Mini Baklava Bites

1 pkg. mini phyllo/fillo shells**, Athens brand has 15 in box
4 T. walnuts, pecans, pistachio nuts, heaping (your choice), I used chopped pecan cookie pieces
2 T. butter
2 T. brown sugar, packed
2 T. honey
pinch of cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Crush nuts inside a ziploc bag with rolling pin. Add butter and sugar to a bowl and microwave 30-45 seconds, until butter is melted. Stir in nuts. Add cinnamon and honey, stirring until all sticky and combined. Evenly fill cups with nut mixture. (about 1 t. per cup. Do not overfill or you'll run out before they are all filled.) Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool. Garnish with more nuts if desired. Enjoy!

*I used mini muffin papers on the cookie sheet and didn't line it. I quadrupled this recipe the first time I made it. I increased the time to 15 minutes since I had so many on the cookie sheet, and they turned out yummy! (I've been told these are better than some authentic ones from Greece.)

Measurements for quadruple recipe:
 4 pkgs. Athens mini phyllo shells (15 per pkg)
1 c. chopped pecans
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. brown sugar, packed
1/2 c. honey
cinnamon

Make as directed above, except to increase the baking time.

First picture is before baking.

 2nd picture is after baking.

**The last time I made these, I couldn't find the mini tart shells so I just used phyllo dough sheets. I thawed the sheets*** & divided them into sets of 5 and brushed melted butter on each sheet before stacking them. butter the top sheet as well. I then used a pizza cutter to cut them into 12 rectangles (cut the long side of sheets first into 4 pieces and the short side in 3 pieces). Pick up one rectangle and push the center into the bottom of a paper cup lined mini muffin tin.Repeat with remaining dough. Fill each cup with 1 t. pecan mixture. Bake in oven for 10 minutes, or until they are golden. Cool before removing from muffin tin. 

***After thawing the dough sheets, cover them with a piece of wax paper and a damp kitchen towel. Phyllo is very thin and dries out quickly.  Doing this will keep air from getting in. DO NOT leave out this step!