Canadian Butter Tarts

Amethyst · November 10, 2025, 9:40pm

Canadian Butter Tarts

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 15

Ingredients:

For the Pastry Dough:

2 ½ Cups all-purpose flour
¾ Cup salted butter, cold
¼ Cup shortening, cold
1 Tablespoon light brown sugar packed
1 Teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
ice water as needed

For the Filling:

⅔ Cup light brown sugar, packed
⅓ Cup corn syrup light
1 egg
1 egg yolk
½ Teaspoon salt
1 ½ Teaspoon vanilla extract
⅓ Cup salted butter, melted
¼ Cup golden raisins
¼ Cup pecans chopped

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Make the Pastry Shells:

Cube the butter and shortening for the pastry dough.

In a mixing bowl, combine the following pastry dough ingredients: flour, cubed butter, cubed shortening, light brown sugar, and salt.

Using a pastry cutter, forks, or even your fingers, cut the butter and shortening into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles crumbs the size of peas.

Mix the apple cider vinegar and 4 tablespoons of ice water into the dough, continue to mix, adding additional tablespoons of ice water as needed until the dough comes together.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and set it in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes.

Make the Filling:

While the dough is chilling, you can make the filling. Start by combining the light brown sugar, light corn syrup, egg, egg yolk, salt, and vanilla. Mix until combined.

Add the melted butter and mix again, set aside.

Assemble the Tarts:

Remove the pastry dough from the fridge and unwrap it. On a clean surface, roll the pastry dough to be about ¼” thick.

Use a round cookie cutter that is approximately ½ to 1 inch larger than the opening of your mini tart pan cavities or mini muffin pan cavities. Cut as many rounds out of the dough as possible, re-roll any remaining scraps of dough, and cut additional rounds until no more dough remains.

Fill each cavity of the tart pan with a round of dough, gently pressing it into the sides and bottom of the cavity.

Sprinkle just a few raisins and pecans into the bottom of each pastry.

Spoon the filling on top of the raisins and pecans in each of the pastry-lined tart cavities. Only fill about ¾ of the way full with the filling. You want to make sure there is a little space for the sugars to bubble up.

Bake the Tarts:

Bake on a lower rack in the preheated oven for approximately 15 minutes or until the tops have caramelized and the edges of the pastry are just starting to become golden.

Remove from the oven and let the tarts cool completely before removing from the pan.

Notes:

Making the crust: I recommend using a pastry cutter to combine the ingredients, or even a pair of forks.

Cookie-cutter: To get the cute crinkly dough top, use a cookie cutter with crinkly edges. Use a cookie cutter that is about ½ to 1 inch larger than the opening of the tart/muffin tin spaces. My tart pan has openings roughly 2½ inches, and they are about ¾ inch deep. I used a 3-inch cookie cutter.

Check for doneness: Your butter tarts are done when the filling has caramelized and the edges are just beginning to turn golden.

Let them cool before storing: Make sure the tarts are completely cool before taking them out of the pan and storing them, or else the flaky crust might break.

Substitutions and Variations:

Fruit and nuts: You can omit the fruit and/or nuts or swap them for other types if you want. There are different ways to make this small pastry tart, and you can mix and match what you want to have in yours – dried currants and chopped walnuts, for example.

Optional add-ins: You could consider shredded coconut or even bacon! Maybe even chocolate chips if you have some.

Corn syrup: You can use maple syrup in place of some of the corn syrup, since not only does that add another flavor, but maple syrup goes beautifully with so many sweet Canadian recipes. If you aren’t adding any, you could drizzle some over before serving instead!

How to Store Homemade Butter Tarts:

Store: Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. The top will turn from crispy to soft, but they’re every bit as delicious!

Freeze: Freezing is handy if you’re batch baking for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Once they’re completely cool, put the tarts in a freezer bag. They’ll be good for up to 3 months.

Thaw: Defrost them overnight in the refrigerator.

Butter Tarts FAQs:

Should butter tarts be served warm or cold?

Either way is good. If you want to warm them back up, 10 minutes in the oven at 350°F should be sufficient.

Can you use store-bought dough for this tart recipe?

Yes, you can if you prefer to do it that way. Pillsbury pie crusts work well here.

Is the butter tart filling supposed to be runny?

Although it’s a matter of passionate national debate whether the gooey filling should be firm, runny, or somewhere between the two, it actually depends on your personal preference. If you don’t want a runny filling, add an extra egg and sub brown sugar for some of the corn syrup to thicken it up a little. For a runnier tart, you could also bake for a minute or two less. For a firmer filling, bake for a minute or two more.

What does a Canadian butter tart taste like?

They are sweet, buttery, caramel-tasting tarts, a bit like a cross between pecan pie and sugar pie.

Is this an old-fashioned recipe?

According to Food Network Canada, the first printed recipe for butter tarts was published in The Women’s Auxiliary of the Royal Victoria Hospital Cookbook in 1900. This authentic butter tarts recipe is based on it.

Nutritional Facts:

Recipe courtesy of XOXO Bella.com