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
Can we the recipe to Phillo or fillo pastry recipe. Thanks in advance
Hi and thank you for the suggestion. If I come up with something better than I buy at the grocery store, I will be sure to share it!
Great recipe – thank you!
I have several recipes for baklava, but will certainly try this one, because it sounds really delicious.
The honey sauce is especially interesting – my usual sauce is just water, sugar, and lemon (juice & slices).
I hope you love this recipe, we look forward to your feedback.
Fabulous recipe. I swapped the honey for maple syrup as my son is allergic to honey. Turned out amazing. Thank you for you awesome recipes
I’m so glad to hear that. Thank you for sharing that with us.
Hello, Natasha! I wanted to ask what is meant by “do not use thick sheets”? The only phyllo dough I have found so far (I am in Europe) is a package of 450 g (~16 oz) that contains 12 sheets (I think size of it could be aprox. 9″x13″). Is that too thick for making baklava even if I put fewer layers? Thanks!
Hi Oxana, I have only ever seen paper thin fillo in the US but that is a good question! I added this note just under the ingredients list at a the top of the recipe to clarify: “*Fillo dough should be paper thin – even thinner than paper. Each package has 2 rolls with a total of 40 sheets. Do not use thick sheets of fillo dough for this recipe.” Thank you for asking!
Well, I am back to report that I managed to get some 30 layers of that 450g/12 sheet phyllo dough, cutting sheets in half and also assembling strips. Sheets turned out to be quite thin… The total hight of baklava turned out very decent I think. Top layers unfortunately did not want to stick together. The middle part was juicy. p.s. never had baklava before and made it for the first time. I do trust your recipes. Thank you!
This was fabulous! Made it to serve after a tagine dinner, and it went down a treat. Even guests who are usually terribly carb-conscious devoured it. I shall definitely be making it again.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great feedback, Daisy!
Hi, I just made this and looks good but the pastry layers appear to have puffed and separated from the other layers. Any suggestions? I used all the butter up.
HI Bethanie, be sure to let it rest overnight to soften and absorb the syrup. Also, I’m not sure if this was the issue or not but be sure to brush every single layer with butter when assembling and use the correct size pan. A wider pan will cause the syrup to settle at the bottom.
Thanks for the response. I did all of that and unfortunately still the same.
I actually made this recipe a couple months ago and it was amazing. I took some into my office with me and everyone raved about it. We have an office birthday tomorrow and they specifically requested that I bring the baklava to the party. So here I am making everyone’s favorite treat again! Amazing!!!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new party favorite!
THE BEST RECIPE EVER! But, because I have so many diabetics in the family I had to substitute 1/2 cup of Stevia for the 1 cup of sugar. I tried this with several other recipes with blah results. Your recipe has the right combination of everything to get the flavor I wanted. Thank you!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review Rose.
Thanks for sharing! I was just reading all the comments to see if anyone made it with a low-sugar substitute! <
I have made baklava for decades, always yummy, but your recipe describing the temperature variant between the pastry and syrup was helpful. Also, keeping it at room temperature for the absorption of syrup and to avoid getting soggy through refrigeration. I have always refrigerated. Thank you!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy that was helpful.
Hi Natasha, I just made this last night and couldn’t wait to taste it this morning. I am happy to say it turned out beautifully! Taste’s delicious too. It was quite time consuming to make but the effort was worth it. I used a glass pyrex try with no parchment paper underneath and it still turned out great! Thank you for all your wonderful recipes! You are my favorite blogger
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Sonia!
This is my first time making baklava. Your directions are spot-on, easy and fun to make. Only thing I changed was that I spread butter on more sparingly and added extra lemon to the recipe. The baklava came out super flaky and so yummy!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
Any recipes on how to make the phillo dough ?
Hi Cris, I recommend a good online source, we purchase ours at the store.
