Greek cuisine is beloved for its savory staples, like tzatziki, a cucumber and lemon yogurt dip, and roasted eggplant moussaka, a succulent béchamel-based starter, to name a few. But no Greek-style meal would be complete without one of these delicious Greek desserts, many of which feature phyllo dough (a thinly rolled, unleavened dough) and other important Mediterranean spices, like cinnamon and cloves. From crispy, golden loukoumades dipped in honey to strawberry ekmek kataifi, there’s a new and old Greek-inspired dessert for everyone.
Kataïfi with strawberry bread
Photography by Jennifer Causey / Food styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Accessories styling by Lydia Pursell
This vibrant pastry is yet another reason to love phyllo. This layered dessert features a crispy crust of shredded phyllo dough (kataifi) dipped in melted butter and baked until crisp and golden. Once baked, a touch of lemon syrup sweetens the neutral-tasting dough. However, the real star of the dessert is the strawberry pastry cream, a unique take on more classic versions of the dish that adds an eye-catching pop of color.
Cheesecake and baklava
Robby Lozano / Food styling by Julian Hensarling / Accessories styling by Christina Daley
This cheesecake recipe isn’t exactly traditional. It’s inspired by baklava, a popular Greek dessert. In this case, the rich cheesecake dough is infused with baklava-style flavors, like cinnamon, cardamom, and orange zest. Meanwhile, crispy shredded phyllo dough and candied pistachios top the top for a cross between baklava and cheesecake-style dessert.
Bougatsa
Ellen Silverman
Chef Nasim Alikhani shares her take on bougatsa, a Greek-style phyllo dessert. She carefully folds layers of phyllo into an accordion-style presentation and drizzles them with melted butter before baking them until golden brown. Then, Alikhani pours a rosewater- and vanilla-scented pastry cream over the crispy bougatsa before baking it one last time. In homage to her Iranian roots, Alikhani adds salted pistachios and cardamom for a slightly unconventional, yet delicious, take on the classic dessert.
Crispy and golden loukoumades with honey
Robby Lozano / Food styling by Julian Hensarling / Accessories styling by Christina Daley
Loukoumades are traditional Greek-style doughnuts made with sweet dough. In this recipe, they are lightly fried until golden brown, tossed in a cinnamon-scented honey butter syrup, and topped with chopped walnuts for extra crunch.
Pecan pie and baklava come together to make this pecan pie and baklava dessert. While it’s not a traditional Greek-style dessert, its familiar Mediterranean flavors and ingredients—like comforting cardamom, crispy phyllo, and candied walnuts—make it a perfect pairing.
Karithopita (Greek walnut and olive oil cake with orange syrup)
Karithopita is a traditional Greek walnut cake made with olive oil, which gives the dessert its dense yet incredibly moist consistency. To liven up the dish, it is served with a citrus-flavored syrup, which adds a surprising tangy touch to complement the rich cake.
Kourambiedes are traditional Greek shortbread cookies, traditionally eaten during Christmas or the holidays. The success of this recipe depends on beating the butter for at least 10 minutes to achieve a light and fluffy shortbread texture. A little brandy and aromatic ground cloves give the cookies a deeper flavor while dusting the freshly baked cookies in icing sugar adds just the right amount of sweetness.
Diples, also known as thiples, are a traditional Greek holiday dessert. They consist of thinly rolled dough that is fried until golden brown. To sweeten the dessert, the diples are delicately coated with homemade honey syrup infused with orange zest, cinnamon, and lemon juice.
