Canadian butter tarts are a gooey treat that is sure to be a family favorite. These small desserts are a popular treat across Canada, and with one taste, you'll see why!
If you enjoy baking homemade treats, we think you will love these recipes for Canadian Nanaimo bars and decorating a Christmas cake.
About
Butter tarts are small Canadian pastries filled with a sweet, custard-like filling. The filling can be firm or runny, and often has raisins or nuts added.
This Canadian treat has a crisp pastry crust and a sweet, sometimes gooey center. The taste is similar to French Canadian sugar pie or pecan pie minus the pecans.
Why This Recipe Works
- It's made with homemade pastry. This really improves the flavor and texture!
- The baking technique prevents overflows. Start baking the tarts at a low temperature to set the filling, then raise the temperature to brown the tarts. Watch them carefully!
Ingredients
It doesn't take a lot of ingredients to make a batch of Canadian butter tarts! Let's talk about the key ingredients you'll need to make this recipe.
- Butter: This adds richness and creaminess to the filling.
- Corn Syrup: This sweetens the filling and gives it a distinctive texture.
- Eggs: This ingredient gives the filling its custard qualities.
- Add-Ins: We like to add raisins to our tarts, but not everyone likes that. Feel free to leave them out if you prefer.
- Pastry: This Canadian butter tarts recipe includes a simple pastry recipe if you want to make your own.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
- Don't want to use corn syrup? Boil down some maple syrup until it is as thick as corn syrup and use an equal amount of that instead.
- Want to cut the sweetness? Add ½ teaspoon of distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar to the filling.
- Want runnier tarts? Shorten the baking time by a couple minutes.
- Want firmer ones? Use 2 eggs instead of one in the filling.
- Looking for more add-ins? Raisins are the best, but walnuts or pecans are good choices. Please don't use chocolate chips.
How to Make Butter Tarts
Gather the ingredients for the pastry. You'll need all-purpose flour, butter, lard, salt, and cold water.
- Rub the butter, lard, salt, and flour together until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add the water and mix until a dough forms. Knead gently a couple of times until smooth, then wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour before rolling. (Read our flaky shortcrust pastry recipe for more tips!) (image 1)
- Meanwhile, whisk together all the filling ingredients until smooth. This will take a minute of whisking. (image 2)
- Soak the raisins in ¼ cup of boiling water to soften and plump them. (image 3)
- Once the pastry has chilled, roll it out to a little less than ⅛ inch thick. Cut it into 4-inch circles and line a 12-hole muffin pan with the pastry circles. (image 4)
- Drain the soaked raisins and put them in the bottom of the pastry shells. (image 5)
- Fill the shells about ¾ full of the filling. (image 6)
- Bake at 200°F for 15 minutes, then raise the temperature to 350°F and bake for 10-15 minutes, until the pastry and filling has browned. Watch the Canadian butter tarts closely, as they can start to overflow towards the end of the baking time. (image 7)
- Let the butter tarts cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then remove them from the pan and let them cool on a wire rack. Enjoy at room temperature. (image 8)
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Although these Canadian tarts have similarities to a few other desserts throughout the world, they are a uniquely Canadian invention. No one knows how they were invented.
The first published recipe dates back to 1900 in Barrie, Ontario, when Mrs. Mary Ethel MacLeod submitted her recipe to a Canadian hospital fundraising cookbook. In the decades that followed the recipe's publication, this dessert has become a popular Canadian treat from coast to coast.
They are made with eggs, sugar, corn syrup, melted butter, and light brown sugar that is whisked until smooth. The mixture is poured into unbaked pastry shells, and any add-ins such as raisins are put in, and then the Canadian treats are baked until golden.
No, they aren't popular in the United States, so you can't purchase them in most bakeries. However, you can definitely make your own!
Runny ones mean that they were cooked for a shorter time. For firmer ones, bake longer. A firmer filling can also be made by using a little less liquid in the filling.
No, they're not the same thing, although they do take a lot of the same ingredients and taste similar. Butter tarts aren't made with pecans, which is the key difference between these two desserts.
