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.
These are amazing! Didn’t do them with chocolate chips however still my favourite recipe yet!
Thanks Maegan, so glad you enjoyed them. Take care.
Great easy to follow recipe – turned out perfectly. I added a few more chopped pecans becUs do like mine nutty, but otherwise used the recipe exactly as written
Thanks Shannon, glad you enjoyed it. Take care.
Perfect case of simple is better. These are great! I added an extra egg, adjusted the sugar a bit and cooked/ soaked raisins in bourbon rather than water. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Marcia, thanks so much, good idea with bourbon soaked raisins. Take care.
I fed these to my family. They can’t believe how good they were. All they kept saying is you should sell these
Hi Jacquie, thanks so much, so glad everyone liked them. Take care.
thanks so much
My b/f loves butter tarts. He said these where the best he’s had. I substituted maple syrup for corn syrup and made a g/f crust. Amazing! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Tami, thanks so much, glad you and your bf enjoyed them. Take care.
These came out perfect! They were nice and runny in the middle. I used the Joy of Cooking tart pastry recipe for the crust, but with a whole egg instead of just the yolk.
Hi Elizabeth, thanks so glad you enjoyed them. Have a wonderful Sunday.
I made these and used a few tips from other reviewers. I made my own crusts, used raisins, added a tsp of vinegar, baked them at 400 for 15 minutes then 6 minutes at 350 and they were perfect. I’ve made butter tarts in the past but these are my new go-to butter tart recipe (Pinned for quick reference)!
Thanks Cindy, glad you enjoyed them. Have a great week.
This worked really well! I switched out the corn syrup for maple flavoured table syrup, and the flavour and texture were still really good. I also made the simple pie crust to go with it, and it was light and flaky without getting soggy on the bottom. It was a little salty, but I may have put slightly too large of a pinch of salt- and they still taste really good anyway!
Hi Noah, thanks so much, glad you liked it and letting me know about the maple syrup. Have a great Sunday.
I am just wondering if you (or anyone) has tried subbing honey for the corn syrup in these butter tarts? Thanks in advance!
Hi Cara-Lee I would not recommend substituting with honey, corn syrup is thicker therefore the filling would be too thin and of course a different taste.
Truly terrific five stars
I forgot to soak the raisins in hot water. Just threw them in. Will it still turn out ok?
Hi Susan it should be fine. Let me know how it went.
Fantastic!! First time ever making these. Used store bought tarts. Made 3 dozen pecan and 2 dozen chocolate!! This recipe is so easy and delicious. Thank you!
Thanks Dana, so glad you liked them.
Hi
A quick question
When you say reduce heat to 350 and continue baking for 10-15 min
Do you mean wait for the temp to hit 350 and then time it from that temperature or time it from 400 because we normally have to wait for the temp to decrease
Thanks
Hi L, no just leave them in and reduce the temp. Let me know how it goes.
Came out perfect, i’ve made these 3 times already and each time better than the first.
Thank you Rosemary!!!
Hi L thanks so much, glad you like them.
I am using pastry flour instead of All Purpose flour.
And I will be using maple syrup as well for these beauties.
Will let you know how they turn out.
Dough is in fridge, 30 min or so
Keep you guys posted
Well I made these tarts, I have to say they were perfect!
No problem at all!
I would say to cut the circles a bit bigger than the muffin tin.
Let it fold in the tin
Will give it a beautiful finish.
That’s my tip.
And I started at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, then lowered the oven to 350 degrees for 5 min
Any longer and they will burn.
I made a few where they burned, especially if you added raisins.
Just watch the time and keep an eye on them while they are baking.
Crust was absolutely flaky and delish!
Thank you Rosemary!
Thanks L, glad you enjoyed them and thanks for your input. Have a great weekend.