Golden Greek Honey Pie Melopita Recipe
This Golden Greek Honey Pie Melopita is a traditional and delightful Greek dessert featuring a buttery, flaky crust filled with a creamy ricotta and mizithra cheese mixture, baked until golden and then generously drenched in a warm, fragrant honey syrup infused with cinnamon and lemon. It’s a perfect balance of sweet, creamy, and aromatic flavors that make for a luscious treat.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Greek
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
For the Crust
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ cup cold, diced butter
- 1 egg yolk
- 2–3 tablespoons ice-cold water or milk
For the Filling
- 2 cups full-fat ricotta cheese or drained mizithra cheese
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Zest of 1 lemon
For the Honey Syrup
- 1 cup good quality honey
- ½ cup water
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- Strip of lemon peel (avoiding the white pith)
Instructions
- Prepare Your Crust: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and sugar. Cut in the cold, diced butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, then add the egg yolk and ice-cold water or milk. Mix just until the dough forms a disc, wrap it in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 30 minutes. Roll out the dough to fit a 9-inch pie dish, press it in, trim edges, and prick the bottom with a fork. Blind bake at 375°F (190°C) for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden and let cool slightly.
- Make the Creamy Filling: In a large bowl, combine ricotta or mizithra cheese, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and lemon zest. Mix until smooth and well combined.
- Assemble the Pie: Pour the cheese filling into the cooled prebaked crust, smoothing the top evenly.
- Bake to Golden Perfection: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the pie on a baking sheet and bake for 50-60 minutes until the filling is set with a slight jiggle and the top is golden brown.
- Prepare the Honey Syrup: In a small saucepan, combine honey, water, cinnamon stick, and lemon peel. Simmer gently over medium heat, stirring until honey dissolves and syrup thickens slightly (5-7 minutes). Remove cinnamon stick and lemon peel.
- Drench and Delight: Immediately after baking, spoon the warm honey syrup evenly over the hot pie.
- Cool and Serve: Let the pie cool completely at room temperature for 2-3 hours, then refrigerate if desired before serving.
Notes
- Use full-fat ricotta or authentic Greek mizithra cheese for the best traditional flavor and texture.
- Blind baking the crust ensures a crisp bottom and prevents sogginess from the filling.
- The honey syrup is key to giving the pie its signature golden, glossy, and sweet finish.
- Allow the pie to cool thoroughly so the filling can set perfectly before serving.
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Keywords: Greek honey pie, Melopita, ricotta pie, honey dessert, Greek dessert, baked cheese pie, traditional Greek recipes
