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How to make classic Canadian butter tarts! This recipe is a true Canadian one, straight from my Grandma’s kitchen! This is the only butter tart recipe that we use every Christmas!
How to Make Butter Tarts
Butter tarts are so truly Canadian, but here on the prairies there is only ONE recipe that we use. the Five Roses Cookbook butter tart recipe! Now of course we changed a few things, but the base of the recipe is the same as all butter tart recipes, brown sugar, eggs and raisins.
Butter Tart Ingredients
- 1 cup of brown sugar
- 1/2 cup of raisins
- 1/3 cup salted butter
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons of whipping cream
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 15-18 unsweetened and unbaked tart shells
Instructions
- Melt your butter ( or margarine), then add in the vanilla, egg, cream and brown sugar. Beat until smooth.
- Add in your raisins.
- Put your tart shells, still frozen, on the tray and fill a good 3/4 of the way. I say still frozen because I have found when they are defrosted the filling leaks through the pasty, not ruining them, but making them softer. A good frozen tart shell will hold the contents in, and cook at the same time.
- Bake in a 375 degree oven for 15-18 minutes, until the rims of the tarts are beautifully browned.
Now, perhaps next year I will try and make my own tart shells, and make my own pastry, but there’s an adage I like to use when it comes to my baking: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. I have never had a complaint that I used pre-bought shells and actually everyone is too busy drooling and grabbing more tarts to really notice or care. The filling is the most important part, of course, but it works to perfection with the pre-made tart shells.
If you want a pastry you can make the one with my Mincemeat Tarts with Butter Pastry, the pastry is easy and perfect for butter tarts as well!
Happy Baking!
Love,
Karlynn
Butter Tart Recipe
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 15 minutes
- Total Time
- 25 minutes
- Course
- Dessert
- Cuisine
- Canadian
- Servings
- 18
- Calories
- 161
- Author
- Karlynn Johnston
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/3 cup butter
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 18 of tart shells
Instructions
- Melt your butter, then add in the vanilla, egg, cream and brown sugar. The lovely part about these is they are SO easy and fast to make. Throw it all in, mix the ever-livin' devil out of it, and you are good.
- Now add in your raisins, and half a cup is the bare minimum I use. I find that sometimes there is too much liquid and not enough raisins by the time I reach the end; be brave and just add in what you need at that point.
- Put your tart shells, still frozen, on the tray and fill a good 3/4 of the way. I say still frozen because I have found when they are defrosted the filling leaks through the pasty, not ruining them, but making them softer. A good frozen tart shell will hold the contents in, and cook at the same time
- Bake in a 375 degree oven for 15-18 minutes, until the rims of the tarts are beautifully browned.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Information
All calories and info are based on a third party calculator and are only an estimate. Actual nutritional info will vary with brands used, your measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
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xblchrrome says
It would have been nice if you were a bit more clear about how brown the butter tart shells would be. This was basically my first time baking something and I waited until it seemed brown and apparently brown = burnt
Deni says
Your recipe is almost identical to mine! However, I substitute currants to raisins, and I also add 1/2 cup toasted walnut pieces. They get baked in a 450 oven for only 8 minutes, then 350 for a couple of minutes. I can’t wrap my head around using margarine but I just might try it. By the way I always thaw the tart shells, and I’ve never had issues with filling oozing through. But I will also try baking them from a frozen state, and adjust the oven temps/time to match yours. Thanks for the tips! Deni
Gail says
These are now my go to butter tarts. AWESOME
Linda says
Can these be frozen after being cooked. We are just two and I would love to have a stock on hand. I am sure we could eat a batch all at once, but our diabetic docs wouldn’t like it!!!! lol. How long would they last in freezer? Should I freeze them uncooked or cooked?
TheresaHansen says
@Linda They freeze fantastically!! Cook and cool first, then I freeze in layers separated by parchment. Good luck!
toontownlady says
just made these… I used whipping cream as the milk. . just to see how they will turn out… first time making these… I’m pumped. . thanks for the easy recipe!
