Last Updated on 2025-06-06 by Claudia Bastos
This post is about Portuguese Desserts – the desserts you will find in restaurants all over Portugal and desserts typically cooked at home by the typical Portuguese family.
The Portuguese have a sweet tooth and a love affair with sweet egg yolks, so you will find plenty of lovely desserts with egg yolks but also a variety of unique and delicious desserts. After reading this, you will probably want to try everything.
We don’t include the famous Traditional Portuguese pastries in this guide, as we have covered them in an article exclusively about the Best Portuguese sweets and pastries.
So, we’ve gathered a list of 17 best portuguese desserts to guide you through the difficult moment of choosing (only) a dessert. I mean, we can only have one at a time, right?
Best Desserts to try in Portugal
#1 Egg Pudding – Pudim de Ovos
Egg Pudding is a traditional Portuguese dessert frequently cooked by all Portuguese families. Nearly every household has a version of egg pudding that is cooked and served on Sunday lunch.
As with “all” Portuguese desserts, this pudding is made with plenty of eggs. The recipe is quite simple: egg, milk, and a peel of orange or lemon are joined together and cooked over a boiling water bath in the oven. This pudding resembles the Spanish Flan Pudding or the French Crème Caramel.
Egg pudding is a staple dessert in every restaurant in Portugal, so you will easily find it in almost any restaurant, though they are not all the same. There are many wonderful puddings in Portugal, and some are not so good. If you want to try to cook it at home, we shared our family recipe here.
#2 Pudim Abade de Priscos
The Pudim Abade de Priscos is a special egg pudding made in the north of Portugal, particularly in Braga. It was created by an Abbot, Manuel Joaquim Rebelo, who served Braga’s parish of Prisco’s in the 19th century.
This egg pudding is a silky, sweet dessert that melts in your mouth, leaving you with a taste of caramel and sweet eggs. The Pudim Abade de Priscos has a secret ingredient: bacon. Although it may sound weird, you won’t feel the flavor of bacon. Give it a try; you won’t regret it.
The best place to eat Pudim Abade de Priscos is in Braga. Several restaurants serve it as a dessert, or you can simply find it in pastries in the city center.
#3 Doce da casa
The name of this dessert literally means “dessert of the house,” so nearly every restaurant has its own, and it varies significantly from restaurant to restaurant. It is like the restaurant’s specialty.
Doce da casa is typically served in a glass, and it’s similar to “Serradura” or “Natas do Ceu,” which we described below, but as we said, you never know.
Nearly every restaurant has the Doce da Casa, but you should always ask what the house’s dessert is. It is usually good.
#4 Serradura
Serradura means sawdust, due to the crumbled biscuit on the dessert. This pudding consists of alternating layers of condensed milk and cream with a crumbled biscuit (normally “bolacha Maria,” a brand frequently used in Portugal). It is a straightforward but delicious dessert.
This dessert can be found in many restaurants in Portugal, and sometimes, it resembles “Doce da Casa.” Portuguese families also serve it at home for parties and gatherings.
Due to the Portuguese presence, this dessert is also very famous in Macau, where it is frequently found in restaurants and households.
#5 Natas do Céu
Natas do Céu has a very romantic name—it means cream from heaven because it is so fluffy and light. This dessert is a layered pudding of a cream mousse made with meringue and double cream, alternated with crumbled biscuits (bolacha Maria) and topped with “Doce de ovos” ( the Portuguese sweet eggs).
The dessert is very similar to serradura, but Natas do Céu has a softer and lighter texture. It also includes sweet eggs, which “serradura” typically doesn’t. Some recipes even alternate the cream with “Doce de Ovos” and Maria biscuit.
This typical Portuguese dessert is customary and can easily be found in any restaurant. Sometimes, it is served as “Doce da Casa.” It is also very simple to cook. The only complicated part is the Sweet Eggs, which the Portuguese cherish. We love it, as will you.
