Author: If you are new to butter tarts, then you are likely not Canadian as butter tarts make an appearance at pretty much every holiday, every bake sale, and in every bakery in Canada. Are Butter Tarts more Canadian than Maple Syrup?? Hmmmm... This recipe has been requested of me for a long time, so it was due time for me to release my Easy Vegan Butter Tarts into the world. And oooeee am I glad I did - the flavor of that sweet and gooey filling wrapped in a buttery, flaky crust is like no other - oh man! Oh Canada!!
FEATURED COMMENT:
I am obsessed. I love love butter tarts and they are perfect to make all year round. Especially when I am craving something sweet I make these cause most of the ingredients I have are in my pantry and fridge. Thnak you so much for creating this awesome recipe. 🙂 - Arushana
Traditionally butter tarts are made with dairy and eggs, so it took several attempts to veganize them to perfection, but oh did I veganize them, and oh are they perfect! Rave reviews from all who sampled these beauties (non-vegans included). In my easy vegan butter tarts, the tart shells are filled with raisins (trust me on this, this is traditional), and a mixture of vegan butter, sugar, and cornstarch (which replaces the eggs). Once baked the mixture turns into a gorgeous sweet caramel, sticky, drippy, amazing goo, and the raisins melt right into that sweet goodness.
For my vegan butter tarts, I give you the option of having a runnier or thicker filling as many have a preference one way or the other, and you can optionally top the tarts with pecans or walnuts if you desire. Not a raisin fan? Even though raisins are traditional in butter tarts, (and in my opinion are WAY better than they sound), there are some who prefer raisin-free tarts. You can replace the raisins with ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans.
To Make Easy Vegan Butter Tarts:
You can either simply use store-bought vegan tart shells (some brands are accidentally vegan so check the ingredients. Or you can may my Easy Vegan Pie Crust and make your own tart shells from scratch. If using homemade pastry, roll out the pastry nice and thin and cut 8 circles about 5 ½" diameter, re-rolling the pastry scraps if needed. I had a latte mug that was the perfect size so I used that to cut my pastry. Fit the pastry circles into 8 wells a muffin pan, wobbly edges are totally ok and are authentic for butter tarts. Add 1 tablespoon of raisins to the bottom of each tart shell.
Bake for about 23 minutes, the filling will be bubbling and foamy. Remove from oven and let cool completely to room temperature before serving. You may need to run a knife around the edges of the tarts to help release them from the muffin tin. Serve on their own or with a vegan ice cream and enjoy! Dairy-free desserting has never tasted so good!
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Easy Vegan Butter Tarts
Servings: butter tarts
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Ingredients
- 1 recipe Easy Vegan Pie Crust, (or 8 store-bought vegan tart shells)
- ½ cup raisins
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup vegan butter
- 3 tablespoons plant-based milk, (such as soy or almond)
- 2 - 2 ½ tablespoons cornstarch, *see notes
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup pecans or walnuts, whole or chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (170 degrees C).
- If using homemade pastry, roll out the pastry nice and thin and cut 8 circles about 5 ½" diameter, re-rolling the pastry scraps if needed. I had a latte mug that was the perfect size so I used that to cut my pastry. Fit the pastry circles into 8 wells a muffin pan, wobbly edges are totally ok and are authentic for butter tarts.
- Add 1 tablespoon of raisins to the bottom of each tart shell.
- In a medium bowl, beat together the brown sugar, vegan butter, plant-based milk, cornstarch and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Divide the butter-sugar mixture among each tart shell covering the raisins, about 1 ½ tablespoons of liquid per tart. The tarts will be about ⅔rd full which is perfect. Optionally, you can top the tarts with pecans or walnuts. I did half with pecans and half without.
- Bake for about 23 minutes, the filling will be bubbly and foamy. Remove from oven and let cool completely before serving. You may need to run a knife around the edges of the tarts to help release them from the pan.
Notes
- Not a raisin fan? Even though raisins are traditional in butter tarts, (and in my opinion are WAY better than they sound), there are some who prefer raisin-free tarts. You can replace the raisins with ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans.
- For a slightly runnier filling use 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and for a thicker filling use 2 ½ tablespoons of cornstarch (in a single batch recipe).
Nutrition
⭐ Did You Make This Recipe?
I’d love if you left a rating and comment, it helps others find the recipe and makes my day! 💕Bon appetegan! Sam.
Toni says
Could you use the filling for butter tart squares or would it be too runny?
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Toni! I think they might be too runny and wouldn't hold their shape well.
Toni says
Thank you for the quick response!
Tracey Wilkin says
The pastry is great but I made the filling with raisins, pecans and plain. It did not set well. The raisin and pecan tarts were ok but the plain was all liquid. The corn starch flavour came through too.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Tracey! By “plain,” do you mean without raisins? The nuts are optional, but the raisins actually aren’t, they’re traditional and they also help the filling set properly by giving the syrupy mixture something to cling to. If they’re left out, the filling can stay runnier. For the cornstarch flavour, that can happen if the tarts don’t bake quite long enough or if the cornstarch isn’t fully whisked in. The filling should be bubbling and foamy when it comes out of the oven. I hope that helps for next time!
