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18 Portuguese desserts you must try on your trip to Portugal
When people talk about Portuguese desserts, the conversation almost always starts with pastel de nata — and usually ends there.
After spending 24 days travelling across four regions of Portugal, eating my way through bakeries, markets, and local recommendations, I realised how incomplete that picture really is.
Portugal’s dessert culture is intensely regional, deeply traditional, and far more varied than most travel guides suggest.
Some of the best sweets I tried weren’t famous at all — they were hyper-local specialities found in one town, one market, or even one bakery.
I also tried a few hyped desserts I fully expected to love… and didn’t.
This guide goes beyond egg tarts. It’s for first-time Portugal travellers who care for desserts and want to eat what locals actually eat.
I’m sharing the best Portuguese desserts and pastries, what they taste like, where to find them, and a few honest skips.
Here, best is about taste, regional uniqueness, and what locals actually eat — not what’s popular on Instagram.
My favourite Portuguese desserts (Quick Picks)
We tried close to 30 different sweets and pastries during our trip, but these three were my clear favourites.
1) Bolo de figo (Algarve fig cake) – My top pick and a true Algarve speciality, with figs as the main hero. It is one of the few Portuguese pastries that does not use eggs. Great with coffee or even orange juice.
2) Quindim – Brazilian-rooted coconut and egg dessert sits somewhere between a jelly and a cake. It melted in my mouth and was rich without being too heavy.
3) Pastel de nata – Crisp pastry, creamy egg custard, and a lightly caramelised top when it is done right. Easy to eat more than one without thinking twice.
Classic Portuguese desserts you’ll see everywhere
1. Arroz doce
Arroz doce is a simple rice pudding served cold in cafés and supermarkets, lightly flavoured with cinnamon and lemon.
I recommend this for its lightness, with gentle flavours of cinnamon and lemon mixed into the creamy rice.
first tried it late at night at Continente in Chiado while looking for cheap food, and it turned out to be very comforting.
2. Farturas
Farturas are long strips of fried dough, coated in sugar and cinnamon.
As the street vendor in Costa Nova told me, they are the wider and fluffier cousins of Spanish churros.
If you are not a big fan of churros like me, you might actually like these better because they are less sweet and feel lighter inside.
They are always served hot, but chocolate dips are not common here, unlike with churros.
I loved eating them with those striped houses and calm backwaters at Costa Nova in front of me.
3. Pastel de nata
The most famous Portuguese pastry, pastel de nata is a small custard tart with flaky puff pastry and a soft egg filling, usually served warm with a sprinkle of cinnamon or icing sugar.
What I liked most was the contrast between the crisp outside and the tasty creamy centre, which makes you eat more than one.
Since you find pastel de nata almost everywhere in Portugal – including inside Lisbon airport food court, it quickly became part of our everyday routine, whether after breakfast or during sightseeing breaks.
Pastéis de Belém is the most famous place for it, but I also really liked the ones from Manteigaria.
Not every café serves a good one, so it helps to know where to get better pastel de nata.
No matter how many times you may have read it or heard it from other travel bloggers, pastel de nata is not a good souvenir for friends or family.
It turns soggy and loses its taste within a day, and it usually spoils within three days.
4. Bolas de Berlim
These are soft doughnuts filled with egg custard, like a bigger and creamier version of the German Berliner.
You will see them everywhere, especially in beach towns.
Regional Portuguese dessert specialities (Don’t skip these)
Once I travelled beyond Lisbon and Porto, the dessert experience changed, and many of the best sweets were tied to just one town or region.
5. Bolo de figo (Algarve fig cake)
Algarve fig cake is the must-try dessert in Portugal because it is much unique from the rest of the sweets.
Bolo de figo, my absolute favourite cake in Portugal is made with dried figs and nuts, and you usually see it sliced and ready in small cafés.
It tastes rich and slightly earthy, and feels more like a celebration cake than a quick bakery snack.
6. Delícia do Porto
Delícia do Porto is a small heart-shaped sweet you only find in Porto, mostly at Bolhão Market, and I had never seen it mentioned in travel guides before.
We tried it after seeing a board that said Best Sweet of Porto 2019, which made us curious.
The staff said it is a modern take on convent sweets, with eggs and sugar, plus white beans for creaminess and almonds for a nutty taste.
It looks firm, but once you bite in, it feels rich and filling, like a dense little cake.
They suggested having it with port wine, but we had it with a bica, and that worked well for us.
The heart shape is linked to King D. Pedro IV, whose heart is still kept in Porto.
7. Ovos moles de Aveiro
Ovos moles de Aveiro was the sweetest and most egg-heavy dessert I tried in Portugal, so it was not really my favourite, but it was the prettiest.
