This Baklava is flaky, crisp, and tender, and easier to make than you think. I share my authentic Greek Baklava Recipe below with step-by-step directions that are easy to follow. Make this dessert and be prepared for oo’s and ahh’s, because this is the BEST baklava recipe I have ever tried.
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Helpful Reader Review
“Love this recipe. I am Greek, but my baklava never turned out this good. I made your recipe for my husband’s family reunion. They were so impressed by how delicious it was. They said the syrup wasn’t too sweet like other baklava recipes and it’s the best they ever tasted.” – Tina ★★★★★
Baklava Video
Baklava can be a little tedious to make, but it’s truly simpler than you think. Watch my video, and you’ll be confidently buttering layers in no time! If you want a sneaky shortcut version, try my Baklava Cups.
Best Baklava Recipe
Store-bought baklava has nothing on this, and trust me, I’ve been around the block when shopping for baklava. This baklava recipe is well-loved wherever it goes, and with so many 5-star reviews, it is definitely a reader and family favorite! It’s also make-ahead and freezer-friendly, which is perfect for holiday baking.
My baklava recipe comes out beautifully flaky, buttery, and crisp. The flavor is incredible, since this one is not too sweet. You will love the hint of mellow lemony flavor, which offsets the sweetness and complements the cinnamon. It also keeps well for over a week on the counter, making it a great option to make ahead.
Baklava Ingredients
While this recipe is a Classic Greek Baklava, other varieties, such as Lebanese and Turkish recipes, swap the walnuts for pistachios and include rose water. My Baklava recipe calls for simple ingredients, most of which you can find in your pantry.
- Phyllo (fillo) dough – one 16oz package should have about 40 total paper-thin sheets. Do not use the thick sheets of fillo dough for this recipe. They are sold in the freezer section of the grocery store. Thaw according to the package instructions.
- Unsalted Butter – don’t skimp here! This keeps the fillo dough from peeling away.
- Walnuts – finely chop. You can swap them for almonds, pistachios, or a mix of nuts.
- Cinnamon – adds a great hint of flavor that’s traditional for Baklava
- Syrup ingredients – sugar, lemon juice, water, and honey
- Garnish – drizzle with melted chocolate or Chocolate Ganache, and chopped walnuts
How To Make Baklava
While it takes time to brush each layer, the result is worth every moment! Don’t skim on the butter, and you will be rewarded.
- Thaw phyllo dough in the refrigerator per the package instructions, then place it covered on the counter for 1 hour to bring to room temperature.
- Trim the phyllo dough to fit your 9×13 pan, covering it with a damp (not wet) towel to keep from drying out.
- Grease – use butter to coat the sides and bottom of a 13×9 non-stick baking pan. You can line it with parchment paper so you don’t damage it with your knife when slicing later.
- Make the honey syrup – heat the syrup ingredients in a medium saucepan while stirring until it boils, and then reduce the heat to medium-low and allow to cook for 4 more minutes without stirring. Set aside to cool.
- Chop Walnuts – pulse walnuts in a food processor until finely chopped, and then mix with cinnamon.
How to Assemble the Baklava
- 10 Layers – Preheat oven to 325°F. Start layering the phyllo dough, brushing each sheet with butter as you place it in the pan. Repeat this until you’ve added 10 layers. Then sprinkle 3/4 cup of walnuts over the top.
- 5 Layers – add 5 more sheets, buttering between each one, and then another layer of walnuts. Repeat this 3 more times. Finally, add 10 more layers of buttered dough on top.
- Cut the dessert into strips using a sharp knife, and then cut across to make diamonds. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
- Add syrup – spoon cooled syrup over the Baklava right after removing it from the oven. It should sizzle. Leave it uncovered on the counter to cool completely (4 hours or overnight). Then store covered with a tea towel for up to a week.
Tips for Making the Best Baklava
Follow these simple tips to make homemade baklava easy.
- Use a 13×9 pan with straight corners that fits the pastry to the edges. Avoid pans with angled corners that fan out, as they can cause the syrup to pool at the edges and make the top of the baklava dry. If you choose a larger pan, increase the syrup amount by 25% so you don’t run out. You can also cut the recipe in half using an 8×8 pan.
- Don’t skimp on the butter, especially on the top layers, since that can cause them to flake off. You can melt a few more tablespoons if you run out.
