Award-Winning Butter Tarts

Award-Winning Butter Tarts

  • Prep Time: 45 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hrs 5 mins
  • Servings: 16

    • About This Recipe

    “Butter tarts are a Canadian tradition. Waaaay back in the 1970s, a national contest here in Canada concluded that these butter tarts, originating from Wilkie’s Bakery in Orillia, Ontario, were the best. I certainly think so and it’s the only recipe I use. Add a sprinkle of toasted walnuts when you add the raisins, if you wish, or use only walnuts if you don’t like raisins.”

    Ingredients

  • pie pastry( enough to fill 16 muffin cups, your own or from a mix)
  • 1/2 cupraisins
  • 1/4 cupsoft butter
  • 1/4 cuppacked brown sugar
  • 1pinchsalt
  • 1/2 cupcorn syrup
  • 1egg, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 teaspoonvanilla

    • Directions

  • Prepare muffin pans by rolling out pie dough and cutting 4-inch (approx) circles; fit dough circles into muffin cups; set aside in fridge until ready to fill.
  • In a small bowl, place raisins and cover with hot tap water; let stand on the counter for 30 minutes.
  • In a large bowl, using a wooden spoon, mix together the soft butter, brown sugar, salt and corn syrup; stir well until sugar is dissolved and butter is creamed.
  • Add egg and vanilla and mix well.
  • Drain raisins.
  • Retrieve tart shells and divide raisins equally into all shells; then divide butter mixture into all tarts.
  • Bake at 400F for 15-20 minutes; filling will be lightly browned but still bubbling.
  • Canadians fall into two camps about butter tarts and are quite loyal to their favourite type: runny or firm.
  • I like runny– the type that dribbles when you bite into one; if you like firm, bake them for the full 20 minutes, even adding another minute or two if you wish.
  • Let cooked butter tarts cool in pans for 10 minutes after removing from oven; then remove and place on racks until completely cool.

    • Reviews

  • “Yummmmmmm! This is the second time I’ve made butter tarts, but the first with this recipe. I baked them for 15 minutes, and the result was a sweet, buttery, gooey tart that was so rich, I had stuff dribblin’ off my chin as I ate one. (That’s half the fun!) Lennie, thanks for sharing these Canadian treats with us poor deprived Americans! We missed soooo much when we were youngsters! :o)”

  • “Im from Orillia Ont. and Yes these are the best Butter Tarts evr made!!! I go to the Bakery on Mississauga street about once a month to buy them for my father in law and Chiropractor.Dad rateseveryones butter tarts onascale of 1- 10 and Wilkies gets a 10! EVERY TIME!!!! I, his favorite daughter-in- law USED to get only a 7-1/2, for mine but now that I see the “secret” recipe here I will soon be getting a ‘#10’ for mine………..I dare him to tell me different!!Bonnie Lacey”

  • “These are so very tasty!I cooked mine for 15 minutes – I too like them runny!I also used Golden Raisins for mine and added some toasted pecans to half of the tarts.As a side note – I used pre-made butter tart shells (Tenderflake) and they turned out great!!A little tip to help some of you save time.Thanks for posting this Lennie!”

  • “I made these just for fun today–I bought these really cute little tart pans and I was looking for a way to use them! Lennie, these were great! I just ate a hot one right from the oven. I’d never even heard of butter tarts before, but this was certainly an auspicious introduction!! Thanks!! (I made these with PetitFour’s Tart Dough (Sweet) #27695–also heavenly!)Just an update–I made these again (actually two more times) but last time I didn’t have any raisins, so I just left them out. They were wonderful that way, too…although I don’t know if they would still be very “Canadian” then? Anyway, just wanted to post that variation!”

  • “Thank you Lennie for this great recipe.My hubby loves butter tarts, but all the recipes I’ve used have been more firm tarts, and he likes them runny!I made these today, and I added a few broken walnuts to the raisins!They were awesome!Just the way he likes them.This will be my butter tart recipe from now on”

  • “I will only say this once and if asked I will deny it.These are the best – better than my Mom and both my Grandma’s.Now to put some sort of guard dog on them so my boyfriend doesn’t eat them all before I need them this weekend.”

