Food World Cuisines European Cuisines Greek Cuisine 8 Greek-Inspired Desserts From Honey-Drenched Doughnuts to Olive Oil Cake Transport to the Mediterranean with these enticing Greek desserts that highlight many beloved flavors from the region. By Maki Yazawa Published on July 8, 2024 Close Photo: Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Greek cuisine is beloved for many of its savory staples, such as tzatziki, a zesty cucumber yogurt dip, and roasted eggplant moussaka, a luscious béchamel-based entree, to name a couple. But a Greek-style meal wouldn’t be complete without one of these delicious Greek desserts, many of which feature phyllo (a thinly rolled, unleavened dough) and other prominent Mediterranean spices, like cinnamon and clove. From Crispy, Golden Honey-Drenched Loukoumades to Strawberry Ekmek Kataifi, there’s a new-meets-old Greek-inspired dessert for everyone. 01 of 08 Strawberry Ekmek Kataifi Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell This vibrant pastry is yet another reason to love phyllo. The layered dessert features a crispy shredded phyllo (kataifi) crust soaked in melted butter that's baked until crispy and golden. Once cooked, a splash of lemon syrup sweetens the otherwise neutral-tasting dough. However, the real star of the dessert is the strawberry custard — a unique take on the more classic iterations of this dish — that adds an eye-catching pop of color. Get the Recipe 02 of 08 Baklava Cheesecake Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Not quite traditional, this cheesecake recipe draws inspiration from baklava, a popular Greek dessert. In this case, the rich cheesecake batter is scented with baklava-style flavors, such as cinnamon, cardamom, and orange zest. Meanwhile, crispy shredded phyllo and candied pistachios garnish the top for a hybrid baklava meets cheesecake-style dessert. Get the Recipe 03 of 08 Bougatsa Ellen Silverman Chef Nasim Alikhani shares her take on bougatsa, a Greek-style phyllo dessert, intricately folding layers of phyllo dough into an accordion-style presentation and dousing it with melted butter before it's baked until golden brown. Then Alikhani ladles a rosewater- and vanilla-scented custard over the crispy bougatsa before baking it one final time. As an homage to her Iranian roots, Alikhani adds salted pistachios and cardamom for a slightly unconventional — but exquisite nonetheless — take on the classic dessert. Get the Recipe 04 of 08 Crispy, Golden Honey-Drenched Loukoumades Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Loukoumades are traditional Greek-style doughnut holes made with sweet dough. In this recipe, they’re lightly fried until golden, tossed in a sweet cinnamon-scented honey butter syrup, and topped with chopped nuts for added crunch. Get the Recipe 05 of 08 Nutty Baklava Pie Photo: Victor Protasio / Food Stylist Torie Cox / Prop Stylist Claire Spollen Pecan pie and baklava come together to form this nutty baklava pie dessert. Although it’s not a traditional Greek-style dessert, its familiar Mediterranean flavors and ingredients — such as warming cardamom, crispy phyllo, and candied nuts — make it a match made in heaven. Get the Recipe 06 of 08 Karithopita (Greek Walnut and Olive Oil Cake with Orange Syrup) © Guy Ambrosino Karithopita is a traditional Greek walnut cake made with olive oil, which gives the dessert its iconic dense yet incredibly moist consistency. To brighten up the dish, it’s served alongside a citrus-scented syrup, which adds a surprising hint of tanginess to complement the rich cake. Get the Recipe 07 of 08 Kourambiedes © The Jewels of New York Kourambiedes are a traditional Greek shortbread cookie, traditionally consumed during Christmas or the holidays. This recipe's success depends on beating the butter for a minimum of 10 minutes to achieve a light and fluffy shortbread texture. A splash of brandy and aromatic ground cloves gives the cookies a deeper flavor while dusting the freshly baked cookies in confectioner’s sugar adds the right amount of sweetness. Get the Recipe 08 of 08 Diples (Fried Greek Pastry with Honey and Nuts) © Martin Morrell Diples, otherwise known as thiples, are a traditional Greek holiday dessert. They feature thinly rolled dough fried until golden brown. To sweeten the dessert, the diples are gently coated in homemade honey syrup infused with orange zest, cinnamon, and lemon juice. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit