Butter tarts in Toronto: Ontario's favourite sweet and where to try it

Few foods start an argument in Ontario as quickly as the butter tart. A small pastry shell filled with butter, sugar, syrup and egg, baked until the top is just set and the inside is gooey, it is one of Canada's most beloved sweets, and Ontario claims it as its own. Toronto bakeries sell them by the dozen, and every family has an opinion about the right way to make one.

What is a butter tart?

A butter tart is a small tart with a flaky pastry shell and a sweet filling of butter, sugar, syrup (often corn syrup or maple syrup) and egg. As it bakes, the filling sets around the edges and stays soft or runny in the middle, sometimes with a slightly crunchy top. Butter tarts have been made in Ontario since at least the early twentieth century, and recipes appear in early Canadian cookbooks.

Runny or firm: which is right?

This is the great butter tart debate:

Style	What it is like
Runny	A soft, flowing centre that drips when you bite
Firm	A set, fudgy filling that holds its shape
In between	Set at the edges, soft in the middle; many people's favourite

There is no wrong answer, but there are strong opinions. Ask a bakery which style it makes before you buy a dozen.

Raisins or no raisins?

The other great debate. Traditional recipes often include raisins or currants; many people consider them essential, and many others consider them a crime. Pecans, walnuts and chocolate chips are common variations. Most bakeries offer at least plain and raisin.

Where can you get butter tarts in Toronto?

• St. Lawrence Market, where bakeries sell them alongside other baked goods.
• Neighbourhood bakeries across the city, from Leslieville to Roncesvalles.
• Farmers markets, such as Evergreen Brick Works on Saturdays.
• Vegan bakeries, which make butter tarts without butter or eggs.
• Cafés and coffee shops, often with a butter tart on the counter.

Freshly baked is best; ask what came out of the oven that morning.

What are Ontario's butter tart trails and festivals?

Small-town Ontario has turned the butter tart into a tourist attraction. Wellington County, northwest of Toronto, has a Butter Tart Trail of bakeries, and the Kawarthas region has its own butter tart tour. Midland, on Georgian Bay, has held a large butter tart festival in June, with competitions for traditional and creative tarts. A butter tart road trip is a fun day out from Toronto; check current trail maps and festival dates before you go.

What other Ontario sweets should you try?

• Nanaimo bars, the BC no-bake classic, sold in many Toronto bakeries.
• Maple treats, especially in spring during maple syrup season.
• Fried dough pastries topped with cinnamon sugar, a Canadian treat at winter events.
• Ice wine, a sweet dessert wine from Ontario's Niagara region.
• Pie from Ontario fruit, such as peach, strawberry rhubarb and apple, in season.

How do you make butter tarts at home?

Most recipes follow the same pattern: line a muffin tin with rounds of flaky pastry, whisk together melted butter, brown sugar, syrup, an egg, a splash of vanilla and a pinch of salt, add raisins or pecans if you like, fill the shells about two-thirds full and bake in a hot oven until the pastry is golden and the filling is bubbling. Take them out a little early for a runnier centre, or leave them longer for a firmer one. Let them cool in the tin before lifting them out.

How do you store and reheat butter tarts?

Butter tarts keep for a day or two at room temperature in a covered container, longer in the fridge, and they freeze well. Warm them briefly in the oven to bring back the flaky pastry; the microwave makes the pastry soft.

Are butter tarts allergy-friendly?

Traditional butter tarts contain wheat, butter and eggs, and many contain nuts. Gluten-free and vegan versions exist at some bakeries, but ask about cross-contact if you have a serious allergy.

When are butter tarts easiest to find?

You can buy butter tarts year-round in Toronto, but a few times are especially good:

• The holidays, when bakeries make extra and families buy them by the dozen.
• Fall, when farm stands and markets around Ontario sell them alongside pies.
• Summer road trips, when the small-town bakeries on Ontario's butter tart trails are open and busy.
• Weekend mornings at the St. Lawrence Market, for a freshly baked one.

They freeze well, so it is worth buying extra when you find a bakery you like.

How much do butter tarts cost and do you tip?

Butter tarts are an affordable treat, sold individually or by the box. Baked goods bought at bakeries may carry the 13 percent HST depending on quantity and how they are sold. Tipping at bakery counters is optional.

On Mosey you can rate the bakeries you visit and the specific tart you tried, runny or firm, raisin or plain, and keep a list to settle the debate one bakery at a time.

More guides to read next:

• Mississauga and Brampton food guide: Punjabi, Pakistani and Caribbean food in Peel Region
• Caribbean food in Toronto: patties, jerk, roti and carnival eats
• Toronto Chinatown food guide: eating your way along Spadina Avenue

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