Mennonite Girls Can Cook is a collection of recipes which were posted daily for a period of ten years from 2008 to 2018. We have over 3,000 delicious recipes that we invite you to try. The recipes can be accessed in our recipe file by category or you can use the search engine.

Recipe Search

Butter Tart Squares

We are celebrating Thanksgiving in Canada today, enjoying turkey with stuffing and serving pumpkin pie for dessert. Although there won't likely be room for butter tart squares on today's menu, they are a perfect all-Canadian fall treat. Butter tarts are unique to Canada, a rich shortbread crust with a creamy caramel raisin and nut filling. Here is a recipe for butter tarts made easy...the square version.

 
Crust:
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  1. Combine flour and sugar. 
  2. With pastry blender, cut in butter until crumbly. 
  3. Press into cookie sheet (10" x 15"). 
  4. Bake at 350° F for 15 minutes.
 Topping:
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 4 tablespoons flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 1/2 cup raisins
  • 3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans

  1. Mix together butter and sugar.
  2. Blend in eggs.
  3. Add flour, baking powder, salt and vanilla.
  4. Stir in raisins and pecans.
  5. Pour over base.
  6. Bake at 350° F for 20 to 25 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched.
  7. Allow to cool; then cut into squares.

If you can't finish off the whole pan at once, they freeze well and even taste great partially frozen!

39 comments:

  1. I will save this recipe and try it later.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I think that this year .. .I'll opt for squares instead of tarts .. .I love the filling .. and I like my butter tarts partially frozen anyways ..
    Thanks Judy.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Grin....like Lovella's comment. Partially frozen....now I do that too. Wonder how many will say the same thing. I am with you all the way on this one Judy - looks great....and Lovella you are right...squares are the way to go...easier to pack up to send along, give and take to parties. This looks like a definite one to make for the holidays ahead! Oh...my word verification is ellater...that is the way I feel this Thanksgiving Day...ELATED! Happy Thanksgiving all...so much to be truly grateful for!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh i love butter tart slice.
    I really try to be seasonal when I make these around Christmas.
    The are my husbands favorite, along with date squares and so on and so forth ;-)
    they are so much easier than the tarts, and frozen, absolutely!
    Thanks for sharing this one.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Happy thanks giving to all of you!!! Thank you for a year full of great recipes

    ReplyDelete
  6. This looks really, really gooood and I don't like raisins. I think I'll try it with craisens. Happy Thanksgiving

    ReplyDelete
  7. These are one of my husbands favorite.Thanks for the reminder to make these once. There sooo good!!
    Cheryl

    ReplyDelete
  8. This is a must try,and soon.
    Blessings,Ruth

    ReplyDelete
  9. oh my, i think i just have to make these this year. my grandma used to make the tart version. when i was in england and had their "mince pies" at christmas, they reminded me of these, only these are better!

    ReplyDelete
  10. oh yummmm...my sister-in-law always used to bring these to our gatherings...I'll have to "remind" her :)
    Thanks for posting - and, oh yes...partially frozen indeed!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I didn't even know Canada celebrated Thanksgiving, I feel dumb!! These look delicious, I'm adding them to my holiday cookie list.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I often make them in a pan as well, but sadly have to omit the nuts. Now I'm hungry for one.
    Happy Thanksgiving! Kathy

    ReplyDelete
  13. happy thanksgiving! these look really tasty!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Oh my...these looks incredible. I can hardly wait to make them - I was just putting a menu together for the week and am adding pecans before I head to the store. Thanks for posting this one!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. these look delicious, my Canadian MIL makes similar ones as tarts. Happy Thanksgiving to you all. We are in the USA but as my husband is Canadian we also celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving with his siblings who live near :-) I love your blog, I always come here first when I am looking for something from our heritage (both he & I come from a German Mennonite Heritage). You wouldn't happen to have a recipe for an Oatmeal Pie would you??? Dosnt hurt to ask right?? ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Thanks for sharing this heavenly recipe. I had an aunt who used to make tarts similar to this. I love shortbread, so this recipe sounds very appealing to me.

    ReplyDelete
  17. These look very tasty! I will try these soon, but will have to find someone to share them with, as there is only the two of us here. Will take them to the next family gathering, during the holidays.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Oye! I'd love one of those right now...

    ReplyDelete
  19. I had to comment again now that the squares are done - they are absolutely amazing. And such an easy recipe! Thanks again for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  20. those look absolutely delicious! I would like to make them for a special event. Has anyone ever heard of any thing special or decorative to do on top, to give them that extra special look? (they aleady have the extra special taste)

    ReplyDelete
  21. Planned to have some ladies over for tea....I think these squares would go quite well with the tea?!It seems you always post a recipe, exactly what I need for that day.Totally appreciate this blog!!!
    ~lisa

    ReplyDelete
  22. I think I must have done something wrong... I just added the top layer and baked for 25 minutes but the top layer is not at all firm but it is definitely brown. I did run out of butter so used about 1/8c margerine to replace the butter I didn't have, but I don't think that should make that big a difference.... ideas?
    -de

    ReplyDelete
  23. Denise...I think every oven is quite different...but I'm sure they will be fine even if not totally firm. They are rather ooey-gooey and sticky on top...like the filling of a pecan pie.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Butter tart squares are so good! And because of you I think I'll have to make some in the very near future :)

    ReplyDelete
  25. I don't have a pastry blender, but have hand mixer. Would that work?

    ReplyDelete
  26. Melissa... for any kind of pie pastry it is beter to use a pastry blender because you want to simply cut the fat into the dry ingredients and make a crumbly mixture before stirring in the liquids. If you use a mixer you will blend it too much and it will not be as flakey. In fact, the pastry may turn out tough.If you do not have a pastry blender, you can use two butter knives.

    ReplyDelete
  27. AMAZING! I literally made myself sick off these. It makes quite a bit and they're rich. I recommend freezing half. They thaw great and are actually surprisingly good still partially frozen! I don't care for nuts so I left them out and it was still delish. Also, I don't have a pastry blender, but two butter knives worked great.

    ReplyDelete
  28. My daughter-in-law, Kelly brought them for our late Thanksgiving dinner-they are fantastic!

    ReplyDelete
  29. I am drooling... must make these now

    ReplyDelete
  30. Would this work in a jelly roll pan? how deep should the pan be??

    ReplyDelete
  31. debcom...A jelly roll pan is basically a cookie sheet with 1" sides, so as long as the dimensions are close to those specified, use your jelly roll pan.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Just in the process of making these. I made a half recipe and they turned out fantastically. My husband keeps coming in to check when they will be ready!

    ReplyDelete
  33. What do you mean if you can't finish the whole pan they freeze well.
    Well, I will attempt to finish the pan as I have just opened a fresh jug of milk and the pan has cooled and there is nobody home but me. Yea Hooo, I don't even have to share. Well maybe with my new friend the Barn Cat, he's at the back door and he does like a bowl of milk now and then. Will update when I have finished. Wish me luck and thank you for another great recipe. Dianne

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well they turned out great. And no, I couldn't finish the whole pan, but did enjoy a couple of pieces with my milk. And while I was enjoying them, I enjoyed the company of my new friend, the Barn Cat. thanks gain...dh

      Delete
  34. Would there be a GF crust you would suggest for this recipe?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You could use this one found here .. http://www.mennonitegirlscancook.ca/2014/11/pie-pastry-gluten-free.html

      Delete
  35. I have made these and they are hard to keep around they love them every one who has them is always asking when we are making more

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.