15 Typical Greek Desserts

If you visit Greece, do not miss its best desserts, ideal to end the day or as a snack. If you love sweet breakfast, you will love these typical Greek sweets!

Every country in the world has ambassadors, one of them is gastronomy. Greece undoubtedly gives us various delicacies, sweets and desserts that we immediately identify with this beautiful island. Let's remember that Greece has a long tradition and its flavors vary based on the region or season of the year.

But what is the greatest characteristic of Greek gastronomy? It is mainly characterized by the subtlety of its flavors, with a lot of influence from the Middle East, the Balkans and Anatolia.
It also shares certain codes with Italian cuisine and also Turkey.

If we travel back in time we will discover that cakes date back more than 7,000 years and it is in Greek cuisine where we will find the first of the cakes named Obelias, which meant "offering" and was offered to the gods.

It was made of flour and honey whose dough was heated on a hot stone to bake it. We can say that in Greek cuisine nuts, honey and puff pastry abound.

Although they had honey to sweeten their preparations, they also used grapes, walnuts and almonds.

The 15 most traditional sweets and desserts in Greece, what can't you stop eating in Greece!

1. The Baclava

The Baklavá consists of a puff pastry dough baked and impregnated with sugar syrup, honey, cinnamon and lemon. It is filled with crushed walnuts or pistachios. It is usually accompanied with a delicious Greek coffee that gives it a particular contrast, softening the sweetness of the Baklavá.

2. Greek yogurt

Greek yogurt is made with cow's or goat's milk or a combination of both, the difference with other similar preparations is that in this case the whey is eliminated. It is recognized for its unmistakable creaminess and smooth texture.

Greek yogurt has more protein, fewer carbohydrates, and is more beneficial to the digestive system than other varieties.
This dessert is usually consumed sweetened with honey and adding nuts. This delicious yogurt is also the base for a very typical sauce called Tzatziki.

3. The Bougatsa

This dessert is a very typical preparation of northern Greece. It is a “phyllo” pastry filled with pastry cream, sweetened cheese, or a combination of both. This is baked and sweetened again with a very mild syrup. When serving it, sprinkled sugar and cinnamon are added.

4. The Diples

Diples are very popular. They are mainly served at baptisms, weddings and New Years. These are traditional doughs based on eggs, milk, flour and yeast. These strips of dough are folded into little packets, which are deep-fried and then dipped in a honey-sugar syrup. Finally they are decorated with nuts and cinnamon. The key to this recipe is that the dough must be very thin, so that it is crunchy.

5. Kourabiedes

Kourabides are cookies that are made with butter, flour and crushed almonds. Sometimes they are flavored with Metaxa, a typical Greek brandy. Also, they are flavored with vanilla, cloves, rose water or matisha (digestive liquor). Once baked, sugar is added. Without a doubt a delight.

6. Galaktobureko

Galaktobureko comes from Gálaktos which in Greek means "Made of milk" and Burek which means "cake" in Turkish. It is a dessert made with pastry cream or also, with custard flavored with orange, lemon or cloves. Its base is the phyllo dough that is baked in the oven. It is served sprinkled with sugar on top and is a delicious accompaniment to your coffee.

7. Koulori

The koulouri is a circular bread (Like a ring), 15 centimeters in circumference, with a semi-crunchy consistency. It is decorated with sesame seeds and is made in various shapes. You can carry cheese inside and sprinkled sugar.

8. Mastiha kaimaki ice cream

This ice cream has a unique flavor. It is made with Lentisco resin (a typical tree). It is a very creamy and smooth ice cream, with a sweet matisha flavor. It is usually accompanied with a Baklavá or similar sweets. It is served in glasses and decorated with pistachios or cherry sauce.

9. Loukoumades

These sweets are quite popular throughout Greece. They are made from fried flour masses sprinkled with cinnamon and sweetened with honey or syrup. Currently they are also sweetened with Nutella and other types of sauces.

10. Tsoureki

It is a sweet bread, with a soft texture and flavor. It is prepared especially during the Holy Week festivities. For this reason they are also called Xristopsomo or Pan de Cristo. Its ingredients are milk, flour and butter for the dough. They are sweetened with liqueur or orange and decorated with crushed almonds.

11. Halvas

It is a semolina-based dessert. It is a pudding based on cinnamon, honey and orange. Semolina is prepared together with olive oil, spices and honey.

12. Koulourakia

They are shortbread cookies with egg frosting on top and have a hint of vanilla. They are very typical and are consumed during Holy Saturday. They are usually decorated with sesame seeds.

13. The Melomakarono

Melomakarono is a Greek cake made mainly of flour, oil and honey. It also has sugar, semolina, brandy, orange peel or juice, herbs and cinnamon. It is a traditional Christmas sweet. Melomakarona means "paste dipped in honey". Once ready, the cookies are soaked in honey, sugar and water syrup and decorated with pistachios, almonds or walnuts, cinnamon, and cloves.

14. Revani

It is a cake based on semolina and yogurt seasoned with citrus fruits and ground almonds. After baking, the preparation is moistened with citrus syrup and sprinkled with coconut, pistachios or crushed almonds. Although this cake is made throughout Greece, Vería is the capital of revani or ravani.

15. Melekouni

He is originally from the island of Rhodes. It is a diamond-shaped sweet that is offered mainly at weddings, baptisms or engagement parties. The name 'melekouni' comes from ancient Greek and is made up of two parts: 'meli', which means honey; and 'kouna', as they call the seeds in Rhodes. It is considered one of the healthiest sweets because it is made with sesame, thyme, almonds and cinnamon.
Each of its ingredients has its own symbology: honey represents immortality and rebirth; sesame represents wealth and longevity; almonds, well-being, health and fertility; and cinnamon symbolizes love and desire.