Kourkoubinia: Sweet Phyllo Bites

A super simple phyllo dessert!

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If you’ve never worked with phyllo or made a syrupy dessert, this Greek Kourkoubinia is where you need to start. They are delicious baked phyllo bites soaked in sweet honey syrup and couldn’t be simpler to make. Because they are bite-size, they can easily be popped in your mouth, and because they’re so delicious, they are addictive. So, even though I want you to make these phyllo bites, they come with a warning. Lol You just need a few basic ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen and a little bit of time. Begin with the syrup, so it has time to cool, and you’ll be on your way to a super simple dessert.

Why you’ll make these often

• Crunchy flaky phyllo
• Sweet sticky honey syrup
• Slightly spicy cinnamon
• It’s a super simple, delicious phyllo dessert that will be addictive to everyone who tries them!

Basic Ingredients

• Phyllo -thawed and at room temperature
• Unsalted butter, melted
• Topping: ground cinnamon

For the Syrup:

• Granulated sugar
• Water
• Cinnamon stick
• Zest of a lemon or orange -always zest before juicing to make it easier
• Juice of a lemon or orange
• Honey –Greek honey is the best!
• Vanilla extract

How to make Kourkoubinia- Sweet Phyllo Bites

Make the Syrup:

• Combine the sugar, water, citrus zest, juice, and the cinnamon stick in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
• Once the sugar has dissolved, remove the pan from the heat and add the vanilla and honey.
• Stir together and set aside to cool completely.

Assemble the Pastries:

• Preheat the oven to 300 °F, 150 °C.
• Place one sheet of phyllo on your work surface and drizzle butter on top of it.
• Brush water all around the border of the phyllo layer and cover it with another layer of phyllo.
• Drizzle with butter and roll it up.
• Seal the top by brushing with water. (See video)
• Then, place the rolls on a baking tray.
• Brush the tops of the rolls with melted butter and chill in the freezer for 30 minutes.
• Cut the rolls into about 1-inch pieces.
• Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven until golden and crisp–about 1 hour and 30 minutes. (Check them at 1 hour and 15 minutes to start watching them for a beautiful golden brown.)
• As soon as they are baked, pour the cooled syrup on top and set it aside to cool.
• Sprinkle the kourkoubinia with ground cinnamon.

Fried Kourkoubinia

These bites are traditionally made by frying them. So, if you’d like to fry them, skip the butter drizzle after you roll them and put them straight into the freezer. Bring some vegetable oil or light olive oil to 350º and drop the cut kourkoubinia in a few at a time. Cook them until they are beautifully golden brown. Some may open up a bit, but they will still be delicious. I prefer to bake them, but it’s up to you.

Freezer Instructions

Having these sweet phyllo bites ready at any time is a great comfort when you’re in the mood for something sweet or find out you have guests coming over. The good news is that these can be made ahead and stored in the freezer for up to two months. Assemble the phyllo rolls, chill in the freezer, and cut them. Wrap the tray(s) with plastic wrap and store them in the freezer. When you find out guests are coming, bake the bites until golden and pour the syrup on top as directed. Everyone will love them!

Serving

I had these for the first time ever in Greece this past summer, and they taste like little bites of baklava even though there are no nuts. So, naturally, the best thing to serve these with is a hot cup of Greek coffee. Your family and friends will love them, so let me know how yours turn out! Then, try some of my other syrupy desserts like Greek loukoumades doughnuts, kataifi shredded phyllo, or melomakarona cookies.

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Kourkoubinia: Sweet Phyllo Bites

Yield: Serves 8-10

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Ingredients

• 1 pound phyllo, thawed and at room temperature
• 8-10 oz (about 250g) unsalted butter, melted
• Topping: ground cinnamon

For the Syrup:

• 4 cups granulated sugar
• 3 cups water
• 1 cinnamon stick
• zest of a lemon or orange
• juice of a lemon or orange
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 300 °F, 150 °C.

Make the Syrup: Combine the sugar, water, citrus zest and juice in a saucepan. Add the cinnamon and bring to a boil. Once the sugar has melted remove the pan from the heat and add the vanilla and honey. Mix together and set aside to cool completely.

Assemble the Pastries:

Place one sheet of phyllo on your work surface and drizzle butter on top of it. Brush water all around the border of the phyllo layer and cover with another layer of phyllo. Drizzle with butter and roll it up. Seal the top by brushing with water. (See video)

Place the rolls on a baking tray.

Brush the tops of the rolls with melted butter and chill in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Cut the rolls into about 1-inch pieces.

Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven until golden and crisp. About 1 hour and 30 minutes. Check them at 1 hour and 15 minutes.

As soon as they are baked pour the cooled syrup on top and set aside to cool. Sprinkle the kourkoubinia with ground cinnamon.

Serve with Greek coffee.

Notes

Freezer Instructions: Assemble the pastries and chill in the freezer. Cut the pastries. Wrap the tray(s) with plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Bake until golden and then pour the syrup on top.

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