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Butter Tart Bars with Shortbread Crust
Bake butter tart bars with shortbread crust for a classic Canadian dessert bursting with gooey filling and flaky base. Easy recipe steps included.
Canadian Butter Tart Bars with a Shortbread Base are a bar-style dessert that transforms the country’s classic butter tarts into an easy, slice-and-serve format. A crisp, buttery shortbread layer forms the foundation, while the topping combines brown sugar, corn syrup, melted butter, and eggs to create a glossy, caramel-like filling that may include raisins or chopped pecans for added texture. Baked in a single pan and cut into squares, these bars deliver the same rich sweetness and slight chew of traditional butter tarts with far less assembly time. They are commonly enjoyed at holiday gatherings, bake sales, and casual get-togethers, offering a crowd-friendly treat that travels well and can be served at room temperature.
Butter Tart Bars with Shortbread Crust
Ready in under 15 minutes of hands-on time, this one-bowl recipe is a weeknight-friendly shortcut to bakery-style treats. The bars freeze and thaw flawlessly, so you can bake ahead and keep a stash on standby for sudden cravings or impromptu guests.
Prep Time
20 minutes
20 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
40 minutes
Total Time
60 minutes
60 minutes
Ingredients
All-purpose flour – 2 cups
- Granulated (white) sugar – ½ cup
- Unsalted butter – 1 cup cold, cubed (for crust) + ½ cup melted (for filling)
- Packed light brown sugar – 1½ cups
- Light or golden corn syrup – 1 cup
- Large eggs – 4
- White vinegar – 1 tbsp
- Pure vanilla extract – 2 tsp
- Fine salt – ½ tsp
- Raisins – 1½ cups
- Optional add-ins (use singly or in combination to taste): chopped pecans or walnuts – up to 1 cup; shredded sweetened coconut – ½ cup; mini chocolate chips – ½ cup
Method
Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C)
- Line a 9 × 13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the long sides
- Stir flour, brown sugar, and a pinch of salt together in a medium bowl
- Cut cold butter into the flour mixture until coarse crumbs form
- Press the crumb mixture firmly and evenly into the prepared pan
- Bake the crust for about 15 minutes until lightly golden around the edges
- Whisk eggs in a clean bowl until foamy
- Whisk brown sugar into the eggs until the mixture is thick and smooth
- Stir in melted butter, corn syrup, vanilla extract, and white vinegar until combined
- Fold in raisins (or pecans) if using
- Remove the hot crust from the oven and immediately pour the filling evenly over it
- Return the pan to the oven and bake for 22–25 minutes until the filling is set and the top is caramelized
- Place the pan on a wire rack and let the bars cool completely
- Lift the slab from the pan using the parchment overhang
- Cut the cooled slab into bars with a sharp, clean knife
- Store the butter tart bars in an airtight container at room temperature
Nutrition (whole recipe)
Calories
6900 kcal Protein
61 g Fat
299 g Carbs
1049 g Fiber
16 g Sugar
813 g
6900 kcal Protein
61 g Fat
299 g Carbs
1049 g Fiber
16 g Sugar
813 g
Notes
For cleaner slices, chill the baked bars for at least 30 minutes, then use a hot, thin knife to cut through the filling without cracking it. Swap half the corn syrup for maple syrup and finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt to balance the sweetness and give the bars a subtle Canadian twist.
why this recipe
These butter tart bars with shortbread crust capture all the gooey decadence of Canada’s beloved butter tarts while offering the ease of a simple, slice-and-serve tray bake, making them perfect for both weeknight cravings and celebratory spreads. A melt-in-your-mouth shortbread base provides a delicate, buttery counterpoint to the luscious caramel-like filling studded with plump raisins and toasted pecans, creating layers of contrasting texture that keep every bite irresistible. Because the recipe streamlines traditional pastry work, you’ll spend less time fussing and more time savoring the rich aroma that perfumes your kitchen as the bars bake to golden perfection. The result is a show-stopping dessert that feels nostalgic yet sophisticated, sure to win over anyone lucky enough to taste it.
FAQs
FAQ acf
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I replace the corn syrup with maple syrup or another sweetener in these butter tart bars?
Yes—swapping up to half of the corn syrup for maple syrup (or an equal amount of golden syrup or honey) works well and adds a deeper flavor, but the filling may be slightly softer. If you want to replace all of the corn syrup, add 1 tablespoon of flour or cornstarch to the filling to help it set and expect a less glassy top.
Q2: Can these butter tart bars be frozen, and what’s the best way to thaw them for serving?
Yes—once the bars have cooled completely, arrange the cut squares in a single layer (or with parchment between layers) in an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 2–3 months. To serve, thaw the bars at room temperature, still covered, for about 1 hour; they’ll regain their buttery crispness without becoming sticky.
Can I make these butter tart bars gluten-free?
Yes—substitute the 2 cups of all-purpose flour in the crust with an equal amount of a cup-for-cup gluten-free baking blend that already contains xanthan or guar gum (or add ½ tsp xanthan gum yourself). Press and bake the crust as directed; the filling ingredients are naturally gluten-free, so no other changes are needed.