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
Hello everyone, I only tweeked the butter part. I melted all the butter and put it in a spray bottle. Much easier and faster to do the layers. This is the best “real” recipe I’ve made. Tastes so authentic and good Holiday treat.
Hi Sandy! Thank you for sharing that with us! I’m glad you enjoy this recipe.
I’ve used nonstick butter flavored spray in a pinch. It turned out fine. No one knew. But I felt bad about it. If you’re in a hurry, and need to use the butter spray, just know it’ll all work out..
Not my first baklava but I found this recipe to be very very dry. Baklava should be “wet” with the honey/water mixture. Thanks but I won’t fix this one again.
Hi Elizabeth! We’ve been making this for years and it’s never been dry. Did you use the accurate amount of ingredients? 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.
I agree. Mine also comes out dry as the syrup isn’t enough I think. But I forget to make more of it every time haha. I was going to try putting the baklava back in the oven again and make more syrup to pour on it.
This was DIVINE!!! First time making baklava and I couldn’t be happier! Slight tweaks were that I substituted fresh orange juice for the lemon juice. Used half pistachios and half walnuts. And I added 1/2 teaspoon almond extract to the syrup after it cooked. The orange and almond complimented the baklava beautifully. Baked in a well buttered glass Pyrex. No problem removing them. They were done at 65 min. I ran short a few layers so I think I accidentally picked up 2 at a time on a couple of the layers. No problem. I did need an extra 1/4 cup butter to brush on the phyllo I’m serving this to my cooking class after they make gyro meatball pitas and hummus. It’ll be the perfect sweet ending to their Mediterranean recipes. It does take a long time to make. But isn’t hard. I appreciate your detailed recipes, pictures and videos. You are this chef’s go-to, for solid recipes I can count on!! Thanks Natasha.
You’re very welcome, Paulette! Thank you for sharing your experience.
I got so many compliments on this! I did have to melt almost 2 more sticks of butter. I’m sure every sheet of dough was very thoroughly buttered but it was so good! Thank you so much for sharing!
That’s wonderful, Adrianne!
I ended up using almost 2 sticks of butter extra as well. It looks good. I hope I didn’t mess it up and it tastes good. Going to try the spray bottle trick next time. Definitely a labor of love.
Such a delicious, easy to follow recipe! I love baklava so much, I’m so happy I can now make it on my own. I was really intimidated by the labor intensive recipe, but it really was easy to follow and turned out perfect!
I’m so glad you gave this a try, Katie! Thank you for your review.
For beginning bakers, maybe emphasize that you don’t just remove the syrup from the heat to cool, but rather sit it aside until after the baklava bakes! Made the mistake of pouring the cooled syrup over the baklava BEFORE baking. Now waiting to see how badly I ruined dessert for Greek night on our family vacation. 🙁
I’m sorry that happened, Mike. I try to be very clear in my instructions. That is one reason why I recommend to my readers to read the whole recipe blog and instructions once through before attempting the recipe. Thank you for the feedback. I hope it turns out well.
Hi! Can this be made in advance and then Frozen? How would you recommend storing once it is out and room temperature, covered or uncovered? Thank you!
Hi Madison! 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 for the thoughtful reply and guidance. Can’t wait to make this!
Excellent simple recipe! I did 1/2 walnut, 1/2 pecan so my mouth didn’t get torn up by the walnuts. I took it to a party by my Greek friend and he said it’s the best baklava he’s had in a long time!
That’s wonderful. I’m so glad it was a hit!
made pretty much exactly as directed, turned out delicious! I would probably rinse the walnuts a bit before adding them next time, they had a bitter taste.
Thanks for the tip and we’re glad that you loved it!
Hello I did not see any explanation of preparing melted butter. Did I miss?
Hi Jeanine, you want to have the butter melted and ready for brushing. I melt it in a small saucepan on the stove.
I just made this for Eid which is tomorrow and it’s delicious . My first baklava . Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
You’re very welcome, Senada! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe.
