The Best Classic Canadian Butter Tarts - a definite keeper recipe! (2024)

The Best Classic Canadian Butter Tarts. There’s a reason why we have a national obsession with these sweet, buttery, caramel-y tarts. particularly at the Holidays!

The Best Classic Canadian Butter Tarts - a definite keeper recipe! (1)

The Best Canadian Butter Tarts

I’ve sampled butter tarts in many places across the country and this thick pastry version is my favourite. Don’t do the raisin debate, just leave them out if they are not your thing. Everyone should be able to enjoy them as they like them.

UPDATEThe Best Canadian Butter Tarts is our newest recipe video!

Butter Tarts.

Butter tarts are one of my all time favourite sweet treats and have been for many years. I don’t often make them because, to be absolutely frank, I would not rest until I had eaten all of them!

Of course, Canadians love these tarts and I have had some fine examples in other parts of the country. I think the nod goes to Quebec for the best I’ve had though.

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Golden raisins are what I use in this recipe but any other raisin or even currents work well.

I can’t tell you the numbers of these I’ve eaten over the years, driving along the north shore of the St. Lawrence River and stopping into little bakeries along the way to sample the local versions of this perfect little pastry. Here is my favourite version.

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Fit pastry circles into a muffin pan.

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Pastry shells ready for the filling.

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Tarts, ready for the oven.

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Simply whisk together the ingredients.

There is a great deal of debate about whether the filling should be firm or slightly runny. Most butter tart aficionados I know across Canada comedown on the runny side of the debate.

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Perfect Butter Tarts.

If you prefer the filling firmer, add an additional egg to the mix, and modify the corn syrup and brown sugar amounts as found in the NOTE added to this recipe. You may also want to bake them for just a few minutes longer.

The Best Classic Canadian Butter Tarts - a definite keeper recipe! (9)

The Best Canadian Butter Tarts

Butter Tarts Update.

UPDATE 2020: There is a considerable debate and sometimes geographical differences in what the preferred consistency of the centre of a butter tart should be. In a recent poll 60% of people said they preferred a runny centre as opposed to a firmer set one.

The argument for a firmer set centre is that it’s less messy and easier to eat on the go. As with any recipe, I believe you should have them however you like them.

To that end, I’ve updated the NOTE in this recipe to include instructions to tweak the recipe for a set but still soft and delicious centre. I wouldn’t turn down either one to be honest.

The Best Classic Canadian Butter Tarts - a definite keeper recipe! (10)

Use only real dairy butter in this recipe for the best flavour.

Please note that the photos of the set butter tarts below are made without raisins by request of my son… but let’s not start another debate about that! Just get on with making them how you like.

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Always popular at Christmas too!

Love butter tarts, like me?

Be sure to check out our new recipe for the ultimate Canadian version, Maple Butter Tarts.

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Updated November 2022.

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Classic Canadian Butter Tarts

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The Best Classic Canadian Butter Tarts - a definite keeper recipe! (15)

Yield: 12 large tarts

The Best Classic Canadian Butter Tarts

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

The Best Classic Canadian Butter Tarts - there's a reason why we have a national obsession with these sweet, buttery, caramel-y tarts. I've sampled them in many places across the country and this thick pastry version is my favorite. Don't do the raisin debate, just leave them out if they are not your thing. Everyone should be able to enjoy them as they like them.

Ingredients

For the Pastry

  • 2 ¼ cups flour, pastry flour is best to use but all-purpose will do
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup shortening, Very cold and cut in cubes
  • 1/2 cup butter, Very cold and cut in cubes
  • 6 tbsp ice water, approximately, enough to bring the dough together

For the Filling

  • 1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup corn syrup
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • ½ cup raisins, substituting, pecans, walnuts or chocolate chips also make good variations

Instructions

To prepare the pastry

  1. Pulse the cold butter and shortening into the flour sugar and salt using a food processor until the shortening or butter is reduced to pea sized pieces.
  2. Sprinkle the water over the surface and toss with a fork until the water is just incorporated into the dough. Do not over work the dough; handle it only enough so that the dough stays together.
  3. Form the dough into two rounds about an inch thick.
  4. Wrap in plastic wrap and let rest in the fridge for about a half hour.
  5. Roll out on lightly floured surface. Cut into rounds with 4 inch cutter. Fit into muffin cups. Chill in the fridge or freezer while you prepare the filling. Cold pastry heading into a hot oven will always be flakier.

To make the filling

  1. Combine all filling ingredients except raisins.
  2. Mix well.
  3. Sprinkle raisins in a single layer in the bottom of the pastry lined muffin cups.
  4. Fill 2/3 full with syrup mixture.
  5. Bake on bottom shelf of oven at 425 degrees F for 12 to 15 minutes.
  6. Cool completely on a wire rack and remove tarts from from pans.

Notes

There is considerable debate about whether the filling in a butter tart should be runny or firm. Preferences vary, especially geographically but if you want a firmer, less runny filling simply add an additional egg, increase the brown sugar to 3/4 cup and decrease the corn syrup to 1/4 cup.

The nutritional information provided is automatically calculated by third party software and is meant as a guideline only. Exact accuracy is not guaranteed. For recipes where all ingredients may not be used entirely, such as those with coatings on meats, or with sauces or dressings for example, calorie & nutritional values per serving will likely be somewhat lower than indicated.

