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
I just ran across this recipe now. My mother learned to make baklava from her mother where she was born in Athens Greece, and this is almost identical to her process, it is very nicely done. One comment I would add is you are putting the syrup on too slowly, if the pan cools you will not get the sizzle so important to caramelize the sugars to get that nice crispy, but moist, texture (the failure of most all commercially made baklava that gives you soggy mush). My mother taught us to pour the chilled syrup onto the hot pan all at once. she said it must sizzle, or it is ruined. No need to spoon it on, but to pour it right out of the bowl into the pan at once. that is the “secret” to moist yet crispy baklava.
A variation, in the middle east they often use pistachios instead of wall nuts, and also flavor it with rose water.
My late mother taught my now wife to make it when she was 16, when we were first dating (we have been married now for 39 years). My wife has taught our two daughters how to make this way, as my late mother taught her, and my daughters, as well as my wife, makes it as good as my mother used to make it.
Hi Peter, thank you for sharing a lot of useful information and tips with us. That is so useful and we appreciate it!
Making this recipe has become an annual tradition for me. It’s absolutely perfect. Thank you!!
That’s fantastic feedback! Thank you so much for sharing that with us.
This is my third year using your recipe and it is *always* a big hit! I follow your directions to the letter and have never had a bad batch. Greek Christmas and Easter wouldn’t be complete without this baklava. I feel like the Pied Piper when I bring it into work, haha! They can’t get enough!
I’m so glad it’s been a hit! It’s truly our favorite also! I’m so happy to hear you all enjoyed it!
THIS BAKLAVA RECIPE IS AMAZING!! Thank you so much for sharing!!
The only thing I changed is that I use orange juice instead of lemon and have had TONS of compliments.
My question to you is can it be frozen? Have you ever tried?
Thank you for the awesome review, Jennifer. You can freeze it for up to 3 months by tightly wrapping the dish in several plastic wrap layers and placing it into the freezer. Thaw at room temperature and serve – it will be just as good as fresh and doesn’t take too long to thaw.
Made this baklava today and it is an excellent recipe! Be sure to use a medium sized pan to cook the honey syrup, I used a smaller one and it boiled over.
Had a few leftover nuts that adhered well to the freshly-poured syrup. That sizzle is delightful.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Made this several times! The BEST!!! I cannot eat any other kind of baklava anymore. Nothing comes close to this!
Natasha, on a different topic. What are some of your favorite dishes/dessert to bring to a potluck?
Hello there! Thank you for your great review! That’s a tough question as I have a lot of favorites but here are some of my dessert recipes that you can try.
Baklava is my son’s favorite dessert. We enjoy the bonding time while making it and he absolutely devours it as soon as it cools.
Personally, I’m gluten free yet am able to enjoy it vicariously through the amazing aroma and watching him gobble it up.
This is our favorite recipe.
Thanks Natasha!
Great to hear that, Triana. Thank you for your review and for sharing that with us!
Will the baking time change, if baking in a glass pan? Thanks for the answer in advance!
Hi Kylie, One of our readers reported great results and wrote the following after experimenting with a glass dish “I just made two batches of baklava using a glass 13 x 9 inch Pyrex dish. I lowered the heat by 15 degrees.”
Baklava Rolls….
I made your recipe for baklava into baklava rolls .. I was hoping to share a picture. They are nice to give as gifts .. folks love getting a roll or 2 with 3-4 pieces each roll instead of a few diamond shapes.. I just wanted to share it with you .. thank you. Your recipes always work and that’s very nice when every recipe works .. especially fir the younger cooks and beginner cooks I share with.. some don’t have time to find recipes so I do it for them.. Your my go to 1st bc every recipe I tried from your collection works .. thank you for that ..
That is a great Idea, so thoughtful and thank you for the great review!
I made your recipe for baklava into baklava rolls .. I was hoping to share a picture. They are nice to give as gifts .. folks love getting a roll or 2 with 3-4 pieces each roll instead of a few diamond shapes.. I just wanted to share it with you .. thank you. Your recipes always work and that’s very nice when every recipe works .. especially fir the younger cooks and beginner cooks I share with.. some don’t have time to find recipes so I do it for them.. Your my go to 1st bc every recipe I tried from your collection works .. thank you for that ..
Thank you for your good comments and feedback. I hope you’ll love all the recipes that you will try!
Made Baklava and it is Perfect!
The layers are flaky, the top is crispy and the sweetness is perfect. If you want a tender tasty desert please make and enjoy❤️
I know we are!
Glad you enjoyed this recipe, Barbara. Thank you for sharing your experience with us, we appreciate this review!
Hi Natasha !
Did you use all the honey syrup or did you have some leftover ?
Thanks
R
Hi, I did use all of the honey syrup.
Tried your apple pie recipe. It was delicious. Butter is the trick. My wife loves it. Will try to make the bakalav with your clear instructions. The 10,5 steps will help a lot.
Thanks for sharing, JC. I hope you’ll love all the recipes that you will try!
This was the best Baklava we’ve ever had! I thought if I added a drop of lemon essential oil, it would be amazing and wow it really kicked it up a notch! I’m sure it’s good without the essential oil too!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Laura!
I would recommend instead of lemon essential oils, when you are heating up the syrup putting in the lemon skins. Leaving them in until it is time to pour!
Can I substitute the 1 c. Of suger with 1c. Of stevia?
Hi Kelly, I haven’t tried it with stevia yet. If you will do an experiment, please share with us how it goes.
Hello Natasha,
Two questions:
First, I have a convection oven that has a convection bake feature; what setting should I use or do I use normal bake feature.
Second, which rack in my oven should I use to make the Baklava; as I am thinking about making it for the holidays. Thank you.
Hi Mike, I haven’t tested baking baklava on convection mode so I can’t say for sure. If you experiment, please let me know how it goes.
This is the best baklava recipe ever. Was my first time making baklava and it turned out absolutely perfectly! Stayed crispy for days after and was delicious. Not overly sweet or sticky which I loved! I ended up using a little more butter than listed but basically just heated up half sticks at a time to make sure I didn’t have to keep reheating the butter once it started to harden. 10/10 recipe, will definitely make again!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Sritha!
I’m planning on making this recipe some time this week, can I use orange juice instead of lemon?
Hi Juliana, I saw this comment shared by someone else in the comments. “This is the recipe I use when I make baklava but instead of lemon juice, I use orange juice. I did it like this the first time I made it since that is what I had and I LOVE IT THIS WAY!!” Hope that helps.
OMG!! I wanted to do this ever since you posted it and I finally did today. Boy was that work!! I mixed walnuts and pistachios and I didn’t do the top thick enough because I ran out of Philo BUT it was still delicious. I made a smaller portion just for myself and I really love it. My husband said it was delicious!!! My arms hurt but my tummy is happy 🙂
Hello Ardlee, thanks for sharing your experience making this recipe. Great to hear that it was a success and you felt happy with the result.
Hey Natasha,
Can I use a casserole clear dish to make the baklava?
Hi Riley, if you’re referring to a glass casserole dish, that should work. One of our readers wrote the following after experimenting with a glass dish “I just made two batches of baklava using a glass 13 x 9 inch Pyrex dish. I lowered the heat by 15 degrees. I also used the glass dish because I could cut the dough without scratching the bottom of my Teflon pan.” I hope that helps.