Name: Homemade Greek Melopita
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 500 g ricotta or fresh mizithra (drained well); 3 large eggs, room temperature; 100 g honey (plus extra for serving); 80 g granulated sugar; 60 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled; 1 tsp vanilla extract; Zest of 1 lemon; 2 tbsp all-purpose flour; Pinch of salt; Ground cinnamon (optional, for dusting)

If you and I were neighbors, this is the slice I’d wander over with when the afternoon light gets soft and nosy and I really should be folding laundry. Homemade Greek Melopita is the kind of bake that feels like a friendly nudge more than a project. The first time I made it, I pulled it out of the oven way too early, took a forkful anyway, and thought huh that’s already pretty great. Then I put it back in for a few more minutes, because patience is, apparently, a thing. It’s honey forward, custardy without fuss, and it smells like a sunny island kitchen even if your kitchen faces the alley like mine.

A quick hello and a sunny slice story

I learned this on a trip where I spent an astonishing amount of time chatting with a baker who said, very casually, that melopita is basically a hug with cinnamon on top. Couldn’t argue. I make it when I want something impressive that secretly behaves like an easy pudding. And on second thought, it’s also perfect when friends pop by and you need a sweet that doesn’t require four different bowls and an arm workout.

Small digression, because my brain does this. The last time I baked this, a bee found the open jar of honey, which led to me gently escorting it outside with a spatula. The neighbor’s cat watched like a tiny, judgmental sous chef. Anyway, melopita.

Why I keep making this

I make this when I’m craving dessert that isn’t shouty sweet. Honey gives it this round, floral thing going on.
My family goes a bit wild for the warm slice with a drizzle. It’s the quiet kind of wild, lots of nodding and mmms.
One bowl. Truly. I mean, I once tried two bowls to be fancy and just made more dishes.
It’s forgiving. Forgot to drain the ricotta perfectly I did that last week and it still set, just a wee bit more tender.
Cold the next day might be my favorite version. I think the flavors settle in like a good cuppa settling your mood.
Oh, and if measuring flour makes you twitchy, this uses barely any. Big exhale.

What you need, plus the honest swaps

500 g ricotta, well drained for at least 20 minutes. I sometimes use a mix of 400 g ricotta and 100 g full fat Greek yogurt when I’m in a hurry and forgot to buy more ricotta.
120 ml honey about 1/2 cup. Thyme honey is dreamy. If you want to nerd out on varieties, I like this guide at Serious Eats.
3 large eggs, room temp if you remember.
50 g sugar about 1/4 cup. Optional, but it rounds the edges. My grandmother would have insisted, I tend to skip if my honey is bold.
2 tablespoons all purpose flour or fine semolina for a slightly firmer set. Cornstarch works in a pinch about 1 tablespoon.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or the seeds from half a vanilla pod when I feel posh.
Zest of 1 lemon a small one, or a good strip of orange zest if that’s what’s rolling around your fruit bowl.
Pinch of fine sea salt, just a pinch. It’s dessert, not soup.
Butter for greasing the pan about 1 tablespoon. Olive oil is fine too, honestly.
To finish ground cinnamon, extra honey, maybe a handful of toasted almonds or pistachios.

If you’re curious about traditional cheese, melopita often uses mizithra. Here’s a good explainer on what it is at The Spruce Eats. Ricotta plus a bit of yogurt gets you in the neighborhood.

How to make melopita without fuss

Heat your oven to 170 C or 340 F. Grease a 23 cm or 9 inch springform pan and line the base with parchment. A springform is ideal for clean edges, I say essential on days I feel particular, but see my workaround below.
Whisk the eggs in a big bowl until they look friendly and combined. Add the honey and whisk again until silky. This is where I usually sneak a taste because honey egg foam tastes like clouds.
Fold in the ricotta and any yogurt you’re using. Don’t overthink the lumps. They relax in the oven.
Stir in sugar if using, flour or semolina, vanilla, lemon zest, and that pinch of salt. The batter should be thick but pourable like a lazy ribbon.
Pour into the pan. Tap the pan once on the counter to shoo away big bubbles. Don’t worry if it looks a bit weird at this stage it always does.
Bake on the middle rack for 35 to 45 minutes. You want the edges lightly golden and the center with a gentle wobble. If the top is coloring fast, tent with a bit of parchment.
Cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edge, then release. Let it sit another 20 minutes before slicing if you can stand it. Warm is gorgeous, room temp is lovely, chilled is a vibe.
Finish with a dusting of cinnamon and a drizzle of honey. Add nuts if you like a crunch. Serve with berries if you have them flirting in the fridge.

