Canadian Butter Tarts
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Canadian butter tarts are rich and gooey mini pies that put buttery goodness front and center—perfect for holidays or any day!
Butter tarts are a quintessential Canadian dessert—and, oh, how I love them! These buttery mini pies, typically baked in a muffin tin, have a flaky crust filled with a gooey mixture of butter, sugar, syrup, egg, and sometimes raisins or nuts. They bear some resemblance to the American pecan pie and British treacle tart, but their uniquely rich flavor sets them apart. Though they can be enjoyed any time of year, butter tarts are especially popular during holidays and special occasions.
A playful debate exists in Canada about what makes a “true” Canadian butter tart—whether raisins and nuts should be included or if the filling should be runny versus solid. Every baker, family, and region has an opinion! As for my recipe, it’s slightly gooey with pecans, which I find add a nutty richness that balances out the sweetness. And whether raisins are included or not? I think it’s a love ’em or hate ’em type of thing, so I’ll leave that up to you.
“My Canadian father in law said that they were the best he’s ever had…Made some with pecans, some with raisins and some plain. Very hard to stay away from these tarts no matter what fillings you choose. Butter tart world peace!”
What You’ll Need To Make Canadian Butter Tarts
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the Crust
In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, add the flour, salt, and sugar. Pulse briefly to combine.
Add the cold butter.
Process just until you have pea-size clumps of butter, about 8 seconds.
Sprinkle the cold water over the mixture.
Process just until moistened and clumpy, about 8 seconds.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead a few times, just until it comes together into a cohesive ball. Pat and knead the dough into a 6-inch disk, flouring and turning the dough as necessary so it doesn’t stick. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.
Take the dough from the fridge and unwrap onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll the dough to about ⅛ inch thick, flouring and turning as necessary so it doesn’t stick. Don’t worry about the shape.
Using a 4-inch-diameter cookie or biscuit cutter, cut the dough into as many circles as possible.
Line each cup of an ungreased standard 12-cup muffin pan with one of the circles, gently nudging it down into the bottom creases of the pan. The top edge of the dough circle should come all the way up to the top of the cup. Gather the scraps and reroll the dough if you need additional circles. Chill the pan in the freezer while you prepare the filling.
Step 2: Make the Filling
In a medium bowl (preferably with a pouring spout), add the brown sugar, maple syrup, butter, egg, vinegar, vanilla, and salt.
Whisk to combine.
Divide the pecans and raisins (if using), among the pastry-lined muffin cups.
Pour the filling into the muffin cups.
Do your best to fill them evenly.
Step 3: Bake
Bake for about 25 minutes, until the tarts are golden brown, bubbling, and set.
Let cool on a wire rack for a few minutes, then run a butter knife around the edge of each tart to loosen. Let the tarts cool completely in the pan, then remove. Serve at room temperature.
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Canadian Butter Tarts
Canadian butter tarts are rich and gooey mini pies that put buttery goodness front and center—perfect for holidays or any day!
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1⅔ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1½ sticks (12 tablespoons) very cold unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces
- ¼ cup very cold water
For the Filling
- ¾ cup (packed) dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ½ stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup chopped pecans (optional but highly recommended)
- 3 tablespoons raisins (optional)
Instructions
- Make the crust: In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, add the flour, salt, and sugar. Pulse briefly to combine. Add the cold butter and process just until you have pea-size clumps of butter, about 8 seconds. Sprinkle the cold water over the mixture and process just until moistened and clumpy, about 8 seconds. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead a few times, just until it comes together into a cohesive ball. Pat and knead the dough into a 6-inch disk, flouring and turning the dough as necessary so it doesn’t stick. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 days.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.
- Take the dough from the fridge and unwrap onto a lightly floured work surface. (If it's been in the fridge for longer than 30 minutes, you may need to knead it just a bit until it's malleable enough to roll.) Roll the dough to about ⅛ inch thick, flouring and turning as necessary so it doesn't stick. Don't worry about the shape. Using a 4-inch-diameter cookie or biscuit cutter, cut the dough into as many circles as possible. Line each cup of an ungreased standard 12-cup muffin pan with one of the circles, gently nudging it down into the bottom creases of the pan. The top edge of the dough circle should come all the way up to the top of the cup. Gather the scraps and reroll the dough if you need additional circles. Chill the pan in the freezer while you prepare the filling.
