Greek Honey Pie Recipe: My Coziest, Most Irresistible Bake
I Can’t Stop Making Greek Honey Pie (Here’s Why)
Okay—so you know that one recipe in your family you keep coming back to, even when you’re not actually that hungry, just because it feels right? For me, it’s Greek Honey Pie, or as my Auntie Irene would say, melopita. She made it for every birthday growing up (even those years when I only wanted ‘plain cake,’ whatever that means…), and honestly, I think this pie deserves way more love outside of our kitchen.
There was this one summer when the power went out and the filling didn’t quite set—and we still ate half the thing with spoons by candlelight. You could say it’s forgiving, or just plain delicious. Either way, you really can’t mess it up (much; I’ll get to that later).
Why I Make This Greek Honey Pie (More Often Than I Should)
My family goes a bit mad for this pie. I make it when someone needs cheering up or when there’s a random bottle of honey lingering at the back of the cupboard (which is weirdly often). Oh, and it’s ideal for potlucks because you can eat it with your hands if you must—the crust holds up. If you’ve ever had a baker’s existential crisis because your meringue shattered, this one’s for you; possible flops are minimal (aside from one time when I dropped the whole thing, but that’s another story and not the pie’s fault, really).
Here’s What You’ll Need (Plus My “Improv” List)
- 320g (about 2 1/2 cups) ricotta cheese (I’ve swapped in fresh mizithra when I found it, but ricotta’s easier and honestly, nobody noticed)
- 3 large eggs (my neighbor swears by farm eggs, but supermarket ones have worked fine for me)
- 1/3 cup (80ml) Greek honey—runny is best, though I once used orange blossom honey and wow, next-level
- One vanilla bean (or a teaspoon of extract; no shade if you forget the vanilla, but it’s better with)
- 2 tbsp (ish) granulated sugar (my grandma always insisted on real sugar here, but I’ve tried coconut sugar—tasted fine but a bit earthy)
- Pinch salt (or a smidge, whatever your salt-shaker dispenses)
- Zest of 1 lemon (or half, if you like it milder—me, I zest the whole thing and don’t look back)
- Pre-baked tart shell (store-bought, or homemade if you’re ambitious, but sometimes I just use a shortbread base from this Serious Eats recipe)
How You (Probably) Make It—But With Some Leeway
- Preheat your oven to 170°C (about 340°F). Or somewhere around there—I rarely check my oven thermometer. Just not blazing hot.
- Dump the ricotta, eggs, honey, sugar, vanilla, salt, and lemon zest in a mixing bowl. I usually use a hand mixer, but a big wooden spoon (and some elbow grease) works too—lumps are fine. It’ll look gloppy—don’t fret, it bakes up nice.
- Pour that filling into your tart shell and wiggle it to smooth out (or just use a spatula—sometimes mine disappears so I improvise with a fish slice, no shame).
- Bake on the middle rack for 35 to 40 minutes. I like to peek at about 30, because my ancient oven sometimes gets impatient. The center should wobble just a bit but not slosh; if it puffs wildly, take it out and trust the process.
- This is where I, without fail, touch the top and regret it (hot!), so word to the wise: let it cool for at least 20 minutes. It sets more as it cools (which is why, honestly, leftovers can be even better—if you have any left).
- Finally, drizzle extra honey on top and maybe scatter some chopped toasted nuts—pistachios or almonds if I’ve got ‘em. Or just eat as is, straight from the fridge. No judgment.
What I’ve Learned from Doing This the “Hard Way”
- One time I baked it in a cake tin instead of a tart pan, and it took forever to set—so stick with the shallower dish if you can.
- If you try to cut it while it’s piping hot, it’ll kind of ooze out everywhere. Actually, just walk away for a bit, trust your future self to finish the job.
- Forgot the lemon once—tasted oddly flat. So, yeah, the zest is not optional for me anymore.
Stuff I’ve Tried (Not All Winners)
- I swapped half the ricotta for Greek yogurt once for a tangy twist. Was nice, but a bit wetter, and the texture wasn’t quite as lush. Not bad, just different.
- Tried adding cinnamon—eh, I think it distracted from the honey. But my cousin loved it? People are weird.
- Once used acacia honey and it was perfumed in a wild way. Would do again for a fancier dinner.
You Don’t Actually Need Fancy Equipment
Basic mixing bowl. A tart pan is best—and a removable base makes your life easier, but, honestly, I baked this in a pie plate with crumpled baking paper and got away with it. No mixer? Mash with a fork and a bit of movie muscle. (A food processor does make it smoother, if you want to go full-on posh.)
Will It Keep? (Not In My House…)
Supposedly you can keep Greek Honey Pie in the fridge up to three days, covered, but it never survives that long around here. I kinda like it fridge-cold, but some people zap it for 10 seconds in the microwave—don’t overdo or it goes rubbery; just speaking from one crispy disaster.
How I Serve Greek Honey Pie (My Two Cents)
Most of the time I just slice and eat. But for birthdays—so, August 3rd at our place—it’s a drizzle of thyme honey and a few purple grapes (left over from the kid’s snack box, surprisingly good!). Afternoon tea? Strong black tea, hands down. Or coffee if I need to fake productivity. My friend Georgia said it’s even better after a night in the fridge and, you know what, she’s right. But nobody’s ever really waited twelve hours except her.
Pro Tips I Wish I’d Always Followed
- Never rush cooling; I once tried serving it too soon and it slid all over the plate, looked pretty tragic but tasted fine. Let patience do the heavy lifting.
- Eggs at room temp do blend nicer, but honestly—sometimes I forget and just use them fridge-cold. Not a dealbreaker.
- It’s tempting to sub in low-fat cheese—don’t. Been there, got the bland pie to prove it.
Questions I Actually Get Asked (And Honest Replies)
- Can I use cream cheese instead of ricotta?
- Technically yes, though it’ll be way richer—like Greek cheesecake. Still delicious, just not quite the same vibe. Try mixing half ricotta, half cream cheese if you’re curious.
- Is it super sweet?
- Not crazy sweet! The honey’s the star, but the cheese keeps it grounded. If you like a sweeter pie, add a bit more sugar (or, on second thought, just pour extra honey at the finish line).
- Is it better hot or cold?
- I think it tastes a bit better cold, but plenty of people love it warm. There’s no wrong answer.
- Do I really need to zest the lemon?
- Uh, yes. The one time I skipped, the whole thing was ‘meh.’
One last thing before you run off—does anyone else find they always hum a little tune while drizzling the honey at the end? It’s like a ritual now, and, honestly, I think the pie knows. Happy baking, mate.
Ingredients
- 1 sheet ready-made filo pastry
- 400g ricotta cheese or Greek mizithra cheese
- 120ml Greek honey
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 40g unsalted butter, melted
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Pinch of cinnamon
Instructions
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1Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Butter a 23 cm (9-inch) pie dish.
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2Carefully line the pie dish with the filo pastry, brushing with melted butter to coat.
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3In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, eggs, 90ml honey, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and cinnamon. Mix until smooth.
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4Pour the creamy mixture over the prepared filo pastry. Fold any overhanging pastry over the filling and brush with remaining butter.
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5Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the filling is set and the pastry is golden brown. Allow to cool slightly.
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6Drizzle the remaining honey over the warm pie before serving.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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