This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure for details.
Hi Bold Bakers!
Many people have never heard of Candian butter tarts, and it’s long overdue that these tiny, delicious treats made their appearance outside the Great White North!
These pastries are made with a delicious buttery, flaky piecrust and filled with a mapley-caramel flavored custard filling. They’re tiny but mighty! Butter tarts are very sweet, but since they are so small, it isn’t overwhelming at all. You have to include the bit of salt in the filling; it balances it all out, leaving you with an incredibly cute and yummy tart!
Canadian Butter Tarts aren’t the only thing from Canada I love. Did you know that some of my favorite people are Candian?! This recipe is for Kaley, Melissa, and Chad!
What Are Canadian Butter Tarts?
Canadians love their butter tarts. It’s a seemingly humble dessert, but they have a long history in Canada. Some say that their origins can be traced back to Québec in the 1600s! It may have been invented during filles du roi, or The King’s Daughters, a period from 1663 to 1673 when King Louis XIV sent around 800 young French women to Québec to help colonize “New France.” Butter tarts may have been their way of baking traditional French recipes with what was available in Canada.
But, the earliest published recipe dates 1900, and the Women’s Auxiliary of the Royal Victoria Hospital Cookbook says the tart is from Ontario.
It’s a recipe that is passed down through families, and some secrets are heavily guarded! Don’t worry—no secrets here!
What You Need To Make Canadian Butter Tarts
- Measuring cups and spoons
- 3-inch (7cm) round cookie cutter
- 12-cup muffin tin
- Small saucepan
How To Make Canadian Butter Tarts
Use my pie crust recipe or store-bought to make these easy, delicious little desserts! Here is how you make Canadian Butter Tarts (and don’t forget to get the full recipe with measurements, on the page down below.):
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Roll out the pie crusts and cut out 12 circles using a 3-inch (7cm) round cookie cutter.
- Line your muffin tin with the pie crust circles and place it in the refrigerator while preparing the filling.
- To make the filling: Add the maple syrup, brown sugar, and butter into a small saucepan and heat until the butter has melted.
- Remove the mixture from the heat and whisk in the eggs, vanilla extract, and salt.
- Divide the filling evenly among the crust-lined muffin cups and bake for about 25 minutes or until the filling has set. Let the tarts cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing and placing them on a rack to cool completely.
Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips For Making Canadian Butter Tarts
- This recipe will give you some leftover pie crust. Sprinkle the scraps with cinnamon sugar and bake along with the tarts for a little baker’s treat!
- You can stir in a ½ cup (2½oz/71g) raisins or chopped walnuts or pecans into the filling before filling the muffin cups for a bit of texture if you’d like.
- These tarts are delicious with a bit of homemade whipped cream piped on top!
- Make chocolate butter tarts by stirring in a ½ cup (3oz/85g) of finely chopped bittersweet chocolate into the filling.
- Double my pie crust for this recipe!
How Do I Store Canadian Butter Tarts?
You can store any leftover Canadian butter tarts in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. They’re as delicious warm as they are cool!
Make More Pies & Tarts!
- The Only Blueberry Pie Recipe You’ll Ever Need
- 15 Minute Banana Cream Pie
- No-Bake Key Lime Pie
- 5-Ingredient Chocolate Pie
- The Whole Lemon Tart
- Sinful Chocolate Tart
And don’t forget to buy my Bigger Bolder Baking Cookbook!
Full (and printable) recipe below!
Try These Recipes!
Canadian Maple Butter Tarts Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 recipes pie crust
Filling:
- 1 cup (8floz/225ml) maple syrup
- ⅔ cup (4oz/115g) dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup (2oz/57g) butter
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Roll out the pie crusts and use a 3 inch (7cm) round cookie cutter to cut out 12 circles.
- Line a 12-cup muffin tin with the pie crust circles and place it in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.
- For the filling: Add the maple syrup, brown sugar, and butter into a small saucepan and heat until the butter melts.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the eggs, vanilla extract, and salt.
- Divide the filling evenly among the crust-lined muffin cups and bake for about 25 minutes or until filling is set. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to rack to cool completely.
- Enjoy the tarts at room temperature with a dollop of whipped cream. Store completely cooled pies in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Thanks for highlighting our sweet treat 🇨🇦. Like you’ve mentioned, there are variations of this dessert recipe. My Mum’s recipe used corn syrup and a bit of vinegar to counterbalance the sweetness. Best way to eat is frozen (lol) with a strong cup of coffee!!
Are these made in a regular muffin tin, or a mini muffin tin? The pics look mini, but the recipe says ‘muffin’ tin.. thank you
Update the instructions to “Remove from heat, let cool” before adding in the eggs. Mine cooked and I had egg whites in my filling!!!
My mom makes these butter tarts only for the month of december every year and these canadian butter tarts are really good and tasty.I have never made butter tarts but I have helped mom make them.
Hello Gemma,
I love eaten canadian tarts, and this recipe was PERFECTION. The centre had a slightly diff texture than the original but i preferred this to be honest. You should release a cookbook. Itll be very successful!!!!
How can we do eggless for these butter tarts ?
Hi Gemma can u use other substitute for maple syrup? Hard to get maple syrup here
We always use a bit of vinegar and currants instead of raisins, and no nuts. I’m going to try your recipe. Thanks for all your great recipes. They are always successful.
I made these the other day- my Beautiful Wife loves them I put Raisins in as well.
A family friend in Toronto shared some of her butter tarts with me long ago. I begged for her recipe, but she never shared it with me. This recipe sounds like it might be close. Her tarts did have nuts added to them. I will make your recipe soon to taste test!