23 Phyllo Dough Recipes That Go Sweet or Savory
Our recipes with phyllo (sometimes spelled filo) pastry go beyond that ever-so-famous traditional Greek spinach pie called spanakopita. They go beyond Balkan burek. They make up a short but diverse list of sweet and savory treats you can create with this freezer-aisle miracle.
Now, a warning: The total time it takes to make any dish involving phyllo is, well... It’s not a zippy process. You’ve got to refrigerate frozen phyllo for about 8 hours or overnight to allow it to thaw, then leave it at room temperature for another hour or two until all the sheets are pliable. (This will help you avoid cracks, and you really can’t rush the process.)
Once you’re working with the thin layers, you’ll need to brush or spritz each with butter or olive oil. This takes time, so you’ll want to keep the rest of the dough safe from the elements so that it doesn’t dry out. (Which it tends to do. Quickly.) Plastic wrap or a barely damp kitchen towel is best; parchment paper won’t do the trick.
Okay? Okay! Here are our best ideas for using phyllo.
Photograph by Rana Duzyol, Food Styling by Jesse Szewczyk, Prop Styling by Marina Bevilacqua1/23Cinnamon Crunch Crinkle Pie
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton, Prop Styling by Gerri Williams3/23Ruffled Mushroom Pot Pie
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Stephanie Yeh4/23Mini Knafeh With Rose and Pistachio
Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott5/23Cheesy Sesame Phyllo Bites
What would a list of recipes for phyllo be without a savory, cheesy, bite-size cocktail party appetizer? This is the kind of flaky phyllo treat that’s meant to nibble alongside an ice-cold martini.
Photo by Marcus Nilsson8/23Pear-Cranberry Turnovers
These easy hand pies make a fantastic fall treat. Tuck them into a lunch box or picnic basket, or serve them tableside with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Photo by Mark Thomas, Food Styling by William Smith, Prop Styling by Nancy Micklin10/23Guava-Cheese Phyllo Pouches With Passion Fruit Syrup
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Dayna Seman11/23Guava and Goat Cheese Phyllo Pie
Don’t call it a cheesecake. This showstopping cheese pie gets finished with a drizzling of glossy guava syrup, which we’ve discovered is also delicious on top of vanilla ice cream as well as on ricotta toast.
Gissinger Hans13/23Walnut and Pistachio Baklava
Walnuts, pistachios, dried apples, and grated lemon peel make up the filling for these honey-cinnamon-syrup-soaked bars. Make life easier on yourself and get shelled pistachios.
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Aneta Florczyk17/23Ruffled Milk Pie With Raspberries
Crunchy phyllo, juicy raspberries, and creamy custard come together harmoniously in a decadent bread-pudding-like dessert. We’ve got a video to show you how to make it too.
Photo by Quentin Bacon18/23Flaky Cheese Rolls
Serve this meze with Zucchini Patties With Feta as the start to any Turkish feast—or any Mediterranean dinner, for that matter.
Photo by William Meppem19/23Spiced Pumpkin Phyllo Pie
Dread making pie crust every time Thanksgiving rolls around? This is the year you finally make all your dreams come true.
Photo by Brian Leatart20/23Autumn Apple Strudel
This may look like apple pie, but it is, in fact, a strudel. A strudel uses a very thin dough—in this case, phyllo—that’s rolled around the filling, while a pie recipe will call for a thicker bottom crust. Bonus: You only need a baking sheet to make a strudel.
21/23Strawberry-Blueberry Napoleons
Forget Fourth of July cake. This phyllo pastry tower will steal the show at any summer holiday dinner.
