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Home » Recipes » Courses » Desserts » Pie and Pastry Recipes

Best Butter Tarts Recipe

Published: Dec 11, 2016 by Terri Gilson · Modified: Dec 13, 2022 · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links · 9 Comments

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Best Ever Butter Tart | Canadian - foodmeanderings.com

In my world, it's just not Christmas without Butter Tarts. Butter tarts are quintessentially Canadian, the perfect addition to your Christmas baking tray, and the ultimate Canadian treats and comfort food. We always have them around at Christmas.

Canadian butter tarts on a wire cooling rack

This recipe is my family’s favorite recipe (my Grandma's old-fashioned butter tarts recipe) and the best butter tarts recipe you will find because they taste amazing, are simple to make (with an easy butter tart filling), and can be made in 20 minutes with store-bought tarts shell or homemade pie crust, and with pecans or raisins. I love these butter tarts so much that they inspired me to create Butter tart cookies, Butter Tart Waffles and Butter Tart Cake!

Jump to:
  • 🥘 Ingredients
  • 📋Variations & Substitutions
  • 🔪Instructions
  • 💭 Top tips
  • 🍽Equipment
  • 👪 Serving size
  • 🌡️Storage
  • 🎄More Holiday Baking!
  • 📋 Best Butter Tarts Recipe
  • 💭 Top Tip
  •  

And I only make butter tarts at Christmas because it's a Canadian tradition and any more often than that would be dangerous. When I was a kid, my grandma made these all year round- lucky me! But alas, those were the glory days -when calories had no meaning...

I'm always surprised when someone says they've never tried these sweet tarts. I honestly can't imagine life without this Canadian classic!

butter tart with bite taken out, on a white plate on red checkered tablecloth

When I moved away from Winnipeg and had to spend Christmas apart from family for the first time, making these butter tarts gave me great comfort. That was the first time I ever made them (nearly 30 years ago) and I've made them every year since... They are THE best butter tarts ever! You can read more about Grandma's Butter tarts in my article: Comfort and Baked Expectations.

🥘 Ingredients

I used to make this easy butter tart filling along with my grandma's amazing No Fail Cold Water Pastry,  However,  I don't always have the time to make pastry these days (especially around Christmas)! But even with store-bought pastry, these butter tarts will leave you begging for more.

These Best ever Butter tarts are to die for! And although I love my raisin butter tarts, not everyone has the same appreciation for raisins (including half of my family.) So if you want butter tarts without raisins, you can easily substitute pecans and enjoy pecan butter tarts instead!

I make my butter tarts with both pecans and raisins so everyone is happy. For this butter tart recipe (without corn syrup), you will need:

ingredients for butter tarts in glass bowls, labelled with tart filled muffin tins in background
  • butter  * I use unsalted
  • brown sugar
  • eggs
  • cream (table cream/coffee cream- 18%)
  • white vinegar
  • raisins (or chopped pecans)
  • tart shells * you pre-made tart shells (shown in photos) if you're in a hurry or make them with my No Fail Pie Crust (Cold Water Pastry) recipe or your own pastry recipe.

*See recipe card for ingredient amounts

📋Variations & Substitutions

  • Tart Shells: My advice is to splurge on the brand name (ie: Tenderflake) flaky pastry shells for store-bought. When I bought the no-name brand, I regretted it - they tend to be too salty. You could use homemade pie crust instead, as they are simply mini pie crusts and easy to make, with a round cookie cutter or biscuit cutter.
  • Brown Sugar: you can use light or dark brown sugar
  • Mini tarts - you can make these into mini tarts with mini tart shells. You just need to cook them for half the time in a mini muffin pan (affiliate link). The mini tarts are great for cookie exchanges!

🔪Instructions

Prep: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F/205 degrees C.

butter tart ingredients in glass bowl with black spatula and bowl of vinegar

Add ingredients in a large bowl, in the order given (melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, cream)

butter tart ingredients in large glass bowl with black spatula

Add vinegar last. *It's important that you add in the order given.

butter tart ingredients mixed together in glass bowl with black spatula

Whisk until thoroughly combined

*Its best to use a whisk for this (not shown)

tarts shells in red speckled muffin tin with raisins and pecans in bottom of tarts

Line muffin cups with tarts shells

Place a few raisins or chopped pecans in unbaked tarts shells

tart shells with filling in red speckled muffin tin

Pour tart filling into tart shells to ⅔ full.

cooked butter tarts in red speckled muffin tin

Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the filling is set and the shells are golden brown.

Cool for 20 minutes on a wire rack at room temperature.

For best results, refrigerate for 30 minutes to fully set (they set up perfectly once they are cold)

Canadian butter tarts on a wire cooling rack

💭 Top tips

If you only have a 12-muffin tin and not enough tarts to fill it, fill the empty ones with ⅔ water. Just be sure to rotate the pan halfway through the baking process.

muffins tin filled with ½ tarts and ½ water

Pecans: Store your pecan (and other nuts) in the fridge - they last longer and keep fresher. And if you don't plan on using them in the near future, you can store them in the freezer. Most nuts will keep well for at least 6 months in the freezer. * Just keep an eye on the expiry date.

🍽Equipment

To make these easy butter tarts, you will a large mixing bowl, a whisk, a muffin tin (12-cup muffin pan and a 6-cup muffin pan OR two 12 cups -see Top Tips), trivets, a spatula and a cooling rack (affiliate links) for this recipe.

👪 Serving size

This tart recipe makes 18 butter tarts, but you can half, double or triple the recipe by clicking on the blue servings number in the recipe card. Simply select the number of servings you'd like and the ingredient amounts will adjust accordingly.

