Classic Canadian butter tarts are an irresistible sweet treat, with as many opinions on what makes a good one as there are Canadians! I don’t think there’s one recipe that would please everyone, but these are my favourites, with a lightly set filling and optional raisins, all in a flaky tart crust.
Butter tarts are a classic Canadian sweet treat, enjoyed from coast to coast to coast across Canada. I can assure you that every Canadian has a butter tart “preference” and there are as many of those as there are Canadians. I think it really comes down to whether the filling is set or runny, whether there are raisins or not and butter or lard pastry. I think they’re all good, as there is no such thing as a bad butter tart!
Butter tarts are everywhere in my part of the world, so honestly, I don’t need to bake them myself to satisfy a craving, but that said, it’s nice to have a favourite recipe on hand, if needed.
This butter tart recipe represents my preference for butter tarts. They have raisins, as I’m solidly in “camp raisin” when it comes to butter tarts. And while I used to love a good, runny butter tart, I have developed a fondness for a more set, custardy filling. The filling uses some corn syrup, as it really is the key to a beautifully textured filling, but it also has some dark maple syrup added to the mix for great flavour.
Ingredients and substitutions
A few notes about the key ingredients …
Light corn syrup – This recipe specifies light (clear) corn syrup for the best results. Corn syrup is used to prevent the sugar from crystallizing and contributes to the smooth texture of the filling. I do recommend it, if possible. Do note that grocery store corn syrup is NOT the same as high-fructose corn syrup. Grocery store corn syrup is simply 100% glucose (with no fructose). It’s just sugar. I haven’t tried substituting golden (dark) corn syrup. It will certainly work, though the flavour will be a bit stronger.
Amber, dark or Grade B maple syrup – Darker maple syrup simply brings a fuller maple flavour. That said, any pure maple syrup is fine.
Pastry – Opinions are split on whether a butter pastry or a lard pastry is best for butter tarts. Both have their pros and cons and it really is just personal preference. I opted to split the difference here and do a pastry with half butter and half lard. While homemade pastry is the ideal, store-bought pastry or tart shells are certainly fine. If you have a favourite pastry recipe, feel free to use that here.
How to make butter tarts: step-by-step
This is a visual summary of the steps to make this recipe. Scroll down to the Recipe Card below for the complete list of ingredients and instructions.
Step 1: Start by adding the butter tart filling ingredients to a large measuring cup or bowl.
Step 2: Whisk the ingredients together until smooth.
Step 3: Add the eggs to the filling and whisk together well.
Step 4: The finished filling should be smooth and a bit bubbly.
Step 5: Cut 4-inch rounds of pastry for the tarts.
Step 6: Fit the pastry rounds into muffin cups by pinching in gently on both sides using two fingers, to make a 4-leaf clover kind of shape.
Step 7: If using raisins, add the plumped raisins to the bottom of the tart shells.
Step 8: Fill the tart shells about 3/4 full, to within 1/2-inch of the top of the tart shell. Bake.
Recipe tips!
- The pastry for butter tarts is typically on the thicker side. Be sure to roll it at least 1/8-inch thick and even a tiny bit thicker if you like.
- I think butter tarts have the best flavour after they sit for a few hours, but don’t let them sit too long, or the pastry will start to soften.
- An English muffin ring or an empty 28oz can is the perfect tool for cutting rounds for butter tarts; otherwise, use a biscuit or cookie cutter or a glass that is 4 inches in diameter.
Top tip!
Here’s a quick little cheat for when you want a butter tart the quick and easy way!
Pick yourself up some Tenderflake (or similar) frozen pie shells, let them thaw, flatten them and cut the 4-inch circles out of the pie shells to use for butter tarts. You’ll get 3 rounds from each pie shell (and probably another one if you gather and roll the scraps), so you’ll get 6-8 tart shells from a 2-pack of frozen pie shells. Simply fill and bake!
Making ahead, storing and freezing
As mentioned above, I think butter tarts are best once they have cooled and sat for a couple of hours. They are best enjoyed on the day they are baked.
Store at room temperature in an airtight container for a couple of days. As they sit, the pastry will moisten and soften a bit, but the tarts are still pretty darn tasty.
Butter tarts freeze really well. Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months.
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Get the Recipe: Butter Tarts
Ingredients
For the pastry:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup cold butter, cubed
- 1/4 cup lard , such as Tenderflake, cubed
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- ice water, as needed
For the butter tart filling:
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup white corn syrup, *see Note 1 below
- 3 Tablespoons maple syrup, dark/amber/Grade B maple syrup recommended
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt, reduce to a pinch if using salted butter
- 2 large eggs
Optional:
- 1/2 cup raisins
Instructions
For the pastry:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt. With a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in the 1/4 cup cold butter (cubed) and 1/4 cup lard (such as Tenderflake, cubed) until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with a few larger pieces.
- In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together the 1 large egg yolk with 1 teaspoon vinegar. Add enough ice water to make 1/3 cup. Sprinkle the egg yolk mixture over the flour mixture, stirring vigorously with a fork until the pastry holds together. Press into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour. Make-ahead: Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
For the butter tart filling:
- Add the 3/4 cup light brown sugar (packed), 1/4 cup white corn syrup (*see Note 1 below), 3 Tablespoons maple syrup (dark/amber/Grade B maple syrup recommended), 1/4 cup unsalted butter (melted and cooled slightly), 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 teaspoon white vinegar and 1/8 teaspoon salt (reduce to a pinch if using salted butter) to a medium bowl or 4-cup measuring cup. Whisk the mixture together well until smooth. Add the 2 large eggs and whisk well until smooth and bubbly. Set aside briefly while you roll out the dough.
- (If using raisins, add the 1/2 cup raisins to a bowl of hot water and allow them to stand for 15 minutes. Drain and dry well before using.)
- Preheat the oven to 425F (regular bake setting/not convection or fan-assisted), with the rack in the centre of the oven.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled pastry out to 1/8-inch (3 mm) thickness. Using a 4-inch (10 cm) round cookie or biscuit cutter (or an empty 28 oz/796 mL can or an English muffin ring), cut out 10 circles, rerolling the scraps once if necessary.
- Spray a 12-cup muffin tin generously with cooking or baking spray. Fit the pastry rounds into muffin cups by making a cup shape with the dough rounds, then pinching in gently on both sides of the dough cup towards the centre with your thumb and middle finger to make a roughly four-leaf clover shape. Place into the muffin cups and adjust as needed. Divide the plumped raisins among the tarts, if using. Spoon or pour the filling into the tart shells until three-quarters full.
- Bake the tarts at 425F for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 400F and bake for an additional 6-8 minutes, until puffy and deep golden coloured.
- Remove from the oven and let the tarts stand in the pan for a few minutes, then run a knife around the outside of the tarts to loosen them. Gently use a fork to lift the tarts out of the muffin cups and onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Store the tarts in an airtight container for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months for longer storage.
Notes
More Canadian favourite recipes to love!
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress-free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
