18 mouthwatering desserts you should eat in Greece

Bougatsa
The French have croissants, and the Greeks have bougatsa — a breakfast pastry filled with semolina custard. You can also get a savory version with cheese.

Loukoumades
These fried, syrup-filled dough balls are the Greek equivalent of doughnuts. They're usually garnished with nuts and cinnamon, but you can get them drizzled with chocolate too.

Fanouropita
Lost something? Whip up a fanouropita — a sponge cake made with orange, olive oil, cinnamon, and brandy — to change your luck. Named after Saint Fanourios, the saint of lost stuff, this cake may not have magical powers. Regardless, it's a delicious way to forget about whatever you misplaced.

Kalo Prama
This semolina cake made with almonds and rosewater is so good its name literally translates to "good thing." Kalo prama is served drenched in syrup, and cut into bite-sized squares — but it's easy to have more than one.

Revani (or Ravani)
A Greek and Turkish dessert, revani (often spelled "ravani") is a syrupy coconut cake with orange zest.

Pantespani
A basic sponge cake with a zesty flavor, pantespani is usually made with lemon or orange juice, and has a fluffy, slightly syrupy texture.

Koulourakia
These braided Easter cookies, which are baked to be either soft or crunchy inside, are delicious with a cup of Greek coffee.

Kourabiedes
Another festive treat, kourabiedes — cookies made with walnut and powdered sugar, and flavored with orange and vanilla— are especially popular around the holidays.

Amygdalota
A similar cookie made with almonds but minus the powdered sugar, amygdalota have a chewy center and come topped with chopped almonds. They're eaten year-round.

Kataifi
With a gooey nut mixture on the inside, and a tangle of crisp-thin pastry on the outside, kataifi is all about texture. It usually goes quickly at the dessert table.

Baklava
One of the better-known Greek desserts, baklava — a sweet pastry made with pistachio, honey, lemon juice, and cinnamon — is also popular in Turkey and the Middle East.

Rizogalo
This Greek rice pudding is flavored with rosewater and a dash of cinnamon.

Galaktoboureko
Galaktoboureko, a rich semolina pie with a subtle rosewater flavor, combines a soft custard filling with crisp filo pastry.

Pasteli
Stickier and crunchier than granola, this sweet treat made with sesame seeds and honey is baked in large trays and cut into snack-sized bars.

Karydopita
This walnut cake has a hint of spice with added cinnamon and cloves.

Glyko tis Koutalias
After dinner at most tavernas, the waiter will bring out small plates of glyko tis koutalias ("spoon sweets"): candied fruit that has been preserved in syrup to bring out its sweetness.

Melomakarona
Cookies made with honey, olive oil, and chopped nuts, melomakarona are eaten during the holiday season.

Vasilopita
Vasilopita is traditionally made on New Year's Eve. A coin wrapped in foil is stuffed inside the sponge cake mixture — which is spiked with brandy and flavored with orange — before it goes in the oven. Whoever gets the coin in their slice has good luck for the year ahead.