Greek Baklava Recipe - About A Mom

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Greek Baklava Recipe

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Baklava is amazing. It’s a nut lovers dream and has long been a baking fantasy of mine. I am pretty well known for my holiday baking. You know, the usual chocolate crinkle cookies, pecan tassies, buckeyes, and snowballs. But year after year I stop into my local bulk foods store and pick up a giant tray. I have always been a little intimidated by this dessert with it’s layer upon layer of walnuts, honey, and buttery flaky goodness. Finally, I attempted a Baklava recipe for the very first time and it turned out wonderful.

Baklava is such a wonderful, decadent dessert. This classic Greek Baklava recipe is finger licking good.

Why on earth was I so afraid of making Baklava?

It turns out that it isn’t so difficult to make after all. It is a bit time consuming, but easy peasy. Did you know that Baklava is a classic Greek pastry? It has layers of buttered phyllo dough and walnuts or pistachios, that are soaked in a honey based syrup. Sounds pretty amazing, right? The nuts are the star of this dish so it’s important that any Baklava recipe is made with very good nuts. Traditionally, Baklava is prepared with either walnuts, pistachios, or even hazelnuts. I decided to make this first pan with Walnuts, although I plan to make this again closer to the holidays to try the pistachio version. I will let you know how that turns out.

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Baklava is such a wonderful, decadent dessert. This classic Greek Baklava recipe is finger licking good.

I searched the web for Baklava recipes and found little to no variation in them. I ended up using a combination of recipes from Michael Symon, Allrecipes, and The Pioneer Woman. This is what I came up with…

To make Baklava you need a box of phyllo dough. It’s sold in frozen packages. Take it out of the freezer and place it in the fridge about 24 hours before you plan to use it. Then an hour before you are ready to start baking, take it out of the refrigerator and let it rest on the counter. Spanakopita, also known as Greek Spinach Pie, is another great recipe that uses phyllo dough.

When you are ready to make the Baklava, place your chopped walnuts or pistachios into a bowl, sprinkle them with a teaspoon of cinnamon, and toss to combine.

Make sure your 9 inch by 13 inch pan is very generously greased with butter. Lots of butter. While you have the butter out, go ahead and melt some. You will need a lot of melted butter to brush over the phyllo sheets.

BBaklava is such a wonderful, decadent dessert. This classic Greek Baklava recipe is finger licking good.

Tip: Phyllo dough dries out very quickly. Take out a couple sheets at a time to work with, and keep the rest on a cookie sheet covered with a piece of plastic wrap and a damp kitchen towel. You will want to work fast while assembling the Baklava, so your dough does not dry out.

Make sure the phyllo sheets fit into the bottom of your pan. If the sheets are to large for your pan, be sure to trim them down so they lay flat. Then you start brushing on the melted butter.

Start out by brushing melted butter onto the top of the first two phyllo sheets you’ve pulled out. Once covered in butter, take those first two sheets and place them into the bottom of your pan butter side down. Repeat this process with 2 more sheets, then 2 more sheets again until you have a total of 6 sheets in the bottom of your pan.

Brush the top sheet with butter, and sprinkle about 1/4 of your nut mixture over top.

Baklava is such a wonderful, decadent dessert. This classic Greek Baklava recipe is finger licking good.

Like you did in the beginning, take your next two sheets of phyllo and brush the top with butter. Place butter side down on top of the nut layer.

Brush the top with butter, then sprinkle on another layer of nuts. Repeat this another two times using 1/4 of your nuts for each layer.

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Remember in the beginning when you had 3 layers of just phyllo, 2 sheets per layer, and buttering between each layer? You’re going to do this again, but on top of the nut layers you just placed.

That’s it for the layers. Brush the top with more melted butter, and with a very sharp knife cut from one corner to the next. Continue to cute diagonally across, and then in the reverse direction until you have diamond shaped pieces like in my picture below.

Baklava is such a wonderful, decadent dessert. This classic Greek Baklava recipe is finger licking good.

