The Best Christmas Yule Logs in Montreal
Winter is officially here, and if our advent calendar is any indication, the holiday season is getting closer and closer. For most, this means a time to stop, take a break from the hustle and bustle of our daily lives and spend some quality time with those we love. As much as we love traditional meals, we know that everyone is looking forward to dessert! And of course, when it comes to holiday desserts, the traditional Yule log is a classic.
But have you ever thought about the origin of this iconic cake? Why a Yule log, you might ask? Why not a sleigh or a star, symbols just as evocative of Christmas? The answer goes back to much older traditions than our modern festive dinners.
In ancient Europe, during the Iron Age, the Gaelic and Celtic peoples celebrated Yule, a pagan holiday marking the arrival of the winter solstice around the end of December. On this occasion, it was customary to burn an immense Yule log decorated with mistletoe, pinecones, and other natural ornaments. This log was meant to burn slowly in the hearth for several days, and its ashes were then collected to protect the house and its inhabitants. With the rise of Christianity, this tradition took on a more modest form as homes became smaller. Gradually, the wooden log was replaced by a more festive version—a rolled-up cake resembling the appearance of wood.
If we don’t know who invented the first Yule log pastry, what is certain is that this dessert, reinvented year after year, remains at the heart of our holiday traditions. Whether it’s classic, chocolate-flavored, fruity, or even frozen, the Yule log continues to delight sweet tooths and add a festive and indulgent touch to our tables. Here is a selection of the best Yule logs in Montreal, to please your taste buds and impress your guests during the grand feast! On the eve of Christmas 2024, a reader warmly recommends Pâtisserie Chopine in Tétreaultville, which offers exquisite Yule logs. Stay tuned. We’ll be following up…
If you’re more the panettone type for the holiday season (although one doesn’t preclude the other, nothing beats a slice of Yule log for dessert and panettone for breakfast!), you’ll find our list of the best artisanal panettone here. For galettes des rois, look here! And if you’re just looking for a sweet treat, check out our lists of the best pastry shops and chocolate shops in Montreal.
Happy Holidays!
Pâtisserie Rhubarbe
When it comes to pastries, Rhubarbe is undoubtedly one of Montreal’s best. Their delicious Yule logs are no exception. Chocolate mousse and biscuit, praline, hazelnut biscuit and coffee mascarpone, or lemon cream, clementine jelly, olive oil mousse and biscuit – just these descriptions are already a holiday treat for the taste buds!
Montréal
Iconoglace Mile-end
With word of mouth and a reputation that has only continued to grow, the establishment quickly became a must-visit and one of the best ice cream shops in the city. Everything is homemade in an artisanal way, using high-quality seasonal ingredients at Iconoglace. This year, they are preparing Yule logs inspired by their most popular sundaes!
Montréal
Arhoma
Arhoma spoils us every holiday season with their delicious logs! This year is no exception. You can choose from half a dozen logs to accompany your Christmas feast.
Montréal
Fous Desserts
Fous Desserts is a charming pastry shop on the Plateau Mont-Royal that offers delicious desserts – some of the best in town. The flavours at Fous Desserts are mainly influenced by the seasons, with the house making use of Quebec products in its confections. The shop’s warm, relaxed atmosphere makes it an ideal place to enjoy good desserts, and of course, excellent Yule logs are made for the festive season.
Montréal
Les Givrés Villeray
Les Givrés is a delightful Montreal ice-cream parlour that offers several ice-cream Yule logs every Christmas. The ‘Convoi de Macarons’ is deliciously chocolatey and vanilla-y, with a chocolate sponge cake and a panoply of chocolate-raspberry and vanilla-cherry macarons. The “Feu de camp” blends caramel, almonds and chocolate around a heart of toasted marshmallow. The “Juste du Sorbet” delights with flavours of mango, raspberry and lemon on a vanilla sponge cake with redcurrant jelly. Les Givrées also offers a vegan and gluten-free log, ‘La Végane’, with raspberry sorbet, caramel and chocolate ice cream and gluten-free sponge cake. And last but not least, the most creative of all, the “Bûche Iglu”, made with maple and vanilla ice creams, vanilla sponge cake and caramel sauce, and blocks of marshmallows assembled piece by piece. Discover them all and order yours directly on their website.