- Sizzle – the sound you’ll hear when you spoon the syrup over the hot pastry. This keeps it from getting soggy.
My Baklava recipe has so many layers of irresistible textures and flavors! The crispy layers of dough are perfectly complemented by the honey syrup and crunchy nuts. I hope it becomes your new favorite dessert.
Baklava Recipe
Ingredients
- 16 oz phyllo dough, thawed by package instructions
- 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, 10 oz or 2 1/2 sticks, melted
- 1 lb walnuts, finely chopped, about 4 1/4 cups unprocessed
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice, juice of 1/2 lemon
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup honey
- Melted chocolate chips & chopped walnuts for garnish, optional
Instructions
Preparation
- Thaw phyllo dough by package instructions (this is best done overnight in the fridge, then place it on the counter for 1 hr before starting your recipe to bring it to room temperature).
- Trim phyllo dough to fit your baking dish. My phyllo package had 2 rolls with a total of 40 sheets that measured 9×14, so I had to trim them slightly. You can trim one stack at a time, then cover with a damp towel to keep from drying out.
- Grease – Butter the bottom and sides of a 13×9 non-stick baking pan. Line the bottom with parchment if desired to protect the pan when cutting later.
- Make the honey syrup – In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup honey, 2 Tbsp lemon juice, and 3/4 cup water. Bring to a boil over medium/high heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then reduce the heat to medium/low and boil an additional 4 min without stirring. Remove from heat and let the syrup cool while preparing baklava.
- Chop walnuts – Pulse walnuts 10 times in a food processor until coarsely ground/ finely chopped. In a medium bowl, stir together: 4 cups finely chopped walnuts and 1 tsp cinnamon.
Assemble the Baklava
- 10 layers – Preheat the oven to 325°F. Place 10 phyllo sheets into a baking pan one at a time, brushing each sheet with butter once it's in the pan before adding the next (i.e., place phyllo sheet into pan, brush the top with butter, place next phyllo sheet in pan, butter the top, etc.). Keep the remaining phyllo covered with a damp towel at all times. Spread about 1/5 of the nut mixture (about 3/4 cup) over the phyllo dough.
- 5 layers – Add 5 buttered sheets of phyllo, then another layer of nuts. Repeat four times with the remaining layers of fillo, butter and nuts. Finish off with 10 layers of buttered phyllo sheets. Brush the very top with butter.
- Cut pastry into 1 1/2" wide strips, then cut diagonally to form diamond shapes. Bake at 325˚F for 1 hour and 15 min or until tops are golden brown.
- Add syrup – Remove from oven and immediately spoon cooled syrup evenly over the hot baklava (you'll hear it sizzle). This will ensure that it stays crisp rather than soggy. Let baklava cool and rest uncovered at room temperature 4-6 hours or overnight for the syrup to penetrate and soften the layers. Garnish with chocolate and nuts if desired.
Notes
- 10 buttered sheets, 3/4 cup nuts,
- 5 buttered sheets, 3/4 cup nuts,
- 5 buttered sheets, 3/4 cup nuts,
- 5 buttered sheets, 3/4 cup nuts,
- 5 buttered sheets, 3/4 cup nuts,
- 10 buttered sheets and butter the top.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
More Pastry Recipes
Homemade pastries always turn heads, so once you try this Baklava, don’t miss these other classic dessert recipes:
- Eclairs
- Croissants
- Cream Puffs
- Apple Turnovers
- Churros
- Fruit Tart
- Rugelach
- Palmiers
- Cheese Danish
- Apple Danish
- Apple Roses
hello, i love your recipes and want to make baklava but can not find fillo sheets, any alternative ?? Can puff pastery dough could b used
Hi Bushra, sometimes they are called phyllo and other packages say fillo dough. There really is not a good substitute for fillo dough unfortunately. I would suggest calling your local grocery stores to see if they carry it in the freezer section to possibly save you a trip to the grocery store.
I used pecans for this and it turned out perfect, just I think next time I won’t do so much Lemon. Maybe when it cools the lemon taste will go away a bit but it really stands out to me. Now I don’t think other people will notice but since I know it is in there I can really taste it. I will uses this recipe again and baking time was prefect.
