Galatopita (Greek Milk Pie)

Name: Galatopita (Greek Milk Pie)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 50 min
Ingredients: 4½ cups whole milk ((1 liter)); ⅔ cup fine semolina ((125 g)); 1 cup sugar ((200 g)); 10 tablespoons unsalted butter ((140 g), plus extra for the pan); 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 4 large eggs (room temperature, lightly beaten); zest of 2 oranges; 2 large eggs; 2 tablespoons sugar; ground cinnamon; confectioner's sugar

Jump to Recipe

Comment

Jenny Skrapaliori-Graves | Last Updated: October 6, 2026

Galatopita, Greek milk pie, baked golden in a white fluted tart pan with a cloth napkin

Galatopita is the Greek milk pie I grew up eating: a creamy, crustless custard of milk, fine semolina, eggs, and butter, scented with orange zest and vanilla and baked until the top turns golden and freckled. Yiayia Evgenia always baked hers in an aluminum pan; I use a ceramic tart pan, and both work beautifully.

It takes about 15 minutes of hands-on time and a few pantry staples. Serve it with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar and cinnamon, warm or straight from the fridge.

If you love this galatopita recipe, you will also love this portokalopita – Greek orange phyllo cake, melomakarona – honey cookies, or Greek yogurt with honey, figs, walnuts, and mint!

Homemade galatopita with a caramelized top in a white tart pan

Overview

What is galatopita?

Galatopita (γαλατόπιτα, pronounced gah-lah-TOH-pee-tah) literally means “milk pie”: gala is milk, pita is pie. It’s a traditional Greek custard pie made with milk, fine semolina, eggs, sugar, and butter, baked until set and golden on top. Most versions, like this one, are crustless. Some regional versions are baked over a few sheets of phyllo. Either way, there’s no syrup, which is what sets it apart from its richer cousin, galaktoboureko.

Why you will love galatopita

Creamy but light. Orange zest and vanilla keep it bright, and the semolina sets it into a tender, sliceable custard rather than a wobbly pudding.
Simple pantry ingredients. Milk, semolina, eggs, sugar, butter, and an orange are all you need.
About 15 minutes of hands-on time. Make the custard on the stove, pour it into the pan, and the oven does the rest.
No pastry, no syrup. There’s no phyllo to handle and no syrup to time, just a saucepan, a whisk, and a tart pan.
Good any time of year. It’s equally at home after Sunday lunch or alongside a morning coffee.
Great warm or cold. Serve it soft and creamy from the oven, or chilled for clean slices.

Galatopita vs. galaktoboureko

Both start with the same semolina custard, but they end up as very different desserts. Galaktoboureko wraps the custard in buttery phyllo and is soaked in syrup after baking, so it’s crisp, sticky, and very sweet. Galatopita skips the pastry and the syrup entirely: the custard bakes on its own until it sets with a golden top. It’s simpler, lighter, and lets the milk shine.

You may also come across “ruffled milk pie,” a different dish made from crumpled phyllo baked in a sweet egg-and-milk custard.

Here is what you need

Ingredients for galatopita: whole milk, fine semolina, sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla, and an orange

Whole milk. The star of the show, so don’t swap in low-fat.
Fine semolina. Look for fine semolina (psili simigdali) at Greek or Middle Eastern markets; in US supermarkets it’s often labeled “semolina flour.” Avoid coarse semolina, which stays gritty.
Sugar, butter, and eggs. They build the rich custard base, and two extra eggs whisked with sugar make the golden top.
Vanilla extract and orange zest. Lemon zest works too.
For serving: confectioners’ sugar and ground cinnamon. Both optional.

How to make it

Whisking semolina and orange zest into hot milk for galatopita custard

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Butter the tart pan.
In a medium saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat until it just comes to a boil.
Add the sugar, then the semolina in a slow stream while whisking, and the orange zest. Whisk constantly for 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened.

Whisking butter into semolina custard in a saucepan, with a white tart pan nearby

Remove from the heat. Whisk in the butter until melted, then the vanilla and the beaten eggs, whisking quickly until smooth.

Galatopita custard poured into a buttered white tart pan before baking

Pour the custard into the pan and spread evenly.
Whisk the 2 remaining eggs with 2 tablespoons sugar and pour evenly over the top.
Bake for 45–50 minutes, until the top is deep golden and the center is set with only a slight wobble (at least 160°F/71°C on an instant-read thermometer).

Baked galatopita with a golden, freckled top in a white tart pan

Let it rest for 15–30 minutes, then dust with confectioners’ sugar and cinnamon.

A slice of galatopita, Greek milk pie, on a plate with a fork and spoon

Galatopita firms up as it cools, so give it the full 30 if you want slices with clean edges.

How to store galatopita

Because it’s an egg-and-milk custard, galatopita belongs in the fridge. Don’t leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Many Greeks love it cold, straight from the fridge, but you can let a slice come to room temperature before serving.