Leftovers: For best results, it's recommended to store them in the fridge for up to 3-5 days. If you choose to store them at room temperature, they will last three days.
Freezer: To freeze, seal the fully baked and cooled treats inside of a zip-top freezer bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Serve
If you're looking for other Canadian-inspired recipes, make sure to try our recipes for Nanaimo bars, Caesar mocktail, tourtière (French Canadian meat pie), maple mousse, and maple walnut bundt cake.
Expert Tips
- Use homemade pastry for the best-tasting Canadian butter tarts. Only use store-bought if you're in a pinch.
- Be sure to whisk the filling well. This ensures that the sugar has dissolved and the ingredients are evenly incorporated.
- Don't overfill. Otherwise, these Canadaian tarts will overflow in the oven.
- Bake at 200 F first, then at 350 F. This will reduce any boiling over of the filling as they bake.
More Pie Recipes
Recipe
Canadian Butter Tarts
Ingredients
For the Pastry
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
- ¼ cup lard
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup ice water
For the Filling
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup corn syrup
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup raisins, optional
Instructions
Making the Pastry
- Pour the flour into a mixing bowl and add the butter, lard, and salt. Rub the fats into the flour by pinching and mixing it with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
- Gradually add just enough ice water to hold the mixture together into a dough. Make sure that there's no flour left at the bottom of the bowl.
- Gently knead the pastry a few times, then shape it into a disc and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Chill it in the fridge for at least 1 hour before rolling. This relaxes the gluten in the pastry and firms up the butter and lard in the dough.
Making the Butter Tart Filling
- Preheat the oven to 200°F.
- If you're adding raisins, pour ¼ cup (60 ml) of boiling water on top of the raisins and let them soak while you're making the filling.
- Whisk together the softened butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, eggs, and vanilla extract until well-combined and smooth. Set aside.
- Roll out the chilled pastry to ⅛" thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut out as many 4-inch circles as you can, re-rolling the scraps to get more rounds. Line a 12-hole muffin pan with the pastry circles, making sure to get the pastry into the corners of the pan.
- Drain the raisins and sprinkle them in the bottom of each tart.
- Fill each pastry shell ¾ full with the filling. Be careful not to overfill, as this will cause them to overflow in the oven.
Baking the Butter Tarts
- Bake at 200°F for 15 minutes, then turn the heat up to 350°F and bake for another 10-15 minutes. Watch the tarts closely towards the end of the baking time, as the filling can overflow. They are done when the pastry is a pale golden brown around the edges and the filling is browned.
- Let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove them and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
- Serve at room temperature. Store leftover ones in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Video
Notes
- Use homemade pastry for the best taste. Only use store-bought if you're in a pinch.
- Be sure to whisk the filling well. This ensures that the sugar has dissolved and the butter is evenly incorporated.
- Don't overfill. Otherwise, they'll overflow in the oven.
- Bake at 200 F first, then at 350 F. This will reduce any boiling over of the filling as they bake.
Nutrition
Serving sizes and nutritional information are only an estimate and may vary from your results.
denise Bourgault
At what temp and for how long should I bake jumbo buttertarts made in the jumbo muffin tins?
Emma
I would increase the baking time by about 10 minutes (an extra 5 minutes at each baking temperature). However, I haven't made jumbo butter tarts before, so this may need some experimentation. Feel free to let me know what works for you!
Beth
The pastry is soft and flaky. The raisins inside the tarts are juicy and soft, and the buttery filling is delicious. These butter tarts are the perfect Christmas treat!
Emma
Thank you, Beth! I'm glad that you enjoyed these butter tarts.
Alex
These butter tarts have a smooth, creamy filling. It's a lovely treat! I especially like the thick pastry. The filling tastes buttery, and the chewy raisins are good. I like butter tarts with raisins better than the plain ones.
Emma
I like the raisin ones best, too, Alex! Thanks for leaving a comment.
Tanja McCutchon
Interesting history of butter tarts and excellent photos and directions. Keep up the excellent work!
Emma
Thanks so much! Butter tarts are one of my favourite Christmas pastries. It's so special that they're uniquely Canadian! 😊👍🍁