A Guide to The Most Delicious Portuguese Christmas Foods & Desserts

Portugal might not be the most Christmassy country, but what it lacks in wintery weather, it makes up for in colorful street decorations and delicious Portuguese Christmas foods. 

You know Christmas is around the corner when the local cafés change their sweets display. Suddenly, the whole counter is full of Christmas cakes and fried-dough pastries of numerous shapes and sizes.

Beyond sweets, Portuguese Christmas food is simple, yet delicious, with a mix of seafood and meaty delicacies that vary from region to region.

Whether you’re spending Christmas in Portugal or just popping by for a visit, don’t let this festive season go by without trying some traditional Portuguese Christmas foods. 

Oh, and good luck getting through all those sweets! 

christmas tree day blue sky porto aliados
Walk around the city, visit the padarias, enjoy the Portuguese delights. Photo credit: Manuel de Sousa

Portuguese Christmas Traditions

Like the country itself, Portuguese Christmas has always had ties with religion. When it comes to traditional decorations, it’s pretty common to see presépios (nativity scenes) outside a church, or even by the road in the middle of a roundabout!

For a long time, the presépio was the main Christmas decoration in a Portuguese home. 

Some have a small one with just the Holy Family. Others take it a step further, adding dozens of characters and picking up fresh moss to make the grass. 

As more people adopted the Christmas tree, the presépio took a back seat, but many families still have one.

nativity scene presepio portuguese
Don’t underestimate the size and complexity of the Portuguese nativity scenes, you’ll be amazed. Photo credit: Mágson Alves

Don’t underestimate the size and complexity of the Portuguese nativity scenes, you’ll be amazed. Photo credit: Mágson Alves

Another religious tradition that remains alive here is the Missa do Galo. Every year, families come together at their local church to attend this midnight mass on Christmas Eve, before opening their presents.

From mid-November onwards, Christmas lights also take over the streets. Cities set up a big Christmas tree on their main squares. In the north of Portugal, they also have bonfires known as the Madeiros, which you can see in villages like Cabeça or Penamacor.

Christmas lights in Lisbon
Lisbon all decked out for the holidays. Photo credit: PortoBay Experiences

Portuguese Christmas foods for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

 When thinking about Portuguese Christmas foods, think fish and seafood, of course. But, also, think meat, the most delicious meat dishes you can conceive, with the characteristic Christmas holidays flavor that makes those menus so special. We certainly do, and the taste of it directly transports us to our family and friends during these cold end-of-year festivities.

Codfish, octopus, and other fish

For Christmas Eve, we Portuguese like to have a light dinner, which we call Consoada

On this day, most of us abstain from eating meat, opting instead for fish or seafood dishes. 

The fish of choice is usually bacalhau, aka salt cod, the most prominent ingredient of Portuguese cuisine. This fish makes an appearance as a snack, like in pastéis de bacalhau (codfish fritters), or as a main dish itself.

While there are endless ways of cooking codfish, the Christmas recipe is quite simple. 

Known as bacalhau da Consoada, this version combines boiled cod with potatoes, cabbage, carrots, and hard-boiled eggs, all drizzled with olive oil. 

Honestly, it’s not the most exciting way of eating codfish, so some people like to jazz it up with a casserole like Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá or Bacalhau com Natas.

In some regions, it’s also common to eat octopus, either roasted with potatoes or mixed with rice.

portuguese cod or bacalhau com natas
The mouth-watering bacalhau com natas transport us directly to Christmas Eve. Photo credit: momo Lu

Meat dishes

On Christmas Day, there’s another family meal that features at least one meat dish. It can be anything from roasted turkey to lamb, or cabrito assado (baby goat). 

In the North of Portugal, you can also have roupa velha  (“old clothes”). This dish consists of using the leftover codfish from the previous night and frying it up with thinly chopped potatoes and boiled eggs.

cabrito assado portuguese christmas foods
The cabrito assado is definitely one of the most traditional Portuguese Christmas foods. We can almost smell it! Photo credit: MunParedes

Port wine or Ginjinha

As for drinks, this season is the ideal time to have a glass of Port wine, or try traditional liqueurs like ginja, or ginjinha, a sour cherry liqueur that goes perfectly with Christmas desserts.

ginja or ginjinha served in a traditional lisbon bar
A traditional Portuguese drink like ginjinha is perfect at Christmastime. Photo credit: Gerd Eichmann

Portuguese Christmas desserts: 7 traditional treats to try

When December comes around, every pastelaria in Portugal puts on a display of Christmas desserts. 

Yes, you can still get your pastel de nata, but this season also brings many other delicious sweets that you won’t find at other times of year. 

Even the supermarkets have a section just for Christmas desserts, usually next to the bread or near the checkout, tempting you on the way out.

Some families are lucky to have a Portuguese granny who cooks these things, while others drop by their local pastelaria to pick up their favorite sweets before the family dinner.

