If you are looking for an easy, delicious, and decadent tart recipe, then we have something special for you! We are happy to present you with a butter tart recipe. These famous Canadian butter tarts have flaky pastry shells filled with a rich, buttery caramel center. These tarts are the perfect sweet indulgence for you, whether you’re a Canadian or not! 

Butter tarts are the closest thing to Canada’s national dessert! You will find the name of this recipe in the Women’s Auxiliary of the Royal Victoria Hospital Cookbook in 1900! Butter tarts were common in Canadian pioneer cooking. 

Easy-licious and Toothsome Butter Tart Recipe! 

At the risk of oversimplifying the recipe, the butter tart is nothing but a miniature version of pecan pie, without the pecans! Additionally, you will just love its gooey filling and buttery crust. 

This butter tart recipe is beyond simple, super sweet, gooey, and fantastic. Serve these tarts warm, topped with fresh whipped cream, and you have a dish that will satisfy your hunger cravings. 

The best thing about this recipe is its filling. Butter tart filling consists of brown sugar, golden corn syrup, white vinegar, butter, eggs, vanilla extract, and raisin. So, let’s see how you can make this super-easy and delicious sweet dish at home! 

Butter Tarts
Butter Tarts

Quick Stats 

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 17 minutes 

Servings: 12 tarts 

Ingredients 

Pastry Dough

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 
  • pinch of fine sea salt
  • 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
  • 1/4 cup ice water
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 tsp. white vinegar

Filling

  • 1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
  • 1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • One large egg

Method to Prepare 

For Pastry Dough

  • Take a large bowl and combine flour and salt in it. Add the cubed butter and cut in with a pastry cutter until the mixture is in pea-size pieces.
  • Then, take a small bowl and mix water, egg yolk, and vinegar. Combine well and add it to the flour mixture. 
  • If the mixture appears dry, add a tablespoon of water. 
  • Knead the dough to bring together and form a flat disc. Wrap the dough tightly with plastic wrap and slide it into the fridge for 30 minutes chilling. 
  • After half an hour, remove the dough from the fridge and roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle.
  • With the help of a 4-inch round cookie cutter, cut 12 pieces. Press circles into standard muffin tin and slight them into the refrigerator while you prepare the filling. 
  • Also, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. 

For Filling

  • Take a medium bowl and add brown sugar and salt. Add butter and beat by hand until it is smooth. Add the vanilla and egg. 
  • Mix everything well until combined. DO NOT use an electric mixer. 
  • Fill the tarts with this filling. 
  • Place the muffin tin on a baking sheet and bake for around 12 to 15 minutes for a runnier tart. If you want a firmer tart, bake for 17-19 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven and run a knife around the tart edges to loosen your butter tarts. 
  • Pop it out with a knife and serve it warm with whipped cream. 
  • Enjoy! 

Must Check: Sugar Pie Recipe: Toothsome, Traditional Sugar Pie Recipe!

Final Words 

These butter tarts are a Canadian classic delicacy that can be prepared in just 25 minutes! Here, homemade pastry shells are filled with rich, creamy, caramel-y fillings and baked until buttery and flaky on the outside and gooey on the inside. So, try these simple, super sweet, and delicious tarts and enjoy a rich dessert with your family!