Butter Tart Squares taste just as delicious as those classic Canadian butter tarts, but are so much easier to make!

Canadian Cottage Country

In Canadian cottage country, vacationers always seem to search for a local bakery on the way north – with the most delicious baked goods to bring. Often that means Butter Tarts! But guess what? I can’t find a bakery anywhere!

Butter Tarts

Butter Tarts are a delicious sugary, buttery sweet tart – often made with raisins or walnuts in a short crust pastry. They are not really that difficult to make – it’s just the rolling and shaping those little tart shells that sometimes discourages us from making them. The filling is made from simple – usually on-hand ingredients – butter, eggs, brown sugar, and optionally vanilla and vinegar. I often make butter tarts – but only when I have time to fiddle with the crusts.

Making butter tart squares instead of tarts, takes much less time – AND they taste just as wonderful. I don’t need to take any trips to the store (3 hours round trip if you live on an island) to buy fancy ingredients – and the preparation is only 10 minutes or so! (Add on 5+40 minutes in the oven). That’s why these squares have become one of my summer baking secrets to cottage life.

Butter Tart Squares Ingredients

The secret to these tarts is that you can change up the ingredients a little here and there!

• The crust is made with butter, brown sugar and flour. You can substitute granulated or confectioner’s sugar if you like. I think the brown sugar makes the crust more flavourful – but confectioner’s sugar or white sugar will make a more traditional “short crust” flavour.
• You can substitute margarine for butter – but the crust may not set quite as well. I refrigerate my squares to get a solid crust.
• It’s a common debate as to whether raisins, walnuts or pecans belong in butter tarts (or these squares). I’m all in for raisins – but you can put in whatever you like!
• I don’t tend to use vanilla in my traditional butter tart recipe – but I like it very much in this version. You can substitute maple syrup if you like.

Preparing The Crust

(Don’t worry – there is a printable recipe card at the bottom of this post)

Preparing the squares is uncomplicated. My preference is to use an 8″ square ceramic dish – sprayed with non-stick spray or lined with parchment paper – but here at the cottage I have disposable foil pans. These work!

Melt the butter (in a microwave if you like), mix with flour and sugar……

……..and press into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 5 minutes to set the crust. Isn’t that easier than rolling out a pie crust and shaping it into little tart shells? We all need more time to spend outside enjoying the summer and less time in the kitchen!

Preparing the Filling

While the crust is baking – melt the rest of the butter – and mix it with most (except for the raisins) of the rest of the ingredients. Be careful to add the eggs in last – so that the ingredients have cooled just a touch – and mix quickly so that the eggs don’t scramble. Add the raisins (or your choice of nuts in last – and then pour the mixture into the crust.

Bake for 40 minutes in a 350 degree F oven – and then let cool.

We have trouble with that last step – because we usually grab a few pieces before the squares cool and fully set! These squares taste great, are effortless to put together – and they are not as gooey as the original butter tarts – so they are easy to handle.

I hope you enjoy this recipe. Have a great rest of the summer!

Below is a printable recipe card from RecipesGenerator. Please give it a try!

Thanks for stopping in at Everyday Lillie. Please have a look around as much as you like. If you enjoyed the visit, please feel free to follow, share, comment or like. Please drop in again soon!

Follow Everyday Lillie on WordPress.com