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
Made this for I never tried em before. It taste delicious and I ate a bunch. But with every piece, I thought about the amount of butter I was consuming. But that didn’t stop me from eatting more!
Does the bottom 10 pieces have to be soaked the most? I realized I was soaking them very well that towards the end I ran out of butter and had to use another half a stick.
Mine did seperate too from the bottom nut area. Could it because the bottom 10 is so soaked in butter that it was too heavy to hold the rest all together?
The first 10 pieces don’t need any additional soaking compared to the rest. They become plenty moist after the syrup goes onto the baklava and is absorbed by the layers. I hope that helps for next time! I haven’t had the bottom separate so that could be a possible reason for it
had a slight problem with the pastry. As i was reading the ingredients i paid attention only to the weight of the pastry rather than the number of sheets. Ended up with only 12 sheets of filo to use that in total weighed 1.2lb. I divided them evenly and cooked it with a topping of nuts. will see how the result comes out……thanks for the recipe.
Hi Patrick, that seems really unusual that there would only be 12 sheets in a 1.2 lb box. What brand are you using and what size are the sheets?
Will this recipe work with Pistachios instead? (walnut allergy)
Yes, that will work with pistachios! 🙂
I am 1/2 Greek and grew up with Baklava, Finikia and other fabulous Greek pastries. When we made Baklava we added zest of a whole orange and also used pecans along with the walnuts in the nut mixture. Just a couple of ideas for different flavors!
Wow orange zest and pecans mixed in sound wonderful!!
Made this for a fall potluck, everyone loved it!! I doubled the recipe and made two batches at once. I used 1/2 cup instead of 3/4 cup of the nut mix between the layers and didn’t have the issue of the layers coming apart.
Alena, thank you for the nice review and for sharing your variation 😄.
It was my husband birthday yesterday and I wanted to make him baklava as it’s one of his fav. I’ve never made one before so was a bit nervous but with the clear step by step instructions you gave and helpful comments I thought I’d give it a go! I enjoyed making it and I think, based on comments I did pretty well. A few comments that might help others:
1. Syrup has to reach till the top so that the first layers won’t separate but just to the very top layer not over because the top will not be crispy.
2. It’s important to make sure the phyllo sheets fit well into the pan as the extra bits in the ends and corners absorb syrup.
3. Ground pistachio on top looks nice too!
Thank you for sharing this recipe!
HI Cory, I’m so glad you liked it! It also helps to spoon the syrup on so for the pastry to absorb it more readily which helps with the separation issue, but yes you can increase the syrup if you wish but it will result in a sweeter pastry. I do love how ground pistachios look on dessert – that vibrant color is lovely!
I made this for a Greek-themed dinner, half recipe for 9 people. Everyone loved it and was very impressed! People said it was the best baklava they’d had or was better than the one at the Greek festival they always go to. It was my first time making it too! Thank you for a great recipe and such easy instructions. I will definitely make this again. (Probably very soon, it went so fast I didn’t get to take leftovers home like I hoped! I should’ve made the whole pan!!)
As a previous poster mentioned, my first layer also separated. But I served them in cupcake papers so picking them up wasn’t an issue for people and no one seemed to care or notice.
Hi Melissa! I’m so happy you all enjoyed the baklava! 🙂 It does help to spoon the syrup over the baklava so the layers can absorb more of it – I found this helps wit the layers separating issue. Thank you for the wonderful review! 🙂
This has too be the best Baklava recipe ever! The flavor is indescribable! I did have a problem with the first row of nuts. The row separates from the next. I used the same amount of nuts on each nut row, so I dont think that is the problem. Any ideas what I did wrong? I would love to make this for our family get togethers but only if I can fix this problem. All your help would be greatly appreciated.
Hi Marlene! I’m so happy you like it :). You might try chopping the nuts a little more finely to see if that helps. Also, was it still separating after adding the syrup? I’m not sure why else it would happen to just the first row, especially with the same amount of nuts. And you are buttering between each phyllo layer?
Hi Natasha,
Could one substitute margarine for the butter?
Thank you!
Lee
Hi Lee, I’ve never seen it done that way before and I haven’t tested that substitution so I really can’t say if it would work.
Hi Natasha! Made this today, and it’s a hit with my husband and son…keep up the great recipes!!!
Stacie, thank you for the nice review, I’m glad you liked it 😄.
Thank you sooo much for making this so easy! It is one of my boyfriend’s favorite desserts and I was a little hesitant to attempt it as it seemed rather difficult but your clear cut instructions definitely helped out a lot. I cannot wait to try them once they cool 🙂
You are very welcome 😀. Let me know how it turns out.
Well! That recipe worked!!! I did add a couple of cinnamon sticks in the sugar/honey syrup. Absolutely delish!
Thanks for sharing your tip with the cinnamon! 🙂
Super recipe… u hav explained it very well..
I taught it ws very diffclt to make.. u made it easy for me.. thank u so much
I’m so happy to hear that! 🙂
I just made this today and oh so good! .I will definitely keep this recipe! Thanks Natasha
I’m so happy to hear that! 🙂
I’m planning use your recipe again next week because my husband loves it so much! wondering if it’s ok to use chestnuts instead of walnuts as we have a chestnut tree and chestnut’s are starting to be ready to be picked. Hope for your response. Thanks!
Hi Honey, to be honest, I don’t have much experience with chestnuts since we only see them locally during the holidays and even then they are really pricey so I haven’t done much experimentation with them. I’ve spotted a few recipes online just from a quick google search where chestnuts were used, but without testing it myself, I can’t say for sure how they would compare.
So excited to try this! But do you put butter on each phyllo sheet or in between the 10 layers?
Lena, yes each phyllo sheet is coated with butter. Let me know how it turns out 😀.
Hey Natasha,
Have you ever tried making sunflower halva? I’ve been looking for a recipe but all of the ones I’ve come across are tahini based and they aren’t the greatest.
Hi Anna, I tried once and I broke my kitchenaid mixer trying to push sunflower seeds through the meat grinder. They basically turned into cement in there with all the oil naturally in the sunflower seeds. I haven’t tried since! 🙂 If you come across a method that doesn’t involve a meat grinder, let me know 🙂
I made this for my family (we are from Greece), but used homemade filo/phyllo dough. It was amazing! Thank you so much!
Do you use a special kitchen tool to make homemade filo dough? Pardon my ignorance – I’ve never tried making it from scratch ;). It sounds like it would be difficult to make getting those sheets so thin but I always love a good challenge :).
Hi Natasha can I use pecans instead of walnuts
Hi Marina, yes that would work fine 🙂
Hi Natasha, first of all, i love your blog sooooo much! Thank you for sharing so much goodness with all of us! I have one question: i have a 16 oz phillo dough, but there is only 10 sheets, i have recounted several times, what do i do?
Are the sheets extra long? If so, you would need to cut them in half.
The step by step directions made it so easy to make and it was so yummy!!!
Excellent!!!
That’s awesome! Thank you for that awesome review! 🙂