Karlynn Johnston says
I sometimes triple the recipe – don’t follow photos for recipes, always follow the actual instructions!
Tanya says
How come the recipe calls for 1 egg but in the picture I see two yellow yolks?
Bernadette07 says
The pre-made and home-made pastry shells are both excellent with this recipe. Yummy. Thanks for sharing.
Joe1asdf says
You’re right, taste is what matters. However, it’s also important to not kill the people your feeding. Margarine is poison.
ZoesmomTracey says
I also cheat and use bought shells. My butter tarts fly off the plate at 60mph!
I like to use coconut and raisins. I just put 6-8 raisins in each shell and a sprinkle of coconut, yummo!
thekitchenmagpie says
ZoesmomTracey Mmmm sounds delicious!
Brenda says
I have always had poor results from any baking that calls for melted butter or margarine. Can I just use softened margarine and get the same results?
thekitchenmagpie says
@Brenda You could give it a try, for sure.
Kirstenw says
What brand of margarine do you use?
Tina says
Love your outlook! Just going to try these out right now. Don’t fret about the premade shells cuz it’s not the pastry they’re interested in anyway! Fingers crossed!
Karlynn Johnston says
So glad that you liked it Eva! You are welcome, enjoy!
Eva says
This is the best recipe, period. Butter or margarine, it is the best. Glad to know it can be doubled. Thank you!!!
Erin says
You should enter your butter tart recipe in our contest! Contest closes May 3rd!
https://ow.ly/kr7eA
one persons view says
The recipe as written fills 15 tart shells. You should let people know they need to double the recipe to fill the 30 shells pictured. And why three eggs in the picture, but one in the recipe?
They smell heavenly!
joey says
I added a couple tablespoons of pancake syrup just cause….amazing! I also it instead of vanilla in cookies
Tracy says
I’m with spiffi, I grew up eating the best butter tarts in Edmonton! Now live in Indiana and NO ONE knows what a butter tart is and you can’t find frozen shells anywhere! The one food I really miss from my childhood!
Oleita says
Try prepared pie dough or Pillsbury crescent rolls
Annette says
This recipe is as close to my moms as I could find, batch #1is in the oven right now…. Thank you Karlynn, and merry Christmas from a fellow edmontonian…. 🙂
Karlynn Johnston says
Merry Christmas Annette! Yes, this is an old classic recipe, enjoy it!!
Karlynn Johnston says
Yes, milk or cream!
Nicl says
Do you the 2 tablespoons of milk represent the cream?
Thanks, looking forward to trying these!
Karlynn says
Here in Canada I use the Real Canadian Superstore unsweetened No Name tart shells, they are the ONLY ones without hydrogenated oil in them. They are flaky and wonderful! I already bought a case of them in preparation for Christmas baking!
EC says
I haven’t found great bought tart shells and making my own takes a lot of time. Bought ones are too thick and not flaky. Do you know of a good brand that maybe I haven’t tried?
Kim L says
Just curious how many tarts this recipie makes, It sounds great and I would like to try it. Thanks.
Karlynn says
Now that depends on how much you fill them! I get varying amounts, but I will say from 14-18 tarts. Some people like theirs completely full, others skimpy. I usually double it and use a 30 roll of tart shells (since I cheat and never make my own, who has time for 300 handmade tart shells before Christmas?)
spiffi says
I desperately want to make butter tarts this year – but I haven’t been able to find any frozen tart shells! Growing up in Vancouver BC, we bought them every year – but since I’ve moved to California, I haven’t found any!
If any of your readers know of a source in the San Francisco Bay area, or online – please let me know!
Norsie says
These are the best darn butter tarts I have ever had…My friends ate them like they were going to the Gallows…Thank you Kitchen Magpie…You’re awesome…I don’t like to make pastry either…Hugs, and thanks a bunch
Keira C. says
made these tonight =D But without raisins- They where Fan-freakin-tastic! Your right…Margarine is better.
Mike Johnston says
My face can vouch for these..
Just sayin’..