26 Great Canadian Butter Tart Recipes

Updated on August 20, 2018 by Food Network Canada Editors

Known around the world as a uniquely Canadian dessert, butter tarts are one of the tastiest things to come out of the True North. Nothing beats the flaky pastry filled with a perfectly sticky-sweet centre. Whether you prefer them plain, studded with raisins or turned into a cheesecake, we've got 26 recipes to satisfy your sweet tooth.

  • Jen Scott’s Butter Tarts
     
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    Jen Scott’s Butter Tarts

    <p>If you’ve taken the time to tap the trees, boil the sap and bottle your maple syrup, this delicious recipe alone is worth all your effort.</p> <p>Get the recipe for <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/shows/great-canadian-cookbook/recipe/jen-scotts-butter-tarts/16518/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>Jen Scott’s Butter Tarts</strong></a></p>
  • Pecan Butter Tart Squares
     
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    Pecan Butter Tart Squares

    <p> Forget finicky pastries and whip up a batch of these simple <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.ca/shows/great-canadian-cookbook/photos/best-canadian-butter-tart-recipes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">butter tart</a> squares instead. Sweet, buttery shortbread acts as the base of these delectable Canadian treats.</p> <p> Get the recipe for <strong><a href="https://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/pecan-butter-tart-squares/19392/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Pecan Butter Tart Squares</a></strong></p>
  • Anna Olson's Pecan Butter Tarts
     
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    Anna Olson's Pecan Butter Tarts

    <p>Our favourite star baker, Anna Olson, knows <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.ca/shows/great-canadian-cookbook/photos/best-canadian-butter-tart-recipes" rel="noopener" target="_blank">butter tarts</a> inside and out. Her various butter tart recipes span years and categories, all satisfying our proud Canadian sweet tooth. Here, Olson creates a pecan pie-inspired version, acting as a tribute to Canada’s friendliness with our pie-loving neighbours to the south.</p> <p>Get the recipe for <strong><a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/pecan-butter-tarts/12426/" target="_blank">Anna Olson's Pecan Butter Tarts</a></strong></p>
  • Butter Tart Pinwheels
     
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    Butter Tart Pinwheels

    <p>Butter tarts turn into sticky, decadent curlicues that skip the muss and fuss of the traditional recipe. These pinwheels stack up just like a holiday cookie, adding an unexpected, classic Canadian pop to festive sweets trays. You can make these with either puff pastry or traditional pie dough — just be sure to make them!</p> <p>Get the recipes for <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/shows/great-canadian-cookbook/recipe/butter-tart-pinwheels/18683/" target="_blank"><strong>Butter Tart Pinwheels</strong></a></p>
  • Signature Butter Tart Squares
     
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    Signature Butter Tart Squares

    <p>Individual butter tarts can be time consuming to bake and tricky to transport during the busy holiday season. Anna's butter tart squares are an easy, portable way to enjoy the distinct Canadian flavours without the fuss.</p> <p>Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/signature-butter-tart-squares/22248/" target="_blank"><strong>Anna Olson's Signature Butter Tart Squares</strong></a></p>
  • Chocolate Bottom Butter Tarts
     
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    Chocolate Bottom Butter Tarts

    <p>Shake up the classic tarts by baking a crumbly, chocolatey base. There’s still your favourite sweet, gooey filling, topped with a chocolate drizzle.</p> <p>Get the recipes for <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/shows/great-canadian-cookbook/recipe/chocolate-bottom-butter-tarts/18829/" target="_blank"><strong>Chocolate Bottom Butter Tarts</strong></a></p>
  • The Best Butter Tart Cheesecake
     
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    The Best Butter Tart Cheesecake

    <p>Whether you're pro-raisins or purely a pecan fan, a party isn’t really a party without butter tarts. Impress the dessert lovers in your life with an incredibly indulgent cheesecake, topped with a sticky, caramel butter tart filling and salty, crunchy pecans. Swap in nuts for raisins if that’s more your jam.</p> <p>Get the recipe for <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/shows/great-canadian-cookbook/blog/the-best-butter-tart-cheesecake/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>The Best Butter Tart Cheesecake</strong></a></p>
  • Butter Tart Cinnamon Buns
     
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    Butter Tart Cinnamon Buns

