I’m Laura McHugh, and I’ve been making butter tarts for more than 40 years.

My mom taught me how to make these tarts when I was 10. They are a family tradition we only had at Christmas, but as my sister and brother and I got older and married, and starting sharing holidays with extended family, the tart secret got out.

When I would make just a couple dozen tarts for holiday get-togethers, my family would be fighting over them, so I was forced to find a way to make more of them more efficiently. Even when I show up with 8-10 dozen, it never seems to be enough, and friends are now in on the secret too, asking me to make a few dozen for a birthday party or shower.

You’ve never had anything like them before, and once you taste them, you’ll be jones-ing for more.

“Good with coffee, tea, or a big glass of milk, they harken back to simpler times. But you will want to find a hiding place for your stash!”

— Laura McHugh, Butter Tart Queen

butter tarts.

(1) a two-bite treat (okay, truthfully, I eat them in one bite!) that will stop your taste buds in their tracks.

(2) a rich, caramel custard dotted with currents, surrounded by a flaky pastry crust

(examples) butter tarts are perfect all on their own, but dress up nice as a unique, fancy dessert when served with a little dollop of whipped cream.

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