Homemade Gluten Free Phyllo Dough (Filo Pastry)

This gluten free phyllo dough is the real deal—delicately paper-thin (so thin you can literally read through it!), crisps up beautifully when baked, and is surprisingly easy to prepare. It’s perfect for a variety of dishes, from gluten-free apple strudel to baklava and spanakopita. In this guide, I’ve provided a step-by-step approach to achieving the PERFECT gluten-free filo pastry, covering everything from making the dough and rolling it out without tearing to proper storage techniques for preparing it in advance.

I’ve been promising you this recipe for what feels like forever— and now, at last, it’s here! The miracle that is gluten-free filo pastry!

I know I might be (very) biased, but I truly believe this recipe is a game-changer in the world of gluten-free baking.

Just a few years ago, the idea of making proper, paper-thin gluten-free filo pastry seemed completely out of reach. Traditional filo relies almost entirely on gluten to achieve its signature delicate thinness, so without it, the prospect of creating a gluten-free version felt like an impossible—yet incredibly tempting—dream.

But then came my gluten-free flour tortillas. While rolling them out, I noticed that incorporating psyllium gel into the dough made it far more elastic and pliable, allowing me to roll them as thin as 1mm. That got me thinking—could I push the limits even further and refine the recipe to make it even thinner and more delicate?

What followed was a long, often frustrating journey of endless adjustments, ingredient tweaks, and far too much dough ending up in the trash. But every bit of trial and error was worth it because now, I can finally share this breakthrough gluten-free filo pastry with you.

It’s paper-thin—so thin that you can literally read through it! This is something I’m incredibly proud of because, after all, the true test of authentic filo pastry is its ability to be so fine and delicate that you can see right through it.

Once baked, this gluten-free filo pastry is beautifully delicate and crisp, shattering with each bite—just as a proper filo pastry should.

And the best part? It’s shockingly easy to make! With just seven simple ingredients (all of them pantry staples in gluten-free baking), the dough comes together in no time. No special equipment is required—no stand mixers or fancy gadgets—just a rolling pin and a good dose of patience.

The trickiest part of this recipe is rolling the dough as thin as possible. I’ve managed to get it down to about 0.5mm—extremely thin! But achieving that level of delicacy took some practice. Not because the recipe itself needed tweaking, but because I had to get familiar with the dough—learning how to handle it properly to roll it out that thin without tearing.

So, if you’re ready to take on this (incredibly exciting and seriously delicious) gluten-free filo pastry adventure, be prepared to be patient. Don’t expect perfection on the first try—your first few batches might be slightly thicker, and you may get a few tears here and there. But don’t worry! One of the great things about filo pastry is that any imperfections can easily be covered up by layering another sheet of dough on top.

When it comes to filo pastry—especially gluten-free filo—practice truly makes perfect. But to help you master it as quickly as possible, I’ve included plenty of step-by-step photos, detailed instructions, and useful tips in the blog post and recipe below.

What Is Filo Pastry (Phyllo Dough)?

Filo pastry, also known as phyllo dough, is an ultra-thin, unleavened pastry commonly used in Greek, Balkan, and Middle Eastern cuisines. It serves as the foundation for many delicious dishes, including baklava, spanakopita, and börek.

Traditionally, filo dough is made from wheat flour, water, and a small amount of oil or melted butter. Some variations also include a splash of vinegar to enhance the dough’s elasticity. The dough is first rolled out and then carefully stretched by hand into large, paper-thin sheets. When preparing pastries with filo, individual sheets are brushed with oil or melted butter and stacked—this process differs from puff pastry or croissant dough, which are laminated with butter before being rolled out.

Filo pastry is also a key ingredient in apple strudel, a beloved dessert in Austria, Germany, Bavaria, and other European regions. While apple is the most traditional filling, variations such as cherry strudel and walnut strudel are also popular—all made using filo pastry.

Strudel Dough vs. Filo Pastry: Is There a Difference?

There’s an ongoing debate about whether strudel dough and filo pastry are truly distinct from each other.

