Free Recipe

Baklava

★ 4.3 · Advanced

Dozens of paper-thin phyllo layers are brushed with butter, filled with spiced walnuts, and soaked in a fragrant honey syrup for a crisp, sticky-sweet Middle Eastern classic.

45 minPrep Time

50 minCook Time

240 minTotal Time

24 pieces (9x13-inch pan)Yield

Why You'll Love This

Crisp buttery phyllo layers with spiced nuts
Classic Middle Eastern sweet with honey syrup
Keeps well for over a week at room temperature

Ingredients

1 (16-ounce) packagephyllo dough, thawed
1 cupunsalted butter, melted
4 cupsfinely chopped walnuts
1 cupfinely chopped pistachios
1 teaspoonground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoonground cloves
1 cupgranulated sugar
1 cupwater
3/4 cuphoney
1 tablespoonlemon juice
1cinnamon stick

Nutrition (estimated per serving)

290Calories

4gProtein

19gFat

28gCarbs

2gFiber

60mgSodium

Nutrition information is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed and will vary based on the specific products used. It is not a substitute for advice from a nutrition professional.

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 F and butter a 9x13-inch baking pan.
In a bowl, mix the chopped walnuts, pistachios, cinnamon, and cloves.
Unroll the phyllo dough and cover it immediately with a damp kitchen towel to prevent it from drying out and cracking while you work.
Lay one sheet of phyllo in the pan and brush thoroughly with melted butter; repeat to layer 8 buttered sheets, keeping the rest covered.
Sprinkle about 1 1/2 cups of the nut mixture evenly over the phyllo.
Layer 4 more buttered phyllo sheets over the nuts, then another 1 1/2 cups of nuts, repeating until the nut mixture is used up, ending with a top layer of 8 buttered phyllo sheets.
Using a sharp knife, cut the baklava into diamond or square shapes all the way through to the bottom of the pan before baking.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the top is deep golden brown and crisp.
While the baklava bakes, combine the sugar, water, honey, lemon juice, and cinnamon stick in a saucepan and simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes, then remove the cinnamon stick and let the syrup cool slightly.
As soon as the baklava comes out of the oven, immediately pour the warm syrup evenly over the hot pastry -- pouring cool syrup over hot baklava (or vice versa) keeps it crisp instead of soggy.
Let the baklava sit uncovered at room temperature for at least 4 hours, or overnight, to fully absorb the syrup before serving.

Tips

Always pair hot baklava with cool syrup or cool baklava with hot syrup -- matching temperatures cause a soggy texture.
Cut the layers before baking, not after -- cutting baked, syrup-soaked baklava will crush and tear the delicate layers.