#6 Bolo de Bolacha
Bolo de Bolacha means Biscuit Cake, but technically it isn’t a cake as it doesn’t go to the oven. The dessert is made with biscuit, normally a type called Maria very popular in Portugal. The biscuits are immersed in coffee and covered with a cream made with butter, sugar, and egg yolks. It is kind of a Portuguese tiramisu. Coffee and butter how can it go wrong?
You can find Bolo de Bolacha served as a dessert in restaurants, but nowadays, it is not as common. It may have different formats, normally in restaurants, it looks like a cake, but when done at home it has a format of a flower. Portuguese families used to do this cake frequently on party days. Well, mine still does! Maybe we will share the secret recipe one day… 🙂
#7 Baba de Camelo
Baba de Camelo has a strange name—it means Camel’s drool—not very appealing, but don’t judge it by its name. It is mouthwatering. This dessert is a mousse of cooked condensed milk, similar to the Hispanic dulce de leche. It is very simple and easy to make—you only need to cook condensed milk and eggs and then top it with toasted almonds.
Legend says that this dessert’s origin is a lady who was receiving guests and invented it with the ingredients she had at home. The result was a soft camel dessert. As she didn’t have enough for all her guests, she named it Baba de Camelo to discourage them from eating it all.
Baba de Camelo is widely served as a dessert in typical Portuguese Restaurants.
#8 Molotof
Molotof pudding is a dessert made by all Portuguese. Contrary to all other Portuguese desserts, this pudding is cooked with egg whites and sugar. Yes, we have one dessert that doesn’t have egg yolks. Normally, this dessert is cooked to use the leftovers of egg whites. It is a fluffy, soft dessert with a dulcet taste of Caramel. Although the pudding is frequently topped with sweet egg yolks (Portuguese being Portuguese… ), it is a dessert.
The origin of the name is uncertain. Supposedly, Molotof used to be instead Malakoff. Malakoff was a fortress that protected the city of Sebastopol in Crimea. With time, the name was changed to Molotof, resembling the famous Molotov cocktail.
Molotof pudding is one of the most typical desserts in Portuguese restaurants, so you have to eat it.
#9 Toucinho do Céu
Toucinho do céu is a traditional conventual dessert that comes from the convents. This dessert is made of egg yolks, eggs, sugar, butter, and ground almonds, and depending on the region, it can take fig-leaved gourd (chila squash). The desert is really good and delicious.
The name of this dessert means “bacon from heaven” because the dessert originally used to have bacon, although it doesn’t anymore.
It is a dessert available all over the country, but the most famous Toucinho do Céu are from Murça in the North of Portugal and Alentejo in the South. You will find it in some restaurants, especially in the regions of Trás dos Montes and Alentejo.
#10 Leite Creme
Leite Creme is a Portuguese custard with milk, sugar, egg yolks, corn starch, cinnamon sticks, and lemon peel. Ultimately, the custard is topped with cinnamon or burnt sugar, but it isn’t mandatory. It is a Portuguese classic that everyone loves. A comforting dessert that a grandmother used to cook for their grandchild when they visited.
This dessert is very similar to other European desserts like Créme brûlée and Crema Catalana, and although they are similar, they are not quite the same. Leite creme is cooked over the stove, while Crème brulée is done in the oven over a water bath. Normally, leite creme is aromatized with lemon peel, while Créme brûlée is aromatized with a vanilla pod.
Crema Catana is much older than Creme brûlée but much more similar to Portuguese Leite Creme.
Leite Creme is served in numerous Portuguese restaurants, making it easy to find. Note that normally, restaurants ask you whether you want your Leite Creme with cinnamon or sugar.
#11 Farofias
Farofias is a dessert made with fluffy meringue egg whites cooked in boiling milk and covered with a silky custard of sweet egg yolk and milk. They are so soft and divine, especially if warm, then they simply melt in your mouth.
It is more typical in the region of Lisbon, although its origin is unknown. But even so, it is a dessert that isn’t easy to find. Therefore, if you discover a restaurant, just order it as you may not find many chances to try it.
If you want to try farofias at home, try this recipe.
