Phyllo Dough | American Society of Baking (2024)

Also known as filo dough

What is phyllo dough?

Phyllo is a type of unleavened pastry dough used to make sweet or savory baked goods. It is characterized by extremely thin sheets and a flaky, crispy texture when baked. It is similar topuff pastrybut differs in separation and dry appearance of its sheets.

As a prominent component of several Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dishes, phyllo is most famously used in preparing the Greek dessert, Baklava, as well as börek, Bülbül yuvası, and many others.¹
Sheets of phyllo dough can be layered, folded, rolled or ruffled and further stacked to produce a variety of baked goods.¹

Origin

Phyllo dough originated in Medieval Turkey in the 11th century.¹During the First World War, Istanbul households used to have many phyllo makers on staff, for making various types of phyllo dough.¹

Today, this dough is available all over the world and is sold in the supermarket’s frozen case.

Ingredients

Commonly used ingredients in phyllo dough:²

Ingredient	Type	Usage level (Baker’s percent)	Function
Flour	Bread flour	100 %	Gives structure and crispy texture
Water	Ice cold	2.4 %	Controls fat temperature Contributes to flaky crust texture
Fat	Oil (Vegetable or olive oil)	0.1 %	Improves moistness and mouthfeel Increasestenderness and flakiness by coating structure building particles Delays staling Provides flavor
Vinegar	White vinegar	0.1 %	Aids in pH regulation
Salt	Granulated	0.05 %	Acts as a flavor enhancer

Nutrition

Typical nutritional value of commercially available this dough per 100 g:³

Component	Grams
Carbohydrate	52.6
Water	32.6
Protein	7.1
Fat	6.0
Ash	1.6

^{*Composition may not add to a 100 g}

Phyllo dough has a high fat and calorie content. A commercial dough provides 299 kcal per 100 g serving.

Commercial production

This dough is commercially produced through the following process:⁴

Scaling, weighing and mixing of all the ingredients in a steel horizontal mixer.
Dividing: dough is fed into a dividing machine to form balls.
Kneading and sheeting: dough balls are kneaded and flattened by a sheeter machine.
Stretching: Stretching to the desired dimensions.
Drying: dough sheet is dried using infrared light.
Cutting: Large dough sheets are cut into standard phyllo pieces.
Stacking: 15 – 30 dough sheets are stacked on top of each other, and rolled together.
Packaging: rolled stacks are packed in a vacuum sealed plastic bag, and later on deposited in a cardboard box.
Storage: in freezers.

Application

When working with phyllo dough some considerations should be taken:⁵

Thaw frozen phyllo dough completely before removing it from the plastic package to avoid breakage
Stretch dough at room temperature. If frozen, wait at least 1 – 2 hours to thaw before stretching.
After removing from the package, the dough should be covered with a damp towel to prevent drying.
Pastries should be baked immediately.
Fillings should be prepared before the dough is unrolled.

Some common pastries made with this dough are:⁵

Baklava
Napoleons
Börek
Bülbül yuvası
Briks
Gözleme
Güllaç
Bougatsa

Regulations

Phyllo dough uses common ingredients considered GRAS by the FDA. This dough has an established labeling guidance, just as many other baked goods.⁶

In the EU, phyllo dough belongs to the Cereal and Bakery Products category. Its ingredients are considered safe.⁷

References

Davidson, A.The Oxford companion to food. OUP Oxford, 2014.
Figoni, P. I.How Baking Works: Exploring The Fundamentals Of Baking Science. 3rd ed., John Wiley & Sons, 2011.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 01 March 2019.https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/172791/nutrients. Accessed 27 June 2021.
“How It’s Made: Phyllo Dough”.How It’s Made, created by Gabriel Hoss, season 3, episode 11, Productions MAJ, 2003.
Gisslen, W.Professional baking. No. 1. Wiley, 2019.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA). US Department of Health and Human Services. CFR Code of Federal Regulations Title 21, Part 101 Food Labeling,https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/cfrsearch.cfm?fr=101.54, Accessed 27 June 2021.
Food Safety Authority of Ireland.Guidance Note On The EU Classification Of Food. Food Safety Authority Of Ireland, Dublin, 2001.

FAQs

Phyllo Dough | American Society of Baking? ›

Phyllo is a type of unleavened pastry dough used to make sweet or savory baked goods. It is characterized by extremely thin sheets and a flaky, crispy texture when baked. It is similar to puff pastry but differs in separation and dry appearance of its sheets.

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What aisle to find phyllo dough? ›

Phyllo Dough

Phyllo is found in the freezer section in flat squares or rolls, although you may be able to find fresh phyllo in Greek markets.