Some argue that they differ due to their historical origins, others point to variations in ingredients, while many believe they are essentially the same dough—just referred to by different names depending on the region.

Personally, I fall into that last category. I’ve always considered filo pastry and strudel dough to be one and the same. But if you think I’m completely off base, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!

Either way, this gluten-free filo pastry recipe works beautifully for both apple strudel and pastries like baklava. No matter what you call it, the result will be absolutely delicious!

Homemade vs. Store-Bought Filo Pastry

If you’ve ever watched someone make filo pastry from scratch, you’ll notice that it’s incredibly soft, flexible, and supple—quite different from the store-bought versions, which are typically drier, more fragile, and prone to cracking when folded or rolled.

This gluten-free filo pastry falls somewhere between the two: while it’s not quite as soft and elastic as traditional wheat-based homemade filo, it’s also far more pliable and less brittle than the ready-made sheets you’ll find in stores.

Ingredients for Gluten-Free Filo Pastry

You only need seven simple ingredients to make this gluten-free filo pastry, and they’re all common pantry staples in gluten-free baking. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Plain Gluten-Free Flour Blend – You can use a store-bought blend (I used Doves Farm Freee plain gluten-free flour) or mix your own. If you prefer a homemade option, check out my go-to gluten-free flour blend recipe!
• Sugar – Either caster (superfine) sugar or granulated sugar will work. The amount is minimal, so the pastry itself isn’t noticeably sweet, making it suitable for both sweet and savory dishes. The sugar mainly helps with browning in the oven.
• Xanthan Gum – This acts as a gluten replacement, providing elasticity and flexibility so the filo dough can be rolled out ultra-thin without breaking. (Want to learn more? Read about the role of xanthan gum in gluten-free baking here!)
• Salt – Essential for flavor.
• Psyllium Husk – Like xanthan gum, psyllium husk serves as a binder, helping to create a supple, flexible dough that can be stretched into large, paper-thin sheets. (Learn more about psyllium husk in gluten-free baking here!). This recipe uses whole psyllium husk, but if you’re using psyllium husk powder, use only 85% of the amount listed while keeping the water quantity the same. (Note: Due to the psyllium husk, you’ll notice small brown specks in the filo sheets.)
• Warm Water – Part of the water is used to create a psyllium gel, while the rest is mixed into the dough with the other ingredients.
• Melted Butter – This prevents the filo from becoming too tough and adds a rich flavor. I don’t recommend substituting it with oil, as that tends to make the pastry slightly tougher and rubbery. If you need a dairy-free alternative, use a vegan butter block like the Stork Baking Block.

These carefully chosen ingredients work together to create a gluten-free filo pastry that’s flexible, easy to handle, and bakes up beautifully crisp!

A Note About Binders: Why You Need Both Xanthan Gum and Psyllium Husk

When I first attempted making this gluten-free filo pastry, I relied solely on psyllium husk as the binder—completely leaving out xanthan gum. The result? A disappointingly tough, leathery, and rubbery pastry. While it was possible to roll the dough very thin, the texture after baking was far from ideal.

However, after experimenting, I discovered that using a 1:1 ratio of xanthan gum to psyllium husk made all the difference. This combination creates a dough that is flexible enough to roll into paper-thin sheets and bakes into a beautifully crisp, delicate pastry—without any unwanted toughness or rubberiness.

So, why does this work? It all comes down to how these two binders interact with moisture during baking. Psyllium husk has a strong tendency to retain moisture, even at high oven temperatures. On the other hand, xanthan gum is much better at releasing moisture as it bakes.

When using only psyllium husk, the excess moisture trapped in the pastry prevented it from drying out properly in the oven, leading to a chewy, tough texture. But by balancing psyllium husk with xanthan gum in equal parts, the pastry is able to lose just the right amount of moisture, allowing it to crisp up beautifully.

How to Make the Perfect, Ultra-Thin Gluten-Free Filo Pastry

Making your own gluten-free filo pastry is surprisingly easy! While rolling it out super thin requires a bit of patience, the process itself is quite straightforward. And to make things even simpler, I’ll guide you through each step.

