Indulge in some sweet Old Fashioned Butter Tarts. This popular Canadian classic dessert recipe consists of flaky homemade pastry shells filled with a rich, buttery caramel filling. Passed down from my Mom, this is the best butter tart recipe you will find!
This best ever recipe for Old Fashioned Butter Tarts is always included in my Holiday baking. But these sweet tarts are so delicious you will want to bake them all year long! My Mom's recipe for butter tarts has a perfect consistency of gooey, runny, sweet filling in made-from-scratch pastry shells. The tart shells are exceptionally buttery and flaky.
Are Butter Tarts really Canadian?
Yes, Canada's favorite dessert has origins which date back to the 1600's! The Canadian Butter Tart is a small flaky pastry with a filling of butter, eggs, and brown sugar which are baked until the top is slightly crunchy and the filling is semi-solid.
Another incredible classic Canadian dessert you will love is my recipe for Nanaimo Bars.
Ingredients and Substitutions
The ultra flaky tart crust is a simple combination of flour, sugar, salt, butter, and ice cold water.
Can you use store bought tart shells?
Yes, although not as tasty and flaky as homemade tart shells, they do help make this recipe quicker and easier to prepare.
I love the filling exactly as my Mom made it in this recipe. A mixture of butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, eggs, vanilla and a pinch of salt.
Some tasty additions to try would be:
- raisins
- currants
- nuts such as pecans or walnuts
Can you use maple syrup instead of corn syrup in butter tarts?
Yes, although I find them a bit more runny, and you will have the distinctive maple flavor.
How to store Butter Tarts
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days, and up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
Can Butter Tarts be frozen?
Yes, butter tarts freeze well. Cool completely, place in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
How to make these tasty treats
For the pastry:
- Sift flour, salt and sugar together. Using a pastry blender cut the chilled butter into the flour mix. Blend until it resembles course meal.
- Add ice-cold water a bit at a time, just until the dough starts to hold together. Do not over-work the pastry dough or it will become tough. The same technique you use making pie crust.
- Press dough together forming a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Next, roll out the dough on lightly floured surface, to about ¼ inch thick.
- Using a round cookie cutter, cut into 4-5 inch circles. Press dough into muffin pan, trying not to stretch the dough.
For the filling:
- Mix together butter, brown sugar and corn syrup. Whisk until the butter is creamed and sugar dissolved.
- Add egg, vanilla extract and pinch of salt. Mix well.
- Fill the tart shells about ⅔ full.
- Bake in the oven at 400º Fahrenheit for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes, then remove from baking pan to cooling rack.
My Mom's favorite baking treats:
Every family Christmas my Mom made her Old Fashioned Butter Tarts. They always seemed to be the first Christmas baking treat to disappear. Next to go off her Holiday baking tray were Whipped Shortbread Cookies, Butterscotch Confetti Squares and Gingerbread Cookies.
Enjoy more Sweet treat recipes
Old Fashioned Butter Tarts
Ingredients
Tart Pastry
- 2 ⅔ cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter chilled and cut into pieces
- ¼-1/2 cup ice cold water
Butter Tart Filling
- ½ cup soft butter
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- ½ cup corn syrup golden
- 2 eggs slightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- pinch of salt
Instructions
Butter Tart Pastry
- Sift flour, salt and sugar together.
- Using a pastry blender cut butter into flour mix until it resembles course meal.
- Add cold water a bit at a time until dough just starts to hold together. Adding too much water will make for a tough dough. Do not over-work the dough.
- Press dough together forming a disk.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Roll out the pastry dough to ¼ inch thickness. Cut into sixteen 4-inch circles or twelve 5-inch circles.
- Press the dough into muffin tins being careful not to stretch the dough.
- Refrigerate until the filling is prepared.
Butter Tart Filling
- In a large bowl, mix together butter, brown sugar and corn syrup. Stir until the butter is creamed and the sugar is dissolved.
- Add eggs, vanilla and pinch of salt. Mix well.
- Fill the tart shells about ⅔ full with the filling.
- Bake at 400º Fahrenheit for 15-20 minutes.
- The filling should be lightly browned and bubbling.
- Let the butter tarts cool in pan for about 10 minutes. Transfer to rack to cool completely.
Laureen King
thank you Dina!
dwormanc
Thank you for sharing Laureen. When parents took us to Toronto for family vacations during the USA Labor Day Weekends--long weekends;-) There was a bakery on Bloor Street or Yorkville near the Westbury Hotel on the lower level of an international bldg. They made these tarts all year round They are soooooo delicious was always wondering how to make them Thank you again looking forward to making them.
Laureen King
Thank you for sharing that special story. It is funny how certain food can bring back fond memories. Have a very Merry Christmas!
