The Best Butter Tarts in Canada

For the Love of Butter Tarts

As a true Canadian, growing up in small-town Ontario, butter tarts were always a huge part of my life. I have had many butter tarts from various bakeries and markets across the Niagara Peninsula. My love of butter tarts was born, making them my favourite sweet treat of all.

In fact, my father, who was quite a talented home baker, used to make his own butter tarts quite frequently. I have many fond memories of eating my father’s butter tarts, and this has raised the bar for what I believe a good butter tart should taste like. My father passed away 18 years ago, and the last time he made butter tarts was many years before that. I have tried butter tarts from all over the country, hoping to find one that will meet (or exceed) the high bar that has been set by my father.

Where can you find the Best butter tarts in Canada?

The Butter Tart Quest

During our travels, food, drink, and desserts are all a big part of our travel adventures. When we find a local bakeshop that makes (or specializes in) butter tarts, we always try them. I am pretty particular in what I am expecting from taste, texture, level of sweetness, crust, and overall experience. However, I am definitely open to trying the individual bakers’ variations.

The purpose of the “butter tart Quest” is to identify some of the best places to buy the best butter tarts that we find along the way. We will let you know where to find some amazing treats and rate them based on some tough criteria and a high bar of excellence. We will help you find the tarts that are worth trying across Canada (and the USA). Comparatively,  butter Tarts are like pizza; even when they are not the best, they are still pretty good.

What does it take to be the Best Butter Tarts?

 

What are the criteria we are looking for in a good butter tart?

1. Crust: We are looking for flakiness, lightness, lack of greasy taste/feel, a touch of sweetness. WhiIe I typically find shortening-based crusts to be considerably better than lard, if  done right, then it isn’t a deal breaker.
2. Filling: the perfect amount of filling to crust ratio, level of sweetness, amount of gooey-ness, buttery smooth
3. Raisins vs no raisins – Although I am not a fan of raisins and have often been turned off by a raisin-laden tart, a good butter tart with raisins can still make the cut.
4. Freshness. – Without a doubt, nothing quite compares to the smell of butter tarts right out of the oven, but the taste of a fresh butter tart is
5. Extra touches: Different flavours and unexpected surprises (crunchy sugar layer on bottom) that significantly set them apart from the rest.

Ontario’s Best Butter Tart Festivals:

Every year in Midland, Ontario, there is a huge festival devoted to the decadent butter tart. This is a must-do day trip for anyone who loves this iconic & truly Canadian sweet. They have vendors & bakers from all over Ontario selling their version of butter tarts. This is a great place to sample various types and styles, from basic to over-the-top gourmet tarts. We have been to the Butter Tart festival in years past, and it is definitely worth the drive.

Every year, more and more butter tart festivals are popping up all across Canada. We hope to visit as many as possible in our quest to find the best butter tarts around.

Read about our experiences at Ontario’s best Butter Tart Festival in Midland, Ontario.

#ButtertartQuest

The Search for The Best Butter Tarts in Canada

As we continue to grow our little travel and tourism blog, Roguetrippers will shine a spotlight on some of the bakeries we encounter in our Road trip travels. Canadians love their butter tarts, and our goal with the Butter Tart Quest section of our travel blog is to encourage you to visit the towns and cities where the bakeries we mention are located. Some of these bakeries can be found in cities you visit often. However, some really great places can be found in small country hamlets that you may have never heard of before. We want you to follow your nose (or Sweet tooth) and discover these places – and enjoy a butter tart (or 2) as you do.

It is also a great way to support small businesses and local bakeries.

Join the Quest for Canada’s Best Butter Tarts

Do you know a great local bakeshop making what you consider to be Ontario’s best butter tarts?  We would love to hear about them. Send us an email with their information. We will definitely check them out, and give them a try, the next time we are in town. If you are a baker who would like for us to feature your butter tarts on Roguetrippers, please reach out via email or social media.