Baklava Recipe
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.
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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 cups)
- 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!
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Found a flaw in the recipe! You state you need to wait 4-6 hours to eat, who does that? It came out great, will wait until the morning to dive in.
Hi Alton, I agree – that is the hardest waiting game! For best results, we let the baklava sit 4-6 hours or overnight at room temperature for the syrup to penetrate and soften the layers.
This is seriously delicious!!
This was the second baklava recipe I tried in two days, and this recipe by far won. As someone who didn’t want a sickly sweet baklava i reduced the sugar from 1 cup to 1/2 a cup, and upped the amount of honey to closer to 1cup. I will probably decrease both sugar and honey to 1/2 cup next time. I also ran out of phyllo dough for the last 15 layers!! But it was no worry because it still tastes AMAZING! I also increased the amount of cinnamon to 2tbs. It was not at all overpowering, but complimented everything well. Wow!! This is what I want baklava to taste like!!
Hello Ashley, thanks for sharing that with us! That’s really useful information for others who may want to do the same so this info is really good. I also appreciate the great review, thanks!
Hi Natasha. My daughter and I are ready to try something new! Two questions – does it matter what type of honey you use creamed or the clear liquid type? and do you think pecans would taste ok instead of walnuts? Trying to use what we have in the house…. thanks!
Hi Carol, I would use the clear liquid type or a firm one if it has solidified with age because it will just melt when heated. Pecans would work fine and you can even do a combination of nuts.
Absolutely amazing, delicious recipe! This was my first time making baklava. The recipe is easy to follow, and the video was so helpful. I will be making this again for sure!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review
It seems wonderful, I am a sweet recipes’ lover. I’ll try it these days. I’ll let you know the results.
Thank you.
Sounds good! Enjoy and happy cooking/baking.
Can you use puff pastry instead of phyllo dough or will it not come out the same?
Hi, puff pastry would not work correctly in this recipe since it has a completely different texture and composition.
Hi, do you pour all the honey mixture on it ? THANKS!
Hi Cynthia! We sure do!
Just amazing. I can’t wait to try this recipe as writ, as it stands I had half a package of filo leftover from making spanokopitas and decided to improvise this at a half recipe. It came out so so good. The cinammon is perfect. The syrup is perfect. It tastes just like the home-made baklava I used to buy from a family-run donair and shawarma shop I would frequent before I moved. Yum!
Super! Thank you for sharing your experience making this recipe. I’m glad that you loved it!
hoy nathasha would i can cok
Hi Irma, you sure can. You can sign up via my website to get the free bonus 5 Secrets to be a better cook.
I’ve been looking to make baklava for a while and I finally got around to it but here in the uk they only seem to sell packs of thicker 7 sheet packs which are about 270g in total. Will this still work? If not what are my options?
Hi Sam, I haven’t used phyllo like what you are describing. Ours are so thin that they are almost transparent. If anyone else has experience using thicker sheets, please share!
First time making this today and it is SOOOOO good! Definitely a top of the list snack :D. Thank you for the recipe.
Awesome and great job as a first-timer! I hope you enjoy all the recipes that you try.
It was delicious! I used a combo of pistachios, walnuts and cashews. I also omitted the lemon, because i forgot to buy it, and used a smidge of vanilla instead, but after it boiled. Tasted great. my husband and boys finished off the pan before the night was over!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe Cat.
Helllo can i use salted butter instead of unsalted butter?
Hi Terry, I haven’t tried it with salted butter so I’m not 100% sure. Salted butter not only has salt in it, but also extra moisture compared to unsalted butter and I’m not sure if either would adversely affect the recipe.
Can I use a different nut? Preferably Pecans?
That should work too Pamela. I read some comments that they used pecans and it was also great!
Such a great recipe. I added another tsp of cinnamon to the nuts and it was just the right amount of taste for those who love cinnamon. I will be making this recipe for holiday get togethers. Thanks
Nice to hear that and thanks for sharing that with us! I appreciate the great feedback too.
I just made your baklava and tiramisu and both were beyond fabulous. Thank you for sharing such great recipes. Can’t wait to try more.
Yum! We love both of those recipes! Thank you for that awesome feedback.
Natasha, can I freeze the baklava?
