These Strawberry Phyllo Dough Dessert Rolls are sweet, flaky, and crispy. Made with a yummy filling of semolina mixed together with strawberries and sugar; this delicious dessert will sure hit all your senses!
Phyllo dough is a staple in Serbian cuisine also in many Greek dishes and desserts. It´s used in both savory recipes and desserts with phyllo dough. For example, used for pastries such as baklava and börek (burek, a savory phyllo dough recipe filled with most often minced meat or feta cheese) or recipes like my Spinach Pie.
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WHY YOU'LL LOVE THIS RECIPE
Flaky and crispy: These phyllo rolls are a perfect dessert with a sweet and rich filling and flaky crust made of sheets of phyllo. They are sweet but not overly sweet.
Easy to make: It takes only 35 minutes to make. And this recipe has only a few ingredients, so it's easy to make!
INGREDIENTS
- Phyllo pastry: It is important to use phyllo dough and not puff pastry. Puff pastry is not a good substitution for this recipe. Phyllo is usually sold frozen, so make sure to thaw the dough before using.
- Strawberries: You can use frozen or fresh strawberries. It's up to you! However, for this recipe, I used frozen strawberries.
- Semolina: Semolina is a type of flour made from durum wheat. To substitute you can use cream of wheat or polenta.
- Sugar: White sugar is the sweetener for these phyllo rolls! Adjust the amount after taste.
- Oil: Neutral tasting oil like sunflower/canola oil. Light olive oil can be used too.
HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE: STEP BY STEP
Step 1
Preheat oven to 390°F. Start with thawing the strawberries if using frozen. Use a fork and mash the strawberries. Mash so there are chunks, don´t overmash!
Step 2
Add semolina and sugar to a bowl with mashed strawberries and stir everything together.
Step 3
Take one phyllo sheet at a time. Spoon about two tablespoons of your strawberry filling on one end of the sheet, in the middle. Fold the phyllo sheet over the filling.
Step 4
Fold the sides in to keep the filling from spilling out. Roll toward the other end. Work fast to keep the sheet of phyllo dough from drying out.
Step 5
Place your phyllo rolls on a prepared baking sheet. Brush tops of your rolls with sunflower oil and sprinkle with sugar.
Step 6
Bake for 20 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown. Take the rolls out of the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before serving.
TIPS FOR MAKING THIS RECIPE PERFECTLY
- When making rolls, make sure to work fast. Phyllo sheets dry out fast if they are not covered. Cover sheets with a lightly damp towel or a plastic wrap, except the one you're preparing.
- Adjust the sweetener after taste. Add more sugar if needed.
- When mashing strawberries, mash enough so there are chunks, but don't over-mash them.
STORAGE
The best way to enjoy these delicious treats is by eating them right away! If you have any lefovers, cover them tightly with plastic wrap or in an airtight container. Your leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to one or two days.
Phyllo dough (even called filo or fillo) is a dough that is rolled out to paper-thin sheets. Likewise phyllo, puff pastry is made with layers. However, they are not the same thing. A lot of layers are the only similarity between those two pastries.
Puff pastry is made with hundreds of paper-thin layers of butter trapped between hundreds of paper-thin layers of dough. As the pastry bakes, it becomes puffy, light, and buttery.
I wouldn't recommend substituting puff pastry for this dessert with phyllo dough, as the result wouldn't be the same.
Working with phyllo dough can be a bit difficult because it can tear easily and will dry out quickly. However, keeping it covered with a lightly damp towel or plastic wrap will solve that problem. Keep the sheets covered, while making rolls.
And make sure to prepare filling before opening the phyllo package.
Yes, it is completely vegan-friendly. Phyllo dough is made of just flour, water, some oil, salt, and vinegar.
OTHER RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE
For more quick and easy dessert recipes, make sure to check out my:
If you have any questions or just want to say hi, don’t be afraid to leave a comment. I’ll be more than happy to answer all of your questions. And if you try this recipe, let me know what you think. If you want to stay updated follow me on Instagram or Pinterest.
RECIPE
Strawberry phyllo dough dessert rolls
Equipment
- oven
Ingredients
- 500 gr frozen strawberries (thawned)
- ½ cup semolina flour
- ¼ cup sugar + 1 tbsp
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 12 phyllo dough sheets
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 390°F. (200°C)
- In a mixing bowl add thawed strawberries and mash them with a fork. Mash enough so there are chunks, but don't over-mash them.
- Add semolina and sugar to a bowl with mashed strawberries and stir together.
- Take one phyllo sheet at a time. Spoon about two tablespoons of your strawberry mixture on one end of the sheet, in the middle.
- Wrap the filling with pastry and then fold the sides in to keep the filling from spilling out. Roll toward the other end.
- Place your phyllo rolls on the prepared baking sheet.
- Brush tops of your rolls with sunflower oil and sprinkle with sugar.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown.
- Take the rolls out of the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- When making the rolls, work quickly and cover sheets with a lightly damp towel or plastic wrap, except for the one you're preparing. Phyllo sheets dry out fast if they are not covered.
- You can add more sugar if the rolls are not sweet enough for you.
- When mashing strawberries, mash enough so there are chunks, but don't over-mash them.
Karen
If you don’t have semolina flour, what can you use as a substitute?
Emica D.
You can try polenta. I think it should work fine with polenta. 🙂
Marion
Thank you so much this is a life saver for last minute treats and big wow much yum!!