Old Fashioned Butter Tarts

Old Fashioned Butter Tarts, the best homemade butter tart recipe and way better than store bought! A delicious Canadian tradition not to be missed. Syrupy and sweet exactly as they should be.

There’s nothing like bringing the 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 mum’s cooking, give her delicious shortbread biscuits to lemon bread and how could I forget the 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 your favorite filling in that gooey center makes each bite better than the last!

Recipe ingredients

• Shortcrust pastry
• Butter – melted and cooled
• Brown sugar – light brown
• Syrup – corn syrup is the traditional syrup but you can replace it with maple syrup
• salt
• Egg
• Vanilla extract
• Raisins – or currants
• Chocolate Chips: Semisweet or milk chocolate, or a combination
• Pecans – coarsely chopped, you can replace them with hazelnuts or even walnuts

Why soak raisins in water?

Since raisins are very dry, if they are not left to soak they will absorb the liquid from your baked goods, making the dessert less moist. This is why it is imperative to soak them first, or even all the dried fruit.

They don’t have to be soaked in water, you can soak them in a fruit juice such as pineapple juice or even in rum or brandy. I’ve made these tarts a few times in the last couple of weeks and made them again when my cousin came to visit. This time we made different types. Tarts with pecans, chocolate chips and plain butter. 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 tries one is always quick to say “they’re amazing, one of the best things I’ve ever eaten”, I hope you feel the same way too. For full instructions and ingredients, scroll to the bottom of the page for the recipe card.

Make plain pie dough or brown sugar pie dough. Or you can use ready-made tarts purchased in the store. If you use homemade shortcrust pastry, the dough must be wrapped in cling film and left to cool for about 60 minutes.

Remove the shortcrust pastry from the fridge, roll it out on a lightly floured surface, cut out with a round biscuit cutter. Gently shape circles into the muffin tin. Use a lightly floured glass to gently shape the rounds into the mold.

If you use raisins, be sure to soak them in boiling water for a while before using them. They should immediately be added to the hot raisins to the butter mixture and stir until the butter is melted.

Add the lightly beaten egg and vanilla, brown sugar, salt and corn syrup, stir to combine, without overmixing. Overmixing can add air to the filling, causing it to bubble during cooking.

If not using raisins, melt butter, let cool slightly, then add lightly beaten egg, vanilla, brown sugar, salt and corn syrup, stir to combine without overmixing. At this point you can add chopped pecans or chocolate chips or leave the filling plain.

Pour the filling into the prepared tart shells and bake in the preheated oven until they start to brown. Once they are cool enough to touch, move them 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 Quebec from France to aid in the colonization. They brought their traditional European recipes with them but obviously had to adapt to making them with the ingredients available.

The sugar cake, made with a filling of flour, butter, salt, vanilla and cream, is considered the forerunner of the butter tart.

Although the butter tart as we know it now was common in Canadian pioneer cuisine. The first published recipe dates back to 1900 Royal Victoria Hospital Women’s Auxiliary Recipe Bookwhich was written in Barrie Ontario, Canada.

The best shortcrust pastry for butter tarts

Butter tarts are best made with a flaky pie crust, so I like to use a Simple cake dough oh Brown sugar cake doughboth work perfectly.

What is the perfect filling?

The perfect filling for butter tarts is a gooey but not runny center. If you find the filling is too runny, prepare the tarts for another 2-3 minutes, but check carefully that they do not burn.

Different variations

In addition to adding raisins or currants, you can add a few drops of chocolate, chopped nuts or even dried fruit. If you use dried fruit then it is a good idea to soak the fruit before adding it to the tarts. Don’t add too many extras or it will take over the filling. A good idea is 5-8 pieces for each 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 refrigerator. If you keep them at room temperature, remember that they will only keep for about a day or two, depending on how warm your house is.

Can butter tarts be frozen?

Yes, they can be frozen, just make sure you freeze them in an airtight container. Stored correctly they will keep for up to two months. You can also make the dough in advance and freeze it, the dough will last up to 3 months in the freezer.

Pie & Tart Recipes You Must Try

These old fashioned butter tarts are the perfect dessert you might be looking for. If you try them let me know. Enjoy!

Updated as of May 3, 2017.

Related