Hi Maria, You can freeze it up to 3 months by tightly wrapping the dish in several layers of plastic wrap and placing into the freezer. Thaw at room temperature and serve – it will be just as good as fresh and doesn’t take to long to thaw.
Maria, I have made this Baklava many times and can tell you from experience that it freezes well and tastes just as good.
Thank you so much for sharing that with us Diana!
I had a friend make me baklava . I thought it was the best until I made yours. Oh my goodness this sweet cinnamon honey yummy ness is the best. I make it for Christmas and Valentine’s Day. Thank you for your awesome recipes
You’re very welcome! Thank you for sharing your great experience. I am so happy to hear that you love my recipes!
It’s in the oven as I type! First time making it and the first roll of Phyllo was not in solid sheets but sort of shredded but I pieced it together and made it work! Can’t wait to try it….
I bet it smells so good in your home right now! I hope you love it!
I made this recipe a couple years ago and everyone loved it. I want to try making this for my mother (who has never had it before). She is allergic to lemons and anything citric. What could I substitute the lemon with?
Hi Melissa, It will still work without the lemon. You might replace that with water so the liquid proportions aren’t off. It will be sweeter without the lemon offsetting it. Several readers have reported good results adding a little rose water for added flavor.
Thank you
You’re very welcome Melissa.
In the oven as we speak and the smell in my house is divine. Can’t wait to try it!!! I’m in Australia and pre heated the oven to 165 degrees Celsius and as soon as I put it in reduced to 150 degrees as my oven is quite powerful. Easy to make recipe !
I’m sure you were excited and couldn’t wait for the taste test. Enjoy!
Hello going to make your Baklava. Looking forward to trying it for the first time!
I have a question when you say 325 degree oven is that convection or standard oven?
Thank you
Hi Grace, that is a standard (conventional) oven.
I have never made baklava before. This recipe was so easy to follow. I followed step by step and it was absolutely amazing! The entire tray was gone in hours! I am glad I bought extra phyllo because working with that takes patience! Thank you! I look forward to trying your other recipes!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Diane!
I’m one of your fans.I love your cooking, your lovely smile and cheerful spirit. I’m from Egypt and I’m a good cook however I learn a lot from your cooking tips. Well done. Keep it up
I’m so glad you’re finding our channel helpful! Hello from Idaho.
Great recipe! It simplifies a complicated dish
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Jonah!
Can I use cashew nut instead of walnut?
Hi Elizabeth, You can replace them with different nuts or even use a combination like pistachios, cashews, almonds.
I LOVE this recipe. I could eat the whole pan myself. Thank you!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
I made this before Christmas and again today. Everyone that I gave the baklava to said it was the best they ever had. The baklava we made today, I used a spray bottle to spray the butter on each sheet of dough. What a time saver spraying on the butter. We washed out the bottle that contains “fake” butter found in the grocery store. Thank you for this fantastic recipe.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
This was such a pain that the entire time I was making it, I was swearing I’d never do it again. The phyllo sheets were hard to work with and I kept losing count of my layers. I had several sheets that tore and most wrinkled. I reasoned that no one knew I planned to attempt it for Christmas; I could always go back to pecan pie! THEN, I took it out of the oven. It was beautiful and had the most amazing flavor. So, now, it just might just become a new Christmas tradition! 😊
The second time you will be a total pro and you will enjoy the process more. I’m so glad you loved it!!
can pistachios be substituted for the walnuts? if so, add or subtract ingredients?
Hi, absolutely you can sub with pistachios or even a blend of nuts. I would just substitute the nuts straight across in equal amounts.
Thank you, Natasha. I just made your recipe for Christmas and it couldn’t have been easier thanks to your instructions. It tastes wonderful. I did use a little less lemon and am considering trying some orange blossom water next time! Thank you so much!!!!
You’re welcome, Christa!! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
This is the 3rd year I have made it and I stick to your recipe without adding or substituting and it always turns out great. Everyone loves it. I have made it 3 times (so far) during the Holidays this year. My daughter makes cookies trays for friends and co workers and this year she asked me to make Baklava to include with her cookies. I think I’ve said it before but again Thank You for sharing this recipe and Merry Christmas!
