This sweet tyropita feels very close to home for me. I’ve got Greek roots on my paternal grandmother’s side, and baking a cheese filo pie has always felt familiar. My mum still makes her own pie sheets to this day for a Greek cottage cheese pie, her pies turn soft and tender and golden-brown. But I love using filo here because it turns shatteringly crisp in the oven, while keeping the lightly sweet lemony filling lovely and moist.
Why You’ll Love This Cottage Cheese Tyropita
You get a simple sweet tyropita made with cottage cheese and crisp filo sheets, baked until golden and finished with a dusting of icing sugar.
- Crisp filo layers that shatter gently when you slice into the pie rolls.
- A creamy cottage cheese filling that bakes into a soft, moist center.
- Quick baking time. Just 20 to 25 minutes in the oven.
- A lighter, simple dessert, made with just a few ingredients.
- Not too sweet, and bursting with lemony flavor.
- A portable snack or breakfast, as it holds shape so well after cooling.
Watch how to make tyropita
Ingredients (with notes & swaps)
- Filo sheets : Use 2 sheets for each pie. Keep any unused sheets covered with a damp towel so they don’t dry out and roll easily.
- Cottage cheese, drained well: Drain in a sieve for about 20 minutes so the excess whey drips away. This keeps the cottage cheese pie filling creamy instead of watery. Ricotta can work too if well drained. Skip the salt if your cottage cheese already has some.
- Sugar: you need some for the filling and sprinkling to help the top caramelize slightly in the oven.
- 1 egg: Binds the filling so the sweet tyropita sets softly, almost like a light cheesecake texture.
- Melted butter: Brush between filo sheets so they bake into crisp layers. Any oil works too, or mix oil with melted butter.
- Lemon zest and vanilla for the filling, they really make this dessert.
- Icing sugar, for dusting.
How to make Tyropita (Sweet Cottage Cheese Pie)
Time needed: 30 minutes
Making sweet tyropita is surprisingly simple. A creamy cottage cheese filling is tucked between buttery filo sheets, rolled into pie logs, and baked until the pastry turns crisp and golden.
- Make the cottage cheese filling
Drain the cottage cheese through a sieve if you notice it’s a bit runny. In a bowl, stir together drained cottage cheese, salt, sugar, egg, lemon zest, and vanilla. The mixture should look creamy with small curds.
- Prepare the filo sheets
Lay one filo sheet on the counter or on top of parchment paper. Brush lightly with melted butter, oil or butter-oil mixture. Sprinkle lightly with caster sugar. Place the second sheet on top and brush and sprinkle again.
- Fill and roll the pie
Spoon 4 generous spoonfuls on one length of the filo , then fold the long edge over the filling, folding the short edges inwards. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle a little sugar over the folds as you go. Keep rolling until you end up with a log (it will be flatter or more round, depending on your pastry thickness and flexibility). Brush again with melted butter and sprinkle lightly with sugar.
- Bake the filo pies
After rolling, transfer each log to a parchment lined baking tray and bake 20 to 25 minutes until deep golden and crisp. The pastry should sound hollow and crackly when tapped.
- Serve and enjoy
Let the pie cool for about 5 minutes. Dust generously with icing sugar before slicing serving.
Why This Cottage Cheese Tyropita Works
The filling behaves a bit like a soft baked cheesecake. As the egg proteins set in the oven, they bind the cottage cheese into a creamy center that holds its shape when sliced. The thin filo layers separate as butter melts between them, creating a crisp, flaky texture that defines a good Greek cheese filo pie.
Draining the cottage cheese is the key step. Less moisture means the pastry bakes crisp instead of steaming. Although, I have to say, my favorite bits are the soft oozy pockets, imperfect, I know, but so yummy!