You will see them shaped like barrels, shells and fish, linked to Aveiro’s canals and colourful moliceiro boats.
Inside is a thick mix of egg yolk and sugar, almost like soft egg jam, with no baked feel at all.
The outside is a thin wafer shell that only holds the filling.
Even if you do not like very sweet desserts, I still think ovos moles are worth trying once for the local experience.
8. Pastéis de Maracujá, Madeira
Pastéis de maracujá are small custard tarts with passion fruit and are one of the lighter desserts you can try, especially in Madeira.
The tangy fruit still stands out, so it does not feel as heavy or overly sweet as many egg-based pastries.
After a big seafood meal in Funchal, I found this a nice way to end lunch without feeling too full.
9. Queijada da Madeira
Queijada da Madeira is a small baked sweet made with curd cheese, eggs, and sugar, and it goes very well with coffee.
Because of the cheese, it does not feel as sweet or heavy as many other desserts, and the outside is slightly crisp and puffed.
It is one of the best sweet snacks that go with Portuguese espresso bica.
10. Queijadas de Sintra
Queijadas de Sintra are small traditional sweets made with fresh cheese, eggs, sugar, and a hint of cinnamon.
What I liked was how mild the cheese tasted and how the cinnamon was not too strong, so no single flavour took over.
They felt more like a quick snack than a heavy dessert. These became our fuel while walking up and down the steep streets of Sintra- easy to eat and easy to carry.
11. Travesseiros de Sintra
Travesseiros de Sintra are flaky puff pastries filled with almond and egg cream, and they really do look like small pillows.
They are crisp on the outside, and the moment you bite in, the filling turns soft and gooey. I liked how well the almond and egg flavours work together, especially when they are still slightly warm.
Your hands will get messy, so Travesseiros are not the best choice if you are walking between sights.
Everyday bakery pastries locals Eeat
Not every dessert in Portugal is a showstopper. Some are simply what locals grab daily with coffee — and those are often the most revealing.
12. Coconut Quindim
Coconut quindim is one of the delicious Portuguese desserts if you love coconut flavour and my personal favourites.
It is sweet coconut and egg dessert with a soft, jelly-like top and a chewy coconut base.
It comes from old Portuguese convent sweets, and when the recipe travelled to Brazil with coloniser, coconut replaced almonds.
A walking tour guide in Porto told me this, and it made the dessert more interesting.
It is rich, but the coconut keeps it from feeling heavy.
It is not tied to one region, but it is also not as common as pastel de nata, so you may not see it in every bakery.
13. Bolinhos de coco
Bolinhos de coco were the simplest Portuguese cakes I tried, and I liked them for exactly that reason.
They are soft, slightly chewy, and feel more like a homemade treat than a bakery showpiece.
So I tried it at Cafetaria Queque de Cenoura in Nazaré after the funicular ride, and it went perfectly with coffee.
The sweetness changes from one bakery to another. Some keep it mild, some make it sweeter, and few even add a bit of cheese or a cherry on top.
14. Pastel de cenoura
Pastel de cenoura is the Portuguese take on Brazilian-style carrot cake and feels more like a homemade favourite than a fancy dessert.
I liked that carrot is the real hero here, but you do not see or feel pieces because it is blended into the batter.
It is the kind of cake you can eat two pieces of without even realising it.
Some bakeries add a chocolate glaze on top, while others keep it plain with a light caramel-style topping.
15. Tarte de Amendoa
Tarte de amêndoa is a small tart with a very generous layer of caramelised almonds on top.
And when I say generous, I mean it, you get crunchy almonds in almost every bite, which is why I liked this one.
The nutty topping, soft base, and light sweetness work really well together, especially with coffee.
It is very common in Portuguese bakeries, and many places even give it their own name.
In Funchal, one bakery called their version Arrepiado, and the lady there told me it means “goosebumps”.
16. Pão de ló
Pão de ló is a very light sponge cake made mainly with eggs and sugar, with a soft, slightly creamy centre.
I tried it at Pão da Aldeia in Albufeira and liked how gentle it felt, not too sweet and very easy to eat.
The texture even reminded me of soft Japanese jiggly sponge cakes, just without the jiggle.
It is usually sold as a whole cake, not in slices.
We bought 500 grams and it lasted two days, which made it great to keep in the hotel for late-night sweet cravings.
Seasonal Portuguese sweets worth trying.
17. Bolinhas de castanha- Chestnut balls
Bolinhas de castanha are chestnut balls popular during the Chestnut Festival in Curral das Freiras, also called Nun’s Valley, in Madeira.
We had never heard of them, but since we were there during the festival, we got to try them fresh, and it was clear they were a local favourite.