Little notes I scribbled after spills

Draining ricotta matters more than I wanted to admit. I wrap it in a clean tea towel and give it a gentle squeeze. Too much water and you’ll get a soft set, which is still tasty, just different.
If you use semolina, the slice holds a bit neater. Flour gives a custardier vibe. Both good.
Lemon zest can steal the show if you go heavy. I keep it to one small fruit, then add more zest next time if I miss the zing.
It’s fine if the top cracks a little. Cinnamon hides everything like a cozy scarf.

Variations I tried so you dont have to

Orange blossom twist: swap lemon zest for orange and finish with a teeny splash of orange flower water. Lovely with pistachios.
Phyllo base: brush 4 sheets with butter, crisscross in the pan, pour in the batter. It bakes up like a rustic tart and it’s very weekend cafe.
Yogurt heavy: I tried half ricotta half yogurt once. It tasted good but weepy, like it couldn’t quite hold itself together. Would not repeat unless I’m making parfait cups.
Thyme honey plus a sprinkle of fresh thyme leaves on top. Sounds odd, tastes like a walk through a sunny garden.

Gear I use when I remember where I put it

23 cm or 9 inch springform pan. If you don’t have one, a pie dish works. Line with parchment with an overhang to lift it out. The Kitchn has a handy rundown on alternatives here springform swaps.
Balloon whisk and a big bowl. A hand mixer is fine too, but it’s almost overkill.
Microplane or fine grater for zest. If not, a vegetable peeler plus a quick chop does the trick.

How to store it before it mysteriously vanishes

Cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days. The texture firms nicely by day two, and I actually like it best then. You can freeze slices for a month, wrapped well, though the edges get a tiny bit crumbly when thawed. In my house it never lasts more than a day, so this is mostly theoretical.

How we like to serve it around here

Warm slice with a drizzle of honey and a faint snow of cinnamon. Classic and lovely.
Chilled with fresh figs or strawberries when they’re behaving at the market.
With a very small spoon of thick yogurt on the side. Sweet meets tang, they shake hands, everybody’s happy.
Family tradition alert we light a little candle if it’s someone’s half birthday. Why not

Lessons I learned the crunchy way

I once tried rushing the cooling step and regretted it because the center slumped. Now I give it a patient 20 minutes before unmolding.
I overbaked it once waiting for zero jiggle. Dry city. Pull it when it still shivers a little in the middle.
I forgot the salt once. The flavor went shy. A tiny pinch makes the honey sing.
I tried to whisk like I was training for a marathon. Too much air made a puffy top that sank. Gentle whisking, like you’re talking to a friend.

Questions you asked me about melopita

Can I use all yogurt instead of ricotta You can, but it turns more like a soft set custard and can weep. If you do, strain it overnight to get it really thick. Honestly, ricotta makes life easier.

What honey should I use Whatever you love on toast. I lean toward thyme or wildflower because they taste like sunshine. If your honey is very strong, reduce the sugar or skip it. Here’s that honey guide again, it’s handy honey types.

Do I have to use a springform pan It helps for clean slices, but no. A pie dish or an 8 inch cake tin lined with parchment works. Lift gently by the parchment and you’re sorted.

Can I make it gluten free Yes. Use 1 tablespoon cornstarch instead of flour, or skip the starch entirely for a softer set. It will slice a bit more tender, but it’s lovely.

How do I know it’s done The edges will be lightly golden, and the center will wobble like set jelly. If it’s still sloshing, give it 5 more minutes. Trust the wobble.

Can I halve the recipe Sure thing. Use a small loaf tin lined with parchment and start checking at 22 minutes. I learned this form a friend who bakes in a tiny toaster oven.

If you want a deeper dive into Greek cheeses, I liked this overview too mizithra basics. And if you’re a measuring geek like me on Tuesdays, the folks at Serious Eats have excellent technique articles that make bakes behave.

Homemade Greek Melopita