The Best Classic Canadian Butter Tarts Recipe

This is the best Canadian butter tarts ever! 

Butter tarts are a beloved, quintessential Canadian dessert that appears every year around Thanksgiving. It is one of those pastries that was common in pioneer Canadian cooking. You make them by filling tart shells with a sweet butter mixture and baking them until the top is set and has a little extra body, while the middle stays semi-solid. Now, depending on preference  

Are these the same as the American pecan pie?

They might look similar, but they are actually pretty different. There is a great debate about these two delicious desserts.  Both are delicate, indulgent, and rich treats, but they differ in the filling ingredients and overall flavor profiles. 

Canadian butter tarts feature a gooey, custard-like filling made from butter, brown sugar, eggs, maple syrup, and corn syrup. They can use different mix-ins like nuts or even raisins layered at the bottom of a flaky crust. It yields little tarts with a gooey filling and a delicious taste. Traditional American pecan pies use a thick, pecan-packed filling and a light corn syrup, sugar, and egg mixture. That pecan pie filling yields a denser dessert that is absolutely out of this world.

Why do you need to make this recipe?

• These butter tarts will be a delicious addition to your Thanksgiving dessert lineup.
• They are easy to make and yield deliciously sweet, gooey, and custard-filled mini pies. 
• These butter tarts are perfect for crowds; just double or triple the recipe. I like setting them out near my pecan pie twice baked sweet potatoes so the sweet stuff isn’t all stuck at the dessert end of the table.
• They are so kid-friendly! Who doesn’t love little pies that can fit in their little hands? Well, with this recipe, you’ll be able to 

Ingredients for this butter tarts recipe

Here are the ingredients you will need to make this iconic dessert. Scroll down to the recipe card for full ingredient measurements. 

• Melted butter – I used melted salted butter to balance the sweetness of these tarts, but feel free to use unsalted butter and add a little extra salt to the recipe. 
• Brown sugar
• Maple syrup – I added a little maple syrup to enhance the flavor of these and elevate your tart game! It’s the same swap that makes my maple pecan pie taste so much deeper than the corn syrup version.
• Corn syrup
• Vanilla extract
• Vinegar – You can also use a little lemon juice to cut through the sweetness of these ingredients. 
• Salt – A little salt helps balance out the sweetness of this dessert. 
• Eggs – Make sure your eggs are at room temperature. 
• Flour – We will use a little all-purpose flour to give the filling of these mini tarts a little more hold. 
• Raisins or chopped pecans – You can make and enjoy these butter tarts as is, or add golden raisins or chopped nuts to the bottom of your pastry dough before pouring in the filling. This is the easiest way to elevate your mini tarts. Pecans are my favorite here, for the same reason they work so well in my pecan pie bars.
• Pie dough – You can use store-bought pie crusts, make your own pie crust or use those premade flaky pastry shells for this tart recipe.

How to make this Canadian butter tarts recipe

Here is how to make the best Canadian butter tarts the easy way! Scroll down to the recipe card for full, detailed instructions! 

1. Roll the two sheets of pie dough onto a clean work surface and cut out 12 4 inch circles using a round cookie cutter or a large glass. 
2. Spray the muffin pan with nonstick spray and add a thin strip of parchment paper right in the center to make pulling the mini pies easier once they are baked. 
3. Gently press the little pie crusts into the muffin cups and place in the fridge for later
4. In a large bowl whisk the brown sugar, maple syrup, corn syrup, vinegar, vanilla extract, and flour. 
5. Add either raisins or pecans to the bottom of your pie crusts or leave as is and pour in the tart filling. Make sure to divide that into the 12 muffin tin cavities.
6. Bake in the preheated oven until puffy and golden brown then allow them to cool down before pulling them out. and allowing your gooey tarts to cool some more on a wire rack

Frequently Asked Questions – FAQ

How to store butter tarts?

Store these tarts in an airtight container for 4-5 days. You can enjoy this Canadian recipe both cold or warmed up in the microwave whenever you’re ready for it again! 

Should butter tarts be served warm or cold?

This will depend on personal preference. I personally enjoy mine colder but you can heat the tarts back up in the microwave or in a 350F oven for 5-10 minutes. If you’re still mapping out the rest of the table, I rounded up all my best pecan desserts in one place.

Should the filling of these butter tarts be firm or runny?

This is an ongoing debate, but again, it depends on your preference. This recipe is somewhere in the middle, but if you want a firmer result, add an extra 1 & 1/2 tablespoons of flour to the butter tart batter.