Baklava

With layers of crispy dough, a crunchy nut filling, and a sweet honey syrup, this homemade Baklava recipe is a delicious dessert for any occasion! 

If you want to impress your friends and family with your awesome baking skills, you have to try this baklava recipe. This unique dessert may seem complicated to make, but with this recipe, it’s super easy! 

What Is Baklava?

A popular dessert in Middle Eastern countries as well as Greece and Hungary, baklava is a dessert made out of a puff pastry and drizzled with delicious sweet syrup, similar to this Austrian Apple Strudel. Although baklava might seem like a basic dessert, it actually has religious significance. For example, the Greeks use 33 layers of dough to signify the age of Christ at his time of death. Other religions, such as Islam, enjoy this dessert during Ramadan, the holy month of fasting in Muslim culture. 

Why you’ll love this recipe

This recipe is perfect for making ahead for special occasions, like this Tiramisu recipe! Plus, this recipe is super flavorful, with tons of flavor from the honey syrup and nut mixture, making it the perfect dessert for when you want to switch things up from your basic chocolate chip cookies.

Ingredients

For the Sugar Syrup

• Sugar
• Water
• Honey
• Strips of lemon zest
• Lemon juice
• Cinnamon stick
• Whole cloves
• Salt

For the Nut Filling

• Slivered almonds
• Walnuts
• Sugar
• Ground cinnamon
• Ground cloves
• Salt

For the Pastry

• Unsalted butter
• Phyllo sheets

How to Make This Easy Baklava Recipe

Make the Sweet Syrup (can be made up to 4 days ahead and stored in the fridge)

In a saucepan, bring the sugar, water, honey, lemon zest, lemon juice, cinnamon, cloves, and salt to a boil. Stir occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Set aside to cool. When cool, strain into a 2-cup measuring glass, discarding the spice and zest.

Prep the Nut Filling

Pulse the almonds and walnuts in a food processor until finely chopped. Then, measure out a tablespoon of the walnut mixture for garnish and toss the remaining with the sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.

Assemble the Pastry

Place the oven rack in the lower middle position and preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. 

Then, in a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Don’t rush this step. The milk solids will separate from the butterfat and hang out on the bottom of the pan.

Next, remove from heat and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Gently skim the foam from the top of the butter. Pour the melted butter into a measuring cup, leaving the milk solids in the pan. You should have around 1 cup of clarified butter. 

Prep the Baklava

Prepare a 13×9″ baking pan by greasing it with a bit of butter.

Unroll the sheets of phyllo dough, place one sheet gently in the pan, and brush with butter to coat. Repeat for 7 layers. Then, sprinkle 1 cup of the nut filling over the dough.

Then, stack 6 more layers of phyllo dough on top and sprinkle with another cup of nut mix. Repeat with another layer of 6 sheets and nuts.

Next, layer the final 8 to 10 sheets on top, making sure to brush every layer evenly with butter, pressing gently every now and then to compress layers and push out any air. Then, spoon 4 tablespoons butter over the top and brush to coat.

Using a very sharp knife, cut into the phyllo dough, creating diamond shapes.

Bake the Baklava

Place the baklava in the oven and cook for 1 ½ hours, rotating the pan once halfway through cook time. When removed from the oven, immediately pour all but 2 tablespoons of the cooled syrup over the cut you made earlier. The syrup will sizzle as it sinks in and hits the pan. Brush the remaining syrup over the surface. Garnish with the nuts you set aside earlier.

Let the hot baklava cool in the pan for 3 hours before covering it with foil and cooking to room temperature for 8 hours. When ready, slice again along the pre-made cuts and serve.

Expert Recipe Tips

• To prevent soggy baklava, make sure you pour cold syrup on hot baklava or hot syrup over cold baklava to prevent the layers from getting soggy. 
• Use a pastry brush to brush the butter over each sheet of phyllo dough.
• Thaw the phyllo dough in the fridge and not on the counter. You don’t want it to become too soggy or it will be difficult to use.

Leftovers and Reheating

Store leftover baklava in an airtight container on the counter for up to 1-2 weeks. After one week, place it in the fridge for up to 2 1/2 weeks.

You can also freeze baklava to enjoy at a later time. Store individual portions in the freezer for 4 months.

​To reheat baklava, pop it in the microwave in 10-second increments until warm. 

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Recipe FAQs

More Dessert Recipes

This classic Baklava recipe is anything but basic! The crunchy melt-in-your-mouth layers will put all your other dessert recipes to shame! If you try this recipe, please rate the recipe card and let us know if you liked it!

Classic Baklava

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Author: Kita

Ingredients

For the Sugar Syrup

• ▢ 1 1/4 cups sugar
• ▢ 3/4 cup water
• ▢ 1/3 cup honey
• ▢ 3 2 ” strips of lemon zest
• ▢ 1 tbs lemon juice
• ▢ 1 cinnamon stick
• ▢ 5 whole cloves
• ▢ 1/8 teas salt

For the Nut Filling

• ▢ 1 3/4 cups slivered almonds
• ▢ 1 cup walnuts
• ▢ 2 tbs sugar
• ▢ 1 1/4 teas ground cinnamon
• ▢ 1/4 teas ground cloves
• ▢ 1/8 teas salt

For the Pastry

• ▢ 24 tbs unsalted butter - cut into 1″ pieces
• ▢ 1 lbs phyllo - (14×9″ sheets) thawed

Instructions

Make the Sugar Syrup (can be made up to 4 days ahead and stored in fridge)

• In a saucepan, bring the sugar, water, honey, lemon zest, lemon juice, cinnamon, cloves and salt to a boil. Stir occasionally until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside to cool. When cool, strain into a 2 cup measuring glass, discarding the spice and zest.

Prep the Nut Filling

• Pulse the almonds and walnuts in a food processor until finely chopped. Measure out a tablespoon of the nuts for garnish and toss the remaining with the sugar, cinnamon, cloves and salt.

Assemble the Pastry

• Place the oven rack in the lower middle position and preheat the oven to 300.
• In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Don’t rush this step, the milk solids will separate from the butterfat and hangout on the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Gently skim the foam from the top of the butter. Pour the butter into a measuring cup, leaving the milk solids in the pan. You should have around 1 cup of clarified butter. (that’s right, you totally just rocked clarified butter!)
• Prepare a 13×9″ baking pan by greasing it with a bit of the butter.
• Unroll you phyllo dough and place one sheet gently in the pan, brush with butter to coat. Repeat for 7 layers. Sprinkle 1 cup of the nut filling over the dough.
• Stack 6 more layers of butter brushed phyllo dough on top and sprinkle with another cup of nut mix. Repeat with another layer of 6 sheets and nuts.
• Layer the final 8 to 10 sheets on top, making sure to brush every layer evenly with butter, pressing gently every now and then to compress layers and push out any air. Spoon 4 tablespoons butter over the top and brush to coat.
• Using a sharp serrated knife, cut into the phyllo dough, creating a diamond pattern.
• Place the baklava in the oven and cook for 1 1/2 hours, rotating the pan once halfway though cook time.
• When removed from the oven, immediately pour all but 2 tbs of the cooled syrup over the cut you made earlier. The syrup will sizzle as it sinks in and hits the pan. Brush the remaining syrup over the surface. Garnish with the nuts you set aside earlier.
• Cool in pan for 3 hours before covering with foil and cooking to room temperature 8 hours.
• When ready, slice again along the pre-made cuts and serve.

Notes

The Cook’s Illustrated Cookbook

Nutritional informations provided as a courtesy and is only an approximatation. Values will changes based on ingredients used.

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