    <p>All the gooey goodness you know and love about butter tarts, baked into a warm, doughy cinnamon bun. Yep. You’re Welcome.</p> <p>Get the recipe for <strong><a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/shows/great-canadian-cookbook/blog/you-havent-lived-until-youve-tasted-butter-tart-cinnamon-buns/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Butter Tart Cinnamon Buns</a></strong></p>
  • Pumpkin Pie Butter Tarts
     
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    Pumpkin Pie Butter Tarts

    <p>These pumpkin pie <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.ca/shows/great-canadian-cookbook/photos/best-canadian-butter-tart-recipes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">butter tarts</a> combine the best tastes of the holidays in one delicious morsel.</p> <p>Get the recipe for <strong><a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/pumpkin-pie-butter-tarts/12911/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Michael Smith's Pumpkin Pie Butter Tarts</a></strong></p>
  • Maple Butter Tarts with Candied Pecans and Cranberry Purée
     
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    Maple Butter Tarts with Candied Pecans and Cranberry Purée

    <p>This dessert consists of <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.ca/shows/great-canadian-cookbook/photos/best-canadian-butter-tart-recipes/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">classic maple butter tarts </a>but with a unique twist: they're served with some crunchy candied pecans and a sweet, tangy cranberry sauce for a little extra bite.</p> <p>Get the recipe for <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/maple-butter-tarts-with-candied-pecans-and-cranberry-puree/15186/" target="_blank"><strong>Maple Butter Tarts with Candied Pecans and Cranberry Purée</strong></a></p>
  • Brown Butter Tarts with Maple and Nutmeg
     
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    Brown Butter Tarts with Maple and Nutmeg

    <p>Warm, sticky, brown butter tarts are the perfect treat to satisfy your sweet cravings.</p> <p>Get the recipe for <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/brown-butter-tarts-with-maple-and-nutmeg/12909/" target="_blank"><strong>Michael Smith's Brown Butter Tarts with Maple and Nutmeg</strong></a></p>
  • Bacon Butter Tarts
     
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    Bacon Butter Tarts

    <p>Sweet and salty is a match made in food heaven, especially when it involves salty bacon in sweet, creamy butter tarts.</p> <p>Get the recipe for <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/bacon-butter-tarts/18018/" target="_blank"><strong>Bacon Butter Tarts</strong></a></p>
  • Butter Tart Coffee Cake
     
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    Butter Tart Coffee Cake

    <p>A moist cake bottom sitting beneath a perfectly gooey butter tart topping, this dessert-style coffee cake is just the ticket.</p> <p>Get the recipe for <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/butter-tart-coffee-cake/12780/" target="_blank"><strong>Anna Olson's Butter Tart Coffee Cake</strong></a></p>
  • Apple Pie Butter Tarts
     
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    Apple Pie Butter Tarts

    <p>A mashup of two tasty Canadian favourites, even raisin haters will love the tasty morsels of apple in each gooey bite. Plus, these sweet tarts are flavoured with warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, making them extra irresistible.</p> <p>Get the recipe for <strong><a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/apple-pie-butter-tarts/19936/" target="_blank">Apple Pie Butter Tarts</a></strong></p>
  • Baklava Butter Tart Bake
     
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    Baklava Butter Tart Bake

    <p>A tasty dessert or brunch casserole that brings together your two favourite desserts in one gooey, flaky pan, filled with crunchy walnuts and plump raisins.</p> <p>Get the recipes for <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/shows/great-canadian-cookbook/recipe/baklava-butter-tart-bake/18811/" target="_blank"><strong>Baklava Butter Tart Bake</strong></a></p>
  • Butterless Butter Tarts
     
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    Butterless Butter Tarts

    <p>Leave it to Anna Olson to master a vegan butter tart that tastes like the real deal. Silken tofu is a good substitute for eggs, while vegetable oil and soy milk replace the butter in the flaky pastry.</p> <p>Get the recipe for <strong><a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/butterless-butter-tarts/12157/" target="_blank">Anna Olson’s Butterless Butter Tarts</a></strong></p>
  • Butter Tart Ice Cream
     
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    Butter Tart Ice Cream

    <p>Sweet, buttery pecan swirls and pieces of butter tarts make this a splendid treat that tastes just like your favourite tart.</p> <p>Get the recipes for <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/shows/great-canadian-cookbook/recipe/butter-tart-ice-cream/18643/" target="_blank"><strong>Butter Tart Ice Cream</strong></a></p>
  • Waterloo County Butter Tarts
     