  • “These are the best! I did a butter tart bake off to find the best recipe, these were the winner. I have a chocolate & baking business and my customers can’t get enough of these. Perfect taste and texture, not too firm or too gooey, just right, 14 minutes in my oven.”

  • “Very addictive!Our Girl Scout troop represented Canada in an event and we made 200 butter tarts to hand out.One member’s father is from Canada and didn’t realize butter tarts are not common in the US.I also noted when we visited Walt Disney World last fall during the International Food and Wine Festival that Canada’s food was Beaver Tails (like US elephant ears).I told them I thought butter tarts seemed more uniquely Canadian, and they seemed surprised. As you can tell, I’m definitely sold on these tasty little gems!”

  • “Super delicious! Daughter made these and added a little toasted pecans on the top. welll….you think you are biting into a pecan tart and then there is the surprise…the raisins!!!! By the way, she used the “Raisin Medley’ available at Trader Joes.We really like the combo they have; seedless golden light raisins, flame rasins and jumbo all in one bag!Also, a tip to plump the raisins if you do not have time to wait; put them in water in the micro (she did a minute and 20 seconds ) and they plumped up beautifully! thanks again, Lenny, to one of our favorite contributors(you!) We consistenly make many of your recipes!”

  • “These are DELICIOUS!!! I had a recipe from a donut shop where I used to work and I thought they were the best ever butter tarts. When I moved I lost my recipe and so i had to find one online. I am so pleased that i found this one! These are the best butter tarts ever! I will use this recipe from now on…. my boyfriend loves these!!”

  • “Thank you for a wonderful recipe! These are the BEST! I’m not a pie, or tart maker because I never thought I was good at making homemade pie dough, but tonight I made the Tenderflake recipe that is on the box, and then followed your Butter Tart recipe to a T. Awesome!! Even the pastry dough was perfect ;o)) I used a flattened cupcake paper to trace the circles for a perfect fit!”

  • “These are amazing!I have made these several times now with great results each time.I double the recipe and omit the nuts and raisins. I use Crisco’s (2 crust) pie crust recipe.I end up with 18 tarts.I bake mine 25 minutes, and still feel that they are very gooey and slightly runny – delicious! Thank you Lennie!”

  • “Fantastic! I only used frozen tart shells as this was a last minute thing to make with my 5 yr old on a rainy day. YUMMY! Thanks for sharing eh!”

  • “These are REALLY good!I am from Canada but currently living in the states.When I make these for my American friends, I’m always asked for the recipe – this is the one I give them.Thanks for sharing – they’re really that good =)”

  • “I have been using this recipe for a couple ofyears now and have yet to rate it. My father the butter tart king will not let me make any others. He swears there are no better. I cheat, I use pre made tart cups. The recipe is still fantastic.”

  • “i found this was only enough filling for about 9 tarts. maybe my shells were bigger then yours? i omitted the vanilla as i didn’t have any. had to make a second round of the butter/sugar mix. second time around i cheated and mixed everything at once, strangely it turned out a lot more runny that second time around but all the tarts came out the same once baked. next time i might try mixing the raisins right into the thicker filling for ease of filling. these don’t turn out as smooth in the center as the commercial ones but they are very tasty.”

  • “YUMMY! Love these tarts.Easy to make and extremely tasty.I used pre-made tart shells and these were a big success. Thanks!”

  • “I made these today with my daughter and they were amazing!I like a thicker center to my butter tarts but not firm and these were perfect!I omited the raisins as well (I am not fond of them) and use my hand mixer to mix the batter on low till it was like a whip!Mmmmm, definitely a recipe keeper this is!I added a pic to the result as well!5*****’s for sure!”

  • “These are truly the BEST butter tarts; as an ex pat living in the States, these are brought to every event.I can’t tell you how many people ask if I’m bringing butter tarts now.”

  • “First off, I must confess I didn’t make these.A former co-worker called me on June 30 and was frantic.She’s originally from Canada and wanted to know if I had a recipe for butter tarts.I immediately directed her to ‘Zaar and this recipe.She made them for a “Canada Day” celebration that her and a few other Canadian transplants were having.She said these were the hit of the party and everyone wanted the recipe!To thank me, she saved one for me and brought it to work.She used all walnuts, (thank god, I hate rasins!) and these were incredible tasting!I’m glad she only brought me one, because I definately would have consumed more!”

    •