While we didn’t invent the iconic Canadian treat that is the butter tart, we’ve most certainly perfected the delivery! In 2011, this sweet idea became a reality with just a few stops and big aspirations. Now the immersion in flaky deliciousness that is the Butter Tart Tour has grown to over 50 locations throughout Kawarthas Northumberland.
You can taste your way across Northumberland County, Peterborough County, the City of Peterborough, and Kawartha Lakes. Tour partners include our stellar local bakeries, charming cafes, and elegant restaurants as well as welcoming resorts and inns across the region, each serving up their take on this Canadian classic treat. Each location has its own hours of operation. Use the planner below to get complete location and contact information. You can find Butter Tart Tour locations in most of the Kawarthas Northumberland’s towns with many great stops located within minutes of each other.
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Enjoy The Butter Tart Tour all year long at your own pace! With over 50 stops on the Tour, there’s dozens of different places to visit and as many versions to sample. Got a butter tart craving but are short on time? Plan a day-trip and visit a stop or two! Really wish to sink your sweet tooth into it? Plan to try several stops over two or three days.
To really enjoy the flavour of Kawarthas Northumberland, consider a stay at one of the many welcoming hotels, resorts, inns, or bed & breakfasts spread across the region.
At its most basic, a butter tart is simply butter, sugar, syrup, and eggs. The magic happens when these simple ingredients are combined and baked in a pastry shell until golden brown and the filling is semi-solid—or really runny, depending on your tastes and baking style. This simple combination is what was featured in the first known printed recipe from the early 1900s. Found in the Royal Victoria Cookbook by The Women’s Auxiliary to the Royal Victoria Hospital located in Barrie, ON, this simple tart has become a staple of the Canadian cuisine landscape.
But it gets better… tarts can also include tasty add-ins too! Think raisins, pecans, walnuts, currants or even more adventurous additions such as fruits and crème fillings. The pastry crust can be flaky, or firm, or even made from shortbread, which packs a scrumptious crunch. Several stops on the Tour offer gluten-free versions too.
Go behind the scenes. See the traditions. Witness the “State of the Tart” mastery that goes into your favourite tarts.
Meet Jessica from The Bakery in Warkworth! This local institution takes great pride in its baked goods and prepared foods—and the butter tarts are delicious proof.
These mouthwatering examples from Instagram will give you some idea of the delicacies you’ll find along your route. Follow @buttertarttour to see even more.
Operate a business that wants to get in on the sweet action? If you meet the following criteria, you may be eligible to become a member of the Butter Tart Tour!
For full details and contact information, please contact us (RTO8).
The Kawarthas Northumberland blog is the place to go for longer stories and additional recommendations. Browse the articles below to find out more about butter tarts.
I’ve just arrived in Fenelon Falls and I’m charmed already. The Trent-Severn Waterway passes right through the centre of town, where the eponymous falls power a hydro dam. Lock 34 sits on the other side of a concrete quay, and walking out to the tip of it I can see the falls on my left and a topiary hedge that spells “Fenelon Falls” on the other.
Winter is the perfect time of year to tour local bakeries for sweet treats! With over 50 stops, the Kawarthas Northumberland Butter Tart Tour offers some of the best butter tarts in Ontario.
Did you know Kawarthas Northumberland is home to Ontario’s biggest Butter Tart Tour? This is where you can find some of Ontario’s best butter tarts and also enjoy some of Ontario’s most stunning fall foliage.