Mini Beef Tourtières (Printable)

Flaky pastries with savory spiced beef filling, perfect for appetizers and 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 for egg wash

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a large bowl, blend softened cream cheese and cold diced butter until smooth. Add all-purpose flour and salt, mixing until a soft dough forms. Divide dough in half, flatten each portion into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
02 - In a skillet over medium heat, melt 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 fully browned, breaking up 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 - On a lightly floured surface, roll out chilled pastry dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut out rounds using a 2 3/4 inch round pastry cutter. Place half of the rounds on prepared baking sheets.
05 - Spoon 1 heaping teaspoon of cooled beef filling onto each pastry round on the baking sheets. Brush edges lightly with water, top each with a second pastry round, and seal edges firmly using a fork.
06 - Brush the top of each tourtière with beaten egg. Cut a small slit in the center of each pastry to allow steam to escape during baking.
07 - Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown. Cool slightly on baking sheets before serving.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • The cream cheese pastry is tender and flaky without any tricky laminating or chilling overnight.
  • Warm spices like allspice and cloves give the beef filling a cozy, aromatic depth that feels special.
  • Theyre perfectly portioned for parties and hold up well at room temperature.
  • You can prep the dough and filling ahead, then assemble and bake them fresh when guests arrive.
02 -
  • If the dough gets too soft while rolling, pop it back in the fridge for 10 minutes so it firms up and doesnt tear.
  • Let the filling cool completely before assembling, or the heat will melt the pastry and make sealing nearly impossible.
  • Dont overfill each pastry or the filling will burst out during baking, leaving you with a mess and less filling inside.
  • Sealing the edges tightly with a fork is essential to keep the filling tucked in and create that pretty crimped edge.
03 -
  • Chill your pastry scraps and re-roll them gently to get a few more rounds without overworking the dough.
  • Use a small ice cream scoop to portion the filling evenly so each pastry has the same amount and bakes uniformly.
  • If youre making these ahead, assemble and freeze them unbaked, then bake directly from frozen for fresh, flaky pastries anytime.
  • Dont skip the egg wash, it makes all the difference in achieving that glossy, golden, bakery-quality finish.
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