Top 20 Most Popular Greek Desserts
History, season, and place define Greek desserts. All Greek cuisine is influenced by neighboring countries to the east, such as Turkey, Israel, and Lebanon, making each dish an amalgam of flavors from what was once the Ottoman Empire.
The time of year largely determines what type of dessert is served. In the summer, you’ll find lighter desserts such as halva, rizogalo, and spoon sweets paired with Greek yogurt on the menu, while in the colder months, baklava and steamy galaktoboureko are more likely to feature.
Quite where in the country you are indulging in a dessert can influence the preparation. Every region of the country has its prefered versions, so in some northeastern areas, for example, rosewater is added to rizogalo or Greek rice pudding. Little tweaks like that differentiate the original recipes, so it’s definitely worth traveling the whole country to taste all the scrumptious variations.
But wherever you are, you can expect to be offered desserts right after lunch both at home and in traditional restaurants.
Despite the wide variety on offer, many are iterations on common ingredients: phyllo pastry, semolina, milk and butter, nuts, sugar in syrup form, and a variety of eastern spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom.
For those who like to regulate their intake of processed sugar, fresh seasonal fruit is usually served side by side.
1. Baklava
Baklava has Ottoman origins, and the Greek rendition is just as delicious and more-ish. It’s made with multiple layers of phyllo pastry, all spread with melted butter and a light layer of nuts, either pistachios or walnuts. If that wasn’t temoting enough, the nut-filled pastry is soaked in a silky cinnamon-orange syrup.
Usually sliced into squares, you may well come across rhombus portions with and a single clove on top, further enhancing the deep flavors. Being buttery and comforting, it is mostly served in the winter.
2. Galaktoboureko
Galaktoboureko, or Greek custard pie, is an absolute classic that will warm you when served hot in the winter and refresh you when served cold in the summer.
It is phyllo pastry used as a base for a semolina custard soaked with a cold spiced syrup when it comes out of the oven. Hot or cold are equally delicious, so you may need to try them both!
3. Rizogalo
For many, rice pudding is a comforting, warm winter fayre. But in Greece, rizogalo is served cold and refreshing for a lovely summer treat.
Rizogalo is made with glutinous sticky rice, water, heavy cream, cardamom, cinnamon, and sugar. It is topped with more cinnamon and, in some regions, drops of delicate rosewater are poured over the top, confirming its Turkish roots.
4. Halva with Semolina
Halva is most commonly served in traditional Greek taverna’s during the summer. It differs from the helva found in most eastern countries as rather than using tahini, the Greeks use semolina and olive oil, which is, of course, equally delicious.
It’s spiced with cinnamon, as well as lemon and orange peel, and sometimes contains nuts, such as almonds, and raisins. If you are looking for a modern version, try the one containing chocolate and orange.
5. Kadaifi
Kadaifi is another adaptation of a Turkish dessert and has many variations in Greek cuisine. It’s made with shredded phyllo pastry, butter, pistachios and walnuts, cinnamon, and spiced syrup. In other versions, custard replaces the nuts, and sometimes chocolate is used to complement the tastes.
The best part of this dessert is the texture of the phyllo: it’s crunchy and slightly soft at the same time, all due to the syrup. In the summer months, the custard version of kadaifi is served cold.
6. Saragli
Saragli is quite similar to baklava in many ways. You could even say it’s a rolled baklava, since it’s made out of the exact same ingredients. Phyllo pastry, butter, nuts, cinnamon, and spiced syrup are clearly a recipe for a successful and tasty dessert in Greece.
Saragli is traditionally cut into small pieces and is usually served after lunch with Greek coffee.
7. Bougatsa
Another phyllo wrapped dessert, this one is kind of a Greek custard pie. It’s filled with custard made with semolina, milk, and sugar and once baked and cooled, it’s dusted with icing sugar and cinnamon. The crunchy dough and fresh filling of the custard make for a simple and tasty breakfast or snack.
Bougatsa is a favorite in Thessaloniki, the second largest city. Throughout the country, however, you’ll find savory bougatsa, filled with cheese or meat.
8. Portokalopita
Portokalopita, or orange pie, is a unique Greek dessert. It looks like a moist cake but is made with scrunched up phyllo pastry, orange juice and zest, sugar, eggs, and milk.
Like many Greek desserts, orange flavored syrup is poured on top once the pie is out of the oven. It’s usually served with either vanilla or mastic ice cream and orange spoon sweets. Since the pie is quite sweet, the ice cream complements the portokalopita perfectly.
9. Spoon Sweets
Spoon sweets are probably some of the most unique and versatile desserts. They’re made with thickly-cut fruit, water, and sugar and are flavored with lemon juice. The fruit is boiled into almost a jam, and the combination of water and sugar turns it into a thin syrup.
It is then stored in jars and is usually eaten directly from there with a spoon—hence the name! However, one can make spoon sweets with much more than fruit: rose petals, tomatoes, and walnuts are just some of the alternatives. When served in the summer, this dessert is usually accompanied by yogurt.
