Ontario’s Sweetest Legacy: Butter tarts!
- Ginger North
- Apr 6
- 6 min read
#30CanadianFoods: A delicious dessert in a tart or a shake!
Ah, Ontario. Home to towering skyscrapers, sprawling lakes, and... the quintessential Canadian dessert: Butter tarts. Yes, we’ve landed in the province of rolling farmland and bustling cityscapes for #6 of the #30CanadianFoods challenge, and it just wouldn’t be right if we didn’t indulge in this iconic treat.
If you’re new here (or just need a refresher), you can check out the original challenge post here or catch up on all the delicious Canadian foods we’ve explored so far with this link.
Today, we’re talking about Butter tarts, the golden, gooey, flaky little pockets of happiness that have sparked more debates than hockey rivalries. Raisins or no raisins? (It’s a no for me.) Runny or firm? Don’t worry, we’ll get into it.
A Quick Snapshot of Ontario
Ontario: Canada’s most populous province, where nearly 15 million people call home. It’s got the capital city, Ottawa, and the country’s most bustling metropolis, Toronto. It’s bordered by the Great Lakes and features vast wilderness, charming small towns, and of course, Niagara Falls. It’s a place of contrasts: urban and rural, tradition and innovation.
Ontario is also a province of firsts—firsts in industry, innovation, and yes, dessert-making. It’s home to the world’s largest freshwater island—Manitoulin Island—and is famous for its fall colours, which turn country drives into scenes straight out of a painting.
Whether you’re hiking in Algonquin Park or getting lost in the hustle and bustle of Toronto’s Kensington Market, Ontario offers something for everyone. It’s the kind of place where old-school charm meets forward-thinking spirit, and where Butter tarts are basically a cultural currency.
Fun fact: Ontario produces more maple syrup than you might expect—second only to Quebec. Sweet, eh?
Cool as Ice: Chapman’s Ice Cream
You know what’s sweet? Butter tarts. You know what’s even sweeter? A Canadian company that stands up for its community.
Chapman’s Ice Cream is a family-owned Ontario business that’s more than just a beloved dessert brand. They’ve made headlines not just for their ice cream (they make 286 different kinds!) but for their unwavering support of Canadians.
When Trump’s tariffs hit, Chapman’s took the hit themselves rather than passing it on to customers, announcing:
"As Canada faces the greatest threat to our sovereignty since WWII, the effects of Donald Trump’s threats are already being felt by most Canadians. As a proud Canadian-owned and operated company, we want to do our part to support Canadians. We will never be the 51st state!"
During the pandemic, they increased wages, offered no-interest loans to employees who couldn’t work, and implemented robust safety measures. That’s community care.
Plus, they make Butter tart ice cream—yes, really.
New Brunswick milkshake mixologist, TheWhyteElephant, shows you have to make a fancy milkshake with it, and I’m here for it! (You'll find that video as a bonus recipe below!)
Chapman's has been in operation since 1973, and with the support of Canadian's they'll be around for many more. If you want to explore things you can make with their products, they have a bunch of recipes on their website.
First Nations Food Heritage
Ontario is home to many vibrant First Nations communities, including the Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee, and Cree peoples. Their food traditions are rooted in land stewardship, seasonal rhythms, and deep cultural connections. From hand-harvested wild rice to maple syrup, corn, and berries, Indigenous foodways continue to shape Ontario’s culinary landscape.
Here are some Indigenous-owned businesses from Ontario that are helping keep those food traditions alive—and shipping Canada-wide:
Wikwemikong Tourism (Manitoulin Island) More than just a tourism initiative, Wikwemikong offers immersive cultural experiences and access to traditional Indigenous food products, including wild teas, jams, and artisanal goods. They promote authentic Anishinaabe culture and sustainable tourism.
NISH Scon (Sudbury) Run by an Anishnawbek woman from the First Nation of Atikameksheng, NISH Scon’s mission is to reconnect Indigenous peoples with traditional foods while educating the wider public. They offer handcrafted scone mix kits and wild rice soup blends that reflect traditional ingredients.
Turtle Lodge Trading Post (Almonte) A family-run Indigenous business offering traditional medicines, wildcrafted teas, maple syrup, wild rice, and beautifully crafted gifts. Their products honour Indigenous knowledge and support cultural continuity.
By supporting these businesses, you're not only enjoying delicious and unique products but also helping preserve Indigenous knowledge and support local economies.
If You Visit Ontario
Ready to explore? Here are some must-visit spots:
St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market (Waterloo) Canada’s largest year-round farmers’ market, where you can find local produce, meats, and of course, Butter tarts.
