These easy savory hand pies with feta (known as tiropitakia) are the kind of thing Greeks grow up eating on repeat. Crisp, golden on the outside, creamy and tangy on the inside, they hit that perfect balance between comfort food and something you can grab on the go. Unlike the usual phyllo-based versions, this recipe uses a simple homemade kourou dough with whole wheat flour, butter, and yogurt, giving you a flaky crust without the stress.
Here in Greece, tiropitakia are an everyday staple. Something you'll grab in the morning, eat on the go, or pack for later. Think of them as mini tiropita: the same creamy feta filling, just wrapped into a portable, hand pie. They hold up beautifully whether warm or at room temperature, which is exactly why they're a go-to for school and work lunches.
The homemade dough (called "Kourou") uses whole wheat flour for a subtle nuttiness (and extra fiber), balanced by butter for richness and yogurt for tenderness. It's a combination I've tested repeatedly to get that sweet spot: structure without toughness, flavor without heaviness. And the filling? It's intentionally simple, because good feta doesn't need much help. If you've never had this kind of feta hand pies before, you're in for a treat!
👉 These mini tiropita pies are perfect for the air-fryer!
Don't miss my other savory pie recipes: This Greek Spinach Pie (Traditional Spanakopita), this easy Greek-style chicken pot pie with puff pastry crust, and these Pitacos (Pita bread tacos with minced beef and beans).
📋 Ingredient notes
To make this Greek cheese pies recipe (Tiropitakia) you'll need the following ingredients:
Feta cheese: Every tiropita recipe is just as good as the feta used in it. Pick a good quality Greek feta for the real experience. You can leave the feta plain, but I prefer to add plenty of freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of dried oregano.
Flour: I like to use whole wheat flour because it's healthier, but sometimes I will also make this recipe with all purpose flour. Both will work just fine.
Butter: Melted butter is used to make a flaky, buttery Kourou dough↗️. For healthier tiropitakia, you can also use a mild olive oil or another vegetable oil.
Yogurt: Use Greek strained yogurt, or the dough will turn out very sticky. It can be full fat, or reduced fat. I don't suggest zero fat Greek yogurt because it has no taste.
Tahini: This is optional, but I like to add it because it gives the cheese pies subtle nutty notes that reminds of Lagana bread.
👉 For the full list of ingredients with quantities, please see the recipe card ⬇️ at the end of this post.
🎥 Video
Watch a short video for how to make these savory hand pies with feta:
Video note: The yellow filling showed in the easy method on the counter is my Tirokafteri (spicy feta dip) recipe.
🎵 Music on Video: Sunny, Musician: Ilya Truhanov
📖 Recipe
EASY Savory Hand Pies with Feta (Greek Tiropitakia)
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 cup (230 g) butter (melted or vegetable oil, see note#1)
- 7 oz (200 g) Greek yogurt (full fat, see note#2)
- 1 tablespoon (12 g) tahini (or vegetable oil)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg (large )
- 4 cups (500 g) self raising whole wheat flour (see note#3)
For the filling:
- 10.6 oz (300 g) feta cheese
- 2.8 oz (80 g) Greek yogurt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- 3 tablespoons (45 g) milk ( or water, a tablespoon at a time)
For the egg wash:
- 1 egg
- 1 pinch salt
- sesame seeds (optional)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix the butter, Greek yogurt, tahini, salt and egg until you get a smooth mixture.
- Add the flour (set aside a couple heaped tablespoons and add them later, only if the dough is sticky) and knead until you get a soft and pliable dough. Let it rest while you make the filling.
- Add the feta cheese, Greek yogurt, black pepper and thyme to a bowl. Crumble with a fork and mix well to combine.👉 Depending on how soft the feta is, you may have to add a couple tablespoons of milk (or water) to make the filling creamy.
- Divide the dough into 25 walnut sized balls (about 1.4 ounces / 40 grams each).Take a ball and roll it between your hands to make it soft and pliable. Then press with your palms flatten it to a disk. Transfer to a working surface and flatten some more.
- Add a heaped teaspoon of filling (about 0.53 ounces / 15 grams) in the middle of the disk.
- Fold the disk with your hands and press the edges with your fingers to seal them.
- Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and go over the edges again with a fork.
- Eggwash: Beat the egg and salt in a small bowl and brush each feta pie. Optionally, sprinkle the surface with sesame seeds or Nigella seeds (or a mix).
- Chill for 30 minutes (or freeze for later) and preheat your oven to 430°F / 220°C.👉 Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown.👉 Air fryer (no preheating required): Air fry at 390°F / 200°C for 15-17 minutes.
Notes
Freezing Instructions:
Arrange the unbaked tiropitakia on a tray and freeze until solid. Transfer to a freezer bag and store for up to 3 months. Don’t thaw before baking. Bake straight from frozen in a preheated oven (or in the air fryer) until golden brown. Continue reading below for Expert Tips⬇️ so that your hand pies turn out great every time!More Greek pie recipes:
Nutrition
👨🍳 Expert Tips
Follow these expert tips to make the best Greek cheese pastries (Tiropitakia), every time:
✅ When making the hand pies, warm each piece of dough by working it between your hands, so that it gets pliable and soft (this makes the dough elastic and avoids big cracks).
✅ Don't use too much filling, it may break the dough.
✅ Gently press the pies while sealing them, to eliminate any air pockets in the filling.
✅ To avoid extensive leaks, press the edges firmly, then go over them again with a fork or by crimping.
✅ Chill before baking (it helps the dough relax and the fat firm up again. This leads to better structure and a flakier bake).
✅ Bake hot enough so the crust sets quickly and turns golden.
If you tried this Greek savory feta pies recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
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