Few desserts capture the essence of Canadian baking quite like the butter tart. With its flaky pastry shell and gloriously gooey filling of butter, brown sugar, and eggs, this beloved treat has been winning hearts across the country for over a century.
The recipe first appeared in print in 1900, and since then, butter tarts have become an iconic symbol of Canadian culinary tradition. Toronto, with its thriving bakery scene, offers some of the finest examples you will find anywhere in Ontario.
From neighbourhood favourites to award-winning establishments, here is your guide to discovering the best butter tarts Toronto has to offer.
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What makes a perfect butter tart?
Before exploring Toronto’s top spots, it helps to understand what distinguishes an exceptional butter tart from an ordinary one. The ideal pastry foundation should be light, golden, and deliciously buttery with just the right amount of crumble.
The filling is where opinions diverge, but most connoisseurs agree it should strike a balance between sweet and caramelized, with that signature ooze that makes every bite memorable.
The great butter tart debate often centres on fillings. Purists insist on nothing but the classic mixture, while others embrace additions like raisins, pecans, or walnuts. Some bakeries push boundaries with innovative flavours, from maple pecan to pumpkin spice.
The annual Ontario’s Best Butter Tart Festival in Midland attracts over 60,000 visitors and sells more than 300,000 tarts, demonstrating just how passionate Canadians are about this humble dessert. Regardless of your preference, Toronto’s bakeries deliver options to satisfy every craving.
Toronto’s award-winning butter tart destinations
Circles and Squares
This North York bakery claimed the title of Ontario’s best butter tart maker at the 2025 Ontario’s Best Butter Tart Festival in Midland. Their winning coconut cream tart impressed judges, while their maple pecan and classic varieties continue drawing devoted customers from across the GTA.
Owner David Baxter attributes their success to a fifteen-year-old recipe that uses extra brown sugar in the crust for maximum indulgence. They prepare between 3,500 and 4,000 tarts for the festival alone.
Ba Noi
Hidden on Bloor Street, Ba Noi is a small bakery with big flavours. Their butter tarts feature a luscious, caramel-like filling wrapped in a perfectly crisp crust. These palm-sized pucks of molten sugar and crumbly pastry are destination pastries worth seeking out.
The bakery embraces quality ingredients without unnecessary bells and whistles, delivering a throwback to simpler times when butter tarts were made with care in home kitchens across Ontario.
Larry’s Folly
In Parkdale, Larry’s Folly champions the classic Canadian butter tart with their straightforward approach. Their recipe has been passed down through generations, producing buttery, golden tarts that keep things delightfully simple.
The thick but flaky crust holds a deep well of sticky, deeply browned filling that is bubbly on top and wonderfully moist underneath. These tarts are available every morning, but you will need to arrive early as they typically sell out quickly.
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From market-fresh ingredients to traditional recipes, a private chef turns your home into a true local experience.
Neighbourhood favourites worth discovering
The Sweet Oven
This bakery delivers classic Canadian comfort through butter tarts that are flaky, rich, and satisfyingly gooey. Their seasonal offerings, including a popular pumpkin spice variety in autumn and specialty flavours throughout the year, add creativity while honouring traditional techniques.
Made naturally without preservatives or artificial flavours, these treats evoke homey nostalgia in the best possible way.
Gerrard Street Bakery
A must-visit for butter tart lovers seeking adventure, Gerrard Street Bakery offers flavours ranging from classic to creative. Their perfectly balanced combination of sweet and salty in a gooey filling has made them a Toronto favourite.
The larger, rounder, and flatter tarts provide more surface area for enjoying the buttery, crumbly crust and caramelized flavour that defines this Canadian classic.
Tartistry
With locations in East York and at Yonge and Eglinton, Tartistry offers an impressive selection of over thirteen butter tart flavours. Their recent creation celebrates a decade in business with layers of Georgia pecans, New York-style cheesecake, and their legendary butter tart filling, topped with fudge and salted caramel.
They also cater to dietary needs with zero-sugar and vegan options, ensuring everyone can enjoy this Canadian treat.
Beyond the bakery: enjoying butter tarts at home
While Toronto’s bakeries offer incredible options, there is something magical about enjoying freshly made butter tarts in the comfort of your own home. The warm pastry, the perfectly gooey filling just out of the oven, the aroma filling your kitchen—these elements create an experience that bakery visits simply cannot replicate.
For those who love the idea but lack the time or confidence to bake, hiring a private chef offers an elegant solution. A professional can prepare butter tarts tailored exactly to your preferences.
Bringing a private chef into your kitchen
Services like Take a Chef connect you with talented culinary professionals who can recreate beloved regional specialties right in your home. Imagine hosting a gathering where your guests enjoy not only perfect butter tarts, but also an entire menu of Canadian-inspired dishes, all prepared by an expert who handles everything from ingredient sourcing to clean up.
The chef manages every detail, allowing you to focus entirely on enjoying the experience with your guests.
Tips for your butter tart adventures
When exploring Toronto’s butter tart scene, keep these suggestions in mind:
- Arrive early, as popular bakeries often sell out of butter tarts by mid-afternoon
- Try both runny and firm varieties to discover your personal preference
- Do not overlook creative flavours—some of the best discoveries come from adventurous choices
- Consider the annual Ontario’s Best Butter Tart Festival in Midland for an immersive experience
Celebrating a Canadian tradition
Toronto’s butter tart scene reflects the city’s vibrant culinary culture, honouring tradition while embracing innovation. From the festival-winning creations at Circles and Squares to the nostalgic simplicity of Larry’s Folly, each bakery brings its own interpretation to this cherished Canadian treat.
Whether you choose to explore the city’s best bakeries or bring the magic home by hiring a private chef. The perfect combination of buttery pastry and caramelized filling remains irresistible, bite after glorious bite.
So go ahead, treat yourself to Toronto’s finest butter tarts and discover why this humble yet extraordinary dessert has captured the hearts of Canadians for generations.
