Top 27 Canadian Cow's Milk Cheeses

Oka is a pale yellow Canadian cheese made from raw or pasteurized cow's milk. It has an intense aroma and a semi-firm consistency, while the flavors are creamy, fruity, and nutty. The cheese melts exceptionally well and comes in two main versions: regular, which is aged for 30 days, and classic, aged for 60 days. It is believed that Oka cheese was first produced by Trappist monks from the eponymous city near Montreal. Serve this Canadian classic with cashews, walnuts, pecans, apples, figs, or grapes.Expand

Le Douanier is a Canadian semi-soft cheese produced in Quebec by master cheese maker Fritz Kaiser since 2000. It's made from pasteurized cow's milk. The cheese has a washed and brushed rind, and it matures for about 9 weeks. Its texture is smooth and supple, filled with small eyes, and there is a layer of vegetable ash running through the middle. The aromas are earthy, milky, and rustic, while the flavors are creamy, mild, and reminiscent of green apples and nuts with aging. The line of ash in the middle symbolizes the Lacolle border crossing between Quebec and the US, and the name of the cheese means customs officer. Le Douanier has won the Grand Champion award at the Canadian Chese Grand Prix in 2004.Expand

Belle Creme is a Canadian triple-cream Brie-style cheese made from pasteurized cow's milk and cream. The cheese is produced in the Québec region and has a bloomy rind. Underneath it, there is a creamy, smooth, and buttery texture with mushroomy and nutty aromas. The flavor of Belle Creme is rich and buttery with hints of salt. It is recommended to serve this cheese with apples and a glass of fruity beer on the side.Expand

Brise du Matin is a Canadian Brie-style cheese produced in the region of Québec. This cow's milk cheese has a bloomy white rind that hides its cream-colored body with a buttery, tender, and creamy texture. The aroma of Brise du Matin is fresh, while the flavors are nutty, buttery, and mushroomy. The flavors become more pronounced with further aging of the cheese. It is recommended to pair it with a glass of blonde ale, which nicely complements the creaminess of Brise du Matin. Interestingly, there is also a low-fat version of this cheese, known as Légère Brise du Matin.Expand

La Sauvagine is a soft Canadian triple-cream cheese hailing from Quebec. It's made from cow's milk and has a washed rind. The texture is creamy, supple, buttery, and runny, while the flavors are fresh and buttery, with hints of mushrooms. La Sauvagine is named after migratory birds such as geese, ducks, and teals that cover the Quebec sky in the fall. It's recommended to pair this cheese with a glass of IPA beer, and serve it with cumin bread.Expand

L'Étoile de St-Raymond is a Canadian brie-style triple cream cheese hailing from Quebec. The cheese is made from a combination of pasteurized cow's milk and cream. Underneath its bloomy, ash-coated rind, the texture is creamy, smooth, and buttery. The aroma is mushroomy, while the flavors are buttery, milky, and grassy. This soft cheese has won numerous awards and it was a Bloomy Rind Cheese category finalist at the 2014 Sélection Caseus.Expand

Le Reflet de Portneuf is a Canadian cheese hailing from Quebec. The cheese is made from a combination of pasteurized cow's milk and cream. Underneath its washed rind, the texture is soft, buttery, and creamy. The flavors are creamy, mushroomy, and buttery. It's recommened to pair it with a bottle of IPA or a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon. This cheese has won many awards, including a silver medal at the World Cheese Awards in 2016.Expand

Castle Blue is a Canadian blue cheese hailing from British Columbia. This brie-style cheese is made from pasteurized cow's milk and it's left to ripen from 3 to 10 weeks. Underneath its natural rind, the texture is semi-soft, buttery, and creamy. The aromas are rich and earthy, while the flavors are creamy and piquant with sweet notes. The blue veins are running throughout the paste. It's recommended to pair Castle Blue with a glass of Syrah or Pinot Noir.Expand

Grey Owl is a Canadian cheese produced by Fromagerie Le Detour in Notre-Dame-du-Lac, Quebec. The cheese is made from goat's milk and it's easily distinguishable by its natural, wrinkly, ashy rind. Underneath the rind, the texture is firm and dense, but it becomes soft and crumbly on the palate. As it ages, the texture softens, becoming silky smooth, especially near the rind. The aromas are fresh and goaty, while the flavors are sharp, tangy, and lemony. The name Grey Owl refers not only to the color of the rind, but it also honors one of Canada's first conservationist – Archie Belaney, a.k.a. Grey Owl. It's recommended to serve it with honeycomb and smoked salmon. Pair it with a dry Riesling or a crisp Sauvignon Blanc.Expand

Mamirolle is a semi-soft cheese made from pasteurized cow's milk that was first made in 1935 by students of the Ecole Nationale d'Industrie Laitiere in Mamirolle, France, hence the name. In 1996, the Éco-Délices dairy in Plessisville, Quebec also got the exclusive license to produce the cheese outside France. Underneath Mamirolle's washed rind, the texture is supple, elastic, and chewy. The aromas are earthy and pungent, while the flavors are mild, fruity, salty, and sweet, with a rich buttery finish. The cheese is left to age from 3 to 4 weeks on wooden planks, and during the process it's washed with annatto. Pair it with a glass of Beaujolais.Expand

