Follow our easy, step-by-step, instructions to learn how to make delicious Butter Tarts.
Canadian Butter Tarts recipe. Taste a little like Pecan Pie.
I first heard about Butter Tarts while watching a program called Taste of the Country over on Netflix.
In case you aren’t familiar with it, the program featured a Canadian family farm owned and run by Danielle French. The farm was used for various events, like parties, birthdays and weddings, and food was a main focus.
They often talked about Butter Tarts, and that got my curiosity up. What did they taste like I wondered? They were interesting looking little pies and I began searching for a recipe.
You’ll find lots of versions of Butter Tarts online, and I became a bit confused about what might be the classic Canadian style of making them. So, I put it to the subscribers of my Newsletter knowing that I have a good number of readers that actually live in Canada. Perhaps one would be willing to share a recipe.
Sure enough, in just a day or so, I received a very nice email from Donna Gordon P..
Donna’s version called for using a pre-made tart shell, which she says she’s been using for sometime to make her Butter Tarts with. She use to make the dough from scratch, but found the ready made shells tasted about as good and made things even easier. I like easy too. Smile.
So, with the power here at home blinking on and off throughout the day, I ended up baking a batch.
Hurricane Michael was passing through the heart of North Carolina today. We had a lot of rain, but thankfully the power stayed on here at home other than blinking out for just a few seconds several times.
The tarts were really easy to make, and they baked up in 12 minutes flat in my oven. Donna warned not to over bake them, saying the middle should be ooey-gooey with a golden brown crust.
I think I nailed this pretty good, because even though the middles were still looking a bit wet when I removed them from the oven, they firmed up just right. Firm, but still soft and gooey in the middle.
Donna’s version called for placing some raisins in the bottom of the shell before adding the filling mixture.
I could easily see myself adding some pecans the next time I make them. Yes, I’m sure I’ll be making these again. They were that good. Very much like a pecan pie, but not as sweet.
So, if you’d like to try some yourself, then let’s head on out to the kitchen, and… Let’s Get Cooking.
Butter Tarts Recipe – You’ll need these ingredients.
The tart shells are a Dutch Ann brand, but any brand will do. I want to make my own dough the next time I try these since that’s how I saw them made on the TV program I mentioned.
You’ll need a medium sized mixing bowl to make the filling for your Butter Tarts. Place the brown sugar in the bowl.
Add the corn syrup.
Add the 1/4 cup of melted butter.
Add the slightly beaten egg.
I always recommend that you crack your egg into a separate bowl first, then add it to the other ingredients. That way, if a piece of shell goes into the egg, it’s easier to see and remove. Otherwise, it might get hidden in some of the ingredients and you might not see it.
Add the vanilla flavoring.
Add the salt. You only need 1/4 teaspoon.
Grab a whisk and mix all the ingredients together until fully combined.
You’ll need to use a sheet pan with sides on it so the tart shells don’t slip off. I also lined my pan with some aluminum foil just in case they run over while baking. If that happens, I can just fold up the foil and throw it away as opposed to having to wash my sheet pan.
Of course, the tart shells need to be thawed. Then, add just a few raisins into the bottom of each tart shell.
You could also add either pecans or walnuts if you like. Totally up to you. Smile.
Pour enough of the syrup mixture into each tart shell to fill it about 2/3rds full.
It’s going to puff up as it bakes, so don’t overfill the shells or you’ll make a mess. You can thank me later for this little bit of information.
I had just the right amount of filling to fill the 8 tart shells that came in the package.
Donna’s recipe called for 12 tart shells. Mine might have been a bit bigger, but then again, only 8 came in the package that I bought. I left the 12 tart shells in the printable recipe just in case. Smile
You need to pre-heat the oven to 425F degrees, and you need to have your rack just one notch below the center position in your oven.
Place the sheet pan with the tarts in the oven and let them bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until they are set. Do Not Over Bake the Butter Tarts. The center should be just beginning to set and the crust lightly browned. It took mine exactly 12 minutes to bake before I removed them from the oven.
Ovens vary, so watch them closely.
When they’re done, remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool.
Let them cool completely or serve them slightly warm.
Enjoy!
The completed Butter Tarts may be stored in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. You can also wrap them in plastic wrap and freeze them for up to a month or longer. But, I doubt they will last that long. Smile.
Thank you Donna, for sharing your recipe. Awesome.
