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 haven’t tried this yet, but after slaving over adding layer after layer, it occurred to me to just allow the dough sheets to dry & then break them up as done with the nuts and mix everything (except the topping) together, cook & then add the topping. Since this has the same ingredients as the traditional process uses, it seems it ought to taste about the same with a lot less work.
Can you assemble ahead of time. Put in fridge and bake 2 days later?
Hi Lisa! Yes, you can assemble it ahead of time and refrigerate it for up to two days before baking. I hope you love it!
Took me hours but end result was fabulous. Better than most authentic places I’ve ever purchased from. I did half of tray walnuts and half pistachios, cut in 24 even squares. Picture perfect! Surprisingly not overly sweet. I want to try cashews/walnuts next time. Thank you Natasha. Love your recipes! 😋
I’m so happy to hear you’re loving our recipes, AL! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
I have made this recipe many times with great success. My daughter is allergic to nuts so, for Easter this year, I made it with sesame, sunflower and pumpkin seeds. Delicious!
I’m so happy to hear that worked out for you! That’s great! Happy Easter!
Hi. After adding the syrop, I covered it and 4 hours later, it was soggy and buttery…too greasy. What happend here?
Hi there! You can try some of these tips next time, first, let your baklava fully cool before syruping. Use room-temp or cold syrup (or hot syrup on cool baklava). Pour syrup evenly, not just in one spot. Do not cover it while it’s still warm or freshly syruped. Hope that helps!
My momma was Greek and I know what great baklava tastes like. I have made your recipe twice now and I always got great reviews from the people I share the baklava with. Thank you for your fabulous recipes. It tastes just like I remember from when I was growing up.
Aw! That’s so great to hear. Thank you so much for the wonderful review.
Best baklava I’ve ever had! I did add a little lemon zest to the lemon juice because we love lemon and it is still nice and subtle, not “lemony”. Otherwise, I followed directions exactly and everyone is raving, Will only use this recipe in the future for sure!
I have made the recipe twice now following the video to a T, and can not figure out why my top layer pops off when I remove the pieces from the pan. Very frustrated, any suggestions?
Hi Megan, Are you possibly using a larger pan or does the pan flare out at the top? If so, you might need to increase your syrup slightly to compensate for that.
No I am using a straight 9 x 13 baking pan. I will try increasing the syrup. To do this do I add more water?
Hi Megan! For the right consistency and flavor, you would increase all of the ingredients that make up the syrup.
I’m not sure what I did, but somehow I didn’t have nearly enough sheets of dough. I could only repeat the 5 sheets and nut mixture 2 times to have 10 left over for the top. I’m so confused how this happened, I had a 16 oz package of phyllo dough. Used both rolls.
I should have bought 2 😔
Guess I’ll have to do it over again. The nuts are so expensive! I did half walnut, half pistachio. It was yummy but I could only use half of the nut mixture. Idk what I did wrong 😕
I get my walnuts from Costco and they seem to be a little more cost effective than buying them from the grocery store.
Hello, do you know if salted butter would work for this recipe?
Hello! You can use sakted but just take note that it’s going to be a bit salty compared to the original recipe.
Hi there, I was curious if this recipe is okay to freeze before the baking. I really want to prep and freeze it but not sure of it’ll hold up. Thanks I’m advance.
Hi there! Yes, you can freeze it assembled. I would cut it before freezing and make sure to wrap it well. You may need to add 10-15mins to baking since it will be frozen.
I want to preface this by saying I love lemon desserts – but after making this recipe I can confidently say that lemon has no place in baklava. Aside from that this recipe is great, and I will be making it again but omitting the lemon.
My only other critique would be that it makes more sense to make the syrup once the baklava is baking. Since it bakes for over an hour, there’s plenty of time to make the syrup and let it cool before the baklava is done cooking.
Hi Lia, the lemon juice should be very subtle but is nice to cut the sweetness. Make sure you use real/ fresh squeezed lemon juice and not concentrate.
Most baklava recipes contain lemon juice. 🙂 Some as little as 1 tsp, so you can easily reduce it. Lemon juice should not be detectable, it’s just to balance the sweetness. I also made my syrup while baking my baklava. After removing it from heat, I transferred it to another container to speed up the cooling process.👍
Is this a recipe that could be halved? Thank you
I imagine that would be fine to make this recipe in half. Just make sure to use a smaller baking pan, the baking time may need to be reduced slightly just keep an eye on it. Hope you enjoy it!
Thank you Natasha for yet another great recipe!! WOW! I made this Baklava for my family at Christmas. Everyone loved it so much that I have decided to make again for a friends gathering!!
Just wanted to add that your amazing recipes, clear instructions with a dollop of humor keep me coming back for more, thank you!
That makes me so happy, Cindy! Thanks so much for the wonderful feedback.
Excellent! Simple yet delicious recipe. A classic!
Made this for Christmas and it was perfection. Thank you!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Alexandra!
This is an absolutely delicious baklava recipe! I don’t get the people saying it’s too lemon-y, you really can’t taste the lemon at all and it keeps it from being too sweet. I’ve made other recipes in the past that called for a whole lemon juiced and zested, and THAT was too lemon-y! Only thing I changed was I used half a pound of pistachios and half a pound of walnuts. I’ll defeinetly be making this recipe again!
Hi Amber! Thanks so much for sharing. I’m so glad you loved this recipe.
CAn i use pistachio on your recipe instead of walnut?
Hi Rebecca! Some of my viewers have reported using pistachios with good results.
I made this for a Christmas luncheon and it was a hit. I will definitely make it again. Yum yum yum 😋
Total amount of processed nuts is 3 1/4 cups ? Or 4 cups processed?
Hi Kathy, Chopped, I just re-measured to be sure, but 1 pound of walnuts ends up being about 3 3/4 cups processed and it is about 4 to 4 1/4 cups unprocessed. It can vary slightly depending on if you have whole halves or broken pieces.
I made these and while tasty, the bottom phyllo dough stuck to the pan (even tho I did butter it) and it seems there wasn’t enough syrup at all. They came out super dry! Also the baking time mentioned was way too long. IDK if I did something wrong?!
Hi, That is unusual that it would stick. You could line with parchment but it’s usually not necessary. Are you using a larger baking dish? That could be a cause of it being dry – if the syrup is pooling at the bottom. You might just increase the syrup by 25%. Also, make sure to let it rest before eating it since the syrup needs time to soften the baklava.
I do not have a non-stick pan to use. Will this be a problem? Christmas dinner is rolled cabbage, Kousa and upside down!
A non-stick pan makes it easier to remove baklava once cooked baked but you can still use a metal or glass baking pan. You can grease the pan well, or use parchment paper instead.