Old Fashioned Butter Tarts, the best homemade to die for Butter Tart Recipe. A delicious Canadian tradition that can’t be missed.
A flaky pie crust filled with a sweet raisin filling. If you don’t like raisins just leave them out! This old fashioned butter tart recipe is one of the best you will taste.
Old Fashioned Butter Tarts
Old Fashioned Butter TartsButter Tarts, they are always the first to go in my house!
Here I am again Celebrating #Canada150 this time I am sharing one of Ontario’s favourite fabulous foods, Old Fashioned Butter Tarts.
Ontario is situated in Central Canada with probably one of Canada’s most famous and popular cities, Toronto, my place of birth.
Toronto is one of the most multicultural cities in the world, home of the Toronto Blue Jays and The Toronto Maple Leafs (those poor leafs or should I say fans)! And of course half my heart, my eldest daughter has now moved back to Toronto.
I don’t know if you have ever tried or made a butter tart, but if not this is one tart that has to be on your to make list.
I have made these tarts a few times this past couple of weeks, and we made them again when my cousin came to visit. This time we made a few different types. Pecan, Chocolate Chip and Plain Butter Tarts, you can add raisins.
Fillings – Pecan, Chocolate Chip & Plain
How to make Butter Tarts
- Make your pastry dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and roll out to 1/8″ thickness, cut our circles with a round cookie cutter or glass.
- Gently from into a prepared muffin or tart tins. Prick the tarts with a fork.
- Pour the filling into the tart shells and bake for 15 minutes at 400°F, reduce heat to 350°F and continue baking for approximately 10 – 15 minutes (until they start to brown).
- Let cool before serving.
The best Pastry Dough for Butter Tarts
Butter tarts are best made with a flaky pie crust therefore I like to use either a Simple Pie Dough or a Brown Sugar Pie Dough, either work perfectly.
How to Store Butter Tarts
Butter Tarts should be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated, they will keep for up to five days. If you keep them at room temperature remember they will only keep for up to two days.
Butter Tarts
Can Butter Tarts be Frozen?
Yes they can be frozen, be sure to freeze in an airtight freezer container. Properly stored they will keep for up to two months. You could also make the dough in advance and freeze it.
And of course even this time they were gone in minutes. Because guess who goes absolutely insane for these? Yup, the Italian.
If you asked him what his three favourite desserts would be he would choose Tiramisu, Butter Tarts and then Pineapple Dessert. And the order depends totally on the season or which one I have just made.
These Old Fashioned Butter Tarts are the perfect sweet treat that you could be looking for. If you try them let me know. Enjoy!
Old Fashioned Butter Tarts
Ingredients
PIE PASTRY
- 1 Pie Pastry Recipe or 12 pre-made tart shells
BUTTER TART FILLING
PLAIN FILLING (without add ins)
- 1/4 cup butter (melted / cooled) (50 grams)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (lightly packed) (90 grams)
- 1/2 cup corn syrup (170 grams)
- pinch of salt
- 1 egg (lightly beaten)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
RAISIN FILLING (add in)
- 3/4 cup raisins (120 grams)
- boiling water
CHOCOLATE CHIP FILLING (add in)
- 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips (45 grams)
PECAN FILLING (add in)
- 1/3 cup coarsely chopped pecans (or walnuts) (41 grams)
Instructions
PIE PASTRY
- Prepare either the Simple Pie Dough or Brown Sugar Pie Dough. Or you can use prepared store bought tarts.
- Pre-heat oven to 400°F. Grease and flour a 12 size medium muffin tin.
- Remove pastry from fridge roll out to 1/8" thickness and cut out with a round cookie cutter. Gently form into muffin tin, use a small lightly floured shot glass to gently form the rounds into the tin.
BUTTER TART FILLING
- If using raisins then place them in a medium bowl and cover with boiling water, let sit 5 minutes then drain. Immediately add hot raisins to butter mixture and stir until butter has melted. Then add lightly beaten egg and vanilla, brown sugar, salt and corn syrup stir to combine, do not over combine.
