Pastel de Nata Cooking Classes in Lisbon

Want to learn to make Portugal’s most famous pastry? A pastel de nata class in Lisbon teaches you the secrets of the crisp, flaky pastry and silky custard, and you get to eat the results warm from the oven. Here’s what to expect.

Quick answer: classes usually take about 2 hours in small groups. You learn to make the laminated pastry, line the tins, make the custard and bake. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, then eat them warm, often with a glass of port or coffee. Most classes share the recipe to take home. See pastel de nata classes in Lisbon.

Why take a class

You can buy a pastel de nata on almost every corner in Lisbon for a euro or two, so why make your own? Because the tart is harder than it looks. The pastry needs to shatter, the custard needs to set without going rubbery, and the top needs those dark, almost burnt spots. A class shows you how each part works, and it’s a fun, hands-on way to spend a couple of hours, especially if it’s raining.

What a class involves

Most classes follow the same basic plan. A local baker or chef runs the session in a teaching kitchen, and you work at your own station or in pairs.

• The pastry: you learn how the dough is layered with butter and rolled into a tight log. You then slice it and press each piece into a small metal tin with your thumbs, so the layers form a spiral. Because proper laminated dough takes hours, some classes make it with you from scratch while others give you dough that was started earlier. Check the description if this matters to you.
• The custard: egg yolks, a sugar syrup, milk thickened with a little flour, and lemon peel and cinnamon for flavour.
• Baking: the tarts go into a very hot oven for a short time. This is what puffs the pastry and caramelises the top.
• The history: the recipe is said to come from the monks of the Jerónimos Monastery in Belém. When religious orders were shut down in 1834, the recipe passed to a nearby bakery, which still sells its famous version today.
• Tasting: you dust the tarts with cinnamon and icing sugar and eat them warm, often with coffee or a small glass of port.

How long it takes

Most classes last about 2 hours, with some running closer to 3 hours if you make the dough from scratch or the class includes a longer tasting. Groups are usually small, often under a dozen people, so you get help from the teacher.

What you take home

• The recipe: most classes give you a printed or emailed recipe so you can try again at home.
• Extra tarts: many let you box up the ones you can’t finish. They are best eaten the same day.
• The know-how: the tricks with the dough and oven temperature are what make the difference. Note that home ovens rarely get as hot as a bakery oven, so ask your teacher how to adapt.

Booking tips

• Book a few days ahead: small groups fill quickly, especially in summer and at weekends.
• Go early in your trip: you’ll then know what to look for when you try tarts around the city.
• Dietary needs: the tarts contain wheat, eggs, dairy and sugar. Ask the organiser before booking if you have an allergy.
• Kids: children usually enjoy it, but check the minimum age and whether they need an adult ticket.
• Location: classes run in different parts of Lisbon. Check the meeting point and plan your transport. See Lisbon public transport.
• Cancellation: read the cancellation policy, as plans can change.

Other cooking classes

Lisbon and Porto also have classes in Portuguese home cooking and seafood. See Lisbon cooking classes and Porto cooking classes.

Taste the best

Compare yours with Lisbon’s best bakeries. See the best pastel de nata in Lisbon. If you want to see where the recipe began, pair a morning class with an afternoon in Belém.

More: Portuguese desserts, food tours and Lisbon on a rainy day.

Some links in this guide are affiliate links (GetYourGuide, Booking.com, Discover Cars). If you book through them we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It helps keep our groups and this site free.