Our Best Butter Tart-Inspired Recipes

Asking “Are butter tarts Canadian?” is like asking if the sky is blue: the iconic dessert is one of the tastiest things to ever be created on Canadian soil. Nothing beats the flaky pastry filled with a perfectly sticky-sweet centre. Whether you’re curious about how to make butter tarts, or want to up your butter tart game by adapting the flavours into other desserts like cheesecake or cinnamon buns, we’ve got every kind of butter tart recipe to satisfy your sweet tooth.

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Anna Olson’s Pecan Butter Tarts

Butter tarts are a classic Canadian dessert. While this recipe from Anna Olson uses pecans, feel free to use other additions in place of the pecans such as raisins, walnut pieces or leave the butter tarts plain.

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A pink plate with a square of butter tart with raisins and a scoop of ice cream

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Signature Butter Tart Squares

Anna Olson’s butter tart squares are an easy and portable way to enjoy the distinct Canadian flavours without the fuss.

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Three chocolate butter tarts seen in a close up view

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Chocolate Bottom Butter Tarts

Shake up the classic tarts by baking a crumbly, chocolatey base: Your favourite sweet, gooey filling is still there and now it’s also topped with a chocolate drizzle.

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The Best Maple Butter Tart Cheesecake Recipe

Whether you’re pro-raisins or purely a pecan fan, 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.

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butter tarts without icings in white baking dish.

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Butter Tart Cinnamon Buns

All the gooey goodness you know and love about butter tarts, baked into a warm, doughy cinnamon bun. (You’re welcome!)

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Butter Tart Coffee Cake

A moist cake bottom sitting beneath a perfectly gooey butter tart topping, this dessert-style coffee cake is just the ticket.

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Apple Pie Butter Tarts

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.

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A plate with fruits, butter tart and fresh mint

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Baklava Butter Tart Bake

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.

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Butter Tart Ice Cream

Sweet, buttery pecan swirls and pieces of butter tarts make this a splendid treat that tastes just like your favourite tart.

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The Best Maple Butter Tart Cheesecake Recipe

Take your cheesecake to the next level by topping it with a sticky-sweet maple butter tart filling with loads of pecans.

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Pecan Whisky Butter Tarts

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.

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A stack of brown butter maple pecan squares

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Gooey Brown Butter Maple Pecan Squares

When you can’t decide between pecan pie or butter tarts, make these brown butter maple pecan squares. Made with a buttery shortbread base that’s then topped with a sweet and gooey brown butter maple filling loaded with roasted nutty pecans and a healthy sprinkling of chocolate chips (totally optional but highly recommended!), these are sure to satisfy any sweet tooth.

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