Baklava is one of those desserts that looks fancy but is surprisingly easy to make at home! With layers of crispy, buttery phyllo, crunchy nuts, and a perfectly sweet honey syrup, every bite is rich, flaky, and absolutely delicious. Whether you’re making it for a special occasion or just because, this homemade baklava will impress with its incredible flavor and texture.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Rich and Flaky – The layers of buttery phyllo dough create a crisp, golden crust that’s perfectly complemented by the rich, nutty filling. With each bite, you’ll experience the satisfying crunch of phyllo that melts in your mouth, making this baklava a truly indulgent treat.
Ratio of Nuts to Pastry – One of the best things about this recipe is the perfect balance between the crunchy nuts and the delicate pastry. With generous layers of finely chopped nuts in every bite, you get just the right amount of crunch without overwhelming the phyllo layers.
Not-Too-Sweet – While baklava is known for its sweetness, this recipe strikes the perfect balance. The syrup is just sweet enough to enhance the flavors without overpowering the nutty filling, making it a deliciously satisfying dessert that isn’t overly sugary.
My Top Tips for Making Baklava
Use Fresh Phyllo Dough – Phyllo dough can dry out quickly, so make sure to keep it covered with a damp cloth while you work with it. Fresh phyllo will ensure that your baklava layers are crispy and delicate.
Butter Every Layer – Don’t skip buttering each sheet of phyllo. This is key to achieving that rich, flaky texture. Brush each sheet generously with melted butter before adding the next.
Chop Nuts Finely – For a smooth texture and even distribution, chop your nuts finely. This helps them spread evenly and ensures every bite has the perfect mix of nuts and phyllo.
Don’t Rush the Syrup Soaking – Allow the syrup to cool to room temperature before pouring it over the baklava. It should sizzle when it hits the hot pastry, which helps it soak in perfectly. Let it sit uncovered for at least 4 hours to allow the flavors to meld and the syrup to fully soak into the layers.
Bake Slowly and Evenly – Bake the baklava at a moderate temperature (around 320°F or 160°C for conventional ovens) for 75 to 90 minutes. This allows the pastry to turn golden brown and crispy.
How to Make Baklava
You can find the full list of ingredients for this recipe in the recipe card at the end of the blog post (for easy navigation, hit the ‘jump to recipe’ button at the top of the blog post). Here is a quick visual breakdown of the recipe (recipe video is also provided in the recipe card below).
Syrup
Start by preparing the syrup so it has time to cool. In a small saucepan, combine sugar, water, honey, lemon juice, cinnamon, and orange peel. Stir well, then bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes, then remove it from the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature. Just before pouring the syrup over the baklava, remove the cinnamon and orange peel.
Baklava Base
Prepare the nuts: In a food processor, add the walnuts, pistachios, cinnamon, and salt. Pulse until the nuts are coarsely chopped—be sure not to make them too fine or too chunky. Set aside.
Trim the phyllo sheets (thaw if necessary) to fit snugly in a 9×13-inch pan. Once cut, keep them covered with a damp cloth to prevent them from drying out while you assemble the baklava.
Before assembling, preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C) conventional.
Butter the bottom and sides of a 9×13-inch baking pan, then place a phyllo sheet inside. Brush it with butter, then repeat the process, layering and buttering each sheet until you’ve used 10 sheets.
Next, evenly spread ¾ of the nut mixture over the layers of phyllo. I find it easiest to use my hands to distribute the nuts evenly. Then, layer another six sheets of phyllo dough on top, brushing each one with butter as you go.
Then, sprinkle ¾ cup of the nut mixture, followed by another six buttered phyllo sheets. Next, add another ¾ cup of nuts, then layer another six buttered phyllo sheets. Spread the final ¾ cup of nuts on top, then finish with the remaining 12 buttered phyllo sheets.