10. Loukoumades
Loukoumades are a little like the French beignets. These fried balls of dough are made with flour, yeast, oil, and a little bit of honey, all combined together, and then fried in some neutral oil.
In their most classic version, they are topped with honey, cinnamon, and walnuts. But there are many combinations worth trying; for example, you can have them topped with cheese or filled with chocolate and topped with pistachios.
11. Melomakarona
Melomakarona are traditional Greek Christmas honey cookies, though they are often enjoyed throughout December and January. They’re made with flour, semolina, oil, orange zest, and spices—usually cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
Once baked, they’re soaked in spiced syrup and topped with honey and walnuts. As with almost any Greek dessert, their variations include chocolate and, less commonly, chestnuts.
12. Kourabiedes
Kourabiedes also come out around Christmas time. These little almondy snowball cookies contain flour, sugar, butter, bitter almond liqueur, almond slivers, and a hint of rosewater.
Once baked, they are topped with icing sugar. They are full of crumbly and crunchy textures and make an overall delectable holiday dessert.
Tip: give this chocolate kourabiedes recipe a try as well. You won’t regret it.
13. Karidopita
Karidopita is a Greek walnut cake. Along with flour, it includes ground walnuts, cinnamon, cloves, eggs, and butter. Of course, it’s topped with spiced and lemon-flavored syrup, which makes the cake even more fluffy and moist.
Unlike most cakes, this one is usually served right after it’s taken out of the oven, topped with either vanilla or mastic ice cream. It can be found in most regions of Greece, although it’s more common in the east.
14. Pasteli
Pasteli is one of the most popular and traditional Greek dessert-snacks. It’s made with very simple ingredients: sesame seeds, honey, lemon zest, and, sometimes, nuts.
On some Greek islands, the sesame mixture is laid out in the sun to dry. This is one of the oldest and more natural ways of drying pasteli, and is a technique only used by smaller manufacturers of traditional Greek delicacies.
Editor’s Note: Sesame candy is also a popular dessert in Israel and other Mediterranean countries.
15. Revani
Ravani, or revani, is a spongey, crumbly Greek cake. Made with semolina, flour, sugar, eggs, orange zest, and yogurt (or butter), it is fluffy and sweet. And to make it really nice and moist, a cold orange and cinnamon-spiced syrup is poured over it once it is baked.
When fully cold and ready to serve, it is topped with anything from shaved coconut to chopped pistachios and ice cream. This dessert is served all year round.
16. Panorama Triangles
The phyllo cones filled with a milky, buttery, and yolky vanilla cream originate from an area of Thessaloniki called Panorama, hence their name. Once removed from the oven, the cones are dipped in a simple syrup.
Sometimes, crushed pistachios are sprinkled over the almost overflowing cream. They are most delicious when they are chilled in the fridge for a couple of hours, making them a phenomenal summer treat!
17. Tsoureki
Easter bread is a specialty in Greece and tsoureki is as traditional as they come. This babka-like bread is enjoyed during the Greek Easter season and its key ingredients are hard flour, yeast, sugar, and butter.
However, what makes it unique are the aromatics that are thrown in: mahlab, cardamom, and mastic give it a flavor only found in Eastern cuisines. These spices are a vital and irreplaceable part of tsoureki making, and if you fancy giving it a try, it is worth getting hold of them to fully enjoy the truly exceptional combination of aromas and flavors.
18. Diples
At first glance, piples look like deep-fried rolls of dough rolls dipped in a syrup and topped with walnuts. And indeed they are! Though the syrup is a little more than a regular syrup; it contains honey and lemon juice to slightly subdue the intense sweetness.
Sometimes, more honey is also poured on, which is a little over the top even for some Greeks, and in some areas, the syrup is left out altogether. They are the perfect amount of crunchy and sweet and make for the ideal post-lunch sweet snack!
19. Loukoumia
Loukoumia is the Greek name for Turkish delight. While they originally come from Turkey, they are also served on the islands in the eastern part of the Aegean sea, close to Turkish shores.
They are bite-sized chewy desserts made with gelatin, cornstarch, citric acid, icing sugar, rosewater, and food coloring. The rosewater flavor is intensified by the icing sugar that’s dusted on top once cooked and cooled. Sometimes nuts are added to the little squares to add a crunchy texture and another layer of complexity to the taste.
20. Galatopita
Galatopita means milk pie and has a custard-like texture since it’s mostly made with milk, butter, semolina, cornstarch, eggs, and sugar. However, there’s an overcoat to the cream, made with egg, water, lemon zest, and sugar.
When it’s baked, it turns to a deep shade of caramel and becomes slightly crunchy—a little reminiscent of crème brûlée. It is mostly served cold during the summer months and is dusted with cinnamon and a smidge of granulated sugar.
If you love Greek cuisine, check out our article on the best 25 Greek foods.
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