A Family Recipe for Remembrance Weekend: Nana's Classic Canadian Butter Tarts

Priya texted me on a grey Tuesday in early November, the kind of South & Central Ontario afternoon when the leaves are almost gone and the furnace has finally kicked on for good.

"Jenn," she wrote, "David''s Nana used to make butter tarts every Remembrance weekend. We have her card. We have the new kitchen. We do not have her patience. Help?"

I smiled, because that is one of my favourite new-home moments: when a family recipe shows up before the last box is unpacked. Priya and David had closed on their Aurora bungalow in late September with The Jennifer Jones Team at LPT Realty, Brokerage. By the first week of November, they were already planning to take their kids to a local Remembrance Day service, then come home to something sweet and familiar.

So that Saturday, they rolled pastry, melted butter and argued (lovingly) about raisins. A few hours later, Priya sent a photo of a cooling rack lined with golden tarts and the caption: "Okay. Nana would approve."

She said I could share the recipe, so here it is.

Nana''s Classic Canadian Butter Tarts

Butter tarts are one of Canada''s true homegrown sweets. An early published recipe appeared in Barrie, Ontario, around 1900, and families across the province still debate the big questions: runny or firm? raisins or plain? Nana''s version lands in the middle—gooey but set, with maple syrup for depth and raisins optional for the traditionalists.

Makes about 12 tarts.

For the pastry (or use store-bought tart shells)

• 1 ½ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup (113 g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water

For the filling

• ¾ cup (150 g) packed light brown sugar
• ¼ cup (60 ml) corn syrup
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) pure maple syrup
• ¼ cup (57 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• Pinch of salt
• ½ cup (75 g) raisins, optional (soak in hot water 10 minutes, then drain and pat dry)

Directions

1. Make the pastry. Whisk the flour and salt. Cut in the cold butter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with a few pea-sized pieces. Stir the egg yolk and vinegar together, then add ice water a tablespoon at a time until the dough just holds. Press into a disc, wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes (or overnight).

2. Preheat and prep. Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin. Roll the chilled dough to about ⅛-inch thick and cut 4-inch rounds. Press each round into a muffin cup. If using raisins, divide them among the shells.

3. Mix the filling. Whisk the brown sugar, corn syrup, maple syrup, melted butter, eggs, vanilla, vinegar and salt until smooth and slightly bubbly. Spoon the filling into the shells until they are about three-quarters full—do not overfill.

4. Bake. Bake for 10 minutes at 425°F, then reduce the heat to 400°F (200°C) and bake another 6 to 8 minutes, until the pastry is deep golden and the centres are puffed and just set. Cool in the pan for a few minutes, then gently lift the tarts onto a rack.

5. Serve. Enjoy warm or at room temperature with tea after a walk, a ceremony or a quiet moment of thanks. Store airtight for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nana''s notes

• Raisins vs. plain: The kids vote plain; David votes raisins. Priya makes half and half.
• Runny vs. firm: For a runnier centre, pull them a minute earlier. For firmer, give them the full bake.
• Shortcut: Good store-bought tart shells work on a busy Remembrance weeknight. Nana would understand.

Why this recipe belongs in a November kitchen

Mid-November in South & Central Ontario is a hinge in the year. Remembrance Day asks us to pause. The first real cold nights ask us to gather. And for a lot of the families we work with—from Newmarket and Aurora to Georgina, Bradford, Barrie, Innisfil and beyond—home is where those two things meet.

A butter tart will not fix the world. But baking one with your kids, or for your neighbours, or for the grandparents who taught you the recipe, is a small way to say: we remember, and we make room for each other.

If you are thinking about your next chapter—more kitchen space, a quieter street, a home closer to family—we would love to help. Book a free home evaluation with The Jennifer Jones Team at LPT Realty, Brokerage, or search homes across South & Central Ontario.

This is an illustrative story based on common client situations.