Hi Cassandra, it does mellow out when it cools and sets into the baklava and helps to cut the sweetness which is otherwise a little overwhelming in baklava. I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! 🙂
Is there a way to substitute something for the sugar? Maple syrup maybe?
Hi Dee, I haven’t tried substituting it but one of my readers mentioned they substituted honey for maple syrup so I imagine it could work. Again, I haven’t tested it but I think it is worth an experiment if you are trying to avoid sugar.
I have never made Baklava before, and really don’t like walnuts. But thought what the heck and tried this recipe on Saturday. Waiting until Sunday to taste a piece was NOT EASY (the smell was AMAZING)..okay I snuck a corner piece… OMG this is so good. Putzy but AMAZING. I would make again, and again and again..even with Walnuts!
I’m glad you love the recipe Vickey! Thanks so much for sharing your excellent review! 🙂
Just had a Baklava from Cyprus. This one was so sweet! It’s actually given me heartburn. I can’t believe how sweet it is! It’s literally dripping with Honey! I’m worried because we have a bit of a problem with ants here at the moment! Litteraly had to wipe down all the surfaces and take all the bins out etc!
Hi Kiran, I have actually had folks say the opposite about this baklava – that it isn’t as sweet as what is sold in stores or restaurants because it uses honey for sweetness and is well balanced with lemon.
My Czech Mother-in-law learned it from her Czech family. How many countries make Baklava anyway?
I don’t know exactly but it must be quite a few and it’s so interesting how every region has their own spin on it.
Just finished making this for the second time – the first time, my dad saw my pictures on Facebook, so he requested it for his and my mom’s visit (we live 500+ miles apart).
It’s almost 3am now, but it will be ready to enjoy for dinner tomorrow (er…tonight) when they get to town! It is time consuming to make, but oh, so worth it! Thank you for sharing the recipe!
My pleasure Becky! I’m happy to hear that you and your family enjoy the recipe! Thanks for sharing your wonderful review!
I just finished making this tonight. It turned out wonderful!! I’ve wanted to try making baklava for a long time but was always intimidated. I found this recipe and actually thought it was quite easy. I’m wanting to box some up and send to someone. Any idea if that would work or how I would wrap it to send?
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe!! I think it could work to package it up. Make sure you leave as little space around the baklava as possible so it doesn’t break apart in transit. Maybe wrap in parchment paper first to keep it from sticking and then cover with plastic wrap and maybe insert some bubble wrap over that to keep things from shifting. I hope that helps! I’m not an expert packager but it’s the best I could think of 🙂
When in college, my roomie’s mom sent her a birthday cake entirely packed in popped popcorn. Cake was perfect and the additional “tin” of frosting was packed into the box, too. Perhaps this would work for shipping baklava in the pan.
That is smart! I love it!
How on earth can u leave it for 1hour and 15min? Ours nearly got completely burnt after 40 mins! We’ve wasted so much product!
Hi Molly, I haven’t had anyone report the same thing – I wonder if you might have been using a convection oven – I haven’t tested this in a convection oven but typically in a convection, you would have to reduce the temp or time since it bakes faster.
Is a jelly roll ( pan) the same thing as what we call a Swiss roll? From barbara
Hi Barbara, yes, you would bake a Swiss roll cake in a jelly roll pan 🙂
A Greek lady taught me to make baklava and I have for years. I do things differently: I use a jelly roll pan and use 2 sheets side by side for each layer. It makes it a little thinner ( not quite as many layers). The other change is I use half the phyllo dough then spread out the nut mixture and then finish with the rest of the phyllo dough.
Thank you for sharing your method!
Our family traveled to Israel a couple of years ago and fell in love with the Baklava. I’ve been trying to find a good recipe ever since. I can’t wait to try yours! My question: In the attempts I have made before I have the most difficult time cutting the pre-baked baklava. The sheets always stick to my knife. Is it just that my knife is not sharp enough (or maybe the sheets are too soggy with butter) or is there a trick to getting those perfect cuts?
Hi Jennifer, I do hold down the top layer lightly with my finger tips as the knife passes through. It should go through fairly easily with a sharp knife and a serrated knife may also make it easier.
I’ve heard of making it with pecans instead. Has anyone ever tried it that way? I’m curious because I love pecans so much more than walnuts.
