Old Fashioned Pecan Butter Tarts
Growing up there was never a shortage of homemade butter tarts at our house. These days, I’ve carried on the tradition using an old fashioned butter tart recipe to make pecan butter tarts! The texture of these butter tarts is gooey but not too runny, but I have included some tips to make them a bit runnier if that is how you prefer!
Butter tarts are a very well known Canadian sweet treat. On any given weekend you’re sure to find a butter tart festival somewhere in Canada. The filling combinations seem to be endless these days, with one baker always trying to out-do the next!
But for me, the simpler the better – I’ll always choose an old fashioned flaky crust filled with a not-to-runny buttery brown sugar filling made will traditional ingredients like brown sugar, corn syrup, butter and eggs.
What you’ll love about this recipe:
Ingredients You Will Need
- premade tart shells or homemade sweet pastry dough
- brown sugar
- butter
- eggs
- corn syrup (dark is best)
- pecan halves or chopped pecans
- raisins (optional)
- white vinegar
- vanilla
How to Make Pecan Butter Tarts
Please see full printable recipe card below!
STEP ONE: Add melted butter, corn syrup and brown sugar to a large mixing bowl and whisk until very well blended.
STEP TWO: Add eggs, vinegar and vanilla to the brown sugar/butter mixture and whisk to fully combine.
STEP THREE: Place tart shells on a baking sheet. Fill with Pecans (or raisins, or leave empty as shown). Pour butter tart filling into each tart shell, filling to the top.
STEP FOUR: Bake in 400 degree Fahrenheit oven for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to 375 degrees and continue baking for 18-20 minutes, until filling is bubbling, starting to dome and pastry is lightly golden.
NOTE: They filling will fall a bit when removed from the hot oven, and that is to be expected. Let tarts cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Tips for the Perfect Butter Tart
- don’t omit the vinegar as it is essential to preventing sugar crystallization which can result in a grittier, firmer butter tart
- transfer filling to a glass measuring cup with a spout for easy pouring into the tart shells
- fill to just below the top edge of the pastry shell to prevent the filling from running over
- don’t over bake, as the longer they bake, the more set the filling becomes
Handy tip: For Runnier Butter Tarts!
The consistency of butter tarts has long been debated with some preferring a filling that runs down your fingers as you take a bite, while others (myself included) prefer a soft, gooey butter tart that is equally delicious but much less messy. If you prefer a runnier filling here is what I suggest you try:
Use just one egg instead of two OR reduce baking time by a minute or two and reduce the number of pecans in each tart
Variation Ideas
- use chopped pecans instead of pecan halves
- choose another nut variety such as walnuts instead of pecans
- add a few chocolate chips for a chocolate pecan butter tart
- substitute half the corn syrup for maple syrup – tart filling will be runny
- fill with raisins or currants
Storing Butter Tarts
You can store pecan butter tarts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days and in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days. For longer term storage, place them in a freezer safe, airtight container lined and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
You may have slightly underbaked them so the filling did not set up enough. The filling should have a slight jiggle when removed from the oven, which will set up further as they cool.
If they won’t be consumed in 1 to 2 days, then yes butter tarts should be refrigerated, and will last 4 to 5 days in the fridge. Bring them to room temperature for the best texture before serving or enjoy them cold.
It all comes down to personal preference. Gooey, but slightly firm, butter tarts have all the delicious buttery brown sugar flavour as the runnier version does. See the tips on making a runnier butter tart above if that is your preference.
Absolutely! Freeze them in a freezer safe air tight container for up to 3 months for best flavour. Thaw at room temperature before serving for best texture.
With simple ingredients, a well loved recipe, and that familiar buttery sweetness, these pecan butter tarts make it hard to stop at just one! Whether you are firmly on team runny or gooey, or somewhere in between, I hope this version finds a way into your kitchen as it has mine.
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More Tart Recipes To Try
Butter Tarts
Equipment
- Cookie sheet
- wire whisk
- mixing bowls
- measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
- 18 frozen tart shells thaw for 15 minutes before using
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar
- ¾ cup corn syrup dark or light
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp white vinegar I have used cider vinager if I am out of white
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup raisins (optional)
- ½ cup whole pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400℉ and place tart shells on a baking sheet.
- Whisk together sugar, corn syrup and melted butter in a large bowl until well combined.
- Whisk in eggs, followed by vinegar and vanilla.
- Sprinkle pecan halves into each tart shell.
- Pour filling into each tart shell over the pecans, filling almost to top of pastry shell.
- Bake at 375℉ for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to 350℉ and continue baking for approximately 18 to 20 minutes, until centre of tart starts to create a dome and the pastry is lightly browned.
- Remove from oven and place cookie sheet on wire rack for 5 minutes.
- Remove tarts from cookie sheet, placing them directly onto cooling rack, and continue to cool completely.
Notes
These look delicious! I love anything sweet 🙂
I have never tasted a butter tart. But after your description those lovely pictures, I think I will HAVE to try them!
Ooohhh…these look so good! I’ve never had a butter tart and I think I’m missing out.
Thank you for linking up!
Hi Maureen! This recipe looks so good. You should enter it in our butter tart recipe contest http://foodiepages.ca/blog/?p=1464
Thank you Erin. I will do that!