Baklava Recipe
This just might be the best baklava recipe! This flaky, buttery, syrupy, nutty dessert is super addictive but in the best way! Not overly sweet, nutty and a real crowd pleaser, you’ll forget arguing about it’s origins (Invented in Turkey during the ottoman empire and modified in Greece) and reach in the tin for another slice!
Nick’s favorite thing…
I absolutely adore how easy this recipe is to make and it’s such a crowd pleaser too. It not only tastes delicious, but people are super impressed when someone has made it from scratch. But honestly, it takes little effort. It uses a couple ingredients, and it all comes together to make a super delicious and satisfying dessert! Above it all though, this dessert lasts for ages. You can make it up to two weeks in advance which means you can easily whip it out and serve it with coffee if you have people visit.
What does Baklava Recipe taste like?
The filo pastry on top of this dessert is crispy and delicious, and then it helps separate the nut layers in between. And speaking of nuts! The nuts are perfectly drenched in an aromatic syrup that takes minutes to make!
What are the ingredients I need for the baklava recipe?
Butter – make sure your butter is slightly cooled after being melted. Don’t use it hot or it will dry out your pastry as you brush it on.
Walnuts – You can use either walnuts or pistachios in this recipe. Pistachios can be expensive in some countries. Personally, I think walnuts are softer and soak in the syrup nicely.
Cinnamon – I used ground cinnamon
Granulated sugar – also known as white sugar. Caster sugar can be used too.
Salt – I used fine salt.
Lemon juice – always use fresh! Makes all the difference.
Orange – we just need the zest here.
Filo Pastry – Filo pastry is a really thin pastry, which when baked goes crispy and golden. It also dries out quickly so make sure you work fast and cover it with a towel when you’re not using it.
Crushed pistachios – these are used to sprinkle on top.
Let’s go through each step.
Baklava
- Preheat your oven 180C / 320F. For this recipe you’ll need a baking dish rough the size of the filo pastry sheets you’ll be using, but it must be 2 inches in height. Add the butter to a medium sized saucepan and melt on low heat. Take off the heat and allow to cool without solidifying.
- Add nuts and cinnamon into a food processor and blitz until it reaches small chunks. You can also do this by hand using a large knife.
Syrup
- Add the water, sugar, salt, lemon and orange zest into a medium sized mixing bowl.
- Stir until sugar dissolves then allow to gently simmer for 3-4 minutes. Take off the heat and allow to cool completely.
Filo Pastry
- Brush your baking tray with butter
- Lay out the first layer of filo pastry.
- Brush with butter and then add your next layer of filo pastry.
- Repeat this another 3 times, leaving you with 5 layers of filo pastry.
- Add one fifth of the walnut mixture. Spread around evenly. Repeat this process another 4 times.
- All up it’s 5 layers of pastry, brushed with butter
- Followed by walnuts. Lastly, finish with 5 final layers of filo pastry.
- On the 5th and final layer of filo, make sure it lines up on two side with the baking dish. Cut the excess pastry from the other two sides.
- Then cut the baklava into four long strips
- Then cut into diamond shapes by cutting diagonal.
- Brush with butter and bake for 60 minutes or until golden.
- Once baked pour the syrup on top of the hot baklava and allow it to soak in and cool completely to room temperature.
- Once cooled, sprinkle each piece with a little crushed pistachio. Slice and serve.
My Top Tips!
Storage
Baklava can be stored in an airtight container for up to two weeks in the fridge.
Butter
Melt the butter gently making sure it doesn’t burn or caramelize. Once it’s melted, Allow it cool down without solidifying. If it does set, just gently melt again.
Nuts
You can use either walnuts or pistachios in this recipe. Pistachios can be expensive in some countries. Personally, I think walnuts are softer and soak in the syrup nicely.
Filo Pastry
Filo pastry is a really thin pastry, which when baked goes crispy and golden. It also dries out quickly so make sure you work fast and cover it with a towel when you’re not using it.
More Delicious Recipes You Might Like!
- Kourapiedes Greek Christmas Cookies
- Spanakopita Greek Cheese & Spinach Pie
- Greek Slow Roasted Lamb
- Greek Lemon Potatoes
A Quick Baking Guide
If you’re new to baking or just want to brush up on the basics, these guides are a great place to start!
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Easy Baklava Recipe With Walnuts And Pistachios
My baklava is flaky, buttery, and soaked in citrus-infused syrup. Crispy layers of filo and spiced walnuts make this a rich, melt-in-your-mouth dessert.