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Place the pan in a preheated 350 degree oven and bake for about 45 minutes, until it is browned and crisp. If it starts getting too dark too quickly, loosely cover with a piece of foil and remove for the last few minutes of baking. My oven has been running hot, so I had to do this.

While the Baklava is in the oven, you’ll make your sauce as directed below in the recipe. As soon as you pull the Baklava out of the oven, start pouring over the sauce. I found this easiest to do with a ladle. This honey sauce is wonderfully sticky and delicious. I had some left over sauce, so it’s okay if you don’t use it all.

Baklava is such a wonderful, decadent dessert. This classic Greek Baklava recipe is finger licking good.

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It’s important that you let the Baklava sit for 3 to 4 hours to soak in all the wonderful sauce. This was absolute torture for me and my daughter on the day that we made this. But it was worth every single minute.

Baklava Recipe

Baklava is such a wonderful, decadent dessert. This classic Greek Baklava recipe is finger licking good.
Print

Baklava Recipe

Prep

Cook

Total

Yield 24 portions

Baklava is such a wonderful, decadent dessert. This classic Greek Baklava recipe is finger licking good.

Ingredients

  • 1 package Phyllo Dough
  • 1 pound Diamond Chopped Walnuts Or Pistachios
  • 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
  • 1-1/2 stick Butter, Melted
  • 2 cups Honey
  • 1/2 cup Water
  • 1/2 cup Sugar
  • 3 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

Instructions

  1. Remove phyllo dough package from freezer and place in the fridge for 24 hours to thaw. Remove from fridge approximately 1 hour before using.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F when you are ready to start making the Baklava. Generously butter a rectangle baking pan.
  3. Keep phyllo dough on a baking sheet covered in a piece of plastic wrap and a damp cloth. It will dry out quickly, so only pull out what you need. Make sure dough will lay flat in the bottom of the pan, and trim if necessary.
  4. In a bowl, toss together your nuts and cinnamon.
  5. Take out two sheets of phyllo. Butter the top sheet of dough with melted butter, then pick up both sheets, the buttered and unbuttered sheet below it. Place into the bottom of the pan, buttered sheet facing down. Press lightly into the pan. Repeat this process twice more, so that you have six sheets of phyllo in the pan, three of the sheets buttered.
  6. Sprinkle on 1/4 of the walnuts to make a single layer. Butter the top of two sheets of phyllo and place them on top of the walnuts, buttered side face down. Add more walnuts, then two more buttered phyllo sheets. Repeat this two more times, or until you’re out of walnuts.
  7. Just like the bottom sheets in the pan, top with 6 more buttered phyllo sheets. Brush butter over the top. Using a sharp knife, cut a diagonal diamond pattern in the baklava.
  8. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
  9. While the baklava is baking, combine 1 stick of the butter, honey, water, sugar, and vanilla in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.
  10. As soon as you remove the baklava from the oven, drizzle half the saucepan evenly all over the top. Allow it to sit and absorb for a few minutes, then drizzle on more until you think it’s thoroughly moistened. It’s okay if you have some of the honey mixture leftover. You want it to be sufficiently drenched, but not drowning in sauce. As the baklava sits, it will soak in all that delicious goodness.
  11. This is the hard part. Allow the baklava to cool completely, and rest for several hours to soak in the syrup.
  12. Get prepared for some sticky fingers!

Courses Dessert

Cuisine Greek

If you like this recipe, please Pin It and share it with your friends!

Baklava is such a wonderful, decadent dessert. This classic Greek Baklava recipe is finger licking good.

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Comments

    • Thank you thank you I had lost this recipe. A trick I learned from a Greek baker put the baklava in the freezer before adding the syrup the colder the baklava the better it will absorb the syrup

      Reply

    • Well, I never made it before either, but tried it tonight. My phyllo dough came out of the package all rumpled up and folded under itself. It wouldn’t come apart in 2 sheets, but 3 or 4, and it tore up even though I had it covered with the plastic and wet towel. Probably a bad batch:( Anyway, I went on and tried this out. I put in dried cranberries and raisins along with the nuts. I had trouble cutting it into diamonds. It kept sticking to the knife, my fingers and who knows how, but I got it on my sock:( It doesn’t look as nice as the picture, but I think it will be o.k. I know I will get better with practice, and I’m not giving up until it looks perfect, or at least better. If I can do it, you guys can too. Give it a go, it was fun!