Making the Dough

1. Mix the Dry Ingredients
   • In a large bowl, combine the gluten-free flour blend, sugar, xanthan gum, and salt.
   • Whisk everything together until well incorporated.
2. Add the Wet Ingredients
   • Pour in the warm water, melted butter, and psyllium gel.
3. Mix the Dough
   • Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to combine all the ingredients.
   • As you mix, the dough will start coming together into a ball.
4. Knead the Dough
   • Once the dough forms, knead it thoroughly. I like to do this by squeezing it through my fingers, making sure to scrape along the sides and bottom of the bowl to incorporate any dry flour.
   • Continue kneading until the dough starts pulling away from the sides of the bowl.
5. Check the Texture
   • The final dough should be smooth, soft, and uniform, with no clumps of flour.
   • It might feel slightly sticky at first, but after a few minutes, the gluten-free flour will absorb more moisture, and the dough will lose its stickiness.

Portioning the Dough for Perfect Gluten-Free Filo Pastry

This recipe makes enough dough to prepare three large filo pastry sheets, each approximately 12×16 inches (30×40 cm). This amount is ideal for a single batch of apple strudel, but you can easily scale the recipe up or down depending on your needs.

While it may be tempting to roll out all the dough into one extra-large sheet, as you would with traditional wheat-based filo pastry, this is not advisable for gluten-free dough.

Why Smaller Sheets Work Best

Handling and manipulating the sheets easily is essential to prevent them from sticking to the work surface. Attempting to roll out one large sheet makes this nearly impossible and often leads to tearing and frustration. From experience, trying to roll the full amount into a single sheet was a complete failure. Smaller sheets are far more manageable and yield much better results.

If you are new to working with gluten-free filo pastry, consider dividing the dough into four to six smaller sheets instead of three. You can always overlap smaller sheets when assembling your dish.

For those comfortable with the rolling process, stick with three sheets. To ensure even thickness, divide the dough into three equal portions and weigh them using a digital food scale. Each piece should weigh approximately 135 grams.

Preventing the Dough from Drying Out

Gluten-free dough dries out quickly, which can lead to cracks and make rolling more difficult. While working with one portion of dough, keep the remaining portions covered to maintain moisture.

• Store them in an airtight container or
• Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap (cling film)

With the dough portioned and protected from drying out, the next step is rolling it out into thin, delicate sheets.

Rolling Out the Filo Pastry

Since filo pastry needs to be rolled into large, ultra-thin sheets, it’s best to work on a large surface, such as a kitchen counter or island. Ideally, choose a work surface that you can access from at least three sides, as this will make rolling the pastry much easier.

Preparing the Work Surface

1. Dust the surface generously with a gluten-free flour blend to prevent sticking.
2. Take one portion of dough and pat it into a rough rectangular shape. Try to keep the shape as rectangular as possible while rolling, but don’t worry if it turns out slightly uneven—mine often ends up with rounded edges.

Rolling Out the Dough

1. Lightly flour the top of the dough as well to prevent the rolling pin from sticking.
2. Start rolling the dough out gently. While it is still fairly thick, check that it isn’t sticking by lifting and rotating it slightly.

Using the Rolling Pin Correctly

To prevent tearing and creasing, it’s crucial to use the rolling pin the right way. Instead of rolling in random directions:

• Always roll from the center towards yourself.
• Avoid pressing down too hard; instead, let the rolling pin glide over the dough, gently stretching it rather than flattening it.
• If you need to roll in a different direction, don’t rotate the dough itself—instead, move around the work surface and continue rolling from the center towards yourself.

Repeat this process, moving around the dough in a circular or counter-clockwise direction, until it has stretched evenly from all four sides into a large rectangle.

Continue rolling and stretching in this manner, working your way around the dough, until it reaches a thickness of less than 1mm.

Preventing and Fixing Sticking While Rolling Out Filo Pastry

As you roll out the filo pastry, you may notice that it starts to stick to the surface in certain areas. Because the sheet is both large and delicate, trying to lift it from underneath can easily cause tearing. Instead, use the following technique to gently free it and prevent further sticking.

