These mini baklava cups taste like authentic baklava but are so much simpler! The mini fillo Shells come pre-baked and make the process way easy. I hope this delicious treat becomes a new holiday tradition for you.
Bring these to your Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year’s party and they will fly off the plate! They are easy to serve and your fingers stay clean.
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Baklava cups are completely cute and the flavor is fantastic! They are loaded with a blend of walnuts and pistachios. Feel free to create your own blend with different nuts like pecans, almonds, cashews, peanuts – any nut really! The syrup is made with honey and lemon which cut the sweetness and make these baklava cups perfectly moist and completely irresistible.
You can make these ahead up to 2 weeks and store refrigerated or at room temperature. See the awesome freezing tip at the bottom – it’s GENIUS!!
P.S. Want to know which tools we used to make this recipe? See the Amazon affiliate links in the instructions below.
Ingredients for Baklava Cups:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp lemon juice (from 1/2 small lemon)
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup honey
2 packages (15 count, each) Athens® Mini Fillo Shells, frozen
2 cups nuts (I used 1 1/2 cups walnuts and 1/2 cup salted pistachios)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Melted chocolate chips to drizzle for garnish, optional
How to Make Baklava Cups:
Preheat Oven to 350˚F.
1. In a small saucepan, combine syrup ingredients: 1/2 cup sugar, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, 1/3 cup water and 1/4 cup honey. Bring to a boil over med/high heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved then reduce heat to low and keep at a light boil for 4 minutes without stirring. Remove syrup from heat and let cool at room temperature while preparing baklava cups.
2. In a food processor, pulse together 2 cups of nuts until coarsely chopped then transfer to a medium mixing bowl and stir in 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Add 3 Tbsp melted butter and stir to combine.
3. Arrange 30 mini frozen phyllo cups on a rimmed baking sheet and divide nut mixture evenly between the cups (about 2 teaspoons per cup), patting down the tops with your finger tips. Bake for 10 minutes at 350˚F.
Pro Tip: This mini cookie scoop made the portioning process easy!
4. Once mini baklava cups are baked, immediately spoon cooled syrup over the nuts, adding 1 tsp to each one to let the syrup soak in then repeating with another 1/2 teaspoon of syrup until all of the syrup is used up. Let rest at room temperature for 6 hours or overnight for the flavors to meld and the cups to soften.
Drizzle with chocolate to serve if desired. We like to drizzle on the melted chocolate then refrigerate so it firms up for easier serving.
Make-Ahead Instructions:
Cover and store baklava at room temperature up to 2 weeks. The Athens® packaging makes for excellent storage container of the baklava cups. To freeze: place baklava cups back into plastic tray and slide the tray into the packaging. Seal the ends of the package with tape and wrap the box with plastic wrap then freeze up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving and will be just as good!
If you are looking for another freezer friendly dessert, we have frozen this entire cake. After thawing, it was just as amazing as fresh!
⬇Print-Friendly Baklava Cups Recipe:
Baklava Cups Recipe

Ingredients
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice, from 1/2 small lemon
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/4 cup honey
- 30 shells (2 boxes, 15 count each) Athens® Mini Fillo Shells
- 2 cups nuts, we used 1 1/2 cups walnuts + 1/2 cup salted pistachios
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips, melted to drizzle for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven to 350˚F. In a small saucepan, combine syrup ingredients: 1/2 cup sugar, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, 1/3 cup water and 1/4 cup honey. Bring to a boil over med/high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves then reduce heat and keep at a light boil for 4 min without stirring. Remove syrup from heat and let cool at room temperature while prepping baklava cups.
- In a food processor, pulse together 2 cups nuts to coarsely chop. Transfer to medium mixing bowl and stir in 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Add 3 Tbsp melted butter and stir to combine.
- Arrange 30 mini phyllo cups on rimmed baking sheet and divide nut mixture between the cups (about 2 tsp per cup), patting down the tops with your fingers. Bake 10 min at 350˚F.
- Once out of the oven, immediately spoon cooled syrup over nuts, adding 1 tsp to each one to let the syrup soak in then repeat with another 1/2 teaspoon of syrup until all syrup is used up. Let rest at room temperature for 6 hrs or overnight for flavors to meld and cups to soften. Serve as is or drizzled with chocolate.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Q: Have you tried the Mini Fillo Shells in any other recipes? We love the taste and texture of these shells and are always looking for new ideas.
P.S. If these mini baklava cups grace your holiday party platters, let me know!!
Great recipe! I made these along with some Divinity and Tiger Butter. Along with some plain, I also topped some with semisweet chocolate, like your photos, and others with white chocolate. It really made a nice looking tray. So, it looked good and then tasted great. Thanks!
You’re welcome Bryan! I’m happy to hear the recipe is such a success. Thanks for sharing your wonderful review!
Natasha, do I have to thaw the shells for them to become room temperature before filling them in with nutty mixture or it doesn’t matter?
Hi Vera, the cups have such thin layers that there is no need to thaw – they thaw quickly on their own. I keep them frozen until ready to use. Great question!!
These mini baklava cups look so delicious! I love the idea, and have to try it soon 🙂
They are so good! Please let me know what you think if you decide to make it!
