Canadian butter tarts are one of the many signature treats from Canada that were part of my boyhood, growing up in northern New York state.

This old fashioned recipe for them is easy to make and taste just like what I remember from half a century ago.

Jump to:

• What are these?
• What’s in them
• Variations
• How to make these
• Common recipe questions
• Similar recipes
• Comments

What are these?

Canadian Butter Tarts are one of the hallmarks of the Great White North. Some people prefer them with a firm filling and without raisins.

Others, like me, enjoy a slightly runny and gooey filling in them. Today I’m showing you how to make them either way. The choice is completely up to you!

Neatness has never been a strong point of mine, especially when it comes to savoring and enjoying something this delicious. It’s almost like a private moment. These luscious little homemade pastries are that good!

What’s in them

As you can see, you can make these Canadian butter tarts and the filling using ordinary ingredients. A few notes about these.

Butter: For the pastry, you can use butter or lard like my mom would use when she made these.

Pro Cooking Tip: If you want use lard, it’s best to render your own (like my mom did) or find some from a local source. Avoid the lard found in grocery stores. This stuff has been partially hydrogenated and the taste does not compare to the real thing.

Butter Tart Filling:

Besides raisins or no raisins, the big debate when it comes to butter tart filling is runny or firm. To make these firm and less messy, you can simply do the following:

1. Add an additional egg to the filling.
2. Increase the brown sugar to 3/4 cup.
3. Decrease the corn syrup to 1/4 cup.
4. Bake for an extra 2 minutes.

Variations

When making these Canadian butter tarts, let your palate decide what to put in them. Here are some of our favorite additions.

• Raisins (We love golden raisins for these!)
• Currants
• Walnuts
• Shredded Coconut

If you decide to add nuts, coarsely chop and then toast them before adding to the filling.

How to make these

You’re going to start making these by assembling all of the equipment that you need.

• Mixing bowls
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Pastry cutter
• Whisk
• 4-inch cookie cutter
• Rolling pin
• Mini muffin pan

Now that you have all the kitchen tools necessary, let’s get your kitchen nice and comfy and preheat your oven to 450° F. And now it’s time to gather your ingredients as shown above. You will start by making the pastry shell.

1. Use a large mixing bowl and stir the salt into the flour.
2. Next, use a pastry cutter and work the butter (or lard) into the flour mixture.
3. Combine the egg yolk and vinegar and add ice water and stir it until combined.
4. Pour this ice water mixture over the flour.
5. Use a fork to briskly work the flour and water mixture together.
6. Form dough into a disk, wrap with plastic, and chill in the refrigerator for an hour.

While your butter tart dough is chilling, let’s get started on the filling. This step is super easy.

• Use a large mixing bowl and combine all the ingredients for the filling.
• Use a whisk and stir until thoroughly blended, then set aside.

After the pastry dough has chilled for an hour or so, it’s time for things to get really fun!

1. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to about 1/8″ thickness (or 3mm.)
2. Next, use a 4-inch round cookie cutter (or drinking glass) and cut out 12 pastry shells. Re-roll the scraps if necessary.
3. Tuck the butter tart pastry shells into the pan shown.
4. If you want to use raisins or currants, divide them evenly into the shells.

Now spoon the butter tart filling into each pastry shell, filling them about 3/4 of the way.

Now you’ll place the unbaked butter tarts onto an oven rack in the lower one-third of your oven. Bake these puppies for about 12 minutes at 425° F.

When the pastry turns golden brown, and filling is puffed and bubbly, it’s time to bring these babies back to Mama. Or Daddy.

Allow the baked tarts to sit for a minute or so.

Then, use a metal spatula and loosen the edges of them and carefully lift and transfer to a cooling rack. I will admit it. This is the hardest step for me. Letting them cool.

If somehow on or two of these old-fashioned Canadian butter tarts don’t make it to the serving platter, I fully understand.

And I won’t judge. I promise.

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Common recipe questions

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