Old Fashioned Butter Tarts
Old Fashioned Butter Tarts, the best homemade Butter Tart Recipe and definitely better than store bought! A delicious Canadian tradition that can’t be missed. Syrupy and sweet exactly how they should be.
There’s nothing like bringing a taste of home to a new country that becomes your new home. All those years ago I missed my family and friends and yes I missed my Mom’s cooking and baking from her delicious shortbread to her lemon bread and how could I forget Calzone!
I have tried many butter tarts in my life but these tarts, thanks to my cousin Janet for the recipe, are definitely one of the best. The flaky pie crust with the filling of choice in that gooey centre makes every bite better than the last!
Recipe Ingredients
- Pastry dough
- Butter – melted and cooled
- Brown sugar – light brown
- Syrup – corn syrup is the traditional syrup but you could substitute with maple syrup
- Salt
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
- Raisins – or currants
- Chocolate chips – semi sweet or milk chocolate or a combination
- Pecans – coarsely chopped, you could substitute with hazelnuts or even walnuts
Why Soak Raisins In Water?
Because raisins are very dry, if they aren’t soaked then they will absorb the liquid from your baked goods, making the dessert less moist. That’s why it is imperative to soak them first, or any dried fruit for that matter.
They don’t have to soak in water, you can soak them in a fruit juice such as pineapple juice or even rum or brandy. 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. It was hard to decide which was our favorite!
How To Make Butter Tarts
Anyone who has never had a Canadian Butter Tart before and trys one is always quick to say “these are amazing, one of the best things I have ever eaten”, I hope you feel the same way. For the full instructions and ingredients scroll down to the bottom of the page for the recipe card.
Prepare either the Simple Pie Dough or Brown Sugar Pie Dough. Or you can use prepared store bought tarts. If you use homemade pastry, the dough will have to be wrapped in plastic wrap and chilled for approximately 60 minutes.
Remove the pastry from the fridge, roll out on a lightly floured surface, cut out with a round cookie cutter. Gently form the circles into the muffin pan. Use a small lightly floured shot glass to gently form the rounds into the tin.
If using raisins, be sure to soak them in boiling water for a bit before using. They should be immediately add hot raisins to butter mixture and stir until butter has melted.
Add the lightly beaten egg and vanilla, brown sugar, salt and corn syrup, stir to combine, do not over mix. Over mixing can add air to the filling, which will cause it to bubble over when baking.
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 mix. 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 in the pre-heated oven until they start to brown. Once they are cool enough to touch move to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
What are Canadian Butter tarts?
It is believed that between 1663 and 1673 approximately 800 young women were sent to Québec from France to help colonize. They brought with them their traditional European recipes but of course they had to adapt to making them with the ingredients available.
The sugar pie, was made with a filling of flour, butter, salt, vanilla, and cream, it is considered the forerunner to the butter tart.
Although the butter tart as we know it now was common in Canadian pioneer cooking. The earliest published recipe dates back to 1900 in the Women’s Auxiliary of the Royal Victoria Hospital Cookbook, which was written in Barrie Ontario, Canada.
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.
Different Variations
Besides adding raisins or currents, you could add a few chocolate chips, chopped nuts or even dried fruit. If you use dried fruit then it is a good idea to soak the fruit before adding to the tarts. Don’t add too many extras or it will take over the filling. A good idea is 5-8 pieces for every tart.
Pie & Tart recipes you need to try
- Easy Caramel Apple Galette – the perfect fall dessert for any occasion.
- Ricotta Spinach Tarts – a classic Italian tart, it’s perfect as a main dish or appetizer.
- Chocolate Mousse Tarts – one of our favorite tarts filled with an easy creamy mousse filling.
- Butter Tart Pie – just like individual tarts, but bigger!
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)
- ¼ cup butter (melted / cooled)
- ½ cup brown sugar (lightly packed)
- ½ cup corn syrup*
- pinch of salt
- 1 large egg (lightly beaten)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
*You can substitute with Maple syrup but start with a ⅓ cup since it is thinner than corn syrup.
RAISIN FILLING (add in)
- ¾ cup raisins
- 2-3 cups boiling water
CHOCOLATE CHIP FILLING (add in)
- ¼ cup mini chocolate chips
PECAN FILLING (add in)
- ⅓ cup coarsely chopped pecans (or walnuts)
Instructions
PIE PASTRY
- Prepare either the Simple Pie Dough or Brown Sugar Pie Dough. Or you can use prepared store bought tarts.
- Remove the pastry from the fridge, roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1/8″ thick, cut out with a round cookie cutter. Gently form the circles into the muffin tin. Use a small lightly floured shot glass to gently form the rounds into the tin.
- Pre-heat oven to 400F (200C). Grease and flour a 12 size medium muffin tin.
BUTTER TART FILLING
- If using raisins, place them in a medium bowl and cover with boiling water, let sit 10-15 minutes then drain well. Immediately add the hot raisins to the butter mixture and stir until butter has melted. Then add the lightly beaten egg, vanilla, brown sugar, salt and corn syrup, stir to combine, do not over mix.
- If not using the raisins then melt the butter, let cool slightly, add the lightly beaten egg, vanilla, brown sugar, salt and corn syrup, stir to combine do not over mix. 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 400F (200C), reduce heat to 350F (180C) and continue baking for approximately 10 – 15 minutes (until they start to brown). Once they are cool enough to touch move to a wire rack to cool completely before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
Addins
If you prefer you can add the add ins on top of pastry and then add the plain filling on top. Be sure you don’t add too many add ins a good amount would be 5-8 pieces.What Is The Perfect Filling?
