My easy baklava recipe takes the stress out of making this sweet and flaky treat! I use store-bought phyllo dough to save time and energy, but the filling and syrup are all homemade. Made with crunchy walnuts, cinnamon, allspice, and honey, this homemade baklava is warm, sweet, and so crispy! I love biting through all the layers!
I was always very intimidated by baklava until I learned that even the most seasoned chefs use store-bought phyllo dough! This easy baklava recipe is made with a 3-ingredient walnut filling and a richly spiced honey syrup for maximum flavor and stickiness. It’s about as homemade as they get, and it’s so crisp and delicious!
What’s in This Easy Baklava Recipe?
- Phyllo Dough: Makes this baklava super easy to put together!
- Walnuts: Add crunch and nutty flavor to the filling. You could also use pecans or pistachios instead.
- Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon adds warmth to both the filling and the syrup.
- Salt: A touch of kosher salt enhances the flavor of the filling.
- Butter: Unsalted butter helps keep the phyllo layers separate.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the syrup.
- Honey: Adds floral sweetness to the syrup. If you’d prefer not to use honey, replace the sugar, water, and honey with 3 cups of sugar and 1½ cups of water.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the flavor of the syrup.
- Allspice: Adds extra warmth and a touch of pepperiness to the syrup. If you do not have allspice, simply add in ⅛ teaspoon cloves and ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg.
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How to Store
Store leftover baklava in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature before enjoying.
Tips for Success
- Defrost the phyllo dough in the original packaging in the refrigerator for 12 hours before use.
- The easiest way to finely chop the walnuts is to grind them in a food processor. Add them in batches and not all at once, as placing too many walnuts in at one time will cause the ones at the bottom to become like paste and the ones at the top to not get chopped.
- Be sure to cover the phyllo dough back up after each time you remove some to keep it from drying out.
- The best way to keep baklava from getting soggy is to avoid adding too much butter. You want light coatings of butter on the layers; otherwise, the butter will seep out and create a soggy bottom.
- To cut the phyllo into diamond shapes, cut lines about 2 inches apart, parallel to the long sides of the baking dish. Next, cut lines about 2 inches apart, diagonally this time.
- Remember to not cut all the way down through all of the dough layers until the baklava is soaked in the syrup. Slicing before could cause residual butter and syrup to pool in the bottom of the pan.
- I recommend letting baklava sit for 8-24 hours before enjoying to let the flavors mingle.
Easy Baklava Recipe
Ingredients
For the Baklava
- 16 ounces phyllo dough thawed (1 package)
- 1 pound finely chopped walnuts
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2⅓ cups unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled (4⅔ sticks)
For the Syrup
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 10 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- 9×13 Baking Pan
- Pastry Brush
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Unwrap the phyllo dough and wrap it with a damp cloth to prevent it from drying out. Set aside.16 ounces phyllo dough
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine the walnuts, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.1 pound finely chopped walnuts, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Using a pastry brush, coat the bottom and sides of a deep 9×13-inch baking dish with butter.2⅓ cups unsalted butter
- Place 2 sheets of phyllo dough into the bottom of the pan. Brush with butter. Place 2 sheets of phyllo dough on top and brush with butter. Repeat these steps until you have 8 sheets of phyllo dough in a stack. Brush with butter before sprinkling about 2-3 tablespoons of the walnut mixture over the surface of the dough. The entire surface of the phyllo dough will not be covered with the mixture. That is fine, as with the amount of layers that there will be, there will be plenty of walnut mixture in every bite.
- Place 2 sheets of phyllo dough on top of the walnut mixture. Brush with butter. Sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons of the walnut mixture over the surface. Continue this same process until you have about 6 sheets of phyllo dough remaining and no walnut mixture. A few of my sheets got sticky from the damp cloth (I only had 5 sheets remaining). Place 2 sheets of dough on top and brush with butter. Repeat until you have used all of the phyllo dough. Brush the top with butter. At this point, you may have extra butter, which is fine. If at any point you run out of butter, simply melt another tablespoon and continue.
