soft to roll, pop it back in the fridge for ten minutes, warm pastry will stick to everything and drive you mad.
  • Dont overfill the rounds or the filling will leak out during baking and glue them to the pan, one heaping teaspoon is the sweet spot.
  • Let the filling cool completely before assembling, hot filling melts the butter in the dough and turns your pastries greasy.
03 -
  • Use a fork dipped in flour to seal the edges, it prevents sticking and creates a prettier pattern than your fingers ever will.
  • If youre making a big batch, keep the rolled dough covered with a damp towel while you work so it doesnt dry out and crack.
  • Bake these on the middle rack so the bottoms get golden without the tops browning too fast.
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