Made these multiple times already.Very good recipe, it may not be much “healthier ” than the original baklava, but this recipe is definitely lighter! Not so butter rich, and the lemon is a nice fresh zesty taste. Oh and it’s beginner level easy! Which is a must when one has to do multiple recipes, on holidays, with 4 kids pining for attention…also I bought the cups at Fred meyer..$2.09…and at WinCo…$1.58/pack in the freezer next to the frozen pie dough and sweets.
I’m glad you enjoy the recipe Cassandra! Thanks for sharing your helpful review with other readers!
these look delicious but i don’t have all
the ingriedients. can you make the recipe swan lake. I know there are different kinds but the one i want you to make is the one glazed with choclate and the swans are in a circle like they are swimming on the lake.
Thanks Elena! I will definitely keep your suggestion in mind! 🙂
Have you used phyllo dough sheets in cupcake tin or paper liners to make own par baked shells? What size circle do you think? Brush with butter?? How much longer to bake???
Hi Sarah Jane, I have seen it done successfully by others online, but haven’t tried making them myself since this is so easy :). Search “phyllo dough cups recipe” in Google and you will get some ideas 🙂
I just made these, they haven’t even rested yet but are so good! I decided to double the recipe but ran out of walnuts/pistachios so I added some candied pecans that I made to equal 4 cups and wow! Will never make baklava the traditional way again.
You’re welcome Erin! I’m happy to hear how much you love this recipe! Thanks for sharing your excellent review!
Hi Louie,
Thank you very much for lettinwhile.know. I am in Markham and will be happy to drive to Vaughn for these cups. I appreciate you sharing.
Thank you again Natasha for sharing the recipe.
Anna
Love your site. I sent a question the other day but I do not see it nor have I heard from you.
Are the pistachio salted or unsalted?
Need to pick up some and I can get either way. Thank you.
Hi Jo, sorry for the late reply. We try not to work on Sundays :). They are salted 🙂
Thank you so much for your reply.
You’re welcome Jo!
Hello from Costa Rica in Central América. Your recipe sound and look.delicious. I don’t know if in my country they sell the phillo,but I ‘m wondering if I can use.or do another pastry recipe?
Hi Ana, you might double check the Athens website to see if they are sold in your country and if not, you might check to see if you have sheets of phyllo instead to make a traditional baklava.
Thanks for the recipe. I am going to try this. However was wondering are the pistachio SALTED or UNSALTED. Thanks in advance.
Hi Jo, I used salted pistachios for this. I will specify in the recipe 🙂
Hello Natasha,
These look amazing and am looking forward to making them for our Christmas buffet.
I’m in Canada and would like to know if they are available here?. I have not seen these phyllo cups. If i cant find them, can I make them?
Love
Hi Anna, I’m not sure where they sell it outside the country. I would suggest looking on their website (I have a link towards the top) to see if they have a location directory or location product search or call/email their customer service. Sorry, I wish I had a clear answer for you!
HI Natasha,
Thank you for the link. I have contacted them and am looking to a positive reply 🙂
Love your blog and especially your recipes. I LOVE trying new recipes.looking forward to many more years of your shares.
Anna
Try the freezer section in the dessert isle of your local grocery store.
Thank you so much for this recipe Natasha! It tastes so good!
Anna, I live in Toronto. I found Athens Mini Fillo Shells ($3.49/package) in Yummy Market located in Vaughan Ontario.
Louie
My pleasure Louie! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Natasha! I made these today and they turned out amazing! hank you for the recipe 🙂
You’re welcome! I’m glad to hear you enjoy the recipe! Thanks for sharing your great review!
I just happen to have 4 boxes of Philo cups in the freezer so I went looking for a recipe to use them and this looks amazing! not a fan of pistachios tho. I am sure it will b delish if i skip them?
Hi Deborah, I recommend reading through the comments. Several of our readers posted other types of nuts they used in place of that. I hope that helps.
Hello Natasha! Do you have any good recipe of some Russian chocolate fruit cake? Thanks in advance!!
Hi Lena, I don’t have anything like what you are describing. You can take a look at our cake category here.
I really dislike posters who change a recipe until it is unrecognizable from the original. Forgive me, but I realized that this recipe is the platform for mini pecan pies for Thanksgiving. Change the nuts to pecans, the syrup to pure maple and Karo, and I think I’m there. Again, sorry, but for the changes, but Eureka!!
I love that idea!! I love it when my readers give me new and fun ideas. Thank you for sharing! 😉
As you stated pecan pies for Thanksgiving have completely different ingredients, so it’s not a change, it’s another recipe.
Thank you Natasha for this new recipe! I can’t wait to try it! I always use your website to make delicious meals and for baking too. Keep up a good work!😉
You’re welcome Anya! I hope you love the recipe! 🙂
Where do you buy theses Phyllo cupcakes?
Hi Valentina! I purchased these at a Fred Meyer store, but I believe they should be in most large grocery stores in the freezer section next to the puff pastry.
Thank you
You’re welcome Valentina!
Can I skip or substitute cinnamon :)?
Alyona, yes you can just skip the cinnamon. It will still taste good.
Will definitely try to make them.
I hope you love them! Please let me know what you think!
I do chicken artichoke spinach salad in those, but i bake them before adding the salad. Very nice for baby/bridal showers, or any occasion, really.
Yum, what a great idea Olga!!
Oh my gosh!!..Natasha, you are the best!!..Can’t wait to try these!!
Thank you Agnes! I hope you love them! 🙂