A little sweet, a little savoury and wonderfully crisp, these Cherry and Feta Filo Bites make an easy addition to a festive spread. Layers of buttery filo pastry are filled with cherry jam, crumbly feta, fresh cherries, pistachios and thyme, then baked until golden and crisp. Serve them with a cheese platter and drinks over the festive season.
There’s always room for one more little bite when it comes to festive entertaining, particularly when it involves pastry and cheese.
These Cherry and Feta Filo Bites are my kind of party food. They look a little more involved than they actually are, but the filling is simple: cherry jam, fresh cherries, salty feta, pistachios and a few leaves of thyme, all wrapped up in layers of buttery filo pastry.
They’re just as at home on a Christmas grazing table as they are served warm with drinks at a summer get-together. And if you feel like adding one more thing, a quick cherry, honey and balsamic drizzle is a lovely optional finishing touch.
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Why You’ll Love These Cherry and Feta Filo Bites
- Sweet and savoury in every bite. Cherry jam and fresh cherries bring sweetness, while salty feta keeps things from becoming too dessert-like.
- Cherries in two forms. Cherry jam gives the filling a concentrated fruity flavour, while fresh cherries add little pockets of juicy fruit.
- Easy to serve. Baking the filo rolls in a muffin tin gives you individual bites that are easy to pick up and pass around.
- Ideal for entertaining. Make a batch for Christmas drinks, summer parties, a picnic or your next grazing table.
Cherry and Feta Filo Bites Recipe Ingredients
These filo bites use a handful of easy-to-find ingredients to make a tasty party snack.
- Filo pastry. The pastry is what gives these bites their delicate, crisp layers. You’ll need nine sheets in total, stacked and buttered at intervals before adding the filling. Keep the sheets covered while you work, as filo dries out quickly when exposed to air, and save the rest of the sheets for another recipe.
- Butter. Melted unsalted butter is used to layer the filo sheets, helping them separate and turn golden as they bake. You’ll also need a little extra for the muffin tin and the tops of the bites, which helps the pastry crisp up and brown.
- Cherry jam. A thin layer of cherry jam gives the filling a concentrated cherry flavour and helps bring the other ingredients together. Use a good-quality jam with plenty of fruit flavour, rather than spreading it on too thickly, which can make the pastry harder to roll.
- Feta. Choose a firm, crumbly Greek-style feta for this recipe. Its salty, tangy flavour balances the sweetness of the cherries and jam. Danish feta is much softer and creamier, so it won’t give you quite the same texture through the filling.
- Fresh cherries. Pitted and chopped, fresh cherries add juicy little bursts of fruit throughout the bites. Choose ripe, sweet cherries, pit and cut them in half so they’re easy to distribute without making the filo log difficult to roll.
- Pistachios. Roughly chopped pistachios bring a little crunch and a mild, nutty flavour that works beautifully with both the cherries and feta. They also add a lovely bit of colour once the bites are cut and baked.
- Fresh thyme leaves. A small amount of fresh thyme adds a gentle herbal flavour that stops the filling from leaning too heavily towards sweet. Strip the leaves from the woody stems before using.
- The optional cherry drizzle. A little extra cherry jam, honey and balsamic vinegar make a quick drizzle to serve alongside or over the baked bites. The honey softens the sharpness of the balsamic, while the vinegar gives the sweet cherry flavour a little more edge. It’s entirely optional, but a nice addition if you enjoy a sweeter finish.
How to Make Cherry and Feta Filo Bites
These Cherry and Feta Filo Bites come together by layering filo pastry, adding the cherry and feta filling, then rolling everything into a log before cutting it into individual portions. A muffin tin keeps the bites neatly in place as they bake.
- Prepare the pastry. Preheat the oven and melt the butter. Lay out the filo sheets, keeping them covered while you work so they don’t dry out.
- Layer the filo. Stack nine sheets of filo pastry, brushing melted butter over sheets one, four and seven. The ninth sheet sits on top, ready for the filling.
- Add the filling. Spread cherry jam along one long edge of the top sheet, then scatter over the crumbled feta, chopped cherries, pistachios and fresh thyme leaves.
- Roll and slice. Carefully roll the pastry into a tight log, keeping the filling tucked inside as you go. Cut into individual slices, ready for the muffin tin.
- Prepare the muffin tin. Add a little melted butter into each muffin hole before adding a filo slice. Finish with a little more butter over the tops to help the pastry turn golden and crisp.
