I have always loved the combination of crisp pastry and rich custard in a classic bakery tart.

Traditional versions rely heavily on regular cow milk and butter, which can be tough to digest if you avoid lactose like I do.

That is why I created these dairy free portuguese custard tarts using simple plant milk and flaky puff pastry.

The filling turns out sweet and silky, with those classic caramelized spots right on top after baking in a very hot oven.

You can enjoy a warm, comforting pastry straight from your kitchen without worrying about stomach aches later.

Why This Recipe Is a Keeper

Bakery Quality at Home – You get the iconic caramelized tops and flaky layers of a classic Portuguese bakery without any dairy.

Ultra Creamy Custard – Combining rich coconut milk and oat milk creates a velvety filling that rivals traditional heavy cream.

Incredible Crispy Texture – Rolling store-bought puff pastry creates dozens of crisp, golden layers that crackle with every single bite.

Infused with Warm Spices – A quick syrup made with fresh lemon and cinnamon gives the custard an authentic, bakery-style flavor.

Here’s What You’ll Need

For the Pastry

1 sheet Dairy Free Puff Pastry, Thawed
1 tsp Neutral Oil, For Greasing

For the Syrup

2/3 cup Granulated Sugar
1/3 cup Water
1 Cinnamon Stick
1 strip Lemon Peel

For the Custard

3/4 cup Unsweetened Oat Milk
1/2 cup Full Fat Coconut Milk
3 tbsp All Purpose Flour
1 pinch Salt
1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
6 Large Egg Yolks

For Serving

1 tbsp Powdered Sugar
1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon

How to Make It

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 500°F with a rack in the upper third. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin with oil.

Step 2

On a lightly floured surface, roll the puff pastry into a 10×12-inch rectangle. Starting from a short side, roll it up tightly into a log and cut it into 12 equal rounds.

Place each round cut side up in a muffin cup. Dip your thumbs in cold water and press down on the center, pushing the dough up the sides until it reaches just above the rim, then chill the tin for 15 minutes.

Step 3

Combine the sugar, water, cinnamon stick and lemon peel in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 3 minutes, then remove from the heat and discard the cinnamon stick and lemon peel.

Step 4

In a separate saucepan, whisk the oat milk, coconut milk, flour and salt until smooth. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, for 3-4 minutes until it thickens to a thin pudding consistency, then remove from the heat.

Step 5

Slowly whisk the warm syrup into the milk mixture, then stir in the vanilla. Let it cool for 10 minutes until warm but not hot.

Whisk in the egg yolks until smooth, then strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve into a measuring cup with a spout.

Step 6

Pour the custard into the chilled pastry cups, filling each one about 3/4 full. Bake for 12-16 minutes, until the pastry is deep golden and crisp and the custard is puffed with dark caramelized spots on top.

Step 7

Let the tarts cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar and cinnamon and serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe Tips

Use Canned Full-Fat Coconut Milk

I recommend using canned full-fat coconut milk rather than the carton style found in the refrigerated aisle. The canned version has the rich fat content needed to replace traditional heavy dairy cream.

Make sure you shake the can thoroughly before measuring so the thick cream blends completely with the liquid. This ensures your custard bakes up rich and creamy instead of thin and watery.

Push the Pastry Above the Rim

When pressing the dough discs into your muffin tin, dip your thumbs in cold water and push the pastry slightly higher than the top edge of each cup.

Dairy-free puff pastry tends to shrink down as the plant fats melt in the hot oven. Leaving that extra rim of dough prevents your custard from bubbling over the sides while baking.

Chill the Pastry Before Filling

My favorite trick here is to place the shaped muffin tin in the freezer for about 10 minutes right before you pour in the custard.

You will get the best results if the pastry is ice-cold when it hits that 500-degree oven. This temperature contrast creates instant steam, which gives you crisp, flaky pastry layers rather than a soggy crust.

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