Here’s an easy diples recipe – this Greek pastry with honey has the most incredible crunch, contrasted by a lemon and cinnamon syrup. This treat gets garnished with crushed nuts and dusted with cinnamon! I bet you can understand why it’s one of the most popular pastries in Greece.
Alright, so folding them the traditional Greek way, can feel like solving a puzzle, especially if it's your first rodeo with them. No worries! This recipe's got your back with a fool proof method.
And if you love this dessert, check out my portokalopita recipe (Greek orange cake with syrup) and galaktoboureko recipe.
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What are diples?
They are thin, crispy dough fried until golden, then dunked in sweet, sticky honey syrup. Yum!
After that, they get a sprinkle of cinnamon and crushed walnuts for an extra punch of flavour. Sounds delicious, right? They're pronounced like "thee-ples."
They come from a place called the Peloponnese in Greece, and they get their name from the Greek word "diploma," which means fold.
Why you'll love this recipe
In case I haven’t sold the features and benefits of this recipe enough, here’s more reason to make them:
- Crunchy, crispy, and super sweet: Imagine biting into a crispy, golden pastry that crackles with every mouthful. That’s this recipe.
- Nutty cinnamon bliss: Sprinkled with crushed walnuts and a dash of cinnamon, they are like a flavour explosion in your mouth!
- Easy to make: Don't let their gourmet appearance scare you—these are surprisingly simple to whip up at home. The recipe is made with just a few basic ingredients and easy-to-follow steps.
- Perfect for celebrations: If you’re hosting a party or gathering, they almost are guaranteed to steal the show. They're a beloved tradition at Greek weddings, Christmas feasts, and other joyous occasions.
How to make them - Short video
Here is a quick video of my making this recipe!
Ingredients
Here's a list of the basic ingredients that you need to whip up these Greek pastries:
Dough and syrup
- Eggs: Make sure to separate the yolks from the whites. Super fresh eggs are always the easiest to work with and separate without breaking.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar is great for this recipe.
- Vanilla essence: Don’t skip it! Use a lovely, good-quality vanilla for the best flavour.
- Olive oil: Adds moisture and richness to the dough. Use Greek olive oil (if you can!).
- Brandy: Adds flavour and helps tenderize the dough.
- Fresh orange juice: Adds a citrusy brightness to the dough, complementing the sweetness of the syrup. Freshly squeezed juice is recommended for the best flavour.
- All-purpose flour: Also known as plain flour, this forms the base of the dough and provides structure. Measure the flour accurately for the best results.
- Cinnamon sticks: Adds warm, aromatic flavour to the syrup.
- Lemon juice: Balances the sweetness of the syrup and adds a subtle tangy note. Freshly squeezed lemon juice is recommended for the best taste.
Toppings
- Honey: Adds extra sweetness and a luscious glaze. Use a good quality honey for the best flavour.
- Crushed walnuts: Provides a crunchy texture and nutty flavour. You can use other nuts like pistachios, hazelnuts or almonds if you like.
- Ground cinnamon: Adds a warm, spicy flavour and enhances the aroma overall aroma. Use a light sprinkle for a subtle hint of cinnamon. Adjust to taste preference.
Top tips
- Roll it thinly: Roll out your dough as thinly as possible for that signature crispy texture. Thicker dough will give you chewy rather than crunchy.
- Chill: Let your dough rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before rolling it out. This helps relax the gluten and makes it easier to work with, resulting in a more tender pastry.
- Oil temperature control: Maintain a consistent oil temperature while frying. Too hot, and they'll burn; too cold, and they'll become greasy. Aim for a temperature around 350°F (175°C) for perfect results.
- Avoid overcrowding: Fry your diples in batches to ensure they cook evenly. Crowding the pan can cause them to stick together and cook unevenly. Honestly I am cooking mine one at at time!
- Drain excess oil: After frying, place them on a wire rack or paper towels to absorb any excess oil. This prevents them from becoming greasy and helps them stay crispy.
Instructions
Here is a quick run through the recipe, but remember for the full written recipe and ingredients list can be found in the recipe card down below.
Preparing the Dough
- Mix Ingredients: Separate eggs into yolks and whites. Beat yolks until slightly fluffy. Beat egg whites with sugar until fluffy. Combine yolks with egg whites, then add vanilla, olive oil, brandy, and orange juice. Mix well
- Knead Dough: Gradually add flour and mix until dough hardens. Knead on a bench for 10 minutes until dough is firm. If sticky, add more flour. Place dough in a bowl, cover with cling wrap, and let it rest for 30 minutes.
- Roll Dough: Divide dough into 4 balls. While rolling one ball, keep the other 3 covered. Roll each ball out as thin as possible. Cut into medium strips and loosely roll into scrolls using parchment paper.
Frying
- Prepare all your pieces with baking paper so the process is faster. Rolling with baking paper inside makes it easier than using a fork.
- Heat oil in a large pan on medium heat. Ensure oil is not too hot to cook evenly.
- Fry one at a time, keeping it submerged until cooked through. Set aside to cool.
