Butter Tart Bars are two treats in one! A buttery shortbread crust forms the base, and a sweet gooey filling is baked on top. It's a delicious way to enjoy this classic Canadian treat without all the fuss of making pastry tart shells.
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What is a Butter Tart?
These delicious treats are a bit similar to a pecan pie. But not the same. If you are Canadian, then you know exactly what I mean. One thing for sure, classic butter tarts are delectable, sweet, gooey treats, and they are an especially popular indulgence during the holiday season here in Canada.
Butter tarts are really a very simple recipe. There's a pastry tart shell, and the sweet and simple filling, which is made with eggs, brown sugar, (or sometimes maple syrup) and, of course, butter.
There is, almost always, an addition of either raisins, walnuts, currants, or pecans. Canadians tend to feel strongly about their traditional butter tarts, and people can have very strong preferences about the add-ins!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Making one big pan to cut into squares is much easier than individual tarts, and there is no pastry to roll out.
- The filling here is a bit firmer than some tarts, so that the squares will hold their shape.
- The filling has minimal ingredients. Just brown sugar, eggs and butter combine to make their magic, and pecans add a delicious, nutty crunch.
- As they bake, the squares form a light caramelized crust on top, while the filling stays gooey.
- Butter Tart Squares freeze beautifully.
Ingredient Notes
Shortbread
- Flour I use a 1:1 ratio gluten free flour, however, you can use all purpose flour if gluten isn't an issue.
- Butter If you have unsalted butter, use it, but salted butter is fine. Butter should be softened.
- Brown Sugar This is a brown sugar shortbread. Use light brown (also called golden yellow) sugar.
- Vanilla Extract
- Salt
Filling
- Eggs You'll need three large eggs.
- Melted Butter It goes without saying, you must use real butter for a butter tart recipe. There is no substitution.
- Brown Sugar Light brown sugar which is also called golden yellow sugar is what gives the filling it's delicious caramelized flavour.
- Vanilla Extract
- Salt
- Flour
- Pecans You can use walnuts or raisins instead, or omit them.
How To Make It
- Combine the crust ingredients to form a crumbly dough.
- Press the dough evenly into a parchment lined baking pan.
- Bake the crust
- Beat together the filling ingredients
- Stir in the pecans
- Smooth the filling over the pre-baked crust.
- Bake until the top is golden and the filling is set.
- Use a sharp knife to cut into bars
Recipe Tips
- Have your butter soft at room temperature. I let it sit out overnight.
- For best results, have the eggs at room temperature as well.
- A stand mixer works well for both the crust and the filling, but you can also use an electric hand mixer or a food processor.
- Line your baking pan with parchment, leaving a couple of inches of overhang. This will make it easy to lift the uncut squares out of the pan. Use a knife first to loosen the sides.
- The crust should be completely cooled before spreading the filling on top.
- Make sure the butter tart bars are completely cool before slicing them.
FAQs
They freeze very well. (But be warned, it won't stop anyone from eating them up. They are even delicious when frozen! To freeze: After slicing, flash freeze the bars on a tray until they are firm, then transfer them to an airtight container or bag. Freeze for up to three months.
The squares will keep covered, at room temperature for a couple of days, otherwise, put them in the fridge for up to a week.
The filling, while still gooey, is not as runny as many butter tart recipes.
More Shortbread
Looking for more shortbread treats? Try Cranberry Walnut Shortbread Cookies, or Salted Caramel Thumbprint Cookies
Recipe
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Butter Tart Bars
Ingredients
Shortbread Base
- ¾ cup butter softened
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups flour
Filling
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup butter melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup pecans chopped
Instructions
For the Base
- Pre heat oven to 350°
- Prepare a 9 x 13" baking pan by lining with parchment paper
- Use a mixer to beat the butter, brown sugar, salt and vanilla until combined
- Add the flour and continue mixing until incorporated. The dough will be crumbly, but will press evenly together.
- With your hands, press the dough firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Bake in centre of oven 15Â minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool while you make the filling
For the Filling
- Using a mixer, beat eggs. Add sugar and beat, then butter, vanilla, flour, and salt.
- Beat for a couple of minutes, then stir in pecans.