How to Prevent and Fix Sticking

1. Gently lift one edge of the pastry and carefully fold it in half, so that one side of the work surface is exposed.
2. Lightly dust the uncovered surface with a bit of gluten-free flour blend.
3. Carefully unfold the pastry back into place.
4. Repeat the process on the opposite side—fold the pastry from the other direction to expose the remaining part of the work surface.
5. Sprinkle more gluten-free flour blend over the exposed surface.
6. Unfold the pastry again and continue rolling.

If only the edges of the pastry are sticking, you don’t need to fold it in half. Instead, use a bench scraper to gently slide underneath and loosen any stuck areas before continuing to roll.

This method ensures that the pastry remains intact and prevents tearing while allowing you to roll it as thin as possible.

Getting the Filo Pastry as Thin as Possible

At some point, you’ll reach a stage where you might think the pastry is as thin as it can possibly be. But trust me—you can go even thinner.

By this stage, the edges of the pastry will likely be uneven, with a few small tears or splits appearing here and there. This is completely normal and won’t affect the final result. The key is to keep rolling gently and evenly, focusing on stretching the dough rather than pressing down too hard.

To achieve the thinnest possible filo pastry, continue working your way around the dough, rolling from the center outward while ensuring the sheet remains free from sticking. Don’t worry about imperfections—these can easily be layered over when assembling your dish.

Final Shaping and Rolling of the Filo Pastry

At this stage, it’s a good idea to trim the edges to create a more even, rectangular shape. The best tool for this is a pizza cutter, as it allows for clean, precise cuts.

Trimming the Edges

• Cut away only the minimum amount of pastry to shape it into a rough rectangle.
• Remove the excess scraps. The sheet doesn’t need to be perfectly rectangular—some uneven edges and slightly rounded corners are fine. The goal is simply to remove most of the splits and tears around the edges, making it easier to roll out further.

Checking for Sticking Before the Final Roll

• Fold the pastry in half and use a bench scraper to gently loosen any areas that are stuck.
• Lightly dust the uncovered surface with a bit of gluten-free flour blend.
• Unfold the pastry and repeat on the other side.

Final Rolling

• Give the filo pastry one last pass with the rolling pin to ensure it’s as thin as possible.
• Be extremely gentle, as the pastry is now incredibly delicate.
• Always roll from the center outward rather than pressing down too hard.
• Move around the work surface, rolling in all four perpendicular directions to ensure even thinness.

At this point, your gluten-free filo pastry should be ultra-thin, delicate, and ready to use.

Final Thickness of the Gluten-Free Filo Pastry

The finished gluten-free filo pastry should be less than 1mm thick—ideally around 0.5mm.

At this stage, your pastry sheet should measure approximately 12×16 inches (30×40 cm) or 13×15 inches (33×38 cm), depending on how it was rolled out.

A key indicator that you’ve rolled it thin enough? You should be able to read through it!

Once your filo pastry reaches this delicate, paper-thin consistency, it’s ready to be used for your favorite recipes.

Dealing with Tears and Final Steps for Storing Gluten-Free Filo Pastry

If you notice a few tears in your filo pastry, don’t worry. With time and practice, rolling the pastry without tearing will become easier. Plus, most recipes require layering multiple sheets, which means any imperfections in one sheet will be covered by the next.

Moving and Storing the Filo Pastry Sheets

Once your filo pastry sheet is as thin as possible, you’ll need to move it out of the way so you can roll out the next sheet. At the same time, it’s important to prevent it from drying out.

The method below is the best way to move and store filo pastry with minimal risk of tearing:

1. Brush off excess flour – Use a soft-bristled pastry brush to gently remove any excess flour from the top of the filo pastry sheet.
2. Fold the pastry in half – Instead of lifting it, slide one edge toward yourself to fold it over smoothly.
3. Brush away excess flour from the top of the folded sheet.
4. Fold in half again and repeat brushing off any excess flour.
5. Do a final fold – At this point, you should have a small, manageable rectangle.

Now, you can safely lift and move the filo pastry without worrying about tearing. For short-term storage:

• Place the folded pastry in an airtight container to keep it from drying out.
• Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap (cling film) until you’re ready to use it in your recipe.