      Reply

      • It does sound like you had a not so good batch of phyllo. So glad you tried this recipe though. Turns out it’s not as difficult as you would initially think. I bet your next batch is perfect!!!

        Reply

      • Sometimes you get a bad batch of dough. Or maybe you kept it too damp. When cutting the dough if your knife starts sticking dab more melted butter on it. Also to get the true diamond cut pattern, do the vertical cuts as shown. To do diagonal cuts start at the center of one side and cut to the corner of the opposite side. I also get more pieces that way.

        Reply

      • When cutting the baklava before baking only score the top layer of dough. Do not cut all the way through to bottom of pan. Prior to baking dip your fingers in plain water and sprinkle the top before baking. This will help keep edges from curling up. After cooking syrup let it cool before pouring onto baked “hot” pastry. This will keep it from becoming soggy. I prefer pistachios to walnuts. This might be a regional preference as I learned from a Turkish gentleman.

        Reply

    • It is very easy. Patience for the phyllo pastry and the rest is simple.
      I let my girls make it. They are 8 and 9 now, and extremely efficient at making it. I do the heating the sauce part but I try to stay out of their way, lol.

      Reply

    • Come on April! Everyone can bake, some just better than others, but you can do it! Roll up your sleeves and get in there and try it out. Sure, like when I started baking, it wasn’t pretty, but my son pointed out “Are you going to marry it or eat it?” So, we sat down to eat an ugly cake and it was pretty good, and with practice, I got better. You just have to take that first step. Now, get in that kitchen and don’t be afraid. The only thing I would suggest you do, is have a sink of hot soapy water so you can wash things as you go along. Other than that, try it, you’ll like it ~ and I bet you will be just fine. Heck, it just may be your hidden talent!

      Reply

      • Can you get the Phyllo in Canada? Doesn’t sound familier here in Windsor Ontario. I can’t find it. Do I have to go stateside and get at a Walmart?

        Reply

  7. this one of my most sinful guilty pleasures but never ever considered making. This looks like so doable. Great idea to try for the holidays.

    Reply

  12. I love Baklava – I used to have friends who would make it special for me. I have never tried to make it myself. I will pin this and try it – maybe – lol. Looks so good! 🙂

    Reply

  13. Wow, your baklava looks amazing. I’m glad you gave it a try and I’m waiting for you to bring me some. I always thought it was challenging to make as well but I do enjoy it!

    Reply

  18. The baklava looks like it should be in a bakery. Yum! I’m always intimidated by any recipe that calls for Phyllo dough. I don’t know why. You did great– Wish I could taste it!

    Reply

  24. Oh my! You make it look easy. I have always been intimidated by this dish. I might just give it another try. Thanks!

    Reply

  25. I’m not sure I have a fantasy dessert, there are some I havent’ tried, like streudel. You really took the spookiness out of making baklava, now I do want to make it. I want to buy the freshest butter, the most top organic honey and great nuts – I’m thinking almonds b/c pistachios are so expensive, and I make so many walnut recipes already I want something different. I’ve never used phyllo before! Even though I consider myself an ‘experienced’ baker, I guess we can get in a rut – time to try something different – it looks soooooo good! Great for a holiday. I bet the pistachio will be a big hit.

    Reply

  26. This is one of my fave desserts. Thanks for showing me how to make it. I was afraid to make it as well because it seemed challenging.

    Reply

  29. Really? This is your first time making Baklava? That looks drop dead amazing! I totally LOVE Baklava and haven’t had it in ages. I need to try this for the holidays, thanks!

    Reply

  33. Ohhh my! Never made Baklava, never tried it, but this looks scrumptious! Gonna have to try some at a bakery and make some too!