Tracey Wilkin says
Thanks. Yes plain meant no raisins. It was bubbly and because I did them in silicone pans for the pastry they were cooked 5 minutes longer. Good to know about the raisins. It really made a difference to have an 'absorbent'. Actually, butter tarts were first seen in Canada and they did not have raisins, just ingredients that could be sourced in Canada. But they do taste better with them. I have a farm stand and offer all three options.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Love hearing that, Tracey! 🙂
Claire says
It was so much fun to make butter tarts (and taste them!) for the first time! Everyone enjoyed them. I made them thinner and a few did bubble over (still delicious) but next time I think I will try them thicker. Thank you for adapting this recipe!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
You're most welcome, I am so happy you loved them Claire 🙂
Linda says
Hi Sam, do you store these in the fridge, and how far in advance can you make them? Thanks!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Linda! Yes, these butter tarts can be stored in the fridge. Keep them in an airtight container for up to 5-7 days. You can also make them ahead and freeze them for up to 2-3 months! Just thaw them in the fridge overnight before serving. Enjoy!
Paula says
can I freeze these butter tarts
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
They freeze very well for 2-3 months! Thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.
sarah johnson says
I used bobs gf pie crust but followed the other part exactly. They are soooo good! This id the second very successful recipe from you so thankyou very much!
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Wonderful! We're happy to hear it!
Kelly says
I turned these into mini butter tarts and found that the shells didn’t cook as nicely as they should. In fact, some of the bottoms were quite wet. I tried cooking them longer but the filling was drying out. I followed the recipe exactly for the pie crust and doubled the filling as they made quite a lot more.
Kelly says
I haven’t tried these but I’m wondering if anyone has ever frozen them and how they were once they were thawed out
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Kelly, I haven't tried it, but they should freeze just fine. ENjoy!
Shannon says
They freeze and defrost beautifully, fyi!
Anonymous says
Delicious! I made these last year and they tasted exactly as I remember butter tarts tasting. I was never a raisin fan so I omitted them but did not sub in any nuts so they ended up a little emptier than they would have been otherwise. My mistake! They were a hit regardless. I will be making these again this year and will remember to make more filling to compensate. As an aside, this pie crust has never failed me and has become a family staple 🙂
Arushana says
I am obsessed. I love love butter tarts and they are perfect to make all year round. Especially when I am craving something sweet I make these cause most of the ingredients I have are in my pantry and fridge. Thnak you so much for creating this awesome recipe. 🙂
Genevieve says
Thank you for the amazing recipe! I made these with and without raisin and they were both delicious. I made mini tarts using a mini muffin tray and baked them for 15 minutes. They were perfect! My first batch boiled over a little so I was careful to mix the filling on low speed the second time and they turned out perfect!
Surabhi says
I made these Friday and they were quite a hit! I am not a fan of raisins in dessert so I left them out. When I told my Canadian hubby that they were supposed to have raisins, he said they were delicious but yes now he knew what they were supposed to be like...grandma’s tarts! Next time will do raisins.
Thank you for all your “real” and down-to-wart recipes Sam!
Alison says
Thanks for the raisin substitution idea, you read my mind! Not a fan :/ Looking forward to trying this soon!
Patricia Giannelia says
Looks fab, Sam - will try them soon (have to limit how many of these treats I make,as even though they are vegan, they are still not the 'healthiest'.
I also wanted to add that currants can be used in place of raisins - the plump up nicely and are not so big, if that is a consideration for people.
Abigail @ OhMyVegan says
These little tarts are oh so delicious! The perfect little snack to satisfy my crazy sweet tooth.
I loved them so much that I tried my hand at adapting them into a vegan custard tart. Both were delicious.
Thank you for the recipe!
Bernie says
Amazing. Phenomenal. Gives me warm fuzzy feelings.
Used coconut oil for the home made crust and it was deliiicious. Will definitely go heavier on the corn starch and the raisins next time
Shelly McGill says
When you double the recipe the instructions for cornstarch stay the same? If I’m doing a 2x recipe what is the cornstarch ratio for runny vs thicker ?
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
If you click on the 2x to double the recipe, the cornstarch increases to 4-5 tablespoons. Unfortunately, the adjustment only changes the ingredient quantities and not the instructions themselves. For a runnier filling, you'll stick closer to 4 tablespoons and for thicker go right up to the 5 tablespoons. Enjoy!
J says
Yeah I made this mistake and now the tarts look beautiful but are way too runny!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Sorry about that J! The program we use only lets the ingredients change the numbers, not the recipe instructions unfortuneatly!
Allison says
I’ll be making these in a couple weeks!! Wondering if there is a way to incorporate or sub maple syrup?
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Allison! Yay, so glad you're planning to make these! 🥰 You can definitely try adding maple syrup! I’d suggest replacing ¼ cup of the brown sugar with ¼ cup maple syrup and using 2 ½ tablespoons cornstarch to help the filling set. I haven’t tested this version yet, but it should work well. For extra maple flavor, you could also add ½ teaspoon maple extract. Enjoy!
Mary says
How does the recipe double/triple including your pie crust? I want to make dessert boxes as gifts and will need around 24 of these. Thank you Sam 🙂 oh and what’s your preference for a runnier or thicker filling?
Djdjjd says
Fucking slaps
Cari Dittman says
Hello! I'm marking this in advance as I'm sure it will be wonderful. However, I have a question. I've seen a few requests with regard to swapping out raisins, but I haven't seen the request to swap them out with dates. I know you haven't tried this, but can I get your opinion which I value very much?
Shazara says
Hi Sam.
Could this be a full pecan pie instead? I'm looking for a vegan pecan pie recipe that's easy.
Shari Z says
Thank you for the butter tart recipe. I remember my mother always making these-- for special occasions--from out of her old "Purity" cookbook. (think it was a flour) I figured I'd not be able to have these again now that I am vegan.
Thank you again for the recipe and reminding me of sweet memories. (haven't tried them yet but I know they'll be wonderful)
Sam Turnbull says
You're most welcome, Shari! Anything can be veganized 🙂