Niagara-on-the-Lake Known for its wineries and charming shops, it’s the perfect mix of history and indulgence.
Kensington Market (Toronto) A melting pot of global flavours, indie shops, and vibrant murals. (This was my late mom’s favourite stomping ground!)
Local eats you’ll love:
The Butter Tart Factory (Kawartha Lakes) All Butter tarts, all the time. Try the classic or go bold with pecan.
The Elm Café (Kingston) Small but mighty, with locally sourced ingredients and creative brunch plates.
Thunder Bay’s Persian Man Known for the iconic Persian—a cinnamon bun hybrid you won’t forget.
Can’t Visit? No Problem!
Support these Ontario-based small businesses from anywhere in Canada:
The County Bounty (Prince Edward County) Craft sodas and preserves made from local fruit.
Koslick’s Mustard (Toronto) - Bold, handmade mustards perfect for your next charcuterie board.
Pluck Tea (Toronto) - Sustainably sourced blends with a local twist.
Sweet Facts
Did you know the oldest printed butter tart recipes found in Canada first appeared in a 1900 fundraising cookbook published by the Women’s Auxiliary of the Royal Victoria Hospital in Barrie, Ontario?
Credited to Mrs. Malcolm (Mary) MacLeod, the recipe was listed simply as a "filling for tarts." Food historians believe earlier versions may have been sweetened with maple syrup or maple sugar, though no written records exist.
Award-Winning Butter Tarts + Bonus Chapman's Milkshake
There are countless butter tart recipes out there—every family seems to have a “secret one”—but in the 1970s, a national contest crowned the butter tarts from Wilkie’s Bakery in Orillia, Ontario, as the best in Canada. Sweet victory, indeed. Even better? Thanks to a helpful commenter who knew the original bakery owners, we now know the secret ingredient they left out of the contest entry. (Spoiler: It makes them even gooier and more addictive.) It’s a slice of Canadian culinary history wrapped in a flaky, golden shell, and it's pure Ontario.
Butter Tarts
Makes 12
Ingredients
Filling:
1⁄2 cup raisins
1⁄4cup soft butter
1⁄4cup packed brown sugar
1pinch salt
1⁄2cup corn syrup, less 1 tbsp
1 tbsp 100% maple syrup
1 egg, lightly beaten
1⁄2teaspoon vanilla
Pie pastry (enough to fill 16 muffin cups, your own or from a mix)
Directions
Prepare the muffin pans by rolling out the pie dough and cutting 4-inch (approx) circles; fit the dough circles into the muffin cups; set aside in the fridge until ready to fill.
In a small bowl, place the raisins and cover with hot tap water; let stand on the counter for 30 minutes.
In a large bowl, using a wooden spoon, mix the soft butter, brown sugar, salt and corn syrup; stir well until sugar is dissolved and butter is creamed.
Add egg and vanilla and mix well.
Drain the raisins.
Retrieve the tart shells and divide the raisins equally into all shells; then divide the butter mixture into all the tarts.
Bake at 400F for 15-20 minutes; the filling will be lightly browned but still bubbling.
NOTE: Generally, Canadians fall into two passionate camps when it comes to buttertarts—and once you’ve picked a side, you’re in it for life: runny or firm. Team Runny folks love that glorious, sticky dribble that escapes the tart the moment you take a bite (if you’re in this camp, take it out of the oven at 15 minutes). If you’re more into the structured, bite-and-hold variety, you’ll want to bake your tarts for the full 20 minutes—maybe even sneak in an extra minute or two for that just-right firmness. Either way, there’s no wrong answer... just deeply held opinions.
Let cooked butter tarts cool in pans for 10 minutes after removing from oven; then remove and place on racks until completely cool.
Bonus: Chapman's Butter Tart Milkshake
Ingredients
3 scoops Chapman's Butter Tart
1 ½ cup milk
3 eggs brown sugar syrup
brown sugar whipped cream
Directions
Wrapping Up
Ontario’s full of surprises—whether it’s a tart that’s sparked a nation’s sweet tooth or a company like Chapman’s that puts people before profits. We hope you’ll try this buttertart recipe and maybe even spark a new tradition in your kitchen. Whether you're Team Raisin or staunchly anti-raisin, there’s room for all at the dessert table.
If you’re curious to taste more of what Ontario has to offer, consider ordering from one of the fantastic businesses featured here, or better yet, plan a visit and taste your way through the province.
Next up on the #30CanadianFoods challenge: Manitoba!
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