- Bake and serve. Bake until the pastry is golden and crisp, then allow the bites to rest briefly before removing them from the tin. Serve warm or at room temperature, with the optional cherry, honey and balsamic drizzle if using.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Don’t overfill the pastry. It can be tempting to add more jam and filling, but too much will make the log difficult to roll and may cause the filling to spill out as you slice it. A fairly thin layer of jam and an even scattering of the other ingredients are all you need.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the log. A sharp knife will give you cleaner slices and help keep the pastry and filling together, wiping the knife clean after each slide. If the log feels a little soft, chill it briefly before cutting.
- Watch the pastry as it bakes. Filo can go from pale to golden quite quickly. Bake until the layers are crisp and golden, and allow the bites to rest briefly in the tin before removing them so the pastry has a chance to firm up.
Cherry and Feta Filo Bites Recipe FAQs
Can I make Cherry and Feta Filo Bites ahead of time?
You can prepare the filling ingredients ahead of time, including pitting and chopping the cherries, crumbling the feta and chopping the pistachios. For the best result, assemble and bake the filo bites closer to serving, as the pastry can start to soften if it sits with the filling for too long.
Can I use frozen cherries instead of fresh cherries?
Fresh cherries are best for this recipe, particularly when they’re in season. Frozen cherries contain more moisture once thawed, which can make the filling wetter. If you do use them, thaw completely and drain well before chopping and adding to the pastry.
Can I use a different cheese?
Feta is a good choice because its salty, tangy flavour balances the sweet cherry filling. A firm, crumbly goat’s cheese could also work, although it will give the bites a slightly different flavour. Avoid very soft cheeses that release a lot of moisture as they bake.
Love a festive appetiser? Try these too:
Whether you’re putting together a festive grazing table or looking for something to serve with a glass of wine, these Cherry and Feta Filo Bites are a fun little addition. The filo is at its crispest while still warm, the cherries are sweet and juicy, and the feta brings just enough salt to balance everything out. Add a little of the optional cherry drizzle if you like, and pass them around with drinks.
🧁 If you make these Cherry and Feta Filo Bites, I’d love to hear how they turned out! Leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram so I can see what you’re cooking, and if you’d like more recipes like this, the newsletter is where I share them first.
Cherry and Feta Filo Bites Recipe
Cherry and Feta Filo Bites
Ingredients
Cherry and Feta Filo Bites
- 9 sheets filo pastry
- 50 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 2 tablespoons cherry jam
- 50 g Greek feta, crumbled
- ¼ cup fresh cherries, halved and pitted
- 2 tablespoons pistachios, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon thyme, picked
Cherry Honey Drizzle (Optional)
- 2 tablespoons cherry jam
- 1/2 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C. You’ll need a 12-hole muffin tin, or a six-hole muffin tin to bake the filo bites in two batches.
- Melt the butter and set aside. Remove nine sheets of filo pastry from the packet, then wrap the remaining pastry and return it to the fridge. Keep the nine sheets covered until you’re ready to assemble the bites.50 g unsalted butter, 9 sheets filo pastry
- Lay out the filo sheets, brushing melted butter over sheets 1, 4 and 7 as you stack them. Leave the ninth and final sheet unbuttered.
- Spread the jam along one long edge of the top sheet, then scatter over the crumbled feta, fresh cherries, pistachios and thyme.2 tablespoons cherry jam, 50 g Greek feta, ¼ cup fresh cherries, 2 tablespoons pistachios, 1 tablespoon thyme
- Brush a little melted butter along the opposite long edge of the filo. Starting at the edge with the filling, roll the pastry tightly lengthways into a long log, using the buttered edge to seal it.
- Using a sharp knife, cut the filo log into 12 equal, bite-sized pieces. The pieces should be short enough to sit in the bottom of each muffin hole, with plenty of room around them. Don’t forget to wipe the knife after each slice!
- Add 1 teaspoon of melted butter to each muffin tin hole. Place one filo bite on top, then drizzle with another teaspoon of melted butter.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the filo pastry is golden brown and crisp. If baking in two batches, add fresh melted butter to the muffin tin for the second batch.
- Leave the bites to cool in the tin for a few minutes before carefully removing. Serve warm or at room temperature.
- If using the cherry drizzle, combine the cherry jam, honey and balsamic vinegar in a small bowl, stirring until smooth. Drizzle lightly (not too much as the pastry will become soggy!) over the filo bites just before serving.2 tablespoons cherry jam, 1/2 tablespoon honey, 1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
