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

Best Butter Tart Recipe

Published: Dec 11, 2016 by Terri Gilson · Modified: Aug 31, 2021 · 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 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 and the best butter tart 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 crust, with pecans or raisins. 

Jump to:
  • 🥘 Ingredients
  • 👪 Serving size
  • 🌡️Storage
  • 💭 Top tips
  • ⭐ REVIEWS
  • 📋 Best Butter Tart Recipe
  •  
  • 🎄More Holiday Baking!

And I only make butter tarts at Christmas because 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...

Butter Tarts are truly Canadian and I'm always surprised when someone says they've never tried them. I honestly can't image life without my Canadian butter tarts!

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 25 years ago) and I've made them every year since... They are THE best butter tart recipe 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 my grandma's amazing No Fail Cold Water Pastry,  However,  I don't always have the time to be making 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 does (including half my family.) So if want butter tarts without raisins, you can easily substitute pecans and enjoy pecan butter tarts instead!

For this recipe, you will need:

  • butter  * I use unsalted
  • brown sugar
  • eggs
  • cream  (table cream)
  • white vinegar
  • raisins (or chopped pecans)
  • tart shells * you can buy them if you're in a hurry or make them with my No Fail Pie Crust (Cold Water Pastry) recipe

*See recipe card for ingredient amounts

Canadian butter tarts on a wire cooling rack

👪 Serving size

This 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 a sealed container, in the fridge for 2-3 days. 
  • This recipe freezes well for up to 3 months in a sealed container.*If you stack them, be sure they are completely cooled (hardened) and put parchment or wax paper between the layers.

💭 Top tips

My advice is to splurge on the brand name (ie: Tenderflake) tart shells. When I have bought the no name brand, I regretted it - they tend to be too salty.

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 and eye on the expiry date.

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

If you love Butter Tarts, give my other butter tart recipes a try:

 Butter Tart Thumbprint Cookies 

Butter Tart Thumbprint Cookies | easy butter tart filling - Foodmeanderings.com

Butter Tart Bundt Cake

Butter Tart Cake | butter tart - Foodmeanderings.com

⭐ REVIEWS

Did you make this recipe? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!

Please SUBSCRIBE  (get my FREE E-cookbook) and be sure to FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST!

Canadian butter tarts on a wire cooling rack
Print

📋 Best Butter Tart 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! 
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine Canadian, North American
Keyword best, butter tart, pecan, raisin
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 14 minutes
Total Time 19 minutes
Servings 18 servings
Calories 155kcal
Author Leonore Porter (Terri's Grandma)
Prevent your screen from going dark

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) then add vinegar last.*It's important that you add in order given.
  • Place a few raisins or chopped pecans in unbaked tarts shells
  • Pour filling in to tart shell to ⅔ full.
  • Bake for 12-14 minutes or until filling is set and shells are lightly browned.
  • Cool until completely set.

Notes

 
👪 Serving size
This 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 a sealed container, in the fridge for 2-3 days. 
  • This recipe freezes well for up to 3 months in a sealed container.*If you stack them, be sure they are completely cooled (hardened) and put parchment or wax paper between the layers.
💭 Top tips
My advice is to splurge on the brand name (ie: Tenderflake) tart shells. When I have bought the no name brand, I regretted it - they tend to be too salty.
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 and eye on the expiry date.
My Amazon Recommendations (affiliate links)

Nutrition Facts
📋 Best Butter Tart Recipe
Amount Per Serving (1 butter tart)
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 tart | Calories: 155kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 64mg | Potassium: 59mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 114IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 2mg
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🎄More Holiday Baking!

  • Gingerbread Snowball Cookies
  • Gingerbread Lime Bars
  • 4 ingredient Whipped Shortbread Cookies
  • Blueberry Gingerbread Muffin Loaf
  • Raspberry Jam Cookies

« NO FAIL Halloween Sugar Cookie Recipe & Tips for Decorating Halloween Cookies
4 ingredient Whipped Shortbread Cookies »

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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