Hi
Mine worked out very well but did not stay well stuck together, any suggestions
Hi Janet, I am always happy to help troubleshoot. Did you possibly use a wider pan which would cause the liquid to spread more at the base? Also, be sure to butter between every single layer and if the nuts are ground too larger, the baklava might have a harder time staying together with larger pieces in there. Lastly, be sure to let it rest overnight before trying it as it needs time to soften and will hold together better the next day.
Hello, Natasha,
Your baklava recipe sounds delicious! I have 2 questions: Do you reheat the butter as you’re making the baklava? And, when you leave it overnight, do you cover it? I can’t wait to make it! Thank you.
Hi Mia, if the butter firms up, I do re-melt it, which is why it’s a good idea to melt the butter in a small sauce pan – so you can easily reheat. Once the baklava is cooled to room temperature, Store at room temp, covered with a tea towel for 1 to 2 weeks.
I’ve tried today. The same as it is given in the video. This is my first baklava I’ve ever made, and in our country it is quite common desert, but this one is different from what I tried. Definitely on my list of recipes I will often refer to. Thank you, Natasha.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
I’ve made your recipe for BAKLAVA three times already. It comes out beautiful and taste absolutely fantastic. I was always intimidated when I read a recipe for baklava. It’s probably my favorite dessert but I just couldn’t bring myself to try making it. You made it sound so simple and you convinced me anyone could do it. I can’t thank you enough for sharing your recipe. Now I have to try another of your recipes.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
Hi! Is there anyway to substitute the butter for margarine as we are fasting and cannot use dairy products?
Hi Jess, I honestly haven’t tried it that way so I’m not sure. Maybe try googling “dairy-free baklava” – I wonder if ghee might work (if that’s ok for your son to have). I wish I could be more help! If anyone else has insight into this, please share
I will experiment and let you know how it turns out :). I’ve made the baklava following your original recipe and it’s absolutely delish!
I’ve seen many recipes for Spanakopita using very very light Olive oil instead of butter. That might work, it wouldn’t impart any olive flavor
In our country, it is mostly made with margarine since it is commonly used and prepared during fasting periods. Don’t hesitate to do with margarine instead of butter. Greetings from Montenegro.
Hello,
Vegetarian ghee exists and is the way of doing it without dairy products. We use it constantly for turk baklavas and works as well… It does impart a different flavor to it than butter though, but it’s worth the compromise.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Natasha.. I shared the finish product with friends, family, and co-workers and they were all blown away. I even shared with some Turkish Embassy friends and they said it was the best baklava they had ever eaten! Thank you.
Wow! That’s so awesome! Thank you so much for that awesome feedback and for sharing that with your friends!
I just tried this recipe today for a party. It was my first time making baklava. It was a great hit. Nobody believed that I made it at home. Thank you for sharing all the tips and the amazing recipe!! Will make it again just for myself 🙂
Isn’t that the best! Thank you so much for sharing that awesome feedback with us!
Can i use #7 philo or it has to be #4?
I haven’t tested that but I think it could work, Sherry. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
Natasha,
I made a couple pans last year for my son’s wedding and for 2 graduations this year. There is never a piece left! People like the idea that it is not very sweet. My best compliment is a friend that compared your recipe to her grandmither’s from Crotia and yours tastes like grandma’s! Congratulations! I use many of your recipes. Keep sharing your creative and easy cooking ideas.
That’s so awesome! Thank you for sharing that awesome review with us Cynthia!
Seems to be a great recipe. Hope it’ll be the same taste and sweetness as once i ordered Baklava from Farhat Sweets and it was so surreal that my mouths still waters.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that recipe John!
Just made your baklava and was wondering if this freezes ok? And if so what’s the best way to prep for freezing, thanks from Australia
Hi Sue, You can freeze it up to 3 months by tightly wrapping the dish in several layers of plastic wrap and placing into the freezer. Thaw at room temperature and serve – it will be just as good as fresh and doesn’t take to long to thaw.
I used crushed pistachio and walnuts and it tasted perfect.
My granny used to make Baklava
with very similar recipe.
I remember once i ordered the baklava from Farhat Sweets and its the best Baklava i ever had.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us John!