From traditional cakes to fried dough pastries, here are the best Portuguese Christmas desserts you need to try.

portuguese pasteis de nata portugal
Don’t worry, you’ll still be able to find your pasteis de nata, but you’ll also discover so much more. Photo credit: Felix Kolthoff

Bolo Rei and Bolo Rainha

Bolo Rei is the traditional Christmas cake in Portugal. The name means King’s Cake, and it’s a reference to the Three Wise Men, which we Portuguese call Três Reis (Three Kings). 

Inspired by the French Gâteau des Rois, it appeared in Portugal around the 19th century.

It’s a kind of fruitcake, but with a softer consistency, similar to bread. The dough also includes a mix of nuts and dried fruits like raisins. From the outside, it looks like a wreath, decorated with colorful candied fruit and powdered sugar.

There’s another type called Bolo Rainha (Queen’s Cake), which is the same but without the candied fruit. 

Both these cakes are usually available between Christmas and the Epiphany day, on the 6th of January.

bolo rei (kings cake) portuguese christmas foods
You must eat at least a piece of Bolo Rei during Epiphany day. Photo credit: Aldeana

Filhoses

Filhoses are delicious deep-fried sweets made with eggs, flour, and sometimes a bit of orange zest or pumpkin. 

Once fried, locals dip them straight into a plate with a mix of cinnamon and sugar, carefully coating each side. 

There are different varieties of this dessert around Portugal. In Alentejo, they have a rectangular shape and a crispy texture, while in the Beira region, they are soft and rounder—they’re all equally tasty!

pastelaria 1800 portugal
Find a pastelaria sign, go in, ask them for filhoses with your coffee. Delight yourself with the desserts display. Photo credit: Joehawkings

Rabanadas

You could say this is Portugal’s version of French toast, but it’s much more than that. First of all, the bread is usually thicker, and there’s no syrup involved. 

To make rabanadas, or fatias douradas (golden slices), you have to soak the bread slices in a mix of warm milk, sugar, and lemon zest. Then do the same thing again, but in an egg mixture. 

Once that’s done, you need to fry it up until it’s golden on both sides. Top it off with a bit of cinnamon and sugar, and that’s it!

rabanadas portuguese christmas foods
If you like French toast, you’ll love rabanadas. Photo credit: mad mags

Azevias

Azevias are kind of similar to apple turnovers, but slightly smaller. And, instead of going in the oven, they’re deep-fried, which gives them a crispy texture. 

They come with different fillings (no apple), but the most common ones are chickpea and almonds. 

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Portuguese dessert without a dusting of sugar and cinnamon at the end.

padaria portuguesa lisbon
Walk into any padaria or pastelaria and discover the delights that the Portuguese can do with dough. Photo credit: Fran Fruh

Sonhos

These soft doughnut-like balls are one of our favorite Christmas sweets, and you can find them all over the country. 

Sonhos means “dreams” in Portuguese. With a name like this, you know you’re going to get something tasty! 

The basic recipe contains eggs, flour and sugar, but you can also get it with carrots or pumpkin.

sonhos portuguese christmas foods
Sonhos certainly live up to their name—you’ll be dreaming of these delicious bites long after you’ve finished yours! Photo credit: Filipe Fortes

Broas de Natal

Broa usually refers to the traditional Portuguese cornbread, but the Christmas version is very different. 

These are small oval biscuits made with sweet potatoes, cornflour, sugar, and spices like aniseed and cinnamon. 

After shaping the dough by hand, locals add an almond flake in the middle and brush them with a bit of egg yolk, so the biscuits get that shiny color when they come out of the oven. 

The almonds are optional, but we certainly recommend them!

broas broinhas de natal portuguese christmas foods
The broas or broinhas will definitely sweeten up your holidays. Photo credit: Mi Mitrika

Lampreia de Ovos

Lampreia de ovos is probably the most unusual Christmas dessert in Portugal. It takes at least 20 eggs to make this flashy treat shaped like a lamprey fish. 

Lamprey is a bloodsucking fish that is part of Portuguese cuisine, but don’t worry—this version is the sweet kind. Egg yolks are the main ingredient here, followed by sugar and almonds. 

To make the creature come to life, people use candied fruit for the eyes and the mouth. It’s a sugar bomb for sure, but it’s only Christmas once a year, right?

sweets coffee christmas decoration holidays
What’s better than a coffee and a multitude of desserts to dive into that sweet Christmas dream. Photo credit: Alina Matveycheva

Update Notice: This post was updated on December 16, 2023.

2 Comment

  1. Christa says
    November 24, 2019 at 3:08 pm

    What transitional Portugese christmas pudding can I make in South Africa for 15 people? Please help.

    1. Devour Tours says
      November 25, 2019 at 8:20 am

      Hi Christa—from this list, something like sonhos, filhoses or rabanadas would be good for a crowd. They’re easy for people to take as they wish and don’t require any cutting or other serving prep. We hope this helps!

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