This method ensures that your gluten-free filo pastry remains flexible, intact, and ready to use when needed.

Storing Gluten-Free Phyllo Dough for Long-Term Use

One of the great advantages of this gluten-free filo pastry is that it stores exceptionally well. You can keep it in the refrigerator for up to one week or in the freezer for up to two months.

However, proper storage is essential to prevent the sheets from sticking together or drying out, as both can lead to tearing and crumbling.

Best Method for Storing Gluten Free Phyllo dough

1. Prepare the first layer
   • Lay a large sheet of plastic wrap (cling film) on your work surface.
   • Carefully place one filo pastry sheet on top of the plastic wrap.
2. Layer the sheets properly
   • Cover the first filo sheet with another sheet of plastic wrap.
   • Place the second filo pastry sheet on top, followed by another layer of plastic wrap.
   • Repeat the process with the remaining filo sheets, ensuring that each sheet is separated by plastic wrap to prevent sticking.
3. Roll up the filo pastry
   • Starting from one end, carefully roll up the layers of plastic wrap and filo pastry into a long log.
4. Double wrap for extra protection
   • Once rolled, wrap the entire log in another layer of plastic wrap for added protection against moisture loss and freezer burn.

Refrigeration & Freezing Guidelines

• For short-term storage: Keep the wrapped filo pastry in the refrigerator for up to one week.
• For long-term storage: Place the wrapped filo pastry in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container and store it in the freezer for up to two months.

When ready to use, allow the filo pastry to thaw at room temperature for about 30–60 minutes before carefully unrolling and handling it.

Uses for Gluten-Free Filo Pastry

Filo pastry is incredibly versatile and can be used in a wide variety of sweet and savory dishes. Here are some of my favorite ways to use it:

• Strudel – Classic apple strudel or variations like cherry strudel and walnut strudel
• Baklava – The iconic Middle Eastern dessert layered with nuts and syrup
• Spanakopita – A Greek spinach and feta pie
• Börek – A savory pastry often filled with cheese, meat, or vegetables
• Pastry Shell for Quiche – A lighter alternative to traditional quiche crust
• Pies and Tarts – Used in place of standard pie or tart crust
• Mille-Feuille – A delicate French pastry, usually made with puff pastry but adaptable with filo

The possibilities are endless, and filo pastry can be used in many creative ways depending on your dish!

Equipment Needed to Make Gluten-Free Filo Pastry

To achieve the best results, having the right tools on hand makes the process much easier. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Digital Kitchen Scale – Weighing ingredients ensures accuracy, which is crucial in gluten-free baking. Measuring by weight is far more reliable than using cups or tablespoons.
• Mixing Bowl – Preferably metal or Pyrex glass for easy handling.
• Metal Balloon Whisk – Helps evenly combine dry ingredients.
• Silicone Spatula or Wooden Spoon – For mixing and kneading the dough.
• Rolling Pin – Essential for achieving ultra-thin sheets.
• Soft-Bristled Pastry Brush – To remove excess flour without damaging the delicate pastry.
• Pizza Cutter – The easiest tool for trimming the edges of filo sheets neatly.

With these tools and techniques, you’ll be well-equipped to make perfect gluten-free filo pastry every time!

Final Thoughts

And there you have it—everything you need to know about the miracle that is gluten-free filo pastry.

I know this guide is incredibly detailed, and at first glance, it might seem overwhelming. But I promise you, this recipe is much easier than it looks, and the results are absolutely worth the effort.

Making your own filo pastry might feel like an unnecessary challenge, but if you’ve ever tried to buy gluten-free filo pastry, you’ll know that:
a) It’s hard to find
b) When you do find it, it’s often disappointing

This homemade gluten-free filo pastry is the closest you’ll get to traditional filo made with wheat flour. It’s paper-thin, bakes up beautifully crisp, and delivers perfectly delicate results. Whether you use it for gluten-free apple strudel, baklava, spanakopita, or börek, this recipe will not let you down.

I truly hope you love it.

Happy baking!