The perfect filling for butter tarts is a gooey center but not liquidy. If you find that your filling is too liquidy then make the tarts for an extra 2-3 minutes but watch them carefully so they don’t burn.How to store the butter tarts
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. Properly stored they will keep for up to two months. You could also make the dough in advance and freeze it, the dough will last for up to 3 months in the freezer. Thaw overnight in the fridge.Nutrition
Updated from May 3, 2017.
Hello Rosemary!
With Canadian thanksgiving coming up i’d love to add these to our feast! Is it possible to substitute with a 12 cup small muffin pan instead of a medium 6?
Hi N, sure that should be no problem. Let me know how it goes.
These sound wonderful. Very similar to what I have made as well as my mother in law and mother in days gone by and the only ingredient that was missing in your recipe is a teaspoon of vinegar. It cuts the real sweetness and makes for a very palatable butter tart.
Hi Angela, thanks so much. Next time I make them I am going to try it with a tsp of vinegar, thanks for the tip. Have a great weekend.
Would 6 tarts be the same as 12 tarts in a regular muffin tin. I don’t have a tart or muffin pan that hold 1 cup tarts.
Hi Shannon, I just used a regular 6 muffin pan, it wasn’t a one cup pan. Is that what you mean?
So, I went ahead and made these for American Thanksgiving. I, too, am Torontonian born and raised and grew up on butter tarts. I now live in Ohio as my husband is American. I brought some over to my son and daughter-in-law. They called the next day after devouring them, telling me excitedly, both on the phone, that they were delicious and the best butter tarts they’ve ever had. They visit cousins up in Wasaga Beach quite frequently, and usually get some at the local bakery that has won awards for their butter tarts. My son indicated, hands down, these were way better. Even my Mom and sister enjoyed them. I guess these are now going on my Christmas baking list. Thanks for posting the recipe!
Hi PRT so glad they were a hit, my Italian husband goes crazy for these butter tarts too. Have a great weekend.
You indicate using a 12 cup muffin tin, however your recipe says it makes 6 tarts???
Hi PRT thanks so much and corrected. Should be 6 cup muffin tin.
I’m not a raisin fan either, so I substitute currants. My Grandmother used to use a combination of raisins and currants. Oh those childhood memories 🙂
Hi Karen, yes childhood memories are the best.
The one real item missing is honey bee syrup. My mom came from Ontario. She said , had to use that Canadian syrup because it has honey in it.
Hi Candy, interesting I will have to check it out. Thanks.
Could u use a different filling cause hubby doesn’t like raisins that well,
Also do u put a sprinkle of sugar on the bottom of tart before u put filling in
Hi Betty, the pinch of sugar gets whisked into the dough. And you can leave out the raisins, although I know some people substitute nuts or pecans. 🙂
If you don’t like raisins you can sub walnuts, pecans, coconut, currents or rhubarb
Hi Sandra, great ideas thanks.
I just made these last night with dried cranberries. They were delicious! Next time I might also add a bit of orange zest.
Hi Gigi, what a great idea, glad you enjoyed them.
Can I use self rising flour. Also maple syrup instead of corn syrup.
Hi Deborah I don’t know about the self rising flour because I have never made them with it, personally I would say no, and instead of substituting the corn syrup you could increase the brown sugar to a cup. Hope that helps.
Is there a substitute for the corn syrup? Could I use maple syrup instead. Would love to try theses
Hi Gina what you could do is just increase the brown sugar to a cup, that should work. Let me know. 🙂
rosemary…….I have lived in Canada all my life and have been making butter tarts for over 50 yrs…..yes I am an old lady who still bakes weekly…….the answer to the question about maple syrup …..it is yes…..I use the exact amount of maple syrup as I would corn syrup……I do this regularly as my husband is a maple syrup addict…….it work out really good…….we have a butter tart festival here in the town I live in Midland( which is 3 1/2 hr dr north west of Toronto .) every year and you can not believe the range of different butter tarts that is made for this competition……last year they started adding real bacon pieces to them and they are very tasty………edna from midland Ontario Canada
Hi Edna, thanks so much for responding I’m sure that will help a lot of readers. My husband is a maple syrup addict also, every return from Canada I have to bring back Maple Syrup, nothing like it. The festival looks like such fun, one year I will make it there. Have a great week.
Thanks for clarifying about the maple syrup.
I was wondering if I could substitute corn syrup for maple syrup, I am 100% maple syrup!!
Hahahah! now I will definitely make these!!
Thank you:)
Can you substitute corn oil with something like coconut oil? Do you think it would work? Thank you!
Hi Joan there is no corn oil in the butter tarts. Do you mean butter? If so apparently you can substitute coconut oil for butter. Let me know how it works out.
Can you substitute the butter for margarine?
Hi Leanne, to tell the truth I wouldn’t, the dough won’t come out as tender or flaky with margarine. And probably won’t taste as good.
Can you make them without raisins?
Hi Trish, sure that isn’t a problem, some people add walnuts if you like those. I hope you like them. Have a great weekend.
I’ve never heard of this type of tart before, but it looks incredible! Love the raisins in with all that buttery goodness!
Hi Ashley, thanks, they are amazing, and very popular in Canada. Have a great weekend.
These look Delicious, My mother in law made something similar..love to make these …
Hi Patricia, thanks so much, can’t beat a butter tart.
You are an amazing cook! Tried this recipe today and it is/was(unfortunately the tarts had a short life span with hubby and grandkids in the kitchen) delicious. Who can resist a butter tart!
Thanks Cathy, just like in my kitchen. Carlo ate 3 in a matter of seconds! 🙂