This honey baklava is flaky, crisp and tender and I love that it isn’t overly sweet. It’s basically a party in your mouth. I am a huge fan of baklava and this is the BEST baklava recipe I have ever tried. Hands down.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
You will love the hint of mellow lemony flavor which offsets the sweetness and compliments the cinnamon. It’s truly delicious.
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 it is definitely a reader and family favorite!
How to Make the Best Baklava (See Video Below):
Ingredients for Baklava Recipe:
You will need 1 (16 oz) package of phyllo (fillo) dough*; thawed according to package instructions *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.
Also, don’t skimp on the butter or any part of the syrup (lemon juice, water and honey) since the recipe needs it to moisten and soften the sheets. Otherwise the baklava layers can end up dry and won’t stay together easily.
The chocolate is optional but a nice touch to fancy up a tray of baklava.
How To Make Baklava:
1. Thaw phyllo dough according to package instructions (this is best done overnight in the fridge, then place it on the counter for 1 hour before starting your recipe to bring it to room temp).
2. Trim phyllo dough to fit your baking sheet. My phyllo dough 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.
3. Butter the bottom and sides of a 13×9 non-stick baking pan.
Start with your honey sauce (which will need time to cool as your baklava bakes).
1. 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 med/high heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then reduce heat to med/low and boil an additional 4 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat and let syrup cool while preparing baklava
How to Assemble Baklava:
Preheat Oven to 325˚F.
1. Pulse walnuts about 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
2. Place 10 phyllo sheets into 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. etc.).
Keep remaining phyllo covered with a damp towel at all times. Spread about 1/5 of nut mixture (about 3/4 cup) over phyllo dough.
3. Add 5 buttered sheets of phyllo, then another layer of nuts. Repeat x 4. Finish off with 10 layers of buttered phyllo sheets. Brush the very top with butter.
Here’s the order:
10 buttered phyllo sheets, 3/4 cup nut mixture,
5 buttered phyllo sheets, 3/4 cup nut mixture,
5 buttered phyllo sheets, 3/4 cup nut mixture,
5 buttered phyllo sheets, 3/4 cup nut mixture,
5 buttered phyllo sheets, 3/4 cup nut mixture
10 buttered phyllo sheets and butter the top.
4. 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
5. Remove from oven and immediately spoon the 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 completely, uncovered and at room temperature
Tip: For best results, let baklava sit 4-6 hours or overnight at room temperature for the syrup to penetrate and soften the layers. Garnish baklava with finely chopped nuts or drizzle with melted chocolate. Store at room temp, covered with a tea towel for 1 to 2 weeks.
So many juicy layers of flavor! This is hands down, our favorite baklava. Check out the glowing reviews below and add the ingredients to your grocery list. 🙂
Watch Baklava Video Tutorial:
Any baklava is a little tedious to make, but I’ve shared all of my best tips and advise to ensure you are successful in making yours. You will love that this recipe can be made several days in advance of your shindig and keeps beautifully at room temperature for at least a week.
Dessert Recipes to Explore:
- Blueberry Lemon Cake – this went viral for good reason
- Strawberry Layer Cake – loaded with fresh strawberries
- Banana Bread Recipe – moist and fully loaded
- Strawberry Sauce – you’ll want this over every dessert & pancakes!
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
Prep:
- 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 temp).
- Trim phyllo dough to fit your baking dish. My phyllo package had 2 rolls with a total of 40 sheets that measured 9x14 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.
- Butter the bottom and sides of a 13x9 non-stick baking pan.
Start with your honey sauce (which needs time to cool as baklava bakes).
- 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 med/high heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then reduce heat to med/low and boil additional 4 min without stirring. Remove from heat and let syrup cool while preparing baklava.
How to make Baklava: Preheat Oven to 325˚F.
- Pulse walnuts 10 times in a food process or until coarsely ground/ finely chopped. In a medium bowl, stir together: 4 cups finely chopped walnuts and 1 tsp cinnamon.
- Place 10 phyllo sheets into 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. etc.). Keep remaining phyllo covered with a damp towel at all times. Spread about 1/5 of nut mixture (about 3/4 cup) over phyllo dough.
- Add 5 buttered sheets of phyllo, then another layer of nuts. Repeat x 4. 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.
- 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 completely, uncovered and at room temp. For best results, let baklava sit 4-6 hours or overnight at room temperature for the syrup to penetrate and soften the layers. Garnish baklava with finely chopped nuts or drizzle with melted chocolate. Store at room temp, covered with a tea towel for 1 to 2 weeks.
Notes
10 buttered phyllo sheets, 3/4 cup nut mixture,
5 buttered phyllo sheets, 3/4 cup nut mixture,
5 buttered phyllo sheets, 3/4 cup nut mixture,
5 buttered phyllo sheets, 3/4 cup nut mixture,
5 buttered phyllo sheets, 3/4 cup nut mixture
10 buttered phyllo sheets and butter the top.
Nutrition Per Serving
♥ FAVORITE THINGS ♥
Shown in this post (Amazon affiliate links):
* Cuisinart 9×13 non-stick cake pan (also great for cakes!)
* Wusthof Cooks knife – an essential knife for any cook
* Zwilling sauce pan distributes heat evenly & handle stays cool
* This Cuisinart 11-cup food processor cuts prep time in half
What are YOU cooking up for Christmas?