The full order is as follows:
– 10 phyllo sheets
– ¾ cup nuts
– 6 phyllo sheets
– ¾ cup nuts
– 6 phyllo sheets
– ¾ cup nuts
– 6 phyllo sheets
– ¾ cup nuts
– 12 phyllo sheets
Using a sharp knife, cut the baklava into diamond shapes. I like to make three long cuts first, then cut diagonally to create the diamond pattern (see video).
Bake for 75 to 90 minutes, or until the top is a deep golden brown.
Remove from oven and immediately pour the cooled syrup over the hot baklava. You should hear a sizzling sound as it hits the hot pastry.
Allow the baklava to soak at room temperature, uncovered, for at least 4 hours before serving.
How to Store Baklava
Baklava is best stored at room temperature, loosely covered with a tea towel or food cover, for up to a week. This helps keep it crunchy and fresh.
Baklava (Rich & Flaky!)
Print Pin VideoIMPORTANT: For accuracy, I would recommend using the gram measurements provided, as those are the exact quantities I use. Cup measurements are given as estimates (based on US cup measurements) to make it easier for those who do not have a scale.
Ingredients
Syrup
- ¾ cup (150 g) white granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (180 g) water
- ½ cup (168 g) honey
- 2 tbsps lemon juice - freshly squeezed
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 2 strips orange peel
Baklava Base
- 2 cups (200 g) walnuts
- 1 cup (120 g) pistachios
- ¾ tsp cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter - melted
- 40 sheets filo/phyllo pastry - thaw if necessary
Instructions
Syrup
- Start by preparing the syrup so it has time to cool. In a small saucepan, combine sugar, water, honey, lemon juice, cinnamon, and orange peel. Stir well, then bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes, then remove it from the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature. Just before pouring the syrup over the baklava, remove the cinnamon and orange peel.
Baklava Base
- Prepare the nuts: In a food processor, add the walnuts, pistachios, cinnamon, and salt. Pulse until the nuts are coarsely chopped—be sure not to make them too fine or too chunky. Set aside.
- Trim the phyllo sheets to fit snugly in a 9x13-inch pan. Once cut, keep them covered with a damp cloth to prevent them from drying out while you assemble the baklava.
- Before assembling, preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C) conventional (see note 1 for convection oven adjustments).
- Butter the bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch pan, then place a phyllo sheet inside. Brush it with butter, then repeat the process, layering and buttering each sheet until you've used 10 sheets.
- Next, evenly spread ¾ of the nut mixture over the layered phyllo. I find it easiest to use my hands to distribute the nuts evenly. Then, layer another six phyllo sheets on top, brushing each one with butter as you go.Then, scatter ¾ cup of the nut mixture, followed by another six buttered phyllo sheets. Next, add another ¾ cup of nuts, then layer another six buttered phyllo sheets. Spread the final ¾ cup of nuts on top, then finish with the remaining 12 buttered phyllo sheets.The full order is as follows:- 10 phyllo sheets- ¾ cup nuts- 6 phyllo sheets- ¾ cup nuts- 6 phyllo sheets- ¾ cup nuts- 6 phyllo sheets- ¾ cup nuts- 12 phyllo sheets
- Using a sharp knife, cut the baklava into diamond shapes. I like to make three long cuts first, then cut diagonally to create the diamond pattern (see video).
- Bake for 75 to 90 minutes, or until the top is a deep golden brown (see note 2).
- Remove from oven and immediately pour the cooled sugar syrup over the baklava. You should hear a sizzling sound as it hits the hot pastry.
- Allow the baklava to soak at room temperature, uncovered, for at least 4 hours before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information are estimates only as they are automatically calculated by a third party application. Actual values may differ based on brands and types of products used.
4 Comments
Another excellent recipe looks really scrummy
WELL PRESENTED KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK X👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Thanks so much Laura!
Hope you enjoy the recipe 🙂
I can’t wait to try the Baklava recipe. I’ve always heard it was delicious.
Hi Debbie!
If you love nuts and flaky desserts you will love it 😀
Would love to hear how it goes if you decide to give it a go 🙂