Our Famous Homemade Walnut Pie (karydopita) Recipe

Make the dough

In a large bowl combine 1.5 cups flour, 1 tbs sugar and 1/4 tsp salt. Add 3/4 cup cold cubed unsalted butter. Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces.

Sprinkle 3 tablespoons ice water over the mixture, toss gently with a fork, and press to see if the dough holds. Add up to 1 more tablespoon water if needed. Do not overwork.

Gather dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

On a lightly floured surface roll the chilled dough into a 12-inch circle. Fit into a 9-inch (23 cm) pie pan, trim overhang to 1/2 inch, and crimp the edges. Place the pie shell back in the refrigerator while preparing the filling.

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). If blind-baking is desired for extra crispness, line the shell with parchment and pie weights and bake 10 minutes, remove weights and bake 5 more minutes. Otherwise proceed with unbaked shell.

Prepare walnuts

If not already chopped, pulse the walnuts briefly in a food processor to get a mix of fine crumbs and small pieces (avoid turning them into a paste). Measure 3 cups.

Mix wet ingredients

In a medium bowl whisk together 3 large eggs until homogenous. Add 1 cup packed brown sugar, 1/2 cup honey, 1/4 cup melted butter, 1/2 cup whole milk, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tbsp lemon zest and 1/4 tsp salt. Whisk until sugar is mostly dissolved and mixture is smooth.

Stir the chopped walnuts into the wet mixture until evenly combined. The filling should be thick but pourable; if it seems too dry, stir in 1-2 tablespoons more milk.

Pour the walnut filling into the prepared pie shell, smoothing the top with a spatula. Gently tap the pan on the counter to release any air pockets.

Bake in the preheated 350°F (175°C) oven for 45–55 minutes, or until the filling is set at the edges and slightly jiggly in the center (it will continue to set as it cools). If the crust browns too quickly, tent with foil after 30 minutes.

Remove pie from oven and cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours to finish setting. For best flavor and texture, let cool to room temperature.

Once cooled, dust the top lightly with 1 tsp confectioners' sugar if desired.

Slice the walnut pie and serve each slice with a scoop of lavender ice cream placed on the side or on top. The floral notes of the ice cream complement the warm spice and honey of the karydopita.

Store leftovers covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate up to 5 days. Rewarm gently (10–12 minutes at 300°F/150°C) if you prefer it warm before serving.