How To Make Canada’s Best Butter Tarts

Food editor Kristen Eppich shares a recipe for the best butter tarts in Canada, from 13th Street Bakery, and three scrumptious variations.
Perhaps the most hotly debated dessert in the country, the butter tart was created during pioneer times when ingredients were sparse. Whether it’s at Marty’s World Famous Cafe in Bracebridge — the New York Times’ pick — or along the butter tart trail in Prince Edward County, we all think we’ve found the best version. Well, unless you’ve had one from 13th Street Bakery in St. Catharines, I beg to differ. The pastry is delicate yet sturdy, and the filling is just gooey enough. What’s the trick? The tarts are baked in silicone muffin cups. Anything that bubbles over forms a sugary crunch, and you can still get them out of the pan.

Get the recipe for 13th Street Bakery Butter Tarts, and try three different variations on the original below.

Bacon Butter Tarts: Cook 6 strips. Crumble 1/4 piece of cooked bacon in an empty unbaked tart shell, add goo and bake according to recipe instructions. Top each with 1/4 piece of bacon after they are out of the oven.

Toasted Coconut & Raspberry Butter Tarts: Toast coconut in the oven for 10 minutes at 350°F. Add 3 fresh raspberries and 1 tsp of coconut into an unbaked tart shell, add goo and bake according to recipe instructions.

Belgium Chocolate Butter Tarts: Add 1/2 tbsp of chocolate into unbaked tart shell. Add goo and bake according to recipe instructions. Drizzle with melted Belgium Chocolate when cool.