At first, I thought they would taste like chocolate truffles, but they are much more about chestnut than chocolate.
A local told us they are made with chestnut purée, a little chocolate, sugar, rum, and even bay leaf, which I found quite interesting.
The texture is soft and slightly fudgy, and the chestnut taste really stands out. You will not see these much in cafés, as they are mostly festival or homemade sweets.
18. Rabanadas
Rabanadas are Portugal’s festive version of French toast, made with thick bread soaked in milk and egg, then fried and finished with sugar and cinnamon. You mostly see them around Christmas.
They are very soft inside, quite sweet, and also one of the heaviest and expensive desserts I had in Portugal.
After a few bites, you really feel how filling they are, so it felt more like something to share than eat alone.
You will not find them in every café, as many people make them at home for the holidays.
I tried them at Café Majestic in Porto, where they are one of the signature desserts, and it definitely felt like a special-occasion treat.
Non-Portuguese café pastries you’ll see everywhere in Portugal
These pastries are not traditionally Portuguese, but they are part of everyday café culture and something you will see locals order everywhere.
Éclairs
Éclairs are popular in Portuguese cafés, even though they are French. They are filled with cream and usually cost €1.50 to €3.
My favourite was from Un P’tit Truc at Lisbon’s Time Out Market, and Leitaria da Quinta do Paço also does good ones across Porto, Braga, and Lisbon.
Mille-feuille (Napoleon slice)
Mille-feuille, or Napoleon slice, is a French pastry with crisp layers and cream, usually costing €2.50 to €4.
I saw it almost everywhere, from Faro station cafés to small bakeries in Alcobaça, and locals often ordered it for breakfast, so I ended up trying it twice – loved it.
Portuguese Desserts I personally didn’t Love (and why)
Things to know before ordering desserts in Portugal
Local Bakery timings matter more than you think
Most local bakeries, called pastelarias and confeitarias, open early and start selling out by evening.
We learnt this the hard way in Sintra when half the shelves were already empty after sightseeing.
Takeaway is cheaper and often better
Desserts usually cost less if you take away instead of sitting inside, which works well for sweets that are easy to carry.
Unless the café itself is special, like historic Café Majestic in Porto, I would skip sitting inside.
Not all desserts are found everywhere
Many Portuguese sweets are very regional, except pastel de nata.
What you find in Aveiro or Sintra may not show up in the Algarve or Madeira, so if you see a local speciality, try it there.
Most Portuguese desserts are egg-based and very sweet
Most traditional Portuguese desserts are heavy on eggs and sugar.
If you are a vegetarian in Portugal do not eat eggs or prefer mild sweets, your options can feel limited, so look for coconut or cheese-based desserts instead.
Chain bakeries are worth trying
Do not skip chain bakeries in Portugal. Some of them are very good for regional sweets and are useful when local bakeries are closed.
Restaurants may not always serve traditional desserts
In many Portuguese restaurants, desserts are not traditional at all.
We saw this at Lodo in Faro and Restaurante Aleluia in Nazaré, where mains were great but desserts were more like chocolate mousse or ice cream.
If you want Portuguese sweets, bakeries usually work better than restaurants.
Take a food tour or walking tour to know better
To know some rare sweet treats in Portugal and the surprising stories behind them, you should take at least one walking tour in the country.
They do not have to be food-focused either. Most guides still talk about local food and where to find it.
I learned a lot from a tuk-tuk tour in Lisbon and a walking tour in Porto.
That is how I got to know about quindim and its Brazilian roots, along with a few other sweet stories I would have never known otherwise.
There are many free walking tours on GuruWalk across Portugal, espeically in Lisbon and also the Northern city Porto.
I usually book through them. Just check what suits your plan and pick one.
Which Portuguese sweets can you bring home?
Most Portuguese desserts do not travel well, but if you are flying within a week, these are safer to carry:
Struggling to decide what to try and when?
Honest thoughts on traditonal Portuguese desserts and pastries
As a foodie with a serious sweet tooth, I enjoyed the sugar-loaded sweets of the country to an extent. While my wife who prefers “low on sugar” party and cakes, isn’t fond of Portugal’s sweet scene.
But I did feel that many pastries were quite similar, with egg yolk and sugar as the main flavours, even in different desserts.
Cinnamon also shows up a lot across Portuguese baking.
Despite how good the oranges are in the Algarve, I hardly came across orange-based sweets.
Madeira had better fruit-based desserts, which makes sense, but overall the variety beyond egg and sugar still felt limited.
That said, I was not disappointed at all. I happily ate my way through bakeries across the country.
And when the landscapes are this beautiful, the streets this colourful, and the vibe this warm, you already want to go back, with or without dessert plans.