- Spread filling evenly over crust
- Return to oven and bake for 20-25Â minutes or until filling is set. The top should be golden brown and the filling should still have a slight jiggle when you move the pan.
- Allow to cool completely on a wire rack before removing from pan. Cut into squares
Jeannie
so buttery and gooey! we enjoyed every bite!
Colleen
I love to hear this, Jeannie! Thanks for your comment!
nancy
can't stop eating these
Colleen
I know exactly what you mean, Nancy!
Kay
I love a good traybake treat. The perfect sweet treat this time of the year. I will need to make another batch to take with me for Christmas with the family.
Colleen
Hi Kay, I'm so glad you liked these butter tart bars. Enjoy, and Merry Christmas!
Sharon
Super good! I loved it all baking up in one pan - easy peasy. It was hard to wait for them to cool but so worth it. 🙂
Colleen
Hi Sharon. I'm so happy to hear this. Thanks for your comment!
Jacqueline Meldrum
Those look so good I am almost ready to lick the screen!
Colleen
Don't lick your screen, Jacqueline! Just make some of these butter tart bars. 😋
Adrianne
My mouth is watering at the thought of these butter tart squares! I love that there is no pastry to roll out. They look super delicious also.
Colleen
Hi Adrianne, You're definitely going to love these!
Tara
Definitely the best of two treats in one! I absolutely love butter tarts and they look fantastic in this bar form. Yum!
Colleen
I hope you give these a try, Tara!
Beth
This is a family favourite in our house and I highly recommend it to everyone! I use Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Bean Paste instead of regular vanilla extract and I find it makes the butter tart incredibly buttery and more flavourful. I love the shortbread like brown sugar crust! I have made this recipe many, many times and it always comes out beautifully!
Thank you,
Beth
Colleen
Hi Beth! I'm so happy that your family loves this recipe as much as mine does. And thank you for the great tip! I am on the hunt for that vanilla bean paste! I so appreciate your feedback. It is super helpful to others, and it makes my heart happy, too.
AlbertaGIrl
After 25 years of baking butter tarts for Christmas, this was my first year of trying a pan of them instead..WOW, so much easier and the shortbread crust was excellent. I made 2 pans, one by following the recipe and the other with 'my slant' on it. Mine had the typical Canadian version of adding raisins soaked first to plump up in a little warm water and Maple syrup. I also added a 1/4 of maple syrup to the recipe and tossed another teaspoon of flour in. I was also out of vanilla so I used vanilla paste. They were EXCELLENT, in fact I may never fool with tart shells again lol. Thank you so much, this may be my go to for the next 25 years 🙂 Merry Christmas from Alberta!
Colleen
Hi AlbertaGirl! I am so thrilled to hear that you loved this recipe! I love it too and make it every Christmas. I LOVE your additions of raisins (and I wish my family did, haha) and maple syrup. Thank you very much for coming back to share, and Merry Christmas from BC!
Cassie | Crumb Kitchen
BUTTER. TART. SQUARES. Oh my gosh. I am the biggest butter tart fiend out there, and my only gripe with them if that they're messy. This fixes it! What an amazing recipe—so buttery, flaky and gooey! Yum. 🙂
Colleen
Thanks Cassie! I am so with you on being a butter tart fiend!
Teresa
These look so good! A nice way to update a classic.
Colleen
Thanks Teresa!
Markus Mueller
Awesome! Butter tarts are one of my new found favorite Canadian desserts! The fact that these don't incorporate the usual shell is wonderful...great to take on a walk and enjoy with a thermos of hot tea!
Colleen
Marcus, that sounds like a wonderful way to enjoy these delicious butter tart squares. Thanks so much for sharing!
MDIVADOMESTICA
It would be the holidays without butter tarts. Making one of my favourite desserts into a square is even better!
Colleen
Thanks so much! Yes, for me, at least the square works much better than the tart, ha ha
Laura @ The Bluenose Baker
These look delicious! My mom loves butter tarts - I bet she would love these!
Colleen
Thanks Laura! They really are delicious 🙂
Amanda Orlando
I love this <3 It looks so festive but without the work of having to make little pie shells!
Colleen
Thanks Amanda, that's what I love about them too.