You’re going to love this easy recipe for Butter Tart Bars! They have all of the same amazing flavor and textures of classic Canadian butter tarts but in a simple-to-make dessert bar recipe.
These butter tart bars are so simple to make and completely delicious! A flaky, buttery pastry crust is topped with a raisin-studded ooey, gooey, sweet filling.
Warm caramel and cinnamon flavors shine through in this perfect dessert!
Butter tart squares are wonderful as a sweet ending to a casual weeknight meal or as a treat to share at a party or potluck.
Learn why butter tarts are the official dessert of the entire country of Canada with this easy recipe that uses just a handful of common baking ingredients.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easier than Traditional Tarts – This easy bar recipe takes the traditional butter tart pastries and makes them stupidly simple. You won’t need to make a traditional pastry dough, there’s no chilling required, and no need to pull out your rolling pin. The crust is mixed in a bowl and then pressed into the pan with your hands!
- Traditional Flavors – We have simplified the process, but we definitely haven’t taken out all of the wonderful flavors and textures that butter tarts are known for. These bars are sweet, gooey, and amazing.
- Canada’s Favorite Dessert! There aren’t many recipes out there than can be classified as “Canadian”, but butter tarts certainly are! If you’ve never had these before, you’re in for a real treat. Another famous Candian dessert to try is my Nanaimo Bars!
Ingredients In Butter Tart Bars
The ingredients for this recipe are very similar to those used in my Canadian Butter Tarts recipe, but with some key adjustments that make this mixture better suited to making bars rather than tarts.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- For the Crust: The crust for these bars is super simple, made with flour, melted butter, and powdered sugar.
- Butter: For both the crust and the filling, we’ll use unsalted, melted butter. Be sure to let the butter cool down a bit after you’ve melted it so that it’s not hot when you mix it with the other ingredients.
- Eggs: There are four whole eggs in this recipe. They work to stabilize the gooey filling mixture so that the bars are sturdy enough to cut.
- Corn Syrup: In Canada, you would use “golden corn syrup” to make butter tart bars, but that’s not easily found in the US and other places. Instead, use light corn syrup to make the bars gooey and sweet.
- Light Brown Sugar: For even more rich sweetness.
- Cinnamon: I like the little bit of warmth that this adds. You may also enjoy adding a pinch of nutmeg along with it.
- Raisins: There is a big controversy out there about adding raisins to butter tarts. Some say never, while others insist that they are a requirement! I’m adding them here, but you can leave the raisins out if you’re opposed to the idea.
How To Make Butter Tart Bars
First, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) or 160°C if using a fan oven. Line a 9×13-inch (approx 22×33 cm) baking pan with parchment paper and set aside while you prepare the crust.
- Mix Dry Ingredients for the Shortbread Base: In a mixing bowl, combine flour with powdered sugar.
- Add Butter: Pour in the melted and slightly cooled butter and stir to combine into a thick and crumbly dough.
- Press: Add the crumb mixture to the prepared baking pan and press it down firmly to create a flat, even crust.
- Bake: Place the crust in the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes or until it is very lightly golden and has puffed up a bit. Allow the crust to cool while you make the butter tart filling.
- Mix: In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, corn syrup, melted butter, eggs, flour, vanilla, cinnamon and salt until smooth.
- Add Raisins: Gently fold in the raisins.
- Pour: Pour the filling into the pre-baked crust. Note that the crust doesn’t need to be cooled all the way at this point, it’s fine if it’s still warm.
- Bake: Return the pan to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the filling is bubbling.
Tip!
The bars need to cool completely before you cut them. For easier cutting, chill the pan in the fridge for an hour or more first.
Recipe Tips
- Plump the raisins: Let the dried raisins soak in boiling water for about 5 minutes before draining and adding them to the recipe. This isn’t necessary, but it does make the fruit extra juicy.
- Other mix-ins: Try adding other dried fruits, such as currants or cranberries, instead of (or in addition to) the raisins. For a less sweet butter tart filling, replace the raisins with chopped nuts, such as walnuts or pecans.
- Adjust the flavor: This classic Canadian treat recipe calls for pure vanilla extract, but feel free to experiment with other flavor extracts like almond or rum extract here.
Storing Tips
The best way to store these butter tart bars is to keep them in an airtight container in the fridge. They will stay fresh for up to 4 days this way.
Be sure to keep the bars in a single layer or separate layers with parchment paper to avoid sticking.
More Internationally Inspired Recipes to Try
- Lebanese Rice Pudding
- Alfajores Cookies
- Brazilian Carrot Cake
- Spanakopita Greek Spinach Pie
- German Dutch Baby Pancake
Recipe FAQs
Can I use this recipe to make Tarts?
The crust and filling in this recipe is best suited to making bars. If you tried to make tarts with this recipe, I’m afraid that they would be too firm and not gooey enough.
Instead, follow my classic Canadian Butter Tarts recipe.
What spices are in butter tarts?
Many recipes for Canadian butter tarts are made without any spices, but some cooks like to add warm seasonings like cinnamon or nutmeg. I got my recipe from a Canadian friend, and her family recipe includes cinnamon, so I include it, too!
How do I keep the bars from sticking to the pan?
Lining the baking pan with parchment paper is your best protection against sticky bars. Leave a bit of extra paper on the two long sides of the pan so that you can use them as handles to remove the butter tart bars once they’ve cooled.
Canadian Butter Tart Bars are going to be your family’s newest obsession, so be sure to save the recipe by Pinning it!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Butter Tart Bars
Equipment
Ingredients
Crust:
- 2 ½ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (90 g) powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter melted and cooled
Filling:
- 1 ¾ cups (350 g) light brown sugar
- 1 cup (240 ml) light corn syrup
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- ¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (100 g) raisins optional
Instructions
To Make the Crust:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C), or 160°C if using a fan oven. Line a 9×13-inch (approx 22×33 cm) baking pan with parchment paper and set aside
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, powdered sugar, and salt.
- Pour in the melted butter and mix to combine, the dough will be thick and crumbly.
- Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until the crust is puffed a bit and starting to turn golden.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
To Make the Filling:
- Prepare the filling while the curst is baking. In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, corn syrup, melted butter, eggs, flour, vanilla, cinnamon and salt until smooth.
- Fold in the raisins if using.
- Pour the filling into the prepared crust, then return to the oven to bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Chill in the fridge for easier slicing.
Notes:
- Plump the raisins: Let the dried raisins soak in boiling water for about 5 minutes before draining and adding them to the recipe. This isn’t necessary, but does make the fruit extra juicy.
- Other mix-ins: Instead of (or in addition to) the raisins, try adding other dried fruits such as currants or cranberries. For a less sweet butter tart filling, replace the raisins with chopped walnuts or pecans.
- Adjust the flavor: This recipe calls for pure vanilla extract, but feel free to experiment with other flavor extracts like almond or rum extract here.
- To Store: The best way to store these butter tart bars is to keep them in an airtight container in the fridge. They will stay fresh for up to 4 days this way.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
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