Traditional Cypriot Flaounes – The Queen of Cheese Pies
This is my family’s recipe for Cypriot flaounes, and let me tell you—they truly are the queen of cheese pies. Flaounes are individual cheese pies filled with a unique blend of cheeses, raisins, and aromatic flavors like mastic and mahlep. In Cyprus, they are traditionally baked for Easter, and making them is not just cooking—it’s an event that brings the whole family together.
The Flaouna Competition
During Easter, almost every household in Cyprus bakes flaounes. Women around the island prepare big batches—some for eating, some for freezing, and many for sharing with friends and family. This means that throughout the holiday, you’ll taste countless versions of flaounes—and without fail, people compare them!
It’s an unspoken, unrecorded competition: whose flaounes are the flakiest, the cheesiest, or the most flavorful? Everyone has their favorite.
Different Recipes, Same Tradition
In my family, the flaounes recipe was always a source of lively debate. My grandmother had her version, my mum had hers, and if any aunts or cousins joined in, they’d bring their own opinions about the “right” flaouna.
Some prefer fewer raisins, some love them packed with sweetness, while others like their flaounes more savory, almost like a tyropita. And when people began making flaounes with anari (ricotta), well… things got even more complicated!
Easter Preparations
My family always made flaounes on Holy Saturday, after the first resurrection service. On Good Friday evening, we’d prepare the ingredients: the cheese, grated and dried, would sit overnight so it was ready the next day.
I still remember the smell of the dough, the rhythm of the preparation, and the chatter in the kitchen as everyone worked side by side.
Beautiful Memories
When my giagia Milia was still strong and full of energy, she would fire up her traditional wooden oven. We baked everything in there—flaounes, red Easter eggs, avgotes, and koulourakia. Aunts, cousins, neighbors—everyone joined in. It was chaotic, noisy, and wonderful. I truly miss those days.
And of course, there was our little family tradition: since most of us were fasting, my dad was always the first one to try a freshly baked flaouna. If he gave the thumbs-up, we knew they had turned out perfectly. To this day, he still holds that honorary role!
Final Thoughts
Flaounes are more than just cheese pies—they are memories, family, tradition, and love, all wrapped in golden pastry. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family does, and that it brings a taste of Cypriot Easter to your home.
I would love to hear your thoughts—do you prefer your flaounes sweet, cheesy, or with a modern twist? Leave me a comment below!
Love,
Dina x
To prepare the filling. Grate the cheese 2-3 days before the day you will make the flaounes. Place in a bowl in the fridge but leave it uncovered. Three times a day, stir the cheese to air it and help it dry. 5 hours before making the flaounes or the night before prepare the filling. In a bowl, mix the cheese and semolina and stir using a spoon. Once they are mixed, make a hole in the middle and add the starter (or yeast), and using some of the cheese and egg, mix it with the starter to help it dissolve. Beat the eggs and add them to the cheese mixture. You might need five eggs, depending on the size of the eggs you use. You are looking for a firm filling. Cover and let it be proof for 4-5 hours or overnight. (not in the fridge) When you are ready to make the flaounes add the baking powder, mahlep, mastic, chopped spearmint, and raisins and mix well with your hands. For the dough To prepare the dough add the flour, yeast, mastic, mahlep, and baking powder in a bowl. Pour in the oil and rub it between your fingers until all the flour is moistened from the oil. Add the milk and knead until the dough is nice and soft but not sticky. Cover and let it rest for 60 minutes. To make the flaounes. Wash and drain the sesame seeds and place them on a big plate or tray. Cut and roll each dough piece in 12x12cm circles or squares but not too thick. Place each circle in the sesame seeds, press well, and remove (the sesame side should be facing downwards). Grab a handful of cheese mixture and form a ball. Place in the center of the dough circle and fold the dough inwards. Pinch the corners using a fork and brush each flaouna with egg wash. Sprinkle some more sesame seeds on the top where the cheese mixture is too. To bake Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Place the flaounes in baking trays lined with parchment paper, and when the oven is hot and ready, start baking them. Bake them at 200ºC for 20 minutes and 20 to 30 minutes more at 180ºC. Some extra tips *Make sure the dough is not too hard, you are looking for a soft, not sticky dough *The cheese filling should not be soft so that you can form it in nice balls and this way the filling won't spill * The mastic and mahlep dosage I feel is enough. If you add more there is a risk of them turning out bitter *Make sure to bake for 20 minutes in a higher temperature as this helps them rise and turn golden brown *Make sure not to open the oven when baking them-especially at the beginning
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