That’s so great, Diane! Sounds like you found a new Holiday tradition & favorite recipe! Thank you for that wonderful review, Merry Christmas!
Just made this with my 21 year old son. Terrific recipe!! Thank you!!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Super easy to make and tastes amazing!!! The syrup was a little honey heavy/too sweet for me but will definitely make this sometime again
I’m so glad you liked that, thank you for sharing that with me, Emma!
Just got it out of the oven and it smells so good. Did have one problem. When I was cutting the diagonals, the top layers started to peel back. Any suggestions on how to keep this from happening?
Hi Diane, It helps to hold down the layers gently with your fingertips as you slice. It also helps to have a very sharp knife.
I put it in the freezer for about 20 minutes before cutting and it works well for me. I saw a comment about this last year and decided to try and it works.
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review
Diane thanks for the suggestion about the freezer. It cut so much easier this time around and it looks like my top layers stayed better connected than they did the first time.
Does this help it stay together?
Baked this before and find it to be the best recipe I’ve ever tried Thanks If I bake it in a 10” round pan next time, do you think I’d have to alter the recipe?
Sounds like you found a new favorite, Tom! That’s so great! I have not tested that in a 10″ pan to advise, if you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Can’t wait to try this recipe
I made this for the first time in September 2019, and my oh my, was I impressed with myself, lol.
This was the best Baklava I’ve ever had, and I love this treat and have had a lot! I made it for a party, now people request me to make it. LOL!!!
It’s definitely not the easiest dish, but WOW is it just sooooooo good!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
Hi Hana, we have always stuck with the traditional form, adding a drizzle of chocolate to the top. I think it would be an excellent experiment. From a quick google search, the top result for chocolate baklava has 1 cup of Nutella warmed for 30 seconds to melt it and they drizzle on each layer before adding the nuts over the drizzled nutella. If you test that out, please let me know how it goes. A chocolate baklava would be so yummy!
Hi Natasha. Thanks so much for this recipe. I’m about to make it for a Christmas party. Can I add chocolate chips to the nut mixture to make it a Chocolate Baklava? I’ve also seen that I can add Nutella at the bottom to make it a Chocolate Baklava? Please let me know. Thanks!
I haven’t tried the recipe yet but I was thinking that I would toast the walnuts before chopping them for extra flavor. any thoughts?
Hi, I haven’t found it necessary but you could if you prefer the toasted flavor.
Hi Natasha my name is Rose and I tried your recipe for the baklava and I want to thank you so very much because everybody I let try absolutely loved it!! It’s great that you write down the recipe the way you do step by step and you have a video available to watch. Thank you so much once again I bring it out for Thanksgiving and everybody wants me to make it for them over and over I showed them your recipe but they don’t have the time or patience LOL.
It takes a-lot of it take make and a lot of patience not to eat it before serving lol. So glad you liked this recipe, Rose! Thank you that wonderful review.
This is absolutely delicious! A win win for sure! Thank you for sharing!
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you enjoyed that!
Made this baklava for the first time last year. It couldn’t have come out any better – so delicious!! My best friend is Greek and her brother in law was a pastry chef in Greece and she said Andreas would be so proud of you! I must say it did come out SLAMMIN! Well here we are again – Thanksgiving and I am making it again – 2 pans this time so that I have enough for the demand (and I would like some for my family and myself as well). Anyway – thank you so much for the recipe Natasha – I can’t wait to try your other dishes as well <
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Marcia!
So, so good! Made this recipe last night and it was a huge hit this morning. We have about 8 pieces left. Lol! That’s how good it is! I improvised a little bit on the layering because I got tired of layering (Missing one layer). Smh. I also used three sticks of butter because I clarified it. Then, I used the trick of not cutting it all the way through. It still turned out super tasty. Will definitely keep this recipe and make it again!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Aja!
I have a pan of Baklava in the oven now! This is the third year I have made this delicious recipe. I make it with the ingredients exactly as is. I have been reading some comments and decided to try the butter in the spray bottle. It does make it a lot easier and faster. Also I put the pan in the freezer about 15 min. before cutting and the knife just slid right through!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
The best tasting & easiest recipe ever!
I’m so glad you enjoyed that, AJ! Thank you for that great review!
