Canadian Butter Tarts

5 from 2 votes

These old fashioned, melt-in-your-mouth Canadian butter tarts are a combination of flaky, buttery pastry and sticky, sweet filling.

Prep Time20

Cook Time15

Total Time35

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Canadian

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: butter tarts

Calories: 262kcal

Combine the brown sugar, melted butter, egg, maple syrup, vanilla extract and apple cider vinegar thoroughly. Reserve.
⅔ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup unsalted butter, 1 egg, ⅓ cup maple syrup, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Preheat oven to 425ºF. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour and salt. Add the butter and mix with a wooden spoon until partially blended. Add water, egg yolk and vinegar and continue combining with the wooden spoon. Once it’s easy to manipulate, knead with your hands a bit, just until a soft and smooth dough ball forms.
1 ¾ cups flour, 1 pinch salt, ½ cup unsalted butter, ¼ cup cold water, 1 egg yolk, 1 teaspoon white vinegar
Use a rolling pin to spread the dough out over a clean, floured surface. Cut out 12 circles with a 3.5” round cutter (3.75" will work too). You will have to gather up the scraps and roll it out again.
Oil a muffin tray and place the dough discs inside. They should be placed at the bottom and slightly up the edges (about ¾ inches/2 cm high). Place a few raisins in each tart.
⅓ cup raisins
Pour the brown sugar mixture over the raisins into each tart, leaving some room at the top of the pastry.
Bake for around 15 minutes or until the filling is set and the pastry is golden. Let them cool before removing from the muffin tin.
Serve and enjoy! They can be served warm or cold, whatever you prefer.

Storage: You can store them at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days, in the fridge for 5 days or in the freezer for 3 months. If freezing, make sure to wrap them individually and place in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. Thaw in the fridge.
Filling consistency: Some people like a runny filling, but if you want a firmer filling, just add another egg.
Tart shell cheat: If you’re looking for an easy cheat, buy premade, mini tart shells. Then you simply have to make the filling and bake them in the oven. You can find the unbaked tart shells in the freezer section of the grocery store.