Amber Spiegel
These look incredible!!
Laureen King
Thank you Amber! Hope you had a special Christmas.
Laureen King
I have never used a substitution, about the only thing that comes to mind to try might be agave nectar.
asdfgh
Maple syrup. great replacement
Joy totheWorld
My Grandmaw made what she called Pecan Tarts for years. One of my favorites. Not sure where she got the recipe. It is nice to discover where it originated. Thank you.
Laureen King
Recipes passed down from Grandmas are the absolute best!
Laureen King
Golden is the type of corn syrup, not the brand, the label should have on it Golden corn syrup. It is usually a golden brown colour. I used Crown brand.
Laureen King
Thanks so much swirls and spice
Kim T
How many dozen dies this recipe make?
Laureen King
This recipe makes 16 tarts Kim
Hella
Hey, I made these yesterday and the filling never firmed up. It's super runny. Any ideas on where I went wrong?
Laureen King
Hi Hella, for this recipe the filling shouldn't firm up, it is suppose to be gooey and a bit runny. If it is too runny you may try refrigerating them for a while.
Annette
I used this recipe for years and made thousands of tarts for my restaurant. You can make the filling firmer by just baking longer. The entire secret is oven temp and baking time. Your oven may not bake the same as mine therefore bake, bake, bake and with practice, you choose a time and temp that produces tarts exactly as you like them.
Laureen King
Thanks Annette for the great tips, I agree, everyone prefers their butter tarts a certain way. I personally like them quite runny. Messy but good.
Laureen King
Thank you Old Fashioned Recipes, it is an family favourite.
Heather
I don't like to use corn syrup either so I substitute for equal amount of "real" maple syrup.
Wendy
Hi Lauren, I just took these out of the oven and they look amazing! I never change a recipe the 1st time I make it, but I don't use Caro Syrup, so I sub honey for that. I tried one when they were still hot and they taste yummy! I took a couple photos, but didn't see an option to upload.
Thanks so much for this recipe! My 1st time making tarts!
Liz martin
There are pre made shells available in most grocery stores that are "acceptable" and better than none.
Laureen King
agreed Liz, I love homemade ones, but the store bought ones are totally acceptable.
Liz martin
Golden is a brand name and the syrup is golden. I just use hat ever syrup is available
Jillian
If I wanted to add raisins or pecans how much should I add to this recipe? Thanks!
Laureen King
Hi Jillian, sorry for the delay in answering your question. I would add about a cup of raisin or pecans.
Jillian
Thank you!
Trudy
These look amazing, would these freeze well
Laureen King
Yes they do Trudy.
Laureen King
Thanks for the helpful tip Carole, I haven't run into the problem of my tarts sticking but maybe because my tart pan are non stick type.
Laureen King
Thank you Carole for the great tip, I really appreciate when someone shares helpful ideas. Have a terrific Holiday Season
Elaine
Maple syrup is the very best for the filling - they will be runny, though!
Laureen King
Maple syrup sounds great as well Elaine!
Mary
This worked so well. Best tip I've had in ages. Thanks.
Joanne
I had so much trouble with the pastry, I used the full 1/2 cup of ice water but I couldn't get the pastry to stick together it was crumbly and very, very dry. Don't know what I did wrong, this is a first for me.
Anyway I'll try and squeeze it together &a roll it out. Wish me luck.
Laureen King
Hi Joanne, I'm perplexed, its so hard to see what happened without seeing it. Did you blend correct amount of butter with the flour and use a pastry blender until it was a mealy consistency before add cold water?
Lidia
What do you use if you have no pastry blender?
Laureen King
two knives would work
Kaitlyn
These came out excellent. I managed to get a full 2 dozen though, how thick do you roll your pastry? And what cook time&temp would you suggest for the mini tarts in your pictures?
Daryl
Store bought do not touch homemade, for pastry. These are all butter and ones with lard/shortening are not nearly as flacky
Liz
I disagree I make butter tarts I have been working with pastry for over 30 years & my pastry is beautiful nice & flakey & tasty every time ! I garrentee it !
Vicki
I agree. I only use tenderflake lard and follow the recipe on the box. Very flaky pastry every time. Almost a fail proof recipe.
Nancy
I just made and used phyllo shells. Dont know if i spelled right. But turned out wonderful. Buttery and flaky. Probably lots cheaper to make ur own, but I didn't want to fool with making own this time. Considering how good they turned out, probably will continue to use store bought round shells. Husband has already dated 5!!
Brandi
This is a great idea! I have been using the small silicone trays and pushing them up out of the pan once cooled. I will try your method with metal pans. Thanks!
Cris
I assume you used a regular muffin pan, or are these with a mini pan?
Laureen King
Hi Cris, yes regular sized muffin pan.