Greek Desserts
Milopita Recipe (Greek Apple Pie in Phyllo)
Μηλόπιτα mee-LOH-pee-tah · Milopita
Photo: Apple pie with puff pastry.jpg by Roozitaa, CC BY-SA 3.0. Placeholder until original photography is shot.
In short
Milopita is a Greek apple pie built on phyllo rather than a thick Western pastry crust, layering a cinnamon-spiced apple filling between crisp, buttery sheets. It is considerably lighter and flakier than a standard double-crust apple pie while carrying the same warm, comforting flavour.
Milopita takes the apple pie idea most people already know and rebuilds it entirely on phyllo, giving a considerably lighter, flakier result than a thick, doubled Western pastry crust. Layers of crisp, butter-brushed phyllo sandwich a cinnamon-spiced apple filling, and the top crackles into shards rather than a single solid crust once baked.
It uses the same technique that runs through the rest of Greek phyllo baking, spanakopita and tyropita included, simply applied to a sweet, fruit-based filling instead of a savoury one, which shows how flexible this base technique really is.
A generous scatter of walnuts through the apple filling is traditional and adds a welcome textural contrast against the soft, cooked fruit and crisp pastry.
Key preparation steps
- Cook apples down with cinnamon and sugar until just softened.
- Cool the filling before it meets the phyllo.
- Layer with phyllo, brushing each sheet with butter.
- Bake until deeply golden, then rest before slicing.
The apple filling
Peel, core and slice firm apples, then cook them gently in a pan with sugar, cinnamon and a squeeze of lemon juice for about ten minutes, just until they soften slightly but still hold their shape, since they will continue to cook further once baked inside the pie. Stir through a generous handful of chopped walnuts once off the heat.
Cool the filling completely before it goes anywhere near the phyllo, since a hot filling makes the pastry soggy and difficult to layer.
Layering the phyllo
Layer half the phyllo sheets into a buttered tin, brushing each one individually with melted butter, then spread the cooled apple filling evenly, and top with the remaining sheets, again brushed with butter throughout. Score the top into portions before baking for a clean finish.
Baking
Bake in a moderate oven until the top is deeply golden and crackling, around forty to forty-five minutes, and rest for at least fifteen minutes before cutting along the scored lines. A dusting of icing sugar or cinnamon once cooled is a common, simple finish.
Tips from my kitchen
Cool the filling completely
A hot filling makes the phyllo soggy and difficult to layer properly.
Do not overcook the apples on the stove
They finish cooking in the oven. Ten minutes on the stove is enough to soften them slightly without turning to mush.
Score before baking
This gives a clean, portioned finish once the pie comes out of the oven.
Milopita Recipe (Greek Apple Pie in Phyllo)
Μηλόπιτα · by Kalliopi Andreou · updated 2026-07-31
- Prep
- 35m
- Cook
- 45m
- Total
- 1h 20m
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
For the filling
For the pie
Method
- Cook the sliced apples with the sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice in a pan over a medium heat for about 10 minutes, until just softened. Stir in the walnuts and cool completely.
- Heat the oven to 180C fan 160C. Butter a 28 cm round or 30 x 22 cm rectangular tin.
- Layer half the phyllo sheets into the tin, brushing each with melted butter.
- Spread the cooled apple filling evenly over the phyllo base.
- Top with the remaining phyllo sheets, brushing each with butter, and tuck in the edges.
- Score the top into portions and brush with any remaining butter.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until deeply golden. Rest for at least 15 minutes before cutting along the scored lines.
- Dust with icing sugar before serving.
Nutrition, per 1 slice
- Calories
- 312
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Sat fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
These figures are calculated estimates based on the ingredients listed, not laboratory analysis. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion size.
Frequently asked questions about Milopita
How is milopita different from a Western apple pie?
It uses thin, crisp layers of phyllo rather than a thick, doubled pastry crust, giving a considerably lighter, flakier texture that shatters into shards rather than cutting as one solid crust.
What apples work best?
Firm varieties that hold their shape when cooked, such as Braeburn or Granny Smith, rather than very soft, quick-collapsing apples.
Can you freeze milopita?
Yes, it freezes well unbaked or baked and cooled. Bake from frozen, adding around 15 minutes to the baking time.