    Reply

  36. i love baklava and your recipe sounds really good, i bet making it with hazelnuts is good too. a friend of mine makes baklava and she also said that it isnt as hard as it seems and that you do have to work fast because of the phyllo. thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  38. That looks very tasty! It looks like something I would definitely mess up. I am not the best baker 🙁 I’ll have to let someone else make this for me!

    Reply

  45. I LOVE Baklava, but I’ve never made it myself before. I’m not that great with using phyllo dough (I’ve wrecked more than one apple strudel in my life time!)

    Reply

  50. Baklava is a recipe that scares me simply due to the complexity of the entire baking process. You honestly made it look easier than expected and it looks beyond delicious!

    Reply

  53. Mmm… Baklava looks so good. I have eaten it a few time ( it was expensive to buy) but I dont recall ever seeing a recipe for it. I am surely going to try making it . thanks so much for the recipe and pictures

    Reply

  57. I have always wanted to make Baklava, but was scared of all those sheets too, you make it look easy, maybe I’ll give it a try. My mom makes it all the time, she can do it with her eyes close, lol! 🙂

    Reply

  59. Oh my gosh. You really nailed it with that last photo! For me (being short on patience and not an “exact measurer”, I think I’ll leave the making of baklava to others. One of my favorite restaurants makes good Baklava. And now I wish I had a piece (or three 🙂

    Reply

  62. Baklava is my all time fav dessert! I never thought of tackling the task of making it myself, as I thought it would be to difficult. After reading your experience…I think I am going to give it a try! Thank you so much for sharing!!

    Reply

  70. I made this once about 25 years ago. I think I ate most of the pan and gained around 20 pounds! But Oh, it was sooooo good! And I loved every bite….lesson learned….SHARE!

    Reply

  71. Looks amazing, can’t wait to try it. Just want to say that baklava was a recipe the Greeks adopted but it was originally an Arabic dessert.

    Reply

  72. This is one of my all time favorite desserts and I too have been intimidated on making it. Yours looks amazing but I think this is one dessert I will leave to the bakery.

    Reply

  73. I used to make it frequently and learned a trick to keeping the bottom layer from getting soggy in the syrup. Make your cuts only part way down. In one direction cut through only the top layer of phyllo. In another direction cut through the top TWO layers. That allows the syrup to soak up the top layers of nuts before it works its way through to the bottom of the pan. Do NOT cut through the bottom layer at all untill after it has cooled and set up for the resting time. The bottom remains crisp and flaky.

    Reply

  74. I worked at the local hospital and I always made this dessert or banana bread for my friends in the emergency room. The doctors and nurses loved it. I have always used the diamond brand, it is the freshest and most tasty nuts. I have never found shells in any of the nuts. Thank you for this recipe it is very close to the one I have. Mine was given to me by a friend who was greek. Thank you. This is a fabulous desert made with wonderful nuts.

    Reply

  77. I will be doing this recipe – similar to what I’ve done in the past but lost my recipe. One thing I did learn is be very careful pouring the honey sauce right after pulling out the baklava – it could burn it if too hot. I pour the sauce (boiling) over the baklava and burnt it. Still tasted good though. This will make great gifts for Christmas!
    Thank You…

    Reply

  80. I am going to try this recipe this weekend and take it to a gathering of friends who are celebrating Greek Easter. Thank you for sharing this recipe–I’ve always thought baklava was more complicated than this, but you’ve made it seem easy.
    By the way, my baking fantasy is madeleines–the delicious cake-like cookie. I tried to make them once, and it was a disaster. I’m working up the courage to try again.

    Reply

  82. This looks amazing! I love baklava, I got my husband hooked on it too; though we prefer ours with pistachios. 🙂 What would be the best way to store this? And does it ship well?

    Reply

  83. this receipe is the closest one I have seen to the real one, it really is easy to make guys, just expect to take your time.

    Reply

  84. My Armenian mother made Paklava, the Armenian name for it. It was delicious!! Her mother made hers from scratch, even the phylo dough.

    Reply

  85. One of our forklift drivers was Greek and he introduced me to Baklava and then brought me some every time his wife made it. He gave me the recipe for it but by the time I had time to go down to the Greek store to get all the ingredients I had lost the recipe.

    Reply

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