- Score the top 6 layers of dough in the final shape that you want to cut them (see notes), but do not cut completely through to the bottom of the dough. The dough at the bottom of the pan should remain uncut so as to prevent the syrup from soaking through and making it soggy.
- Place the baklava into the preheated oven to bake for 45 minutes.
- While the baklava is baking, make the syrup. Place all of the syrup ingredients into a large saucepan set over medium heat. Whisk constantly for the first minute while everything is melting together. Once the mixture has melted together, leave to reach a boil. Once it begins to boil, reduce to medium-low heat to simmer for about 10 minutes, or until it has thickened significantly. The mixture should coat the back of a wooden spoon. Be sure to whisk intermittently while it simmers as it could scorch or boil over. Once thickened, remove from the heat for a moment or two while the baklava finishes baking.1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup water, 10 tablespoons honey, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon allspice
- Once the baklava has finished baking, remove from the oven and place onto a cooling rack. Pour the hot syrup over the entire surface of the baklava immediately. Let set for about 30 minutes to fully soak in and cool down.
- Once cooled sufficiently, use a sharp knife to finish cutting all the way down through the baklava. Serve immediately, or allow the syrup to continue to soak for 8-24 hours.
Notes
How to Make Baklava Step-by-Step
Prep the Filling: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Unwrap 16 ounces (1 package) of phyllo dough and wrap it with a damp cloth to prevent it from drying out. Set aside. In a medium-sized bowl, combine 1 pound of finely chopped walnuts, 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon of kosher salt. Set aside.
Prep the Pan: Melt and cool 2⅓ cups of butter. Using a pastry brush, coat the bottom and sides of a deep 9×13-inch baking dish with some of the butter.
Layer the Baklava: Place 2 sheets of phyllo dough into the bottom of the pan. Brush with butter. Place 2 sheets of phyllo dough on top and brush with butter. Repeat these steps until you have 8 sheets of phyllo dough in a stack. Brush with butter before sprinkling about 2-3 tablespoons of the walnut mixture over the surface of the dough. The entire surface of the phyllo dough will not be covered with the mixture. That is fine, as with the amount of layers that there will be, there will be plenty of walnut mixture in every bite.
Continue the Layers: Place 2 sheets of phyllo dough on top of the walnut mixture. Brush with butter. Sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons of the walnut mixture over the surface. Continue this same process until you have about 6 sheets of phyllo dough remaining and no walnut mixture. A few of my sheets got sticky from the damp cloth (I only had 5 sheets remaining). Place 2 sheets of dough on top and brush with butter. Repeat until you have used all of the phyllo dough. Brush the top with butter. At this point, you may have extra butter, which is fine. If at any point you run out of butter, simply melt another tablespoon and continue.
Score and Bake: Score the top 6 layers of dough in the final shape that you want to cut them, but do not cut completely through to the bottom of the dough. The dough at the bottom of the pan should remain uncut so as to prevent the syrup from soaking through and making it soggy. Place the baklava into the preheated oven to bake for 45 minutes.
Make the Syrup: Place 1 cup of granulated sugar, 1 cup of water, 10 tablespoons of honey, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon of allspice into a large saucepan set over medium heat. Whisk constantly for the first minute while everything is melting together. Once the mixture has melted together, leave to reach a boil. Once it begins to boil, reduce to medium-low heat to simmer for about 10 minutes, or until it has thickened significantly. The mixture should coat the back of a wooden spoon. Be sure to whisk intermittently while it simmers as it could scorch or boil over. Once thickened, remove from the heat for a moment or two while the baklava finishes baking.
Soak the Baklava: Once the baklava has finished baking, remove from the oven and place onto a cooling rack. Pour the hot syrup over the entire surface of the baklava immediately. Let set for about 30 minutes to fully soak in and cool down.
Cut and Serve: Once cooled sufficiently, use a sharp knife to finish cutting all the way down through the baklava. Serve immediately, or allow the syrup to continue to soak for 8-24 hours.
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