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 I change the walnut with almond? Thank you
Hi Christina, yes, you can replace them with different nuts or even use a combination like pistachios, cashews, almonds.
Hi Natasha, can I use margarine instead of butter? Thank you!
Hi Alexis, I honestly haven’t tried it that way so I’m not sure. I wish I could be more help! If anyone else has insight into this, please share 🙂
I would only use butter. Margarine and butter do not have the same flavor.
Hello Natasha! I will try out your recipe today. I tried two other recipes from youtube from other turkish recipes but it didn’t turn out as I wanted them to, maybe I did wrong somewhere. But you always give the best recipes and tips and tricks so I am positive that this one will turn out much better than the other ones!
Some say both the syrup and baklava should be hot to hear the sizzle, but your recipe suggests the syrup to be cool. Hm, let’s try that then😋☺️❤
Thanks for sharing that with me. I hope you’ll love all the recipes that you will try from my website.
This is a great recipe with perfect directions. I have made this a few times and is always a hit with my family and friends. Thank you for sharing your recipes.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Raynah!
I’ve made this recipe 4 times now and every time it comes out PERFECT. It is an amazing recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for your wonderful feedback, Emily! Glad you have always loved this recipe.
Best baklava recipe ever…. don’t hesitate make it! My family begs for it every holiday!
Love it! Thanks for your awesome review, Jess. I appreciate it!
Hands up!! The best baklava ever. That was my first time ever I made it. It is time consuming but it’s so much worth it Thanks,Natasha.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Nataliya! I’m glad you gave this a try!
Hi Natasha,
I was planning to this for Mother’s Day this year, but I wanted to know if its necessary to make 5layers of fillo sheets and nuts mixture, or can I do 3 layers and just add 7-8 sheets and use 1 cup of nuts mixture in between?
Thanks
Hi Marie, it’s less likely to slide apart with the proportions I used, but there is room to experiment.
Yummy! The first time, I found it slightly dry. Second time I made it, I multiplied the honey sauce by 1.5, added 2 whole cloves (took those out before pouring) AND added about 1/4 tsp. of salt. The salt and hint of clove gave it a richness of flavor that wasn’t in the first attempt. 1.5 times the sauce was just the right amount. Oh, and I also used raw oregano honey. Wow!
Thanks, Natasha. Your recipies are always delish!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Toni! I’m happy you to hear you didn’t give up after the first time!
Yes me too I found it dry. Will do like you and make 1.5 of sauce. Will also had a clove.
Made for the first time today tasted amazing was nice to make something a little out of my comfort zone unfortunately slightly over cooked the top due to oven be set slightly to high still looked impressive
Hello Nice, good to know that you liked the recipe. Thank you for your good comments and feedback!
This recipe is amazing, I’ve made it many times, and people are always asking for it. This is the only thing I ever use phyllo dough for, but I’ve made it enough times, you would think I would get better at working with that dough, but ummmm… There are always sheets that stick together, and then I tear them trying to get them apart, or they just fall apart when I lift them up, or I lose count of how many sheets I’ve used on this layer, and I probably end up using 6 sheets instead of 5. Anyway, the point is that I think trying to make this recipe with exactly the 40 sheets you need is a dangerous game, and if anybody else like me isn’t very familiar with phyllo dough, you might listen, I find it impossible to make this recipe with one box of exactly 40 sheets. The kind I buy comes in a box with two separately wrapped rolls of 20 sheets, so I always buy two boxes, because I’m for sure going to need a third roll of dough haha :D. But it seems like it lasts a long time in the freezer or refrigerator, so I just save that fourth roll that’s still wrapped for the next time I make baklava.
Thank you so much for sharing that with us Jeff! I’m glad you gave it a try and enjoyed it!
This came out delicious!
Only difference I made really was the addition of zest of a small mandarin orange. Made it extra yummy 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Kimberlee! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
It’s always so good,I’m asked to make it for all of our weddings, so be careful who you share this with!!!
Oh wow, good to know that this recipe is well requested! Thanks for sharing that with us, Joyce.
Hi Natasha. Im living in uk can you please tell me if I could use fillo pastry? Because i cant find no where phillo daugh? Thanks xxx
Hi Evelina, I am not familiar with what is available in the UK, but you might google that to see if it goes by a different name.
Same thing 🙂
Excellent recipe. Was a bit time consuming but really easy. Worth the time! I’ll never buy baklava again!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
I’ve been using this recipe for several years and I love the results. Many compliments from all who enjoy it. I would highly recommend this 5 star recipe.
Aww, that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I’m all smiles
Absolutely delicious! This was my first time using phyllo dough, and thanks to your clear instructions & video tutorial, everything went very smoothly. This tasted as good or better than any baklava I’ve ever had from a restaurant or Greek fest. I used a bit more butter than called for, but otherwise, used the recipe & method exactly. Thank you – this was so, so good!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Liz!
I’ve tried baking your baklava recipe & I can tell that this is really superrrrb yummy. The most delicious homemade baklava recipe I’ve tried. You are the best Natasha🥳😘🤤👌 Thank you for your recipe 🥰
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
Hi Natasha, I have tried this recipe several time and turned out really very well. This time I am planning to make half pan. What changes I need to with timings?
Hi Parikh, yes, you can halve this recipe. Time shouldn’t change by much, but it should take the same amount, watch it closer to the end.
It turned out ok, falls aparts. I used a 10 x 15 pyrex dish. Didn’t have to cut phyllo sheets. However, next time I will add a bit of sugar and maybe butter to nut mix to help hold it all together. Or, 50% more honey sauce. There wasn’t enough to soak up throughout.
Hi George, if using a larger pan, you would want to make more sauce and normally after letting it rest, it should stay together without sliding apart.
I also use a larger pan but dam up the sides with parchment paper under the first layer of dough. Then I roll up foil in the gaps to hold up the parchment paper walls. I do increase the syrup by 1/3 to make up for the larger area. It actually works very well and I don’t have to cut the dough or end up with less baklava!