- Make the Filling: In a medium bowl (preferably with a pouring spout), whisk together the brown sugar, maple syrup, butter, egg, vinegar, vanilla, and salt.
- Divide the pecans and raisins (if using), among the pastry-lined muffin cups. Pour the filling evenly into the muffin cups. Bake for about 25 minutes, until the tarts are golden brown, bubbling, and set. Let cool on a wire rack for a few minutes, then run a butter knife around the edge of each tart to loosen. Let the tarts cool completely in the pan, then remove. Serve at room temperature.
- Note: Nutritional information does not include the optional raisins.
- Make-Ahead/Freezing Instructions: The butter tarts will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days. Once cooled, store them in an airtight container, using parchment paper between layers. To extend freshness, you can freeze the cooled tarts in the same manner. When ready to enjoy, thaw at room temperature. For unbaked tarts, freeze them on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to an airtight container. To bake from frozen, simply add a few extra minutes to the original baking time.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (12 servings)
- Serving size: 1 tart
- Calories: 311
- Fat: 19 g
- Saturated fat: 10 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Sugar: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Sodium: 158 mg
- Cholesterol: 56 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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This recipe is amazing! So rich and buttery! I love them with some whipped cream!
These butter tarts taste amazing! The only suggestion I would make (based on my experience) is cooking them at a lower temperature for a bit longer. My crust on the outside was as cooked as I could get it without burning it, but the bottom of the tart shell was still a bit undercooked when cut open on the inside. I’m going to try 350F for about 30 minutes; checking them after 20-25 next time.
Hi Maria, if you try this next time around, would you let me know if it has an impact? Thanks!
Struggled with the dividing easily part- ran short and 2 spots had no filling. My bad. I was filling half way so for any readers out there half way is too much! Otherwise, nice easy recipe! I used a store bought crust and an inverted glass to cut circles out. Thanks for the recipe!
My Canadian Husband loved these butter tarts. From the cottage country little bakery shops to the big city specialty bakeries he said these are hands down the best he has tasted.
Thank you for sharing this recipe.
These are so good! I’ve made them twice.. I keep having issues getting the bottom to bake through… I’m using a rolling pin with thickness guides… any tips or tricks? I’ve baked them longer and some of them brown more but I don’t want to burn them either.
Hi Samantha, Happy to help troubleshoot. Do you mean the bottom crust is not cooked through?
Hi! Yes, it is still white on the bottom middle of the tart. Thank you for any help!
Do they taste raw on the bottom? The only thing I can think of is perhaps you’re making the dough a little too thick on the bottom. If you try these again, I’d try to press that part down so it’s a bit thinner.
Here in Canada I think there are almost as many butter tart recipes as there are bakers. This version was really easy to make and the tarts were delicious. Thanks for a great recipe.
Hi! Could these be made in mini cupcake pans? What would the modifications need to be? Thanks!!
Hi Samantha, It should work but you’ll need to reduce the cook time. I’d start checking around 15-18 min.
I’ve had many different versions of butter tarts, both homemade and store bought. These are delicious but I would slightly reduce butter in the dough and sugar in the filling. It would not hurt the taste or texture at all.
My Canadian father in law said that they were the best he’s ever had. I absolutely loved them myself! Made some with pecans, some with raisins and some plain.Very hard to stay away from these tarts no matter what fillings you choose. Butter tart world peace!
I’m a born & bred Canadian & love Butter Tarts. I’m not a baker but have tried many sources to get the best. For me it’s raisins, no nuts & slightly runny. The best I ever had was with a crust that was slightly crispy and caramelized on the bottom. I speculate that the filling was allowed to soak into the crust a bit before baking, alas no longer sold. If I try this recipe all raisins, what amount?
Hi Robin, I’d use about 1/4 cup of raisins. I’d love to hear how they turn out!
Delicious! Another Canadian here. I made a half batch to try the recipe: 2 plain, 2 raisin, 2 pecan. Six people tested each kind and everyone agreed on 5 stars. Great maple flavour and flaky crust! Sweet and decadent!