#12 Arroz Doce
Arroz Doce, or sweet rice, is a classic dessert of Portuguese cuisine. It is made with rice carolino (a native short-grain rice variety similar to the Italian Arborio used in risotto). The process of doing Arroz Doce is very similar to risotto but is cooked with milk, cinnamon, and orange/lemon peel. The rice is slowly cooked, joining the milk gradually until absorbed. In the end, you mix egg yolks. It is usually decorated with cinnamon.
This dessert is almost a comfort food for us, it makes us remember home and our grandmother. It is a mandatory dessert at Christmas and found in typical Portuguese restaurants all over Portugal.
#13 Aletria
Aletria is another classical dessert cooked by Portuguese grannies. It is similar to Arroz Doce in many ways, but instead of rice, this dessert is made with thin noodles we call Aletria. You have to love the Portuguese and their creativity with desserts.
Aletria is done with noodles cooked in milk and egg yolks, aromatized with an orange or lemon peel. When the noodles absorb all the milk, it is done; it just has to cool down and sprinkle cinnamon powder to decorate.
The texture of the dessert varies depending on the region of Portugal. In the North, Minho, the Aletria is more liquid. In the center of Portugal, it is solid, and you can cut it into slices. You will also find this dessert in Spain.
This dessert dates to the Muslim presence in the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal (and Spain) was under the rule of Moors for centuries, leaving a legacy in Portuguese cuisine, and this dessert is still a testimony of it.
Aletria is frequently used in Portuguese homes, and similar to Arroz Doce, it is also a typical Christmas dessert.
#14 Torta de Laranja
Torta de Laranja is a Swiss roll made with Orange. It is a delicious and moist dessert, especially in Summer when Portuguese oranges are so good. It is a very simple and easy dessert: it is made with orange juice, orange zest, eggs, flour, butter, and sugar. The best oranges to use come from the Algarve. Algarve Oranges are so juicy and sweet, making this torte one of the best in Portugal.
Portugal is so famous for its oranges that several countries name their oranges Portocale. Portuguese Orange Torte is a homage to Portuguese orange.
You won’t find this dessert in restaurants as frequently as it should, but it is more typical in the South of Portugal, in the Algarve.
#15 Tarte de Amendoa
Tarte de Amendoa, or Almond tort, is another classic Portuguese dessert. It is made with a base of almond flour, wheat flour, milk, sugar, and eggs and topped with a crust of almonds and caramel. It is simply divine, especially if you love almonds and caramel.
Besides egg yolks, Portuguese sweets typically use plenty of Almonds, so you will frequently find desserts with almonds or made with almond flour. The reason for this is the abundant Almond trees Portugal has, particularly in Northern Portugal in Trás dos Montes and the Douro region.
You will find this tort in some restaurants and bakeries, and you should try it.
#16 Sericaia
Sericaia is a very humid cake made with eggs, flour, milk, and cinnamon. This traditional sweet comes from Elvas in Alentejo in the South of Portugal. Traditionally, it was cooked and served on typical clay plates and accompanied by a delicious Elvas Plum compote.
You can find Sericaia all over Alentejo, particularly in the Elvas region.
#17 Chocolate Salami
Chocolate Salami is a traditional Portuguese and Italian dessert. Its origin is in Italy, but the Portuguese adore it so much that it became our own, too (not that we lack desserts in our traditional cuisine). It is typical at birthday parties, particularly in the ’80s, when the kids loved it.
Chocolate Salame is made with cocoa, Maria biscuit, egg, butter, and sugar, all joined together in a cylindrical form and refrigerated. It is rich and chocolatey. The egg isn’t cooked, so if you have food restrictions, maybe you shouldn’t eat it.
Chocolate salami isn’t normally served in a restaurant, but you can find it in supermarkets and some pastries shops. Yet, the best ones are the ones made by our moms!
As we said before, Portuguese people have a sweet tooth. We love sweet desserts and pastries. In this post, we explored the most frequent and best desserts that you will find in restaurants and desserts that the Portuguese make at home.
If you want to know more about Portuguese pastry, check out this post, and you will be delighted.
If you want to know about Traditional Portuguese Christmas desserts, read this post.
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