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
Instead of spooning the syrup, can we just pour it straight from the pan, I’m just asking just in case there is a major difference.
Hi Shyam, I’m sure you can but I find I have more control spooning it in.
Made this today with mixed nuts (costco). First timer here with making Baklava … it came out amazing!! Thank you so much for this amazing recipe.
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you enjoyed that!
This recipe was so amazing! It was my first time making Baklava, and your directions were so easy to follow. The taste was phenomenal and the best Baklava I’ve had. Thank you for sharing your recipe!
You’re welcome Ryan! I’m so glad you enjoyed that!
I have made this recipe weekly for months at the bakery where I work. Our customers love this baklava!
I double the recipe and use a half sheet pan. I’ve upped the cinnamon and add vanilla to the syrup as it cools.
Thank you for an easy and delicious recipe!
You’re welcome Amy! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Hi Natasha,
Thank you so much for your baklava recipe. It’s so good and fixes my craving on point. It’s so expensive at the restaurant.
Do you have any tips on how to flat the phyllo dough sheets? I tried but it’s so thin and winkly. When i tried to fix them, they tended to break apart. Anyway it turned out pretty though.
I used almost 4 sticks of butter. Im.not sure if i should melt the butter on the stove next time instead of microwave them?
Thank you again for the recipe.
Hi Quinn, I’m so glad you enjoyed the baklava. I’m not exactly sure what you mean – the sheets are pretty fragile and thin and will look a little wavy at the top after baking which is normal. After the baklava has time to rest, they will settle slightly and get a little softer.
THANK YOU! The best baklava I’ve ever had!
I love it! Thank you so much for your great feedback.
I made this recipe last night but didn’t use the chocolate. This was my first attempt at making Baklava and it turned out AMAZING!!
Great job and so glad that you loved the recipe!
Thank you so much for this recipe! Just finished making it, and it looks and smells great! Haven’t ate it yet since I’m waiting for it to cool. I also ran out of butter as well. I thought I used too much, but my baklava turned out the same as the photos.
That’s just awesome! I’m glad it worked out and I hope you enjoyed this recipe, Aisha!
Love this! Not too sweet. Been asked to make this for family parties many times.
I always run out of butter, so I have to melt more for the top of the baklava.
Glad you loved this recipe, thank you so much!
Hi Natasha, I followed this recipe exactly, these came out really good when I took them out of the oven and poured syrup over. However, I noticed after a few hours the pastry started coming apart and became chewy. The tops if the pastry had fallen off. What might I have done wrong? Is there a specific way or storing them after they have cooled down?
Hi Momina, you want to let these rest longer than a few hours for the syrup to be soaked up by all of the layers and soften them. I prefer letting them rest overnight before serving for best results.
Thank you, Natasha! Love your recipies. Just made it – turned out so good.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that!
Hi Natasha, I’m a huge fan of Baklava and after watching you make Baklava I was so inspired and I gave it a try. The result was amazing was too excited I forgot to take picture. And, I will never ever buy store bought Baklava again which is often too sweet. Thank you for the inspiration and for sharing your recipe.
You’re welcome, Annie! That’s so awesome!
I’ve made this baklava recipe repeatedly for years. Thousands of people have tried it all with glowing complements. Thanks You need a T.v.show
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a favorite!
Hi. I really enjoy your recipes and the presentation. However there is one thing that you are missing. You neglected to put what size a serving size is. It is very important for me to know.I hope you might add this to your nutrient list. Thank you Margaret
Hi Margaret, the number of servings is listed in the top of the recipe card and the nutrition label is per serving. In Baklava, there are 30 servings.
Dear Natasha,
You saved my Ramadan! Thank you for this easy and so delicious baklava recipe!!
I am from Turkey. I grew up in Istanbul, where is the motherland of baklava.
Since I moved to states, I tried to make baklava on my own, but
it wasnt goog as I ate in Istanbul. I tried to find same baklava taste on local shops, but also didnt work. I was craving for the taste. Even I order Istanbul, all the way to California!
And recently I came up with your recipe and said to myself, worth trying again..
OMG it was so easy and so, so, so delicious as I ate in Istanbul.
Now I will make fresh baklava once in every week during Ramadan to my family.
Thank you!!!
Thanks for sharing that with us, Ayse. That is so great that you finally decided to try making baklava on your own. Aside from homemade, is always better, you will save a lot by doing this recipe on your own. Thanks for giving this recipe an excellent review
Found a flaw in the recipe! You state you need to wait 4-6 hours to eat, who does that? It came out great, will wait until the morning to dive in.
Hi Alton, I agree – that is the hardest waiting game! For best results, we let the baklava sit 4-6 hours or overnight at room temperature for the syrup to penetrate and soften the layers.
This is seriously delicious!!
This was the second baklava recipe I tried in two days, and this recipe by far won. As someone who didn’t want a sickly sweet baklava i reduced the sugar from 1 cup to 1/2 a cup, and upped the amount of honey to closer to 1cup. I will probably decrease both sugar and honey to 1/2 cup next time. I also ran out of phyllo dough for the last 15 layers!! But it was no worry because it still tastes AMAZING! I also increased the amount of cinnamon to 2tbs. It was not at all overpowering, but complimented everything well. Wow!! This is what I want baklava to taste like!!
Hello Ashley, thanks for sharing that with us! That’s really useful information for others who may want to do the same so this info is really good. I also appreciate the great review, thanks!
Hi Natasha. My daughter and I are ready to try something new! Two questions – does it matter what type of honey you use creamed or the clear liquid type? and do you think pecans would taste ok instead of walnuts? Trying to use what we have in the house…. thanks!
Hi Carol, I would use the clear liquid type or a firm one if it has solidified with age because it will just melt when heated. Pecans would work fine and you can even do a combination of nuts.
Absolutely amazing, delicious recipe! This was my first time making baklava. The recipe is easy to follow, and the video was so helpful. I will be making this again for sure!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review
It seems wonderful, I am a sweet recipes’ lover. I’ll try it these days. I’ll let you know the results.
Thank you.
Sounds good! Enjoy and happy cooking/baking.