Montréal
Madeleine Pastry Shop
Pâtisserie Madeleine, a Rosemont staple, makes delicious pastries. For Christmas, they’re treating us to three scrumptious logs, to enjoy with a good cup of coffee or around the dinner table with the family. Choose from the Bûche Mont Tremblant, the Bûche Raspberry and Jasmine or the Bûche Signature. They’re all available for pre-order between now and December 31, so hurry!
Montréal
Mlles Gâteaux
The charming pastry shop in Villeray, Mlles Gâteaux, is a true paradise for dessert lovers (like us). This year, Mlles Gâteaux offers five tempting delights: the classic chocolate-orange rolled Yule log, the strawberry-rhubarb Yule log, the Tropicananas Yule log, and the Romanoff Yule log. All of them are available for pre-order now for the holiday season.
Montréal
Pasticceria Alati-Caserta
Alati-Caserta is an iconic Italian pastry shop in Little Italy. Every year, the shop offers a fine selection of traditional Italian Yule logs. The flavours will be announced soon, so keep your eyes peeled! If you’re in the mood for something more traditional, but just as comforting, Alati-Caserta is the place for you.
Montréal
Boucherie Édouard et Léo - Ahuntsic
This holiday season, Hoogan & Beaufort’s chef Marc-André Jetté’s superb butcher’s shop is serving up a feast! In addition to two full menus (ballotine of stuffed turkey or roast filet mignon with foie gras), a number of exclusive products will be available at the butcher shop and online, including two succulent Yule logs. Reserve early!
Montréal
Lecavalier Petrone
Lecavalier Petrone is the project of two lovely young women: Chloé Migneault-Lecavalier and Loïse Desjardins-Petrone. Together, they create high-end chocolates that are as beautiful to look at as they are delicious to taste—one of the best chocolateries in the city. This year, they are crafting delectable Yule logs.
Montréal
Pâtisserie Mélilot
When passing by the charming and bright Mélilot bakery, it feels as though it has been nestled on the beautiful Laurier West Avenue for ages, blending seamlessly into the neighborhood’s atmosphere. Three Yule logs are on the menu this year. Hurry, they are already available for pre-order and are selling out quickly!
Montréal
Pâtisserie Zébulon
Since June 22, 2021, pastry enthusiasts visiting the Plateau Mont-Royal have a new must-visit destination: Pâtisserie Zébulon. Among its selection of vegan pastries, which are as beautiful as they are delicious and rival traditional pastries, the Yule logs hold a prominent place. Check the bakery’s website or call for the latest details.
Montréal
Crèmerie Dalla Rose
Dalla Rose ice cream shop is now open year-round, and while we’re still mourning the end of Ramen 9000, there’s good reason to celebrate. The shop is now offering stunning (and delicious, decadent, mouth-watering) Yule logs for the holiday season.
Montreal
Nonnina
Nonnina is a charming Italian café in Lachine that delights its visitors with delicious sandwiches, pastries, and baked goods. Since its opening, this spot has been bustling with locals and has become a favorite among food lovers in the neighborhood. They offer four types of Yule logs, as well as Yule logs made with gelato.
Montréal
Aube Boulangerie
Opened on April 10, 2023, Aube Boulangerie quickly sparked the enthusiasm of food lovers in the neighborhood. This year, you can choose between two Yule logs: the chocolate, cranberry, raspberry, and maple Yule log, or the pear, crabapple, mascarpone, and mulled wine spice Yule log.
Montréal
Pâtisserie Ô Gâteries Vieux-Longueuil
Située dans le Vieux-Longueuil, la pâtisserie et boulangerie Ô Gâteries est une véritable institution sur la Rive-Sud depuis 1993. L’entreprise familiale continue de séduire avec ses pâtisseries raffinées, viennoiseries artisanales et ses fabuleuses bûches de Noël.
Longueuil
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Photography by Arhoma