I have another Baklava recipe that I had always used, but I liked the chart with how many buttered sheets and quantity of nuts to use. It makes it so much easier. So I tried it, and it was absolutely delicious, and the only Baklava recipe I now use! As a matter of fact, I have 2 boxes of Filo dough in my freezer to make for upcoming functions. I also bought a very large pan, (I’m not sure what kind of pan, maybe a lasagne pan?) that I only use for Baklava. I roll up aluminum foil and make borders in the large pan so I don’t have to cut the Fi!o dough. Thanks so much for this recipe!
Hi Carol! You’re very welcome. Thank you for sharing that with us.
Holy moly this Baklava is the bomb! I smashed the walnuts down to almost powder and coated them in cinnamon. I definitely had to use more butter also. This also gets better as it ages! This was better on day 5 than the 2nd day! I will definitely be making this again, sooner than later! Thanks! 😃❤️
You’re so welcome! Sounds yum, so glad that you loved the result!
Loved the recipe. The only hesitation I had was using a sharp knife to cut the dough in my non-stick pan. How about a greased cookie sheet that’s not non-stick?
Hi Dave, that would work fine to use a greased cookie sheet that isn’t non-stick. I hope you love the baklava recipe!
To piggy back on Dave’s question, would a glass baking dish have any different effects versus a nonstick or metal dish?
Hi Laura, a glass pan may work here, to avoid thermal shock you may need to adjust the bake temperature, also ensure your glass pan is safe in the oven to the temperature this recipe requires. I hope this helps, if you test this in a glass pan, please let me know how you like it.
I thought making baklava from scratch, was going to be very intimidating and labor intensive. But I watched your video about three times, and read the recipe thoroughly; following to the letter. It came out, amazing, beautiful, and crispy. I chose walnuts this time, but next time I made you a 50–50 mix of almonds and walnuts. Your video was so very helpful! Thank you again!
Hi Delilah! That’s wonderful. Thank you for trying my recipe. I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
I love this recipe it is so tasty! The only problem I have had is that sometimes my top layers of phyllo want to separate after it has cooked…..and fall off. Am I overcooking it?
Hi Marcey, It’s hard to say what’s causing it to separate without being there, but I recommend ensuring your baklava is not too close to the top of the oven or heating element.
I also have the problem where the top layers of phyllo dough don’t stick to the nut mixture and come off.
The recipe is a huge hit! People request me to make this at work.
Hello Natasha,
Lovely recipe, Can we use pistachio instead of walnuts..lots love from india
Hi Chaitra! Yes, you can also use pistachios.
I just made this, and the dough becomes very gooey and stuck together when i add the syrupy . I was very much looking forward to this recipe. It didn’t after the baklava consistency, nor the taste. What could’ve gone wrong?
Hi Mariam! Did you make any changes or possibly use a different dough? The box should say “phyllo (fillo) dough” (sometimes people confuse this with puff pastry). 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.
The only other thing that comes to mind is the syrup. I would look over the instructions again to see if you used the correct measurements for the ingredients in the syrup. When you remove the baklava from the oven and you will need to 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. Then let the baklava rest for 4-6 hours or overnight at room temperature. I hope that helps.
My second time making this recipe going to try a date paste drizzle instead of chocolate. Been curious if my baklava obsession could meet my date obsession and make babies!
Sounds great! We’d love to know how it goes.
I made this for the first time a few days ago and it was amazing!! Thank you so much for the detailed instructions. I was so nervous to make baklava because it seems daunting and now I can’t wait to make it again!
That’s wonderful, Sarah! I’m so glad you loved it. Thank you for sharing.
Was such an easy recipe. I love it and my family was most impressed. With the sweet treat. I did Mia pistachios and walnuts for my personal preference. Thanks for sharing it.
You’re very welcome! So glad it was enjoyed.
This was my first time making baklava and I am very happy with the results. It always seemed so intimidating but it is surprisingly easy. I did end up using too much butter but I blame that on lack of experience and my brush, next time I will stick to the recipe but double the syrup recipe and keep the rest the way it is.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Anna!
The bones of this recipe are quite good- but it lacked some flavor. The nuts needed salt, the lemon was too strong. If I adjust those things next time I think this recipe is a winner!
Hi, the lemon is supposed to be very mild and subtle but not overpowering or strong. Were you possibly using concentrated lemon juice? I would definitely recommend fresh squeezed for this recipe.