Homemade Phyllo (or Filo) Dough Recipe

Name: Homemade Phyllo (or Filo) Dough
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 150 min
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading; 5 teaspoons olive oil; 0.5 teaspoon fine salt; 0.75 cup warm water (110 degrees F (43 degrees C)); 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar; 0.5 cup cornstarch; 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
5 teaspoons olive oil
teaspoon fine salt
cup warm water (110F / 43C)
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
Starch Mixture:

cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Directions

Gather all ingredients and prepare your workspace.
Place 2 cups of flour in a mixing bowl and create a well in the center. Drizzle in the olive oil and add the salt.
Pour in the warm water and white wine vinegar, then mix until the dough starts to come together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl (1 to 2 minutes).
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, using just enough flour to keep it from sticking to your hands or the work surface (2 to 3 minutes). Continue kneading until the dough becomes supple and elastic (about 5 more minutes).
Wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap and allow it to rest at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours.
After resting, use a kitchen scale to divide the dough into 20 portions of 25 grams each. Roll each portion into a ball and place them on a plate, covering with plastic wrap to prevent drying.
Work in batches of 5. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of flour for the dusting mixture.
Dust your work surface and the first dough ball with the cornstarch mixture. Flatten and roll the dough into a circle about 5 inches in diameter. Dust again with the mixture, and set the circle aside.
Roll out 4 more dough balls to the same diameter, stacking each one on top of the first, while dusting each layer with the cornstarch mixture to keep them from sticking.
Once you have 5 circles, roll the stack into a larger circle (about double the size of the initial circle). Turn the dough as you roll to maintain its round shape.
Separate the layers and lay out the circles. If necessary, dust them with more cornstarch mixture and re-stack them.
Continue rolling until the stack is paper-thin, about 10 to 12 inches in diameter.
Place the rolled dough on a sheet of parchment paper, then top with another piece of parchment paper. Gently roll up the dough and wrap it in plastic wrap before refrigerating.
Repeat the process with the remaining 15 dough balls in batches of 5.

Chef's Note

You can use the phyllo sheets to make a delicious baklava!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Calories: 178
Fat: 3g
Carbohydrates: 33g
Protein: 4g

Servings Per Recipe: 8

Percent Daily Values

Total Fat: 3g (4%)
Saturated Fat: 1g (3%)
Sodium: 148mg (6%)
Total Carbohydrate: 33g (12%)
Dietary Fiber: 1g (4%)
Protein: 4g (7%)
Calcium: 6mg (0%)
Iron: 2mg (9%)
Potassium: 36mg (1%)

Note: Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may vary depending on your individual calorie needs.

Homemade Phyllo (or Filo) Dough Recipe

FAQ about Homemade Phyllo (or Filo) Dough Recipe

Homemade phyllo dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days when wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or sealed in an airtight container. For longer storage, wrap the sheets well in parchment paper and plastic wrap, then freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.

Yes, rolled and stacked phyllo sheets can be frozen. Separate each layer with parchment paper, roll gently, and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Place the wrapped roll in a freezer bag to prevent freezer burn. Defrost slowly in the refrigerator before use to maintain texture.

To prevent drying, always keep unrolled dough balls covered with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Once rolled into sheets, cover the phyllo with parchment paper and plastic wrap if you need to pause between batches.

If the dough sticks, it usually means not enough cornstarch mixture was used between layers. Be generous with dusting the cornstarch and flour blend between sheets, and avoid excessive moisture on the work surface.

Yes, the dough can be prepared a day in advance. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before rolling it out to soften the gluten and make it easier to handle.

Absolutely. A pasta machine is a great tool to achieve consistent thinness. Start at the widest setting and gradually move to the thinnest, dusting lightly with cornstarch between passes to avoid sticking.

Ensure the dough is rested long enough—at least one hour—to relax the gluten. Work on a lightly floured surface, and roll gently from the center outwards. If small tears appear, patch them with a bit of excess dough.

Yes, you can substitute white wine vinegar with lemon juice or apple cider vinegar in equal amounts. The acidity helps strengthen the gluten and improves dough elasticity.

If sheets become dry or brittle, lightly brush them with a small amount of olive oil or cover them with a barely damp kitchen towel for a few minutes to restore flexibility. Avoid adding too much moisture or they may tear.

You can replace up to half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour, but the dough will be slightly denser and less translucent. To maintain flexibility, add a bit more water—about 1 tablespoon at a time—until the texture is smooth and elastic.

Comments

Mimine Martin

10/06/2025 01:52:54 PM

I can’t thank you enough, Chef. My first time making homemade phyllo, and it was perfect. I picked up a package of store-bought phyllo and it was full of undesirable ingredients; I feel much better using this recipe. I couldn’t believe that the circles didn’t stick to each other while rolling them out together. Thanks for giving me the confidence to do something that I’ve been putting off for years.

