Maple Butter Tart Squares - Dairy Free Canadian Bars
All the gooey, caramelized flavour of classic Canadian butter tarts, baked in one easy-to-slice dairy-free bar. Perfect for holidays, bake sales, or cozy treats, these maple butter tart squares combine a buttery brown sugar shortbread base with a rich maple filling - no rolling pastry required!
Equipment
- Wooden Spoon
- Small measuring jug
Angela's Top Tip
Weigh your dry ingredients in grams with a scale for best results!
Ingredients
For the Shortbread Base
- 50 grams Brown Sugar (1/4 US Cup)
- 100 grams Plant Based Butter (unsalted) (cold and cubed - * see note)
- 150 grams All Purpose Flour (1 & 1/4 US Cup)
For the Filling
- 160 grams Brown Sugar (3/4 US Cup)
- 60 ml Maple Syrup (1/4 US Cup)
- 2 tbsp Melted Plant Based Butter (30 ml)
- 1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar (5 ml)
- 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste (5 ml)
- 2 Eggs
- 2 tbsp All Purpose Flour
Instructions
Prep
- Gather all of your ingredients and equipment. The butter should be cold and the eggs need to be at room temperature.
- Grease and line an 8 x 8 baking pan with parchment paper, Use clips on the side of the pan to hold the overhanging paper in place (see main post).
To Make the Shortbread Base
- Combine 50 grams Brown Sugar and 150 grams All Purpose Flour in a bowl.
- Cut in the cubed 100 grams Plant Based Butter (unsalted) until a crumbly mixture forms.
- Add to the prepared baking pan and flatten with a wooden spoon.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350F / 175°C until lightly golden.
To Make the Filling:
- While the base is finishing baking, make the filling. Add the 160 grams Brown Sugar, 60 ml Maple Syrup, 2 tbsp Melted Plant Based Butter, 1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar and 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste to a jug or mixing bowl and stir to combine until the sugar has dissolved.
- Add in 2 Eggs and 2 tbsp All Purpose Flour and stir until fully combined.
- Pour over the shortbread base and carefully place back in the oven. Bake for 22-25 minutes, depending on how jiggly you prefer the filling (see main post).
- Allow to cool for 30 minutes then remove from the pan and cut into squares.
Video
Notes
- Yield: This recipe makes 16 butter tart squares (2-inch sized).
- Flavours: For additional filling suggestions, check out the main recipe post.
- Butter: for US measurements, use just under 1/2 cup, 7 tbsp or 7/8 of a stick of butter.
- Gluten-Free: To make this gluten-free friendly, replace the all-purpose flour with gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour. No other changes are required.
- Vegan: To veganise this recipe, replace the 2 eggs in the filling with 2 flax eggs (2 tbsp ground flax with 6 tbsp water - see main post for instructions). No other changes are required.
- Storage: To store, pop the slices in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Bring back to room temperature before serving.
- Freezing: If you need to freeze them, wrap the individual squares before placing them in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature before unwrapping.
- Looking for more Canadian recipes: check out our Maple Honeycomb Candy, Easy Cinnamon Rolls, Maple Loaf Cake, and Tim Hortons Inspired Blueberry Burst Muffins.
Did you make this recipe?I'd love to hear what you think - leave a review below. Sharing on socials? Tag me @itsbakeangel and use #makeitwithbakeangel!