When you say let sit 4 to 6 hours or overnight – is that before adding the chocolate and do you cover it during this time period? Thank you!
Hi Cheri, Once it’s cooled completely to room temperature, that 4-6 hr resting period is before adding the chocolate. We cover with a tea towel, or loosely with plastic wrap.
I’ve made this 3 times. After the second time I thought that putting the melted butter in a spray bottle might work so I tried it the 3rd time. I got a small spray bottle at the dollar store and poured melted butter into it. It took about an hour off of my prep time!! I live in a dry climate so it helped with the phyllo that it took me so much less time. Make sure to shake the butter in the bottle or you end up with only the watery part at the bottom. I didn’t have to reheat the butter or put it in a hot water bath as someone suggested but it would have been easy enough to stick it in the microwave for a few seconds. I used the same amount of butter with both methods. I’m so excited about this method because it takes so much of the effort out and I will want to make it more often. Do make sure to thoroughly clean the spray bottle and sprayer after use so it doesn’t mold between uses. I sprayed a mild bleach solution through it. But for $1 you can always buy another one.
I’m so happy you enjoyed it. Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Have a question .. i see that lot of recipes use vanilla extract in the syrup part .. is there a reason u didn’t ? is it not work with the syrup ?
Hi Anita, I don’t use it here because it doesn’t meld as well with the lemon and the lemon and honey add enough flavor.
Where do you get your filo dough from?
Hi Kelsey, we purchase that at our local grocery store
Hi Natasha, am going to make this baklava tomorrow for a dinner party, just wondered if when cutting it, does it not scratch the bottom of the non stick pan?
Thank you
Jean (from France)
Hi Jean, We don’t cut all the way to the bottom so that should help with protecting the pan. 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.
Going to try this one.
I hope you love it, Carol!
I should also say that I will be using vegan butter.
I love BAklava, but I ha e recently become vegan. I am planning to make this Chrisrmas replacing the honey with agave syrup or maple syrup. I think that will work. What say you?
I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe, Jeanette.
I used agave syrup and it worked great.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
Awesome tasting Baklava and easy to follow recipe. Thank you!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Sybilla!
That looks sooooooo amazing!
It is so good! you have to try it soon, Lynda!
Delicious! Came out great, everyone loved it! My only glitch was that the phyllo I bought was 16oz but only 18 sheets, which I didn’t realize until 1/3 of way layering. I improvised and it still turned out great. Also only was able to sit maybe 2 hours before serving. Would be fun to experiment with different nuts and different citrus flavors in the future, but this was SO good.
I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Amy! Thank you for that awesome review!
Looks fab. We do not use cups for measuring in UK. Any chance you could convert to weight.
Hi Jenny, If you click “Jump to recipe” at the top of the post it will take you to our printable recipe where you have the option to view the ingredients in US Customary or Metric measurements. I hope that helps.
I need to make a double batch. This is my first attempt at Baklava so I’m hoping for the best. My 9×13 pan is not a true 9×13. It acutally measures smaller, so if I made 2, I would not get as many pieces. I was hoping to use a 12×18 and use 2 boxes and place the sheets of phyllo side by side. Then I would have 1 large pan that is bigger than 2 small pans. Do you think this is wise? Do you think it will bake evenly? Also, my pan is a cake pan not non stick. Please advise. I’m quite nervous. I want this to come out perfect like yours!!
Hi Theresa, I haven’t tried making it in a larger pan (I don’t even own a casserole dish that large!) so it’s difficult to advise on that but it should bake evenly.
I’ve never posted a review of a recipe…until now. Our family loves baklava, but I’ve always been too scared to make it myself. Your instructions were detailed and fail proof. The result was fabulous and I received rave reviews at our Thanksgiving dinner. Thank you so much for the awesome recipe!!
That’s just awesome, Sonia!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review.
Just returned from an amazing trip to Greece and was inspired to make baklava!
Thank you so much for the recipe, it was delicious and I got rave reviews from all who ate it
Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I’m all smiles!
Thanks, Natasha, for the recipe! I just put my first batch in the oven. I hope it turns out!
Question: is there a faster way to spread the butter? Have you ever tried melting it and putting it in a new spray bottle set on mist to get this done faster?
