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.

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.

Recipe Ingredients

Pastry dough

Plain Filling

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

Raisin Filling

3/4 cup raisins or currants
Boiling water

Chocolate Filling

1/4 mini chocolate chips – semi sweet or milk chocolate or a combination

Pecan (Nut) Filling

1/3 cup 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

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 to 1/8″ thick, 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.

how to make butter tarts pastry formed and shaped in the muffin tin and filled

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.

how to make butter tarts fillings pecan, plain and chocolate chip — Fillings – Pecan, Chocolate Chip & 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.

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.

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.

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.

How to Store 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.

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, the dough will last for up to 3 months in the freezer.

These Old Fashioned Butter Tarts are the perfect sweet treat that you could be looking for. If you try them let me know. Enjoy!

Pie Tarts & Pie recipes

Old Fashioned Butter Tarts

Rosemary Molloy

Old Fashioned Butter Tarts, the best Homemade Canadian Recipe, with the perfect sweet runny filling, dessert or snack idea.

4.84 from 132 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 25

Chilling Time for Pastry 30

Total Time 1 15

Course Dessert

Cuisine Canadian

Servings tarts

Calories 292 kcal

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)
1/2 cup brown sugar (lightly packed)
1/2 cup corn syrup*
pinch of salt
1 large egg (lightly beaten)
1/2 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)

3/4 cup raisins
boiling water

CHOCOLATE CHIP FILLING (add in)

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

PECAN FILLING (add in)

1/3 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

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.

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

Calories: 292kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 3gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 123mgPotassium: 103mgFiber: 2gSugar: 23gVitamin A: 145IUVitamin C: 0.5mgCalcium: 21mgIron: 2.7mg

Keyword butter tarts, chocolate chip butter tarts, classic butter tarts, old fashioned butter tarts, pecan butter tarts

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Updated from May 3, 2017.

Old Fashioned Butter Tarts

What are Canadian Butter tarts?