Vegan Butter Tarts

The holidays aren’t complete without Vegan Butter Tarts! Pie pastry is moulded into a muffin pan and then filled with raisins, nuts and a gooey and sweet buttery, maple filling. These little tarts are a Canadian tradition & make a great holiday or Canada Day dessert!

Say hello to these mapley, buttery, and super sweet Vegan Butter Tarts. This recipe tastes just like the classic version my Canadian friends know and love. They’re sticky, sweet, and downright delicious.

If you’ve never had a butter tart before, just think of a tiny pie filled with a gooey maple filling, raisins, and nuts. You can always find these little treats in Canadian bakeries, at bake sales, or around the holidays. The only difference is that my recipe uses vegan ingredients while still tasting like the original!

Recipe video

Jump to:

• Recipe video
• What are butter tarts?
• Are butter tarts vegan?
• What ingredients do you need?
• How to make vegan butter tarts
• Should the filling be set or runny?
• Success tips
• Making ahead, storage and freezing
• Variations
• How to serve
• 📖 Recipe
• Comments

You only need 40 minutes to make these melt in your mouth desserts, and your whole family is guaranteed to love them. Any extras store well in the fridge or freezer, meaning you’ll always be able to keep a secret stash (I promise I won’t tell).

What are butter tarts?

This sweet and buttery treat hails from our true and native land, with the earliest known recipe being published in 1900 by a cook in Barrie, Ontario. 

Butter tarts are about the same size as a muffin, but the flavors are completely original. A muffin tin is stuffed with small circles of pie pastry, then filled with a maple butter mixture along with raisins and nuts. Every bite is gooey in the best way and surrounded by a sweet and crunchy crust. 

Are butter tarts vegan?

Traditional butter tarts are not vegan because they contain butter and eggs, but they can easily be made vegan, despite the oxymoron for a name. I’ve switched the dairy and eggs for vegan butter, coconut milk, and arrowroot powder (or cornstarch). The combination of the coconut milk and arrowroot "sets" the tarts just enough to keep them nice and gooey. You really can't tell the difference!

What ingredients do you need?

(For detailed measurements and instructions, see the printable recipe card).

Homemade pastry: This is for the vegan tart cases. You can make this as per my instructions or use storebought pie dough.
Here are the ingredients you will be needing if you make it yourself:

The maple-butter filling: This totally vegan filling is buttery and sweet with a rich maple syrup finish. It sets beautifully (just enough to keep them nice and gooey) as the tarts bake, and tastes just like the non-vegan version. Here is exactly what you need to make it:

How to make vegan butter tarts

This vegan butter tart recipe isn’t any more difficult than making vegan mince pies, a homemade vegan pumpkin pie or tart. Even better, these mini tarts can be made from start to finish in about 40 minutes. These are only a couple of elements we need to make. Here’s how it's done:

First of all, make the pastry either in a food processor or by hand, roll it out, and cut it into 12 circles between 4½ and 5 inches in diameter. You can use a cutter or find a mug or glass the right size and use that. Add each circle to the wells of a muffin pan. No need to be fussy here. Butter tarts should look a little rustic! Place them in the fridge while you make the filling.

Step 2 - Make the filling in a medium bowl. It's as simple as adding everything to a bowl and giving it a quick whisk. Don’t worry if there are some small lumps!

Step 3 - Add some raisins and pecans to each tart.

Step 4 - Fill each tart with the liquid filling mixture to about a quarter-inch below the top of the crust, add half a pecan to each once for decoration, then sprinkle some brown/coconut sugar on top. This creates a nice crust.

Step 5 - Bake! They’re done when the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling. Let them cool completely in the muffin tin before attempting to remove then try not to eat them all at once!

Should the filling be set or runny?

It’s a common debate in Canada whether the tart filling should be set (solid) or runny. Leave the recipe as-is if you prefer a semi-set, slightly liquidy filling, or add an extra half tablespoon of arrowroot powder or cornstarch to thicken it up a little more. They’ll still be delicious no matter which way you go!

Success tips

For the very best results when making these eggless butter tarts, take note of these tips:

• Use your best non-stick muffin pan or you might struggle to get them out. I highly recommend using USA Pan Muffin Pans. I use all of their bakeware and love it. It's great quality and pretty reasonably priced. And nothing ever sticks!
• Still worried about removing the tarts from the pan? Put a narrow (1/2 to 1 inch wide) strip of parchment paper into the wells of the pan before adding the pastry. The two ends should stick out on either side of the tart shell to act as handles.
• I don’t recommend using a silicone pan or molds because they don’t distribute heat properly. This will affect how the pastry cooks and it won't be at its best. They also they don't provide enough structure and stability for these tarts
• Try not to overwork the pastry and make sure to keep it cold.
• I love to roll out my pastry on a silicone baking mat. It makes cutting and sliding off the pastry rounds really easy.
• The pastry won’t hold the filling or will leak if it’s rolled too thin. Aim to roll it out to just under 1⁄4 inch thick.
• Don't skip the vinegar! Just a tiny splash helps balance the sweetness in the filling and makes the world of difference. to the flavour balance. Lemon juice is a great alternative though if you prefer.
• Don't skip the extra sprinkle of sugar on top of the filling before the tarts head into the oven. It will caramelize and create a deliciously light sugary crust above the molten insides!
• I know they look and smell amazing, but don't even think about removing them from the pan until they’re completely cool. They are far too delicate when hot and the filling will be dangerously hot.
• Run a toothpick or a small thin knife around the edges of the tops if some of the filling has bubbled up and made the pastry stick to the pan.

Making ahead, storage and freezing

It’s no wonder vegan butter tarts are a top choice dessert to make for bake sales. They can be made well ahead of time or even frozen up until you need them. Make sure they’ve cooled completely before storing away any leftovers.

• Pastry - You can make the pastry ahead of time if you wish. Leave it as a ball and wrap it thoroughly in plastic wrap then refrigerate for up to 3 days. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months either as a ball or already shaped in the muffin pan. To thaw, place in the fridge overnight.
• Filling - Make the filling as instructed, then cover the bowl and keep it in the fridge for up to 2 days. Leave it to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes after taking it out of the fridge and give it a quick whisk before using.
• Storage - Completely cooled butter tarts can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week in the fridge. They are also fine left in an airtight container at room temperature for a couple of days. Enjoy them chilled or at room temperature, or warm them up for 7-10 minutes in a 350ºF (175 °C) oven.
• Freezing - Keep in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Pop them in the fridge overnight to thaw.

Variations

• Try adding 2 tablespoons of dark rum or brandy to the filling!
• Use cornstarch instead of arrowroot powder if you don’t have any at home.
• Add a little extra arrowroot or cornstarch if you prefer a completely set filling with no runniness.
• Omit the raisins or replace them with more pecans.
• Omit the nuts for a nut-free recipe.

How to serve

Eat vegan butter tarts just as they, either warm or cold. Or fancy them up with a dollop of dairy-free vegan ice cream, whipped cream or vegan custard.

📖 Recipe