Hi Quinn, I have not tested that with a spray bottle to advise. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
I’ve made this a few times before and it’s absolutely amazing! Just as good as the home made middle easter baklava I’ve had!
Just one question, would it be easy enough to sub in pistachios for the walnuts? My sister is pistachio mad but didn’t know if it would change the amazing end result.
Hi Helen, absolutely you can sub with pistachios or even a blend of nuts. I’m so happy you love the baklava recipe!
Thank you so much for your quick reply! I look forward to trying it out!
You’re welcome!
Can I line the bottom of the pan with aluminum foil without compromising the results?
Hi Theresa, I haven’t tried that but I would recommend lining with parchment if anything which is more non-stick and also won’t react with the lemon in the syrup. We find it’s best not to line the pan so you don’t lose any of the syrup under the lining.
I was wondering how well this will do in the freezer? Baked and then put in the freezer or assemble freeze and then bake at a later date?
Hi Sherry, You can freeze it up to 3 months by tightly wrapping the dish in several layers of plastic wrap and placing into the freezer. Thaw at room temperature and serve – it will be just as good as fresh and doesn’t take to long to thaw.
Thank you!
Amazing recipe! Took me a time or two to really get it down to my personal preference, but the syrup is easy to make sweeter or make extra if necessary. Have made it for 2 dinner parties now and its definitely a party favorite! Absolutely love it! its the perfect baklava no matter how sweet or runny you like your syrup!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Anya!
TIP: Don’t cut the baklava all the way through to the bottom before baking. Cut it until about the last set of phyllo layers. Once baked, pour the cooled syrup (the temp difference between hot and cold will allow the syrup to absorb). Once cooled, cut all the way through to bottom, then let rest uncovered. This will give you perfect gooeyness and better absorption, without the sogginess or bottom-heaviness. If you feel your syrup was too runny and your baklava is now too soggy at bottom, even after resting, try baking it in oven for 5-10 minutes. It’ll evaporate out the moisture and leave the syrup.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Hello Natasha, I really love your recipes and have already cooked the baklava. It was delicious )) Now I’m trying to find a way to make it more healthy by using coconut oil instead of butter. Do you think this will work?
Hi Maria, that’s a great question! I haven’t tested that to advise and I also don’t see any comments with anyone trying that. If you experiment I would love to know how it turned out.
Love your recipe. I have a question, I cannot seem to get the baklava to stay together once done. The bottom and top layers are great, crunchy and tasty (bottom layer wet), but my baklava seems to want to separate at the nut mixture layers. This is not a big issue, but I notice that the baklava I buy at the middle eastern shops don’t separate, they are one nice block of goodness. Have you any ideas how they achieve this?
Hi Mark, 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 middle row, especially with the same amount of nuts. And you are buttering between each phyllo layer?
I made one layer in the middle a little more full like the ones I see at the store, and that is where it separates, I like a little more nut concentration. Its still really tasty, so next time I’ll try your suggestions. Thanks, love your blog, going to make your Pelmeni next!
amazing recipe. i have used cloves to pin my baklava from
falling apart and it works like a charm. a clove for each piece before it goes into the oven. smells great while baking and the cinnamon and clove and honey seem to blend well from flavor as well. other than that i followed this recipe to a t. have been making this for many years now and part of our diwali tradition. love it. thank you natasha!!
That’s a great idea, Kaveena! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
I tried to pin this recipe but could not find it on your blog. I very new at this. I must not be doing something right. This looks delicious and I want to try to make it. Can you tell me how to pin this?
Hi Jeanie, you can hover over any photo and click on the red “P” to save or clock on the red “P” icon to the top right of the blog right underneath the “Welcome to our family food blog!” Section. I hope that helps.
This recipe callas for 16 Oz phyllo which is usually 18 sheets. Your instructions call for 40 sheets.(?)
Hi Peggy, 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
Natasha, I am a 73 yr old Italian grandmother. While I follow many chefs, bloggers, etc. following you has been a delight. Your common sense approach for recipes that anyone can make are a blessing for busy Moms/Grandmoms everywhere. Simple, tasty and healthy. Thanks so much!