Servings
This recipe yields 3 pastry logs, I usually cut these in smaller portions, you should get at least 12 portions.
serving SUGGESTIONS
Serve this sweet tyropita slightly warm so the pastry still crackles when you cut it. It goes great with a cup of coffee or tea, or:
- Greek yogurt with a drizzle of honey
- Fresh berries or just a little blueberry compote like in my blueberry and ricotta toast
- I often have it for on-the-go breakfast, cold is just as good, as it keeps its shape well
And if you want more ideas for what to make with cottage cheese, I really recommend this avocado toast with cottage cheese too.
variations & substitutions
- I usually bake this in the spring, but I would swap orange zest instead of lemon in the winter for a warmer citrus flavor that still pairs beautifully with vanilla.
- Mini sweet tyropita parcels – cut the pastry in smaller filo squares to make individual pastries (or wrap them in triangles).
- Ricotta instead of cottage cheese – if using ricotta, you still have to drain it well to avoid getting soggy pastry.
When you break through the crisp top layer and see that soft lemon scented filling inside, this Greek sweet cheese filo pie feels both simple and a little special. Just a few ingredients, a hot oven, and that satisfying crunch of golden pastry.
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recipe FAQ
Traditional tyropita is often savory and made with feta. This sweet version uses cottage cheese, which resembles a Greek style cottage cheese pie wrapped in filo pastry.
There is no difference. Filo, phyllo, and fillo all refer to the same ultra thin pastry sheets used in many Greek desserts and pies.
The most common reason is excess moisture in the cheese. Drain cottage cheese well and avoid overfilling the pastry.
Sweet Tyropita (Greek Style Cottage Cheese Filo Pie)
Equipment
- mixing bowl
- Fine mesh sieve (for draining cottage cheese)
- Zester or fine grater
- pastry brush
- baking tray
- Parchment paper
- Measuring spoons
- Spoon (for filling)
Ingredients
- 6 Filo sheets (2 sheets per pie roll)
- 1 pot cottage cheese (or 300 g, drained)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 4 tbsp caster sugar (plus extra for sprinkling)
- 1 egg
- 60 g melted butter (or oil mixed with melted butter)
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp Icing sugar (for dusting)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
Make the cottage cheese filling
- Drain1 pot cottage cheese through a sieve if it seems a bit runny. In a bowl, stir together the drained cottage cheese, 1/4 tsp salt, 4 tbsp caster sugar, 1 egg, Zest of 1 lemon, and 1 tsp vanilla extract. The mixture should look creamy with small curds.1 pot cottage cheese, 1/4 tsp salt, 4 tbsp caster sugar, 1 egg, Zest of 1 lemon, 1 tsp vanilla extract
Prepare the filo sheets
- Lay one filo sheet on the counter or on a sheet of parchment paper. Brush lightly with melted butter, oil, or a butter-oil mixture. Sprinkle lightly with caster sugar. Place the second sheet on top, then brush and sprinkle again. 6 Filo sheets, 60 g melted butter6 Filo sheets, 60 g melted butter
Fill and roll the pie
- Spoon 4 generous spoonfuls of filling along one length of the filo. Fold the long edge over the filling, then fold the short edges inward. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle over a little sugar as you go. Keep rolling until you have a log. It may be flatter or rounder depending on the thickness and flexibility of your pastry. Brush again with melted butter and sprinkle lightly with sugar.
Bake the filo pies
- Transfer each log to a parchment-lined baking tray and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until deep golden and crisp. The pastry should sound hollow and crackly when tapped.
Serve and enjoy
- Let the pie cool for about 5 minutes, then dust generously with icing sugar before slicing and serving. 2 tbsp Icing sugar2 tbsp Icing sugar
Video
Notes
- Drain the cottage cheese well. If it looks watery, let it sit in a sieve above a bowl for 15–20 minutes. Too much moisture can make the filo pastry soggy.
- Keep filo covered while working. Filo sheets dry out quickly. Cover the remaining sheets with a slightly damp towel while you are doing the prep, so that they keep nice and flexible.
- Don’t overfill the pastry. Four spoonfuls of filling is enough. Too much filling can cause the pastry to split while rolling or baking.
- Bake until deeply golden. Proper color means crisp layers. Pale filo can taste slightly doughy.
- Storage: Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. If you would like them crispy again, reheat in the oven or airfryer at 350°F / 180°C for about 5-8 minutes.