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    Waterloo County Butter Tarts

    <p>These classic tarts are so good, people have been known to sneak them off the dessert table before dinner, just to make sure they get one! Lard ensures that the pastry is perfectly flaky.</p> <p>Get the recipe for <strong><a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/waterloo-county-butter-tarts-/16332/" target="_blank">Waterloo County Butter Tarts</a></strong></p>
  • Caramel Butter Tarts
     
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    Caramel Butter Tarts

    <p>These deliciously decadent caramel butter tarts have a thin, flaky crust and a gooey, buttery caramelized filling.</p> <p>Get the recipe for <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/caramel-butter-tarts/3834/" target="_blank"><strong>Anna Olson's Caramel Butter Tarts</strong></a></p>
  • Maple Butter Tarts with Currants
     
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    Maple Butter Tarts with Currants

    <p>Instead of sultanas, opt for another fruity filling with currants. Used in traditional Canadian baking, these dark raisins are made from dried zante grapes and pack a lot of flavour in each tiny bite.</p> <p>Get the recipe for <strong><a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/maple-butter-tarts-with-currants/7178/" target="_blank">Maple Butter Tarts with Currants</a></strong></p>
  • No Money Butter Tarts
     
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    No Money Butter Tarts

    <p>A sprinkling of coconut in the shells of these tasty tarts gives them a delightfully chewy texture with each bite.</p> <p>Get the recipe for <strong><a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/no-honey-butter-tarts/11559/" target="_blank">No Money Butter Tarts</a></strong></p>
  • Nanaimo Bar Butter Tarts
     
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    Nanaimo Bar Butter Tarts

    <p>East and West come together for the ultimate Canadian dessert. Coconut, walnut and custard drizzled with melted chocolate make for a delicious and unique treat.</p> <p>Get the recipe for <strong><a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/nanaimo-butter-tarts/21806/" target="_blank">Nanaimo Bar Butter Tarts</a></strong></p>
  • Butter Tart Pop Tarts
     
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    Butter Tart Pop Tarts

    <p>DIY your childhood favourites for a nostalgic treat you can’t get anywhere else. Instead of formed into classic crimped tarts, pastry is formed into hand-held pockets, and filled with the classic gooey filling. Feel free to freeze for a fun and tasty treat.</p> <p>Get the recipe for <strong><a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/butter-tart-pop-tarts/20558/" target="_blank">Butter Tart Pop Tarts</a></strong></p>
  • Canadian Maple Butter Tart Cheesecake
     
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    Canadian Maple Butter Tart Cheesecake

    <p>Take your cheesecake to the next level by topping it with a sticky-sweet maple butter tart filling with loads of pecans.</p> <p>Get the recipe for <strong><a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/canadian-maple-butter-tart-cheesecake/21805/" target="_blank">Canadian Maple Butter Tart Cheesecake</a></strong></p>
  • Pecan Whisky Butter Tart
     
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    Pecan Whisky Butter Tart

    <p>The classic tart gets a grown-up twist with the addition of Canadian rye whisky. These pretty crimped pastries are still filled with sticky, dripping filling, albeit, perfectly spiked and studded with pecans.</p> <p>Get the recipe for <strong><a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/shows/great-canadian-cookbook/blog/pecan-whisky-butter-tarts-are-a-classic-canadian-treat-all-grown-up/" target="_blank">Pecan Whisky Butter Tart</a></strong></p>
  • Butter Tart Bars and Butter Tart Ice Cream
     
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    Butter Tart Bars and Butter Tart Ice Cream

    <p>Want the flavour of butter tarts in a fraction of the time? Anna's dessert bars are made with a buttery shortbread crust and a sweet layer of maple. Save the trimmings from the squares and whip up a batch of butter tart ice cream to serve the treats a la mode.</p> <p>Get the recipes for <strong><a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/shows/bake-with-anna-olson/recipe/butter-tart-bars/21751/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Anna Olson's Butter Tart Bars</a></strong> and <strong><a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/shows/bake-with-anna-olson/recipe/anna-olsons-butter-tart-ice-cream/21753/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Butter Tart Ice Cream</a></strong></p>
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