The Sticky Mile: Nottingham's Nuttiest Treacle Tarts, Blind-Tasted and Ranked for 2026

Treacle tart has a reputation problem. Too often it's a dense, cloying slab that tastes of nothing but golden syrup and regret. But in Nottingham, a quiet revolution is happening: bakers are adding toasted nuts, crumb crusts and frangipane layers, turning a nursery pudding into something worth queuing for. So we pulled on our elasticated trousers, mapped a walkable route and blind-tasted six nutty treacle tarts across the city. This is the sticky mile, ranked for 2026.

How we tasted

Six tarts, bought anonymously, stripped of packaging and served at room temperature on plain white plates. Four tasters, no conferring. We scored each on four things: pastry (shortness, bake, no soggy bottom), filling (stickiness, balance, treacle flavour), nut integration (does the nut earn its place?) and value (price vs. heft). Scores are out of 10.

The route: Hockley to Sherwood

Our trail starts in Hockley, where the smell of butter and sugar drifts out of doorways, then cuts through the Lace Market before a short tram hop to Sherwood. Total walking time: about 35 minutes, plus tram. Bring a friend, a flask and a willingness to get crumbs on your coat.

Stop 1: Crumb & Coal, Hockley

The tart: Classic golden syrup filling with a toasted pecan crown and a rye pastry base. £3.80.

Blind notes: The pastry is the star here — dark, nutty and short, with a proper snap. The filling wobbles just enough, though it leans sweet. Pecans are halved and arranged in a neat spiral, which feels a bit posh for a treacle tart. Nut integration is good, not great: the pecans sit on top rather than in the mix. Still, a strong opener. Score: 7.5/10

Stop 2: The Lace Loaf, Lace Market

The tart: Walnut crumb crust with a hidden layer of date purée under the syrup. £4.20.

Blind notes: This one divided the panel. The walnut crumb is generous and deeply savoury, almost like a cheesecake base, and the date layer adds a dark, malty note that stops the treacle from shouting. But the pastry underneath is thin to the point of fragility — one taster described it as 'a tart that's already given up'. If you like texture, you'll love it. If you like structural integrity, you won't. Score: 7/10

Stop 3: Mansfield Road Bakehouse, Sherwood (tram from Lace Market)

The tart: Hazelnut frangipane base, golden syrup top, whole hazelnuts scattered across. £3.50.

Blind notes: This is the tart that made us stop talking. The frangipane is damp and almondy, the hazelnuts are toasted to a proper dark brown and the whole thing tastes like a Ferrero Rocher that went to bakery school. Pastry is a touch thick at the edges, but the filling is perfectly set — sticky but sliceable. At £3.50 it's the value champion of the trail. Score: 8.5/10

Stop 4: The Nutty Nook, West Bridgford (bus or 20-minute walk from city centre)

The tart: Pecan and maple twist — golden syrup cut with maple, pecan halves baked into the filling. £4.50.

Blind notes: Expensive, and it knows it. The maple is subtle, adding a woody sweetness that works well with the treacle. Pecans are embedded rather than perched, so every bite gets nut. But the pastry is pale and underbaked in the middle, and the price is hard to swallow. A tart for a special occasion, not a Tuesday. Score: 6.5/10

Stop 5: Sneinton Social Bakery, Sneinton

The tart: Walnut and black treacle — a darker, more grown-up take with a coarse walnut crumb and a hint of salt. £3.20.

Blind notes: Black treacle gives this a liquorice edge that splits the room. The walnut crumb is chunky and rustic, and the salt is a clever touch. But the filling is almost too sticky — it clings to the roof of your mouth like peanut butter. If you like a treacle tart that fights back, this is your stop. If you don't, move on. Score: 7/10

Stop 6: The Golden Whisk, city centre

The tart: Hazelnut and golden syrup with a crumbly oat and hazelnut crust. £3.90.

Blind notes: The oat crust is a lovely idea — nutty, nubbly and a bit like a flapjack — but it's too crumbly to hold the filling. By the time we got it home, it had collapsed into a pile of sticky rubble. The flavour is excellent, though: deep hazelnut, proper treacle and a good hit of vanilla. A tart to eat standing up, over a bin. Score: 7/10

The verdict

Winner: Mansfield Road Bakehouse, Sherwood. Its hazelnut frangipane tart is the one we're still thinking about — balanced, generous, reasonably priced and properly nutty. It's worth the tram fare.

Best value: Mansfield Road Bakehouse again, at £3.50 for a tart that eats like a dessert and a half.

Best for texture nerds: The Lace Loaf's walnut crumb crust, as long as you don't mind a fragile base.

The one to skip: The Nutty Nook's maple pecan, unless you're feeling flush and forgiving about pale pastry.

Practical notes for your own sticky mile

• Go before 11am — the best tarts sell out by lunch.
• Ask for a box, not a bag. Treacle tart does not travel well in paper.
• The tram from Lace Market to Sherwood takes eight minutes; a day ticket is £4.20.
• Cash is still king at two of the six stops.

Treacle tart doesn't need to be fancy. But when a baker gets the nuts right — toasted, embedded, generous — it becomes something worth walking for. Nottingham, in 2026, is getting it right more often than not. Just bring a napkin. Or three.