Recommended Products

Rock Recipes a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Our product recommendations are almost exclusively for those we currently use or have used in the past.

Nutrition Information

Yield

12

Serving Size

1 large butter tart

Amount Per ServingCalories 363Total Fat 21gSaturated Fat 11gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 8gCholesterol 51mgSodium 255mgCarbohydrates 42gFiber 1gSugar 23gProtein 3g

The nutritional information provided is automatically calculated by third party software and is meant as a guideline only. Exact accuracy is not guaranteed. For recipes where all ingredients may not be used entirely, such as those with coatings on meats, or with sauces or dressings for example, calorie & nutritional values per serving will likely be somewhat lower than indicated.

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The Best Classic Canadian Butter Tarts - a definite keeper recipe! (2024)

FAQs

Are butter tarts a Canadian thing? ›

Butter tarts are an integral part of Central Canadian cuisine and are objects of cultural pride of many communities across Ontario and other provinces in central Canada.

Why are my butter tarts soggy on the bottom? ›

If the bottom crust doesn't set before the filling soaks in, it's going to be gummy. A metal pie pan placed on a preheated surface will set the bottom crust quickest; once cooked, the liquids from the filling above won't soak in, and as a result: no soggy bottom.

How do you keep butter tarts from sticking to the pan? ›

Let the pan cool until it's room temperature, then slide a paring knife around the perimeter of each tart before removing, says Campbell-Sim. Leave them too long and they may stick (check after 10 minutes).

Are there butter tarts in the USA? ›

Does America have butter tarts? Yes, any decent bakery will typically carry butter tarts, that quintessential Canadian pastry.

How long do butter tarts last in the fridge? ›

Butter Tarts should be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated, they will keep for up to five days in the fridge. If you keep them at room temperature remember they will only keep for about a day or 2 depending on how warm your home is. To freeze, place them in an airtight freezer container.

Can I use margarine instead of butter for tart crust? ›

SHORTENING

Like margarine, it can be used in a 1:1 substitution for butter. The solid fat form of shortening doesn't completely mix with dry ingredients when it's cut into them; this creates marbling in dough, resulting in light, flaky pie crusts and biscuits.

How to prevent a soggy bottom on a tart? ›

Add a Layer

You can create a barrier between the filling and the dough by adding an ingredient that won't change the flavor of the pie—or that will improve the flavor of the pie. Sprinkle dried breadcrumbs or crushed cornflakes, or other types of cereal, on the bottom crust before filling and baking in the oven.

What is butter tart filling made of? ›

Whisk brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, egg, vanilla extract, and salt together in a bowl; pour mixture evenly over raisins and walnuts into tart shells. Bake in the preheated oven until filling is set and crust is golden, about 35 minutes.

Can I use a pie pan instead of a tart pan? ›

Q: Can you make a tart in a pie pan? A: If you're in a pinch, you can certainly press your tart shell into a pie pan and fill it. The presentation, though, won't be as nice and you will have some difficulting slicing and serving. The better substitute for a tart pan is a springform pan.

What if my butter tarts are too runny? ›

More eggs helps it set. Just add another egg to your filling!

Why are my butter tarts gritty? ›

-- To avoid "gritty" butter tarts, caramelize sugar first by blending on the stovetop with butter, syrup and vanilla. Let it cool before adding eggs to the mixture or they'll be scrambled.

Can I use oil instead of butter in tarts? ›

Here's what you need to know. Oil is the perfect alternative for those who suffer from food intolerances (to lactose, for example) but would still like to enjoy soft and luscious cakes. You can replace the quantity of butter in grams with the same amounts of oil in grams, and there is nothing more to it than that!

Why do my butter tarts boil over? ›

Butter tarts most often boil over because they were filled too full before baking. Try to only fill each tart 2/3 full with filling so there's plenty of room for bubbling and expansion.

Can you use parchment paper in a tart pan? ›

There are tricks to the trade of tart-pan use. Here's what I know: Always line the bottom of the pan with parchment. Either buy parchment rounds to make life easy, or trace the bottom of the tart pan on parchment, then cut the circle, square, or rectangle out.

Are Pop-Tarts an American thing? ›

Pop-Tarts (stylized as pop•tarts) is an American brand of toaster pastries produced and distributed by Kellanova (formerly Kellogg's) since 1964, consisting of a sweet filling sealed inside two layers of thin, rectangular pastry crust. Most varieties are also frosted.

Where does tart originated? ›

English borrowed it in the fourteenth century from Old French tarte, but no one knows for certain where tarte came from. Some have suggested that it is an alteration (influenced by medieval Latin tartarum, 'Tatar') of Old French torte, ancestor of modern French tourte, a round savoury or sweet pie or tart.

What is a British tart called? ›

Popularized by The Great British Baking Show, this classic British dessert combines a buttery, tender shortcrust pastry with a filling of raspberry jam, frangipane (almond cream), and toasted almond slices.

What country made tarts? ›

It has English and Portuguese origins

However, both the English and Portuguese versions ultimately come from the king of pastries, France, while the egg tarts you'll find in Chinese restaurants and bakeries today are distinct from their European cousins.

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