Serves 20
Ingredients
Syrup
- 250 g water
- 315 g granulated sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 orange, zested
Baklava
- 250 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled (see notes)
- 500 g chopped walnuts, see notes
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Pastry
- 375 g filo pastry, about 30 sheets (see notes)
- 100 g crushed pistachios
Learn How To Make it! [VIDEO]
Instructions
Syrup
- To make the syrup, add the water, sugar, salt, lemon and orange zest into a medium sized mixing bowl. Stir until sugar dissolves then allow to gently simmer for 3-4 minutes. Take off the heat and allow to cool completely at room temperature.
Baklava
- Preheat your oven to 180C / 320F (fan on), 200C / 395F (fan off). For this recipe you’ll need a baking dish rough the size of the filo pastry sheets you’ll be using, but it must be 2 inches in height. I used a 22 x 38cm / 9 x 15-inch baking tin.
- Chop walnuts – Add nuts and cinnamon into a food processor and blitz until it reaches small chunks. You can also do this by hand using a large knife.
- How to layer it – Brush your baking dish with melted butter, then layer five sheets of filo, brushing each with butter. Sprinkle one-fifth of the walnut mixture evenly on top. Repeat this process four more times, always layering five sheets of filo, buttering each, and adding walnuts. Finish with a final five layers of filo, brushing each with butter.
- To bake – Trim any excess pastry from two sides, then cut the baklava into four long strips before slicing diagonally to create diamond shapes. Brush the top with butter and bake for 60 minutes, or until golden and crisp on top.
- Finish with syrup – Once baked pour the syrup on top of the hot baklava and allow it to soak in and cool completely to room temperature. Once cooled, sprinkle each piece with a little crushed pistachios. Slice and serve.
Notes
Storage
Baklava can be stored in an airtight container for up to two weeks in the fridge.
Butter
Melt the butter gently making sure it doesn’t burn or caramelize. Once it’s melted, Allow it cool down without solidifying. If it does set, just gently melt again.
Nuts
You can use either walnuts or pistachios in this recipe. Pistachios can be expensive in some countries. Personally, I think walnuts are softer and soak in the syrup nicely.
Filo Pastry
Filo pastry is a really thin pastry, which when baked goes crispy and golden. It also dries out quickly so make sure you work fast and cover it with a towel when you’re not using it.
Nutrition
Calories : 375kcal
Carbonhydrates: 30g
Protein: 5g
Fat: 28g
Saturated Fat: 8g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g
Monounsaturated Fat : 5g
Trans Fat : 0.4g
Cholesterol: 27mg
Sodium: 210mg
Potassium : 147mg
Fiber: 2g
Sugar : 17g
Vitamin A: 334IU
Vitamin C: 7mg
Calcium: 35mg
Iron: 1mg
Nutrition Disclosure
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8 comments
ottima ricetta
Grazie mille! Nx
What size pan do you use, 9×13?
I used a 22 x 38 cm (9 x 15 inch) baking tin, but a 9 x 13 inch pan works too. Just keep the layers even, and it will bake up beautifully. Hope you enjoy it! N x
Mine got burnt, cooked just less than an hour, the temp was as in the instruction, what a waste of the ingredients, money and time… I feel very upset…
Sorry to hear that, Julia. Oven temperatures can vary, so it might have run hotter than expected. If you try it again, I’d suggest checking at the 45-minute mark and covering it loosely with foil if it’s browning too fast. Let me know if I can help troubleshoot further. N x
Hi Nick!
Hope you’re doing well.
First of all, I want to thank you for all the effort you put into developing recipes.
I’ve made baklava using your recipe twice over the past month.
For the first batch, I used fresh phyllo dough (it looked like thin lasagna sheets), and it took around 40 minutes in the oven to reach a dark golden color.
For the second batch, I managed to find the right phyllo dough sheets, but again, after about 40 minutes in the oven, I had to take it out to prevent it from burning.
Personal notes: While the syrup tastes like drops of heaven, and the texture and crunch of the layers are great, the walnuts in the baklava feel a little raw (if that makes sense). This might have something to do with the fact that I’m Persian and very aware of the taste and texture of walnuts in different dishes, but I’m wondering if I should have left it in the oven for the full hour.
So far, I’ve made small (1/5) batches of the recipe, but I’m aiming for a full batch next time, so I’d appreciate any suggestions for improvement!
Thanks in advance,
Azin
Hi Azin, thanks so much for your kind words and for taking the time to share your experience. Sounds like you’ve been experimenting thoughtfully, which I love. If the walnuts are tasting a little raw to you, you could try lightly toasting them before blitzing. That’ll deepen the flavour and mellow any bitterness. As for the bake time, smaller batches will definitely brown faster, so your instinct to take it out early was spot on. For a full batch, you might find the hour works better, but keep an eye on the colour and cover with foil if needed. Let me know how your next batch goes. N x