Canadian Butter Tarts
Butter Tarts are up there with poutine and maple syrup when it comes to Canadiana for me. The flaky pastry, gooey filling, and sweet buttery flavor all come together to create the perfect bite-sized dessert. I especially love making them around this time of year—when I’m dreaming about fall foliage and seeing my family for the holidays. Most of the ingredients needed are pantry staples, and the tarts themselves are easy to make, so it’s the perfect recipe for any home baker. Make them to celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving or to enjoy with a hot cup of coffee on a chilly autumn day!
One of my fondest memories of living in Canada was when I had my first butter tart from The Nutty Bean in Lakefield, Ontario. The Nutty Bean is the cutest locally-owned café (in the most picturesque Canadian town ever) owned by the loveliest person of all time. (Shout out to Sherry! I hope you read this!) Sherry just has this magical, cheerful personality that’s so warm and genuine… she’s like a butter tart personified!
What Are Butter Tarts?
Butter tarts are a quintessentially Canadian dessert with a delicious pastry crust filled with a rich mixture of butter, sugar, eggs, and syrup. They’re often enjoyed as a sweet treat during Canadian Thanksgiving, which falls on the second Monday of October each year. But, honestly, these delectable little tarts can be enjoyed all year round (not just during the holidays!)
Some recipes also add nuts and raisins to the filling… but this is quite the controversial topic among butter tart enthusiasts. Traditionalists believe they should be simple and unadorned, while others enjoy the added texture and flavor nuts and raisins bring. As for me? I like to make some with raisins, some with a sprinkle of pecans, and then I leave the rest plain—meaning I get the best of all worlds! You do you, butter tart lovers.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make my Canadian butter tarts recipe:
Brown & White Sugar: Equal parts white and brown sugar create a gooey filling with a delicious caramel flavor.
Salt: Just a pinch to enhance the flavors.
Light Corn Syrup: Helps to create a smooth filling by stopping the sugar from crystallizing.
Salted Butter: Using salted butter creates a salty-sweet flavor profile and adds a buttery richness.
Eggs: Gives structure to the filling.
White Vinegar: I know it might seem odd to use vinegar in a dessert recipe, but trust me, it helps balance the sweetness and adds a subtle tanginess. The acidity also helps to prevent the sugar from crystallizing.
Vanilla Extract: Adds a warm, sweet flavor.
Premade Pie Crust: If you can only find the premade pie crusts in packs of 2, I recommend freezing the spare (for more tart making in the future!) or using it for a different recipe like these mini dark chocolate pecan pies. Alternatively, our 3-ingredient pie crust is a great choice if you prefer homemade!
Cooking Spray: For greasing the muffin tin.
Raisins & Pecans: Add-ins that taste amazing in this recipe.
What’s The Difference Between Pecan Pie and Butter Tarts?
I see many people comparing these tarts to the American pecan pie, and I can understand why. Both are sweet and delicious and usually made with similar ingredients. The main difference is that pecan pie has a firmer filling with chopped pecans on top, while butter tarts have a softer filling, which can be left plain with no toppings. Pecan pies are also traditionally larger and served in slices, while the tarts are smaller and eaten in individual portions. Both are delicious in their own way, but they’re not the same!
Should the filling be runny, soft, or firm?
Again, this is another topic that sparks a lot of debate! Different families have their own preferences regarding the texture of the filling. Some like a runnier filling, while others prefer a firmer consistency. Personally, I think the perfect butter tart has a soft, custard-like filling that’s just starting to set—not too runny and definitely not too firm. Avoid overcooking them if you also prefer a softer filling.
Storage Instructions
Let your tarts cool before storing them in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. For longer storage, you can freeze them for up to 3 months. Let them thaw in the fridge before enjoying. You can also reheat them in the oven at 300 degrees to help bring back that freshly baked taste.
Butter Tarts Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
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Nutrition
how to make Butter Tarts – step by step photos
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Combine ½ cup brown sugar, ½ cup white sugar, and ½ tsp salt in a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
In a separate mixing bowl, combine ½ cup corn syrup, ¼ cup melted salted butter, 2 eggs, 1 tsp white vinegar, and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Whisk to combine.
Pour liquid mixture into the sugar mixture and whisk to combine. Set aside.
Roll out 1 pre-made pie crust on parchment so it is flat and even. You’re not really rolling it out to make it much thinner, just to make it all consistently the same. Sometimes, I find the premade dough has thicker edges.
Using a large cookie cutter or the jar of a large mason jar (that’s what I did!) cut out mini crusts. You can use all of the dough scraps, so keep them to make more tart crusts!
Lightly grease a cupcake tin with cooking spray. Gently press the tart crusts into each cup and gather 3 Tbsp raisins and 2 Tbsp pecans. Add a few raisins and/or pecan pieces to each crust. I like to leave some plain, prepare some with raisins, and some with pecans. Then, fill each tart with the liquid filling mix. Leave about ¼ of the inch at the top of each tart crust when filling, if possible. I overfilled a few, which caused them to overflow during baking. Oops!
Before popping them in the oven, add a few more raisins and/or pecan pieces to each tart.
Bake for 20 minutes. They may still be a little jiggly when you take them out of the oven, but they will firm up. They are best when the center is custard-like, so don’t overcook.
These Canadian butter tarts couldn’t be easier to make and are always a hit with anyone who tries them!
More Fall Dessert Recipes
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