Well, does he like Butter Tarts? It’s Friday Pie-day.

Photos courtesy of Kiley Melicker

It’s becoming clear to me that nobody remembers the immortal song “Steal My Sunshine” by Canadian band Len as well as I do. Nobody seems to remember the two male protagonists, Matt and Tim, discussing why their friend Marc might be feeling down. In an effort to cheer him up, they toss around the idea that maybe butter tarts could do the trick.

At least five times this past month, I’ve told people I’ve been recreating a butter tart recipe and say “y’know, like in Steal My Sunshine.”

Crickets.

Don’t steal this guy’s sunshine.

Since I’m not Canadian, I had no idea what butter tarts were when I first heard this saccharine-sweet ear worm of a song in the Summer Of 1999. But to Canadians, not knowing about butter tarts would be LUDICROUS.

My friend Wendy recently shared her grandmother Shirley’s butter tart recipe with me – and it’s Grandma Shirley’s recipe that’s featured on this week’s FRIDAY PIE-DAY! Wendy schooled me on just how seriously Canadians take their butter tarts.

Butter tarts are one of Canada’s essential treats. Canada has many butter tart festivals through the year, one of which is in Ontario and Wendy is itching to go.

The festival features a butter tart bake-off and a Butter Tart 5K, which features not only a hydration station but also a butter tart feeding station.

Finally! Someone is fixing all my issues with running, which are, specifically, not nearly enough pie.

For this recipe, you’ll need 12-banger muffin tin, and a 6-banger tin to bake all 18 of the tarts.

Here’s a cool video of a Canadian reporter tracking down the original Butter Tart recipe from the early 1900s.

Butter tarts are runnier than a pecan pie, may or may not contain raisins (a contentious national issue, I’m told), and enclosed in a crunchy, buttery crust. Grandma Shirley’s version contains raisins, which I’m all about. Hooray for raisins! The original butter tart recipe contained currants, which I also love. Hooray for currants!

“Steal My Sunshine” isn’t Canada’s only saccharine-sweet export – butter tarts are also very sweet. While they’re delicious, get ready to brush your teeth afterward.

If you’re sensitive to sweetness, there are two things you can try. Firstly, the recipe below yields 18 tarts baked in 3″ muffin tins. You can try finding mini-muffin tins, and make smaller versions, so the sweetness is more spread out throughout the batch (Wendy likes making them this way). Secondly, cut the amount of corn syrup in half. It’ll result in a less runny filling, which might make Canada angry. Please don’t tell them if you try it.

Grandma Shirley’s recipe makes a big pile of very tasty treats. The extras that I couldn’t finish, I ended up chopping up and throwing into some homemade Banana Rum Ice Cream. (Yum.)

Thank you so much to Wendy for this recipe and guidance in making a delicious Canadian dessert. And thanks, Canada!

Butter Tarts

These sweet and buttery tarts are one of Canada's favorite treats. This recipe is from the loving kitchens of Grandma Shirley Eason and her granddaughter Wendy (her crust recipe is included here.)
Yields: 18 butter tarts
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Equipment

  • Rolling pin
  • Stand mixer with paddle attachment
  • 3" (standard size) muffin tin

Ingredients
  

For Crust:

  • 1 1/2 cups cold, unsalted butter (3 sticks of butter or 12 ounces)
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 6 T sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt (scant)
  • 6 T cold water
  • non-stick spray

For Filling:

  • 6 T butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup corn syrup
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp vinegar (white or apple cider vinegar)
  • 1 cup raisins

Instructions
 

Make the Crust

  • Chop up butter into 1/2" cubes. Mix together flour, sugar and salt in stand mixer using paddle attachment. Add cubed butter. Paddle until butter is the size of peas.
  • Add water, and mix until just combined. Pull out dough from mixer, shape into disc, and fridge for 1 hour.
  • Pull dough out and let sit at room temperature before ready to use so it becomes pliable, but still cold, about 20 minutes.
  • Spray muffin tin with non-stick spray. Roll out dough 1/8" thick. Cut out circles that are about 4" across. Use circles to line muffin tin, cutting off any excess dough. Keep lined muffin tin in fridge until ready to use.

Make the filling:

  • You'll want to bake these right after filling, so get your oven preheating to 400 degrees F.
  • Melt butter and allow to cool slightly.
  • In medium size bowl, whisk together eggs, corn syrup, brown sugar, vanilla extract and vinegar. Add melted butter and raisins.
  • Using a spoon or small ladle to help, put filling into prepared pie shells. Fill up the shells only half way – they will expand quite a lot in the oven and will overflow if filled all the way. Once filled put in the preheated oven to bake.
  • Bake tarts for about 25 minutes, rotating half-way through. Tarts should be golden brown and slightly firm to the touch. Pull from oven.
  • Right when the tarts come out of the oven, use a thin-bladed knife or small offset spatula, and run edge around outside of baked tarts, to release the sides of the tarts from the pan. Allow tarts to rest in tins for about 10 minutes.
  • Once the tarts have cooled slightly, use a knife or offset spatula to help you ease the tarts out of the muffin tin. Place tarts on a rack to cool a bit more, then serve.