Amelia Davies

08/22/2020 09:42:42 AM

Hi guys, female qualified chef here. After being asked by my boss to make a vegan phyllo by hand I chanced upon this recipe: 1. It does stick together well if you knead it adequately, which for me making a double recipe took 25 minutes by hand 2. Rolling all the layers together only works if you put LOTS of starch between the layers, and it still takes a massive amount of time. The best result I got was putting each layer In a pasta machine, making paper thin, and Drowning in olive oil between layers at the direction of my head chef (still took a long time to roll the layers paper thin)

ChillyCup2984

08/21/2025 01:56:07 PM

The dough was easy to work with. I used my KitchenAid pasta roller to get thin sheets, going all the way to setting No. 8 on the thinness and then stretching by hand. I used it for spanakopita.

Wolfgang

07/06/2025 03:19:54 AM

It is so totally easy with the outstanding video and printed info. Yes, I changed the “procedure” in that I added all the liquid parts into my bread maker dough machine (from ALDI !! No less ), added the dry “matter” on top, programmed “kneading”, also repeated the 8 minute circle on the idea of more is better. - Incredible !!! Never got my hands “dirty”, perfect dough folks !!!!!

BubblyCarp5686

11/23/2022 04:16:07 PM

Awesome recipe! I have made this many times for baklava and spanakopita. The trick is to use the least amount of flour when rolling and then taking the sheets apart and re-stacking them for the best results. I let my phyllo dough rest under a bowl instead of in plastic wrap, works just the same. It does take some practice but when you do it right it comes out perfectly.

CaringSoup8424

01/25/2025 05:19:06 AM

You do need a lot more of the cornstarch mixture after reading reviews I had doubled it and still had to make more so they wouldn't stick together

Elizabeth Aires

05/13/2020 01:45:50 AM

Perfect! Made exactly as the recipe specified, with the exception that i eyeballed the 20 dough balls (since I don't have a scale). Never imagined I could make phyllo. Mine was so thin it was translucent. Made a perfect spinach pie.

SnazzySquid2996

07/24/2025 10:08:52 PM

Made phyllo for the first time and found this recipe and the accompanying video very helpful. I found I needed to use a LOT more of the starch mixture to prevent my dough from sticking as I rolled the five pieces out together. I also rolled my dough into 8" x 6" ovals because I planned to use it to make spanakopita. I made a double recipe, but bought some phyllo, also, to compare (and because it was my first time making it). I actually liked the homemade phyllo better in terms of texture, taste, and its capacity to hold the spanakopita filling. But I have to admit the store-bought phyllo was faster, easier to work with because of how uniform it was, and way less messy (corn starch: iykyk). Still, I would make phyllo again because I enjoyed the process and the result. Thank you for the recipe.

Chrissy

07/25/2025 08:30:42 AM

Just about perfect! I had to use about twice as much cornstarch mixture, but it turned out great in my baklava!

CCC

07/11/2025 02:09:56 AM

My first time making phyllo dough and this recipe produced perfect phyllo! I made baklava with this dough and it turned out exceptionally well! Thank you for a great recipe!

Emily Scott

05/07/2025 08:44:51 AM

Made it once and I’m hooked.

Debra Thomas

04/16/2025 08:20:10 AM

So delicious, I could eat it every day.

TackyChip3510

03/26/2025 04:16:17 PM

Didn't make any sense. To confusing.

Brian Edwards

03/03/2025 06:37:02 PM

Bro, quick, tasty, and insanely flavorful.

SillySole5347

11/06/2024 04:14:43 AM

Super easy to follow and great instructions! Love!

Edward Thomas

11/05/2024 04:42:17 PM

Made it for a small gathering — everyone raved.

Joseph Davis

10/24/2024 08:33:46 AM

Even my roommates were impressed.

JumpyTofu9773

07/24/2024 02:34:03 AM

Thank you Thank you!!! I'm half Armenian and my grandma made baklava from scratch growing up. She passed when I was 10 (now 51) and she didn't have any of her recipes written down. It was on my bucket list to make/recreate her baklava, but only if I could also make the phyllo. I've made the phyllo recipe 3 times now. I used your baklava recipe as a starting point for the finished product, but with the help of my mom's memory we made as close to my grandma's as we could. Thank you for helping me preserve those precious memories. I'm making again to take on a big family trip this weekend. It is so special for me to be able to share this with my family.

Homemade Phyllo (or Filo) Dough Recipe

Ingredients

Directions

Chef's Note