Preparing the Syrup
- In a saucepan, combine water, sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon sticks. Bring to a boil. Once sugar dissolves, turn off heat and stir in honey.
Coating and Serving
- Quickly soak your cooled diples in hot syrup, or if you do it in reverse then your hot pastries in cooled syrup to maintain crispiness.
- Garnish by dusting with ground cinnamon, sprinkle crushed walnuts, and drizzle with extra honey if desired. Enjoy!
Storage
Once they have cooled completely, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They'll stay fresh and delicious for up to a 5 days.
Keep them away from moisture to maintain their crispy texture. Moisture can cause them to become soggy, so make sure your container is tightly sealed and stored in a dry place.
If you need to stack your diples in the container, place a sheet of parchment paper or wax paper between each layer to prevent them from sticking together.
Reheating
If they are start to lose their crispiness, you can quickly revive them by reheating them in the oven. Place them on a baking sheet and bake at 300°F (150°C) for a few minutes until they're warm and crispy again.
Freezing
While best enjoyed fresh, you can freeze them for longer-term storage. Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until firm, then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. They can be frozen for up to three months.
Thawing
When you're ready to enjoy them, simply remove from the freezer and let them thaw at room temperature for a few hours. Once thawed, you can reheat them in the oven for a few minutes to crisp them up again before serving.
FAQs
Just skimming through? Check out these key takeaways:
How do I prevent them from becoming soggy?
To prevent them from becoming soggy, ensure they are completely cooled before storing them in an airtight container. Additionally, avoid exposing them to moisture by keeping them in a dry environment.
What can I serve them with?
They are delicious on their own, but you can also serve them with a variety of accompaniments. Consider pairing them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a dollop of whipped cream, or a drizzle of chocolate sauce for an extra indulgent treat.
Are they vegan-friendly?
Traditionally they contain eggs and honey, making them non-vegan. However, you can explore vegan-friendly versions of diples by substituting ingredients such as flax eggs for eggs and maple syrup for honey.
📖 Recipe
Diples recipe (Greek Pastry With Honey)
Ingredients
For the Diples
- 5 eggs seperate yolks and white
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla essence
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 50 ml brandy can be replaced with ouzo or congnac
- 50 ml orange juice freshly squeezed
- 700 g all-purpose flour
Ingredients for syrup
- 2 cup water
- 3 cup sugar
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- ½ lemon juice
Ingredients for Toppings
- drizzle of honey if you like extra
- crushed walnuts
- sprinkle of ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Separate the eggs in two bowls. Separating the whites and the yolks.
- Beat up the egg yolks until they fluff up slightly.
- Add the ¼ cup of sugar to the egg whites and beat until fluffy.
- Return the beaten-up yolks to the fluffy egg whites and then add the vanilla, oil, brandy, and orange juice.
- Mix together until it’s well combined.
- Add in the flour and mix. When the dough hardens, place it on the bench and knead it for a good 10 minutes. If your dough is sticky, add more flour. You want a quite hard consistency.
- Put the dough aside, covered, and let it rest for a good 30 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 4 balls (they should be roughly 290g – 300g each). Whilst you roll one ball out, keep the others covered so they don’t dry out.
- You want to roll the dough as thin as possible. If you have a pastry maker, I suggest using this to get the best result.
- Once your dough is paper thin, cut into medium length and width strips. Cut your parchment paper to the same size and loosely roll the Diple up into a scroll.
- Repeat steps 9 and 10 until all Diples are rolled up and ready to go.
- Heat up your oil in a large pan. You want to ensure your oil is not too hot when cooking using this method, as we want to ensure we cook the Diples all the way through to the centre and not burn them. (if following the traditional way of rolling whilst in the oil, using a hot oil is preferred).
- Be sure to cook one at a time and keep it submerged under the oil, so it is cooked evenly.
- Once all the Diples are cooked, set aside to cool.
- Prepare your syrup by adding the water, sugar, lemon, and cinnamon to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Once the sugar has dissolved and the syrup is boiling, turn off the heat and stir in the honey.
- You will want to work quickly with this step as we want to soak the cooled Diples in the hot syrup. This can be done the other way around (hot Diples in the cooled syrup) just make sure that one is the opposite to the other to ensure they stay crispy.
- Once all Diples are coated in the syrup, dust them with a nice amount of ground cinnamon, a generous sprinkle of crushed walnuts and a little bit of extra honey.
Video
Nutrition
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Christina Holland says
Hi I just want to thank you for your recipes you make so easy and funny 😁
Nikolopaa says
No worries Christina! Glad you enjoy 🙂
Jake Q says
Made these! Absolutely fantastic. Truely a legend of a Greek Chef.
Anita says
Love your recipes Niko! Keep them up 🙂🙏🏽
Eleni says
Delicious!!!!
Reza says
Hi, thanks for sharing this sweet. I am Muslim and can't use alcoholic drink, can I omit it in this recipe?
Nikolopaa says
Hey Reza! No problems 🙂 For this recipe you can add another 50ml of orange juice as a substitute. Hope this helps 🙂