Hi Chrissy, I have had a couple of readers report great results subbing pecans instead. I hope you love it!
I just wanted to let you know that I made your recipe for baklava for my husband’s birthday and he was so, so pleased! I’ve tried a few different recipes before, but he thinks this one is far superior (and I agree!). Many thanks!
My pleasure Lauren! I’m happy to hear that! Thanks for sharing your excellent review!
Would you recommend covering it with anything other than a tea towel? Just wondering if I need to go out and get one of those — dead set on trying out this recipe!
Hi Pat, once it is at room temperature, you can also cover it loosely with plastic wrap 🙂
Now *that* I can do. Thank you!
My pleasure Pat 🙂
Surely a clean pillow case or similar to keep the Philo dampened would work?
Oh my goodness I misunderstood your question – sorry! I thought you meant for storing it afterwards. I agree with Barbara, you could use a lightly damp regular kitchen towel or clean pillow case to keep the phyllo dough from drying out. I didn’t realize that is what you were asking about until I read Barbaras reply. Sorry!!
This looks great! Where do you buy the dough? I looked online and can only find the shells, every other kind is $80? I live in the US. Thanks in advance!
Wow that is very spendy! I have found it at Fred Meyer, Winco and Walmart. Most large grocery stores should have it in the freezer section next to the frozen puff pastry. I hope that helps!
In regards to the amount of philo pastry, I’m a bit confused by the ‘1 (16 oz) pkg phyllo (fillo) dough; thawed according to package instructions’.
Im in the UK, so converting 16 oz into grams is 453g. We have ‘jus rol’ filo pastry packs here which are 270g but only contains 6 sheets, but by your instructions it takes around 40 sheets to make?!
However if i used two packs of the filo (270g x 2 = 540g which is apparently just over 16oz) I will only have 12 sheets?
Is it 40 sheets I need in total? I’m a bit gutted as this will cost me quite a lot!! 🙁 Thanks!
Hi Laura, in the US, philo pastry is sold in 1 lb or 16 oz packages and they have 40 very thin sheets. I wish I had a clear answer for you but I’m wondering if maybe in the UK, philo pastry is cut thicker that there are only 1 sheets or maybe they are much larger sheets that require more cutting? You might do some google research to see if someone has answered this question online. Without having the packages side by side to compare, I’m not really sure what to recommend.
I also had the problem of Jus Rol Philo and have bought in Sainsburys own which has 12 sheets per pack…and will cut them in half to use all 48 pieces when I get round to making another batch! Barbara
Thank you so much for sharing!! 🙂
Hi, I also make paklava, but my recipe calls for me to pull the pan part way out of the oven after it has baked for 15 mins. and pour hot butter over it. It sizzles and the layers rise up. Of course, I start with 1 lb of clarified butter in order to do that. After the paklava is baked, I take out a corner piece and drain the excess butter, then add the lukewarm syrup. Have you tried it this way?
Hi Irene, I haven’t tried that method only because this one works well for me but thank you for sharing! Sounds interesting! 🙂
Easy to do. Delicious baklava. Thanks for your recipe, Natasha
You’re welcome Rose! I’m glad you enjoy the recipe!
I use my Moms recipe and she used only three layers, but your recipe sounds like it may a bit flakier. I always add orange flavoring which everyone loves. I put the baklava in the fridge before baking for 30 minutes and this makes it easier to cut. I am famous for my baklava but I am eager to give the extra layers a try.
Great alternatives Carole! Please let me know what you think if you decide to try it! 🙂
I am so happy to see that you have offered a tutorial on making baklava, Natasha. It is really very easy to make, and is a good project for a young child to help with. Of course the child needs to be able to exert a modicum of self-control because filo doesn’t respond well to rough treatment. But my daughter always enjoyed “painting” the filo dough leaves with butter for me when she was young. And homemade baklava is almost always superior to a commercially sold baklava, so long as butter and a good honey is used.
I made baklava for the first time in my early twenties, and took it in a covered pan to share with friends at a music festival (40 years ago). The festival was 24 hours of dancing and drumming, day after day, and whenever I started to feel run down, I would eat a piece and be ready to go again.
I’m happy to offer the tutorial! Baklava is THE BEST when homemade 🙂 Thanks for sharing your wonderful review Susan!