Costco’s Portuguese Custard Tarts offer a delightful morning treat with their irresistible taste and texture.
It’s the beginning of the year, and like many of you, I’m trying to eat healthier. Therefore, dessert wasn’t on my mind as I made my weekly Costco run, but La Vie Gourmand Portuguese Custard Tarts ended up in my cart. I blame the lovely man who put four boxes in his cart and urged me to do the same. I took his advice, as the couple telling me the seaweed salad was good didn’t steer me wrong, and here we are.
Before this trip, I had never heard of Costco Portuguese Custard tarts, nor did I know what to expect when opening the package. Let’s explore these tiny Costco desserts together to see their taste and how to cook them.
What Are Portuguese Custard Tarts?
Bakeries abound in Portugal, many selling small custard tarts called Pastel de Nata. These tiny sweets consist of flaky pastry along the perimeter with a center of simple custard, most including a hint of cinnamon. The exact flavors vary by bakery and region.
Portuguese Custard Tarts were introduced over 300 years ago at Jerónimos Monastery in Belém. The monks and nuns in this busy parish used egg whites to wash their clothes, leaving them with many leftover egg yolks. Not wanting anything to go to waste, they used the extra egg parts in desserts, mainly tarts they sold, to support their efforts.
After the monastery closed in 1834, a local shop purchased the recipe, and the Pastel de Nata tradition continued.
Costco Portuguese Tarts Price, Location
Costco sells La Vie Gourmand Custard Tarts in the freezer section, item number 1846700. They’ve gone up in price from $9.99 earlier this year to $12.99. The cheapest was in January 2024, when it was $7.49.
These frozen tarts come and go from the warehouse. We haven’t figured out an availability pattern yet. They are in stock as of November 8, 2024 with new packaging.
Portuguese Custard Tarts Costco Instructions
La Vie Portuguese Custard Tarts Oven Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Place the tarts on a baking sheet on the oven rack in the middle of the oven.
Bake for 18-20 minutes until bubbly and crispy.
La Vie Portuguese Custard Tarts Air Fryer Instructions
Preheat the air fryer to 375.
Heat for 9-12 minutes until bubbly and crispy.
Let the tarts cool for a few minutes before eating.
Portuguese Custard Tart Costco Review
Custard tarts are sold throughout Portugal, and many enjoy them as a breakfast with coffee or as dessert. After trying the La Vie Gourmand version, these tiny treats completely fit that bill. They aren’t overly sweet, which makes them the perfect complement to your morning cup of Joe.
Pros:
Great Taste and Texture: The tarts balance flaky and creamy, blending flavors with every bite.
Perfect Pairing: They are an ideal accompaniment to a cup of coffee in the morning, adding a touch of indulgence to your breakfast routine.
Customizable Sweetness: While not overly sweet, a quick dusting of confectioner’s sugar can easily enhance the sweetness, or cinnamon can enhance the savoriness to suit your preference.
Ease of Preparation: Although they require some cooking time, the preparation is straightforward. Simply pop them in the oven, and in just 20 minutes, you’ll be rewarded with perfectly blistered tarts.
Convenient Cooking: These tarts can be baked while you’re busy with other tasks, making them a convenient option for breakfast or brunch.
Minimal Prep: With no elaborate prep required, you can simply take them out of the container and cook, saving time and effort.
Warm and Fresh: Allow them to cool for a few minutes after baking to achieve the ideal temperature. However, be mindful not to let them sit too long, as they can become soggy.
Cons:
Time-Consuming Cooking: One downside is the time required for cooking, which may not be suitable for those with busy mornings.
Moderate Sweetness: Some individuals may find the tarts less sweet than expected. However, this can be quickly addressed by adding a sprinkle of powdered sugar. We liked that they weren’t too sweet. It made them the perfect accompaniment to a nice cup of tea or coffee.
Costco’s Portuguese Custard Tarts offer a delightful morning treat with their irresistible taste and texture. While they require some cooking time, the result is worth the wait. Whether enjoyed alongside a cup of coffee or as a midday indulgence, these tarts will surely please your palate. Just a word of caution: be prepared to resist the temptation to devour them all in one sitting!
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Cost Co has not brought back these wonderful tarts (Natas).
Do you know where to purchase LaVie Portuguese Custard Tarts? (the ones CostCo carried)
Ugh we love these! I’ve reached out to La Vie Gourmand to see if they know if they are coming back to Costco any time soon. I’ll keep you posted. My guess is that they will come back later this year. They seem to be a customer favorite!
I just heard back from the company and they expect to be back in stores in October. They are exclusive to Costco so not sold anywhere else
The yolks were indeed used by the nuns to make the tarts but the whites were used to filter the wine (port) , not do laundry. This according to the Belem bakery.
Thank you for sharing the info. I am off to Costco, when they open.
Appreciate the good news!
What would we do without Costco????
Take care and God Bless……
Another BIG TIME FAVORITE is the Cranberry – Walnut Bread!
Prayers to all the TEAM at Costco!
Love ya,
Shirlee Sutton
Currently in stock and on sale until January 20th 2025 (dang first time typing it…where did this year go???). And it’s funny seeing how we use things differently. I’ve never tried this brand, which is why I’m searching, but have gotten the respectable Trader Joes ones a fair handful of times. I almost always make them as a mid-afternoon snack for the days I need another coffee & want a little something to go with. Never occurred to me to make for breakfast!!! Then again, my typical “breakfast” is usually that 1st cup of coffee lolol
Honestly, I’ll eat these at any time of day (LOL).
I’ll have to try the Trader Joe’s version.
Unfortunately I just noticed these in January at costco and immediately got them at a steal of a sale price 8.99 for 18 wow. The local Portuguese bakery is now selling these at a crazy price of 2.50 each that gets quite pricey when you love these as much as my wife and I do. The unfortunate part is that when I went to restock up on these, they were gone and Costco told me they were not going to carry them anymore they were discontinued. Uggggg noooooo!!!! So disappointed 😞 😔 😪 please Costco change your mind and and bring them back. 🙏
They had them on the Death Star last year, too and they came back. Start checking in October.
We have checked 3 stores this month with no luck. So I took the item# to customer service and the result was “pending deletion”. I asked the rep what that typically means and he didn’t know but suggested that items often rotate, particularly in the frozen goods section.
So I’m putting “tarts” on my October calendar; I just hope I remember what that means in 7 months! 😂
Sounds like something I would do! They are so good hopefully that helps you remember.
Had in freezer had to use up to make room for other items. Box recommends sprinkle of powder sugar and cinnamon after baking. I sprinkled before baking sugar and cinnamon. Put in plastic container in refrigerator. Ate cold. I preferred cold rather hot. Cinnamon sugar (just a sprinkle) while baking smelled amazing. Quality item worth buying for sure.
Cinnamon sugar on top sounds devine! Im going to try this!
I baked them half way , than added fresh Blueberries,when cooled served with whip cream
that sounds amazing! I need to try that!
These tarts are beyond delicious! When I found out this week that they were no longer available at Costco I was truly sad! I love vanilla custard and the combination of the flaky crust and the custard is phenomenal!
I wonder why Costco deems certain products as “seasonal”. They are consumable year round. It’s bad business to stop carrying a product when it sells well.
I agree, Cecilia! The only thing I can think of is that they are constantly rotating inventory to keep up the treasure hunt for new products that customers love. But this one should be a staple, it’s DELISH!