Awww that’s the best! I’m so inspired reading your review, thank you so much for sharing that with me, Diane. I’m all smiles!
My go to holiday dessert! Turns out perfect every time
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
Can we the recipe to Phillo or fillo pastry recipe. Thanks in advance
Hi and thank you for the suggestion. If I come up with something better than I buy at the grocery store, I will be sure to share it!
Great recipe – thank you!
I have several recipes for baklava, but will certainly try this one, because it sounds really delicious.
The honey sauce is especially interesting – my usual sauce is just water, sugar, and lemon (juice & slices).
I hope you love this recipe, we look forward to your feedback.
Fabulous recipe. I swapped the honey for maple syrup as my son is allergic to honey. Turned out amazing. Thank you for you awesome recipes
I’m so glad to hear that. Thank you for sharing that with us.
Hello, Natasha! I wanted to ask what is meant by “do not use thick sheets”? The only phyllo dough I have found so far (I am in Europe) is a package of 450 g (~16 oz) that contains 12 sheets (I think size of it could be aprox. 9″x13″). Is that too thick for making baklava even if I put fewer layers? Thanks!
Hi Oxana, I have only ever seen paper thin fillo in the US but that is a good question! I added this note just under the ingredients list at a the top of the recipe to clarify: “*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.” Thank you for asking!
Well, I am back to report that I managed to get some 30 layers of that 450g/12 sheet phyllo dough, cutting sheets in half and also assembling strips. Sheets turned out to be quite thin… The total hight of baklava turned out very decent I think. Top layers unfortunately did not want to stick together. The middle part was juicy. p.s. never had baklava before and made it for the first time. I do trust your recipes. Thank you!
This was fabulous! Made it to serve after a tagine dinner, and it went down a treat. Even guests who are usually terribly carb-conscious devoured it. I shall definitely be making it again.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great feedback, Daisy!
Hi, I just made this and looks good but the pastry layers appear to have puffed and separated from the other layers. Any suggestions? I used all the butter up.
HI Bethanie, be sure to let it rest overnight to soften and absorb the syrup. Also, I’m not sure if this was the issue or not but be sure to brush every single layer with butter when assembling and use the correct size pan. A wider pan will cause the syrup to settle at the bottom.
Thanks for the response. I did all of that and unfortunately still the same.
I actually made this recipe a couple months ago and it was amazing. I took some into my office with me and everyone raved about it. We have an office birthday tomorrow and they specifically requested that I bring the baklava to the party. So here I am making everyone’s favorite treat again! Amazing!!!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new party favorite!
THE BEST RECIPE EVER! But, because I have so many diabetics in the family I had to substitute 1/2 cup of Stevia for the 1 cup of sugar. I tried this with several other recipes with blah results. Your recipe has the right combination of everything to get the flavor I wanted. Thank you!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review Rose.
Thanks for sharing! I was just reading all the comments to see if anyone made it with a low-sugar substitute! <
I have made baklava for decades, always yummy, but your recipe describing the temperature variant between the pastry and syrup was helpful. Also, keeping it at room temperature for the absorption of syrup and to avoid getting soggy through refrigeration. I have always refrigerated. Thank you!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy that was helpful.
Hi Natasha, I just made this last night and couldn’t wait to taste it this morning. I am happy to say it turned out beautifully! Taste’s delicious too. It was quite time consuming to make but the effort was worth it. I used a glass pyrex try with no parchment paper underneath and it still turned out great! Thank you for all your wonderful recipes! You are my favorite blogger
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Sonia!
This is my first time making baklava. Your directions are spot-on, easy and fun to make. Only thing I changed was that I spread butter on more sparingly and added extra lemon to the recipe. The baklava came out super flaky and so yummy!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
Any recipes on how to make the phillo dough ?
Hi Cris, I recommend a good online source, we purchase ours at the store.
Hi
Mine worked out very well but did not stay well stuck together, any suggestions
Hi Janet, I am always happy to help troubleshoot. Did you possibly use a wider pan which would cause the liquid to spread more at the base? Also, be sure to butter between every single layer and if the nuts are ground too larger, the baklava might have a harder time staying together with larger pieces in there. Lastly, be sure to let it rest overnight before trying it as it needs time to soften and will hold together better the next day.