🌡️Storage

  • These butter tarts can be stored, in an airtight container, in the fridge for 5 days. 
  • This recipe freezes well for up to 3 months in a sealed airtight container. *If you stack them, be sure they are completely cooled (hardened), and put parchment or wax paper between the layers.

So if you're looking for truly Canadian Butter Tarts and THE Best Butter Tart recipe you'll ever taste, give these Best Ever Butter Tarts a try!

🎄More Holiday Baking!

collage of 6 photos of baking recipes for Christmas with text in the middle
Canadian butter tarts on a wire cooling rack
Food Meandering Logo

📋 Best Butter Tarts Recipe

This Canadian Butter Tart is the best butter tart recipe you'll ever find because it's simple, delicious and can be made in under 20 minutes with store-bought tart shells (or homemade no fail pastry). And if you like butter tarts without raisins then there is a pecan butter tart option too! 
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: Canadian, North American
Keyword: best, butter tarts, pecan, raisin
Special Diet: Vegetarian
Servings: 18 servings
Calories: 155kcal
Author: Terri Gilson
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 14 minutes
Total Time: 19 minutes
Prevent your screen from going dark

Equipment

mixing bowl
whisk
pile of varied colored trivets stacked up
trivets
muffin tin
cooling rack
an array of colorful spatulas
spatula

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoon butter melted
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs slightly beaten
  • ¼ cup cream
  • 1 teaspoon vinegar
  • ½ cup raisins (approximately) or substitute finely chopped pecans
  • 18 tart shells
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F/205 degrees C.
  • Mix ingredients in large bowl, in order given (butter, brown sugar, eggs, cream)
    butter tart ingredients in glass bowl with black spatula and bowl of vinegar
  • Then add vinegar last. *It's important that you add in order given.
    butter tart ingredients in large glass bowl with black spatula
  • Whisk until well combined. * A whisk should be used for this part, although I don't have that in the photo
    butter tart ingredients mixed together in glass bowl with black spatula
  • Place a few raisins or chopped pecans in unbaked tarts shells
    tarts shells in red speckled muffin tin with raisins and pecans in bottom of tarts
  • Pour filling in to tart shell to ⅔ full.
    tart shells with filling in red speckled muffin tin
  • Bake for 12-14 minutes or until filling is set and shells are lightly browned.
    cooked butter tarts in red speckled muffin tin
  • Cool until set, then refrigerate fo rat least 30 minutes.

Notes

*See post contents for important recipe information and tips! 

💭 Top Tip

If you only have a 12-muffin tin and not enough tarts to fill it, fill the empty ones with ⅔ water. This helps it to bake evenly.
Just be sure to rotate the pan halfway through the baking process.
muffins tin filled with ½ tarts and ½ water
Nutrition Facts
📋 Best Butter Tarts Recipe
Amount Per Serving (1 butter tartt)
Calories 155 Calories from Fat 63
% Daily Value*
Fat 7g11%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 29mg10%
Sodium 64mg3%
Potassium 59mg2%
Carbohydrates 21g7%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 13g14%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 114IU2%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 16mg2%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition

Serving: 1butter tartt | Calories: 155kcal (8%) | Carbohydrates: 21g (7%) | Protein: 2g (4%) | Fat: 7g (11%) | Saturated Fat: 3g (19%) | Cholesterol: 29mg (10%) | Sodium: 64mg (3%) | Potassium: 59mg (2%) | Fiber: 1g (4%) | Sugar: 13g (14%) | Vitamin A: 114IU (2%) | Vitamin C: 1mg (1%) | Calcium: 16mg (2%) | Iron: 2mg (11%)
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating and review below!
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tasty Eats Ronit Penso

    December 11, 2016 at 10:59 am

    Looks delicious! 🙂

    Reply
    • Food Meanderings

      December 11, 2016 at 2:58 pm

      Thanks - they are!

      Reply
  2. foodinbooks

    December 11, 2016 at 4:42 pm

    I actually bought a set of 4 small tart pans this weekend! Very inspired now. Is the dough difficult to press into the pans, so that it gets that nice shape around the edges? Sometimes when working with dough, it splits a little so I'm concerned too much pressing into the pan would do that. Any suggestions for this baking newbie? Great post, too!

    Reply
    • Food Meanderings

      December 11, 2016 at 7:23 pm

      Honestly - I buy the tart shells these days! I love making my Grandma's cold water pastry, but just don't have the time! That is for another post, eventually! It tastes even better with home made pastry! But it's still pretty amazing with store-bought shells!

      Reply
  3. Sue Slaght

    December 13, 2016 at 12:20 am

    So it turns out just the other day my son in law was saying how much he misses the butter tarts his now gone Grandma used to make at Christmas. Guess who is going to try for Mother in law of the year award with your recipe?

    Reply
    • Food Meanderings

      December 13, 2016 at 7:03 am

      That's awesome, Sue! I hope he likes them as much as his Grandma's! 🙂

      Reply
  4. Teresa

    December 14, 2016 at 11:14 am

    It's not Christmas without butter tarts!

    Reply
  5. theeconomicfoodie

    December 30, 2016 at 1:57 am

    Mmmm tarts are so yummy!!!

    Reply
    • Food Meanderings

      December 30, 2016 at 8:21 am

      I agree!

      Reply

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I'm Terri, a passionate home cook and baker, an award-winning recipe developer and a busy working mom that is trying to eat healthy and fit everything into not enough hours in a day! My mission is to share not only my recipes, cooking hacks and tips with you, but also my secrets to successful weight maintenance.

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