These maple pecan butter tarts have a buttery tart shell and a sweet maple syrup pecan filling. They are like little pecan pies and are incredibly delicious!
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🍁A Canadian Treat
I love butter tarts and anything with pecans in it (see this recipe, and this one!). Being Canadian, I had to include a butter tart recipe on my site. This maple pecan butter tart recipe has the addition of maple syrup in it. Other recipes use corn syrup. Maple syrup gives the tarts a caramel-like flavour, and it really gives a great flavour to them!
I also chose to add pecans instead of raisins to this recipe, which makes these tarts like little portable pecan pies! How cute would these be to serve at any summer or fall event.
Like pecan desserts? Try triple chocolate pecan loaf, pecan pie kolaches, or butter pecan turtle bars!
🥘Ingredients
Ingredient notes
- Pecans - I used pecan pieces in this recipe. I find that pecan halves are too big.
- Unsalted butter - If you only have salted butter, you can use that. Remove the extra salt in the recipe.
- Lemon juice - Juice from a fresh lemon tastes better.
- Milk - Use whichever milk you have. It's only a little bit, so it doesn't matter if you use 3.25%, 2%, or 1%.
🔪Instructions
Tarts
To make the tart dough, mix whisk flour, granulated sugar, and salt together in a large bowl. Add 1" pieces of cold butter to the bowl and use a pastry cutter or a fork to work the butter into the flour mixture.
Work the dough until the butter is well distributed through the flour mixture, and the butter is about the size of large peas. Add the cold water/milk to the bowl a bit at a time. Use your hands or a wooden spoon to fold the water into the dough. You want to keep adding the liquid until the dough clumps together.
Break the dough into 2 pieces and wrap each in plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days. When ready to make the tarts, roll out dough on a floured surface. Roll to about ¼ inch thick. Cut 5 inch circles out of the dough and line each buttered muffin cup with the pastry. Line it so that the pastry comes about ½-inch higher than the muffin tin. Chill the pastry lined tin while you prepare the filling.
Butter Tart Filling
In a large bowl, whisk melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla, lemon juice, and salt together.
Place about 5-7 pecan pieces at the bottom of the tart shells and pour the filling into each one, about ¾ full. Make sure to not fill the shells to the top as the filling will expand in the oven. Bake the tarts for 10 minutes at 400 degrees F. Then reduce the oven to 375 degrees F and bake for 10 - 15 minutes longer, until the crust edges have browned.
Cool the tarts while in the muffin tin for 5 minutes. Use a knife to run it around the edges of each tart, twisting them to prevent sticking. Keep the tarts in the pan until fully cooled.
✔️Expert Tips
- You can use pre made tart shells if you would like. These tarts will still taste awesome!
- Make sure to chill the dough for at least 1 hour. It will be too sticky to roll out right away.
- To save time, make the tart dough the day before you want to make bake them. The dough can sit in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
💭FAQ's
Keep butter tarts in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Serve at room temperature.
Yes, these can be frozen in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature.
Butter tarts are objects of culture pride across Canada. There are butter tart festivals and tours in many communities throughout Canada.
🔖Related Recipes
📋 Recipe
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Maple Pecan Butter Tarts
Equipment
- one or two 12 cup muffin tin(s)
Ingredients
Pie Dough
- 2 ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter cold, cut into 1" pieces
- 3 tablespoons water cold
- 3 tablespoons milk cold
Butter Tarts
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup pecan pieces or raisins
Instructions
Tart
- Grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
- Whisk flour, granulated sugar, and salt together in a large bowl. Add cold butter to the bowl and use a pastry cutter or a fork to work the butter into the flour mixture. Work the butter into the flour mixture until butter is well distributed and the butter is about the size of peas.
- Mix the water and milk together in a small bowl. Add the to the dough a bit at a time. Use your hands or a wooden spoon to fold the water into the dough. You want to keep adding the liquid until the dough clumps together.
- Break the dough into 2 pieces and wrap each in plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
- When ready to make the tarts, roll out dough on a floured surface, about ¼-inch thick. Cut 5-inch circles out of the dough and line each muffin cup with the pastry. Line it so that the pastry comes about ½-inch higher than the muffin tin. Chill the pastry lined tin while you prepare the filling.
Butter Tart Filling
- Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C).
- In a large bowl, whisk melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, maple syrup, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt together.
- Put a 5-7 pecan pieces in the bottom of each tart shell. Ladle the filling into each shell, about ¾ full.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce oven to 375°F (190°C) and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, rotating muffin tin half-way through. Tart filling should be bubbling and crust edges will be browned.
- Cool the tarts while in the muffin tin for 5 minutes. Use a knife to run it around the edges of each tart, twisting them to prevent sticking. Keep the tarts in the pan until fully cooled.
- Store the butter tarts at room temperature in an air tight container for up to 3 days.