Where do you find phyllo cups in the grocery store? ›

Find us in the freezer section (dough, appetizers, or snacks). Athens Foods products, including Athens^® Phyllo Dough and Athens^® Phyllo Shells, are available nationally.

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How many layers of phyllo dough should I use? ›

Typically, phyllo dishes should have a finished thickness of 3 to 10 sheets per layer. (A one-pound box of phyllo contains about 20 sheets.) Tip: Phyllo pastries can often be very brittle when baked. We recommend using a serrated knife to cut the finished dish to prevent all of the filling from squishing out.

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Is Pepperidge Farm puff pastry the same as phyllo? ›

The main differences between puff pastry and phyllo dough are their fat content and preparation. Puff pastry is a laminated dough that gets its signature airy puff from layers of butter, while phyllo dough is comparatively low-fat. Phyllo dough is mostly flour and water and can dry out easily.

Is phyllo dough in the frozen section? ›

If you've had delicious spanakopita or decadent baklava, then you've had phyllo dough! Find it in the freezer section of your local grocery store.

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Where do you find phyllo pastry in the grocery store? ›

Most grocery stores have phyllo dough in the freezer section.

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Can you buy premade phyllo cups? ›

Light, flaky layers of dough are formed into mini pastry cups, then fully baked and frozen fresh. Fast, versatile and easy to use, Athens Phyllo Shells are ready to fill with sweet or savory ingredients — try hummus, pimento cheese, pudding, dips, or fresh fruit — the possibilities are limitless.

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How to buy phyllo dough? ›

Phyllo can be made and bought fresh (never been frozen) at many Greek and Middle Eastern markets, and it is available in frozen form at most large markets. Phyllo is also sold in different shapes (pastry cups, etc.), which allows it to be used straight from the package without any special cutting or trimming.

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Can you buy ready made filo pastry? ›

Suitable for Vegans. Contains: Wheat. Free From: Artificial Colours, Artificial Flavours.

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What number is the thinnest phyllo? ›

Phyllo dough comes in various thicknesses, usually labeled #4, #7, or #10. . Here's a quick breakdown: What is this? #4: This is the thinnest variety, perfect for delicate pastries like baklava or making super crispy layers in your dishes.

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Do you thaw phyllo dough before using? ›

Pull the frozen package of dough out of the freezer the night before you want to use it. Put it in the refrigerator overnight—phyllo dough takes about 8 hours to thaw. After that, leave it out on your countertop at room temperature for another hour until the sheets are completely pliable.

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What do the numbers mean on phyllo dough? ›

These numbers refer to the thickness of the sheets. The lower the number, the thinner and more delicate the sheet. The thicker the sheet, the easier it is to work with but you'll need to use more butter or olive oil to keep the baked product from becoming hard and brittle.

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Where is phyllo dough in the grocery store? ›

You can find the dough in many grocery store frozen food areas.

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What is a good substitute for phyllo dough? ›

Substitute Phyllo Dough

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour.
1/3 cup warm milk.
2 teaspoons butter, melted.
2 tablespoons butter, melted.
1 egg, beaten.
1/4 teaspoon salt.
0.125 teaspoon vinegar.

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Which is healthier, phyllo or puff pastry? ›

Even better, switch your pastry from shortcrust or puff to filo. This is the lowest-fat pastry by far, with 2.9g fat per 100g. This compares with 26.2g for puff or 31.4g for shortcrust. Filo is the lowest-calorie option too, and it's easy to use.

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Is phyllo dough refrigerated? ›

Store unopened Athens® Phyllo Dough in the refrigerator instead of the freezer for up to 4 weeks thus it can be on hand and ready to use whenever needed. – Wrap any leftover phyllo tightly with plastic wrap and keep in a cooler for up to 1 week. – For longer storage, refreeze phyllo.

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Where do you store filo pastry? ›

Leftover Fillo or Kataifi Pastry can be placed back in its packaging, sealed tightly and stored in the fridge for later use. Alternatively, you can also make extra portions of the meal, store in an airtight container and keep them in the freezer to be baked at another time.

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Is phyllo dough the same as egg roll wrappers? ›

The egg roll wrapper consistency is fairly close to the that of phyllo dough layers, albeit a little thicker & a tad bit chewier.

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Is phyllo dough the same as pie crust? ›

But, unlike puff pastry or phyllo dough, pie dough doesn't have layers. That doesn't mean it's not great! It is! It's buttery, tender, and ever-so-slightly flaky — it just doesn't puff up like puff pastry or have many ultra-thin, flaky layers like phyllo dough.