If you’ve tried this already and are back for more, I’d love to hear from you in a comment below!
I have a question is the syrup thin or thick. I Haven’t taken them out of the oven. I made two syrups from two recipes
The syrup won’t be very thick when it’s poured on. As the Baklava rests and the syrup is absorbed it does become a bit sticky.
Amazing !!! I mixed almond, walnut and hazelnuts plus I added chocolate chips and it was a hit – all gone, thank you
Hi Silvia! I’m glad you loved it. Thank you for sharing.
Just made it again – love watching you on YouTube – you’re the best !
Thank you for the love and support, Silvia! 🙂
amazzing recipew mi ane my famiel loedve it wolud tyr it aigan
So glad your family loved it, Debi! Thank you.
It looks delicious!
Can it be made with pecans instead of walnuts?
Hi Lara, pecans would work fine, and you can even do a combination of nuts.
I make it using a 50:50 combination of almonds and pecans and it’s delicious!
hi there,
if I double it and make 2 pans do I cook it for the same amount of time??? Ty so much❤️
Hi Debi! Yes, you should be able to do that without any adjustments.
Second year making this recipe to gift people pastry boxes (along with the lemon cream horns!). Just amazing. I love that I can take on ANY pastry with your recipes and it turns out perfectly on the first try, every time. I used raw honey from our own bees this year and oh man, what a taste difference. Thanks for such wonderful recipes!
Hi Lena! I’m so glad to hear that. Thank you for sharing.
Love this recipe…I use pistachios and walnuts and sub orange for lemon juice. Had tons of compliments. My question is how far in advance can I make the honey syrup? I’d like to make it the day before…should I refrigerate it?
Hi Jen! I think that could work to make the syrup in advance. I haven’t tested it to know what the consistency of the syrup is like when it’s cold, but you may need to let it sit out at room temperature for a little while and give it a quick stir. This Baklava can be made in advance so that is also an option. You can store it at room temp, covered with a tea towel for 1 to 2 weeks or 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.
Thank you! That’s pretty much what I was thinking. I would not have expected it to freeze well…that is good to know.
We use pistachio nuts and use maple syrup instead of the honey syrup. A Canadian version.
Sounds delicious. Do you have proportions for the syrup or do you substitute same amount of maple syrup and follow Natasha recipe?
Hello,
This was a great recipe, thank you! I wanted to try using orange rather than lemon. Would you use the same measurements? Or add zest?
Thank you,
Jess
Thank you, Jess. One of our readers shared this “The only thing I changed is that I use orange juice instead of lemon and have had TONS of compliments.” Hope that helps!
Be sure and use a NON StiCK pan not a pyrex:( Not sure what went wrong with mine as very hard even be4 I dumbly put it in the fridge overnight! Hope it can be salvaged as very hard. Wasnt’ a good idea to use wildflower honey as strong taste tho the house smelled great…Wahh!
Hi! I’m sorry to hear that. I used a 13×9 non-stick baking pan and didn’t have this issue. You could try using more butter to grease the pan before apply the first sheet and be sure to use enough butter in between layers. I hope your next attempt is more successful!
I used to live in Turkey and remember pistachio nuts as well. Can you do half and half? Or just garnish with chopped pistachios?
Also, do these freeze well?
Thx
Kathy
Hi Kathy, yes, pistachios work well and you can do half and half and also garnish with pistachios on top.
I absolutely love this recipe! Made it last year to take for family Thanksgiving. They called ahead and requested it this year. Thanks so much!
You’re very welcome, Matt! I appreciate the feedback. Happy Thanksgiving! 🙂
So am I supposed to pour all of the syrup over this dish. I just felt like it was too much liquid. Is it really going to soak up all of liquid?
Hi Rachel! Yes, the layers will soak it up. Let the baklava sit 4-6 hours or overnight at room temperature for the syrup to penetrate and soften the layers.
Orange might be nice instead of the lemon. I drink coffee and tea black/no sugar. There is nothing quite a piece of baklava with that plain drink. thanks for the recipe.
You’re welcome! I hope you loved it!
Can this be frozen after it is cooked/cooled? Was hoping to make well ahead of Christmas.
Hi Karen, yes, you can make an entire batch ahead and freeze it.
I like this recipe but cutting the baklava was difficult it tore at the bottom and makes it difficult to get it out of pan neatly. Can you clear this up? btw I watched the video that did not help much for me.
Hi Joan, make sure when cutting that you cut all the way through the bottom layer, otherwise, it won’t lift out of the pan easily and can break.
Hi Natasha, can I use Pepperidge Farm Frozen Puff Pastry Sheets ?
Hello! No, phyllo dough is needed. You will not have the same results with puff pastry,
My husband loves baklava. I have made this several times. Not a single time I fail:) This time I made with pistachios.
So glad to hear that! Thank you for the review.
Simply the best. Made this for mother in law for her birthday. She loved it.
So glad to hear that!
Hi Natasha! I love your recipes and your channel! I want to make a cheesecake baklava. Watching several videos and I’m not sure which one I like. I was hoping you had a version that easier and better. Looking forward to your version.
Hi Chris! I do have not a cheesecake Baklava recipe, but that sounds amazing!