Making the Very Best Butter Tart Recipe

Few desserts capture classic Canadian comfort quite like a butter tart. With its rich, gooey filling and perfectly flaky crust, this timeless treat brings together simplicity and indulgence in every bite. Whether you like yours runny, firm, or filled with pecans and raisins, mastering the butter tart is easier than you think — especially with the right tools in your kitchen.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

✔️ Classic Canadian Dessert – A timeless favorite with a nostalgic touch.
✔️ Perfect Texture – Flaky pastry with a buttery, caramelized filling.
✔️ Easy to Customize – Add raisins, pecans, or chocolate chips to make it your own.
✔️ Freezer Friendly – Bake ahead for holidays or special occasions.

🧁 The Best Butter Tart Recipe

Ingredients (Makes 12 Tarts):
For the Pastry:

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  
• ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
  
• ¼ tsp salt
  
• 4–5 tbsp cold water
  

For the Filling:

• ½ cup brown sugar
  
• ½ cup corn syrup or maple syrup
  
• ¼ cup melted butter
  
• 1 egg
  
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
  
• ¼ cup raisins or chopped pecans (optional)
  
• Pinch of salt
  

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
   

2. In a bowl, mix flour and salt. Cut in cold butter using a pastry blender or food processor until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add water gradually and form into a dough. Chill for 30 minutes.
   

3. Roll out the dough and cut circles to fit into a muffin tin.
   

4. In a separate bowl, whisk together all filling ingredients until smooth.
   

5. Spoon filling into pastry shells, about two-thirds full.
   

6. Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling and the edges are golden.
   

7. Cool completely before removing from the tin.
   

Tip: For runnier tarts, reduce the baking time slightly. For firmer ones, bake a few minutes longer.

🍬 Flavor Variations

• Maple Butter Tarts: Swap corn syrup for pure maple syrup.
  

• Nut Lovers’ Tart: Add toasted pecans or walnuts for crunch.
  

• Chocolate Butter Tarts: Stir in mini chocolate chips before baking.

🧈 Pro Tip: Get Perfect Pastry Every Time with a Pastry Blender

The secret to flaky, bakery-quality butter tart shells? A sturdy pastry blender. It helps cut cold butter evenly into flour without melting it, creating the perfect texture for tender, crisp pastry.

👉 Explore our collection of professional pastry blenders and food processors to master perfect butter tart dough every time.