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Translated as honey pie, this light Greek dessert is traditionally associated with the island of Sifnos, but its varieties can be found in other Greek regions as well. The pie combines fresh cheese, preferably mizithra based on sheep or goat milk, eggs, and honey, and it is usually baked as a round, crustless cake.
It is recommended to garnish melopita with a sprinkle of cinnamon and an additional drizzle of honey.
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Fouskakia are traditional Greek donuts or loukoumades that are prepared on the islands of Skopelos and Alonnisos, in the northwest Aegean Sea. The name of this specialty derives from the Greek word foúska, meaning a bubble, referring to the typically small spherical shape of the fluffy fried pieces of dough which resemble bubbles.
These donuts are typically made with a simple batter of flour, water, and yeast, and once deep-fried in oil, they’re usually eaten while still warm. Fouskakia are usually enjoyed drizzled with honey on top and sprinkled with cinnamon or nuts, although they can also be accompanied by scoops of ice cream on the side.
This unique variety of Serbian slatko—a fruit preserve—is made with rose petals. It typically uses the petals of roses that have a pleasant odor, most commonly those of May roses which are characterized by a distinctively sweet rose fragrance.
The cleaned and washed petals are simmered in sugar syrup with lemon juice or citric acid until they become translucent and the syrup thickens. Although the tradition of making rose petal preserves in Serbian households is very old, this slatko variety is rarely prepared nowadays.
Though they are thought to have originated in ancient Phoenicia, melomakaronas are nowadays a typical Greek Christmas treat. These delicious semolina cookies are traditionally flavored with honey, orange zest, cinnamon and other spices, olive oil, and cognac.
Immediately after baking, melomakarona cookies are doused in honey syrup, then sprinkled with ground walnuts. Although some argue that another Greek treat that goes under the name finikia refers to a slightly different dessert, occasionally fried and served without walnuts, today both names are used interchangeably.
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This traditional Greek dessert consists of numerous phyllo sheets that are sprinkled with melted butter and coupled with a light semolina custard. When baked and well-chilled, the pastry is traditionally doused in the orange spiced, sugary syrup, allowing the layers to absorb the flavors and transform galaktoboureko into a soft, velvety treat.
This Greek classic is commonly found in pastry shops and traditional taverns across the country.
MOST ICONIC Galaktoboureko
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Sfakianopita is a traditional Cretan treat that couples layers of thin, unleavened dough and soft white whey cheese. The pie is typically made with flour, olive oil, water, salt, and a shot of raki (Cretan tsikoudia), and rather than being filled with local myzithra cheese, the dough is kneaded with the cheese.
The whole combination is then flattened out into a thin, almost crepe-like or pancake-like circle and fried until golden, spotted, and crispy. Also known as sfakiani pita or mizithropita, this specialty is believed to have been created by Cretan shepherds from Sfakia, hence the name sfakianopita.
Krapfen was probably the first European-style doughnut to appear, followed by similar varieties in other countries. These pastries are traditionally prepared with leavened dough that is deep-fried until golden and crispy on the outside, while they remain soft, light, and airy on the inside.
Though krapfen can be prepared plain, they are most often filled or topped with jams, and vanilla or chocolate custards, while the top is usually dusted with powdered sugar or drizzled with chocolate. The origin of the word krapfen dates back to 9th century, and the recipes in German can be found as early as the 14th century.
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A close relative of galaktoboureko—that is distinguished by the use of phyllo sheets—classic Greek galatopita combines semolina, milk, eggs, butter, and sugar into a creamy, custard-like treat. Often enriched with citrus zest (and wrapped in pastry in some regions), galatopita is baked until golden-brown and is typically garnished with a sprinkle of powdered sugar or cinnamon.
With its light texture and delicate flavor, it can be served on any occasion and is best enjoyed well-chilled.
MOST ICONIC Galatopita
Papanași is a traditional donut-shaped pastry with a small sphere on top. It can be fried or boiled, and it's made by adding unsalted cheese such as brânză de vaci (cow's milk cheese) or urdă to a regular flour and egg dough. The fried papanași are usually donut-shaped and can be served with fruit jams, a dollop of sour cream, or powdered sugar.
The boiled ones are smaller, nugget-shaped, and typically coated with a mix of breadcrumbs and sugar. This dessert can be found in most Romanian traditional restaurants or it can be prepared at home.
MOST ICONIC Papanași
Slatko od jagoda is a type of Serbian preserve made with strawberries. This dish belongs to a group of slatko preserves that are traditionally made from various seasonal fruit such as quinces, apricots, cherries, or watermelons. The strawberries are washed and cleaned before they are cooked in sugar syrup.
During cooking, it is recommended not to stir the fruit so it would stay whole and not turn into mush. Lemon is usually added in order to help preserve the fruit and add extra flavor. Like other types of slatko, the strawberry version is also an essential part of Serbian hospitality.
TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. For the “Top 100 Southeastern European Desserts” list until March 21, 2025, 7,414 ratings were recorded, of which 4,027 were recognized by the system as legitimate. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.