Mini Beef Tourtières (Print)

Flaky pastries with savory spiced beef filling, wrapped in tender cream cheese crust. A Canadian classic.

# Ingredients:

→ 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

# Instructions:

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 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 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 fresh parsley, and allow to cool completely.
03 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
04 - On a floured surface, roll out pastry dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Using a 2 3/4 inch round pastry cutter, cut circles from the dough. Place half of 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 a second pastry round, and press edges firmly with a fork to seal.
06 - Brush the tops of each tourtière with beaten egg. Using a small knife, 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 pastries are golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.

# Pro Tips:

01 -
  • The pastry is forgiving and doesn't require you to keep everything ice-cold like temperamental pie dough does.
  • The filling tastes like nothing you'd expect—warm spices and beef create this cozy, almost sweet complexity that surprises people every time.
  • You can make these ahead and freeze them unbaked, then bake straight from frozen when guests arrive.
02 -
  • Don't skip letting the filling cool completely—I learned this the hard way when warm filling made my pastry dough soggy and impossible to seal properly.
  • The egg wash is what makes these look professional and restaurant-worthy, so don't be shy with it; brush it on generously right before the oven.
03 -
  • If your pastry dough starts getting warm while you're rolling and cutting, slide it back into the fridge for five minutes—cold dough is what gives you those beautiful flaky layers.
  • The secret to sealing them without the filling squishing out is to not overfill—one heaping teaspoon might seem small, but it's exactly right.
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