- If not using the raisins then melt the butter, let cool slightly, then add the lightly beaten egg, vanilla, brown sugar, salt and corn syrup stir to combine do not over stir. At this point you can either stir in the chopped pecans, chocolate chips or leave the filling plain.
- Pour the filling into the prepared tart shells and bake for 15 minutes at 400°F, reduce heat to 350°F and continue baking for approximately 10 - 15 minutes (until they start to brown). Let cool before serving. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Updated from May 3, 2017.
Raymond pichette says
How to make less sweet
Rosemary says
Hi Raymond, you can try adding less sugar or syrup, but they really are supposed to be sweet. 🙂
Bev says
Delicious tasting and flaky crust
Rosemary says
Thanks so much Bev. Take care.
Bev says
I am having trouble finding the best oven temperature for your delicious tarts. Could I bake them at just 350 for 2o to 25 mins
Rosemary says
Hi Bev, yes that should work. Let me know how it goes.
Ron Fenney says
The only problem I am having is with the tart filling. As it cooks it rises to the top of the crust, however once it cools the filling collaspes and the filling reduces to about 20% of what it should be. Why? Perhaps the baking temperature should be lower and allowed to cool slower. Any suggestions?
Thank you,
Ron
Rosemary says
Hi Ron, so it seems it is because of over mixing the egg, lightly beat it with a whisk or fork. Over beating causes the egg to puff up then sink when it starts to cool. Hope that helps. Let me know.
Bev Smith says
Sounds great!
Bev Smith says
Can you:please send me this recipe and all others directly?
Thank you.
Bev Smith
Rosemary says
Hi Bev, if you sign up for the newsletter (at the bottom of every post) you will receive the new recipes for the week newsletter. Hope that helps. 🙂
Sue B says
I have been experimenting but keep having a problem with gooey filling…it separates when in the oven so I end up with a layer on top that is firm ( eggy?) And a layer of very liquify sweet syrup underneath….I have tried baking at different temperatures and longer…but the gooey filling still separates while baking…what should I try doing to remedy this…
Rosemary says
Hi Sue, that could be either 2 reasons, you are over mixing the ingredients, the sugar is separating from the egg mixture, or try baking them for a bit longer. Hope that helps.
Rose Marie Cresta says
Hi, great recipe ! Can I freeze these ?
Rosemary says
Hi Rose Marie, thanks, yes they can be frozen, I would freeze them in a single layer in a freezer safe container. Hope that helps.
Lorna Demkowsky says
I wasn’t sure what size butter tart shells to use. I used 2’ tarts do I use a lower oven and less oven time
Rosemary says
Hi Lorna, I used a medium muffin tin which should be about 2 inch tarts. So time I would say is about the same.
Judi Passmoor says
These sound lovely. We cannot buy corn syrup in the UK (have also heard it is a bad thing). Can I substitute golden syrup or maple syrup?
Rosemary says
Hi Judi, yes you can substitute with golden or maple syrup, if golden is thicker than maple then I would use golden. Let me know how it goes. Happy New Year.
Christina says
If using store bought tart shells should I reduce cooking time? There alot smaller than your homemade tart.
Rosemary says
Hi Christina, yes check them at 10 minutes and see if they are baked. Let me know.
Gail Fitzpatrick says
I make tarts this year will buy store frozen shells. Do you have to thaw them before fiing them.
Rosemary says
Hi Gail, yes you should thaw them before filling and baking. Let me know how it goes.
Art says
Tried first hand with tarts but had trouble putting it in muffin tins wonder if molding around upside down tins an prebake them into shels an then place in tins then fill with filling then rebake. Do you think this would work an what temp. time to pre bake shells your tarts look great will try
Rosemary says
Hi Art, I don’t think that will work because the outside is larger than the inside so they won’t fit. You shouldn’t really have that much trouble placing the cut dough in the tins. Use a little extra flour so it doesn’t stick. Let me know.