Butter Tart Pie is simply a larger take on Canada’s beloved butter tart: a sweet, buttery, gooey filling studded with plump raisins (or left plain) inside a flaky pie crust.
Butter tarts are a classic Canadian dessert—essentially small pies with a rich, sugary filling. They’re traditionally made with raisins, but you can also make them plain or add nuts for variation.
They’re commonly served during the holidays; in my family they were a fixture at every Christmas. As a child I didn’t like raisins, so my mom and grandmother always set aside a few plain tarts just for me. These days I live far from family and even outside Canada, but I still make butter tarts every Christmas (and now I always include the raisins).
Because I didn’t enjoy cutting out dozens of individual tart shells, I adapted my Best Ever Butter Tarts into one large Butter Tart Pie for my husband’s birthday. Converting the recipe required some adjustments—here’s what worked best.
How to make Butter Tart Pie:
After a bit of trial and error I figured out how to scale and bake a butter tart filling in a single pie crust. The key differences from individual tarts are:
- The filling-to-crust ratio should be higher than for tarts. To fill one 9-inch pie you’ll need roughly twice the filling you’d use for the same number of individual tarts. I doubled the raisins and every ingredient in the filling.
- The pie needs a longer bake time for the center to set. The filling takes nearly twice as long as in small tarts, so protect the crust edges with foil during part of the bake to prevent over-browning.
- Don’t underbake to try to get a runny center. Unlike small butter tarts, an underbaked pie will spill when sliced. If you prefer a very runny filling, stick with individual tarts.
- I tried the pie both at room temperature and chilled; I prefer it chilled.
Butter Tart Pie Ingredients:
- Raisins: regular or golden—use what you have. Soak briefly in boiling water to plump them, then drain.
- Unsalted butter, softened
- Brown sugar: light brown for a classic profile; dark brown adds more molasses character.
- Salt
- Corn syrup: golden syrup can be substituted if preferred.
- Large eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Unbaked pie crust: store-bought or homemade. Use a gluten-free crust if needed.
Basic method (summary)
- Soak 1 cup raisins in boiling water until plump, then drain.
- Preheat oven to 400°F (middle rack).
- Cream 1/2 cup (1 stick) softened unsalted butter with 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt until light and fluffy. Add 1 cup corn syrup and beat until smooth. Mix in 2 lightly beaten large eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
- Roll or fit one 9-inch pie crust into a pie dish. Spread drained raisins across the crust and pour in the filling. Crimp the edges.
- Place the pie on a baking sheet. Shield the crust edge with a foil strip for the first part of baking. Bake about 25 minutes with foil, then remove the foil and continue baking another 20–25 minutes until the filling is bubbling and golden and the crust edges are golden. If the crust browns too quickly after removing foil, replace it briefly.
- Cool to room temperature, then chill before serving for the best texture. The pie can be served at room temperature but is firmer and tastier chilled.
Nutrition notes
Butter Tart Pie is a rich dessert high in fat, saturated fat, sugar, and calories. Like most buttery sweets, it’s best enjoyed in moderation as an occasional treat.
Butter Tart Pie
Ingredients
- 1 cup raisins
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup corn syrup
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust
Instructions
- Place the raisins in a small bowl and cover with boiling water by about 1 inch. Let sit until softened, then drain completely.
- Preheat oven to 400°F and position the rack in the middle.
- Cream the butter, brown sugar, and salt on medium-high until light and fluffy. Add the corn syrup and beat until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla, mixing until combined.
- Fit the pie dough into a 9-inch dish. Evenly distribute the drained raisins across the crust and pour the filling over top. Flute the crust edges and set the pie on a baking sheet.
- Cover the crust edge with a 2–3 inch strip of rolled foil. Bake 25 minutes, remove the foil, then bake another 20–25 minutes until the filling bubbles and turns golden and the crust is golden. If the crust browns too fast after removing foil, replace it briefly.
- Cool to room temperature, then chill until ready to serve. Chilled pie holds its shape best.
Nutrition per slice
- Calories: 290 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 47 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Fat: 12 g (Saturated fat: 6 g)
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
- Sodium: 105 mg
- Sugar: 25 g