Fromagerie de l’Île-aux-Grues is an artisanal cheese producer located on Île-aux-Grues, an island in the Chaudière-Appalaches region of Québec, Canada, known for its strong connection between local landscape, milk, and cheesemaking. It was established in the late 1970s as an initiative by island farmers to collectively process milk from their own farms, while the production of refined, aged cheeses developed from the early 2000s onward. All milk used comes exclusively from the island, allowing full control over origin and expressing a distinct terroir shaped by the winds and vegetation of the St. Lawrence River. The dairy produces a diverse range of cheeses, from semi-hard to fully aged and aromatic styles, including Riopelle de l’Isle, Tomme de Grosse-Île, Canotier de l’Isle, and other well-known Canadian specialties. Today, Fromagerie de l’Île-aux-Grues stands as a strong example of successful local cooperation, where tradition, terroir, and modern expertise come together to create cheeses with a clear identity and sense of place.Expand

Fromagerie du Presbytère is an artisanal cheese producer located in Sainte-Élizabeth-de-Warwick, in the province of Québec, Canada, founded in 2005 in a restored former presbytery. It was established as a family project by the Morin family, who also operate their own dairy farm, ensuring full control over the quality and origin of the milk used in production. The creamery is known for its wide range of cheeses, spanning soft, blue, semi-hard, and long-aged styles, including well-known creations such as Louis d’Or, Bleu d’Élizabeth, Le Religieuse, Le Champayeur, and Treizième Apôtre. Production combines traditional cheesemaking techniques with modern expertise, with a strong focus on expressing local terroir and the character of the farm’s milk. Many of their cheeses have received national and international awards, contributing to the reputation of Fromagerie du Presbytère as one of Canada’s most respected artisanal cheesemakers. Today, the dairy stands as a model of how family heritage, innovation, and regional identity can come together to create cheeses with strong personality and consistent quality.Expand

Glengarry Cheesemaking, based in Lancaster, Ontario, specializes in producing fine artisanal cheeses. The company, which has obtained several awards, offers a range of products including the famous Lankaaster cheese - a gouda-style cheese aged to different maturity levels. They provide cheesemaking supplies and host educational workshops on cheese production.Expand

Fromagerie Bergeron is a cheese producer based in Quebec, Canada. It specializes in producing Gouda-style cheeses and offers a variety of flavors, including spiced and smoked versions. The company emphasizes traditional cheese-making methods while incorporating modern techniques to enhance production efficiency and sustainability.Expand

Cows Creamery is a cheese producer that specializes in artisanal cheeses, butter, and ice cream. Their products are made using milk from local farms, and they employ traditional methods in their production processes. The creamery is noted for its cheddar, which is aged for varying periods to develop distinct flavors and textures.Expand

Upper Canada Cheese is an artisanal creamery located in Jordan Station, in the municipality of Lincoln, in the heart of the Niagara region in Ontario, Canada. This creamery is the only one in Canada that produces all of its cheeses exclusively from the milk of Guernsey cows, known for their rich and nutritious milk. Their farm, Comfort Farm, is situated in close proximity to the creamery and is dedicated to the sustainable raising of these cows. Upper Canada Cheese proudly produces its cheeses in small batches, using traditional handcrafting methods. Their cheeses are distinguished by rich and complex flavors, with each product reflecting the care devoted to the quality of the milk and the aging process. The assortment includes various types of cheeses, from creamy and mild varieties suitable for everyday use to mature cheddars and specialty cheeses with unique aromas such as truffle and herbs.Expand

Fromagerie la Station is an organic family-owned cheese dairy in the heart of the village of Compton, Canada, run by the fourth generation of the Bolduc family. All of their cheeses are made from raw or thermized milk from their own cows, which graze freely on diverse pastures—giving the cheeses unique aromas and a deep flavor, free from pesticides and herbicides. This blend of passion and tradition makes them stand out in the world of fine cheeses. Fromagerie la Station stands out not only for the quality of its products but also for its philosophy of sustainable development. The farm uses rotational grazing to keep the land healthy and fertile, ensuring that the cows have the best possible diet year-round. Water and energy are used efficiently, and the cheese dairy invests in the local community by collaborating with farmers and producers from the region. Their “from pasture to plate” approach not only ensures quality control but also preserves the natural ecosystem and the tradition of farming. In addition, Fromagerie la Station is known for its innovative flavor combinations and special editions of cheeses, which are made seasonally or in limited series. Some of their products pair perfectly with local wines, craft beers, or maple syrup products,Expand

Stonetown Artisan Cheese is an artisanal creamery located in St. Marys, Ontario, Canada, renowned for producing premium Alpine-style cheeses. Their cheeses are made from fresh, unpasteurized cow’s milk from their own farm, without additives, ensuring a pure and natural flavor. The production process is inspired by traditional methods from Swiss mountain cheesemakers, with a strong emphasis on quality and authenticity. Stonetown Artisan Cheese takes pride in a sustainable approach to production. The milk never leaves the farm, and by-products such as whey are used to feed the livestock. Wastewater is used to irrigate the fields, reducing the ecological footprint and contributing to farm sustainability. Their motto, "From our family to yours," reflects their commitment to quality and community.Expand