This baklava recipe is drenched in hot honey which allows the layers of phyllo pastry to stay crisp, unlike the sugar syrup coated version of baklava.
I find this baklava recipe to be immensely more appealing because when made with a simple syrup (sugar and water), the beautifully thin layers of crisp pastry become soggy and wet.
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What is Baklava?
Baklava is a pastry created from layers of phyllo dough, chopped nuts and honey or a sugar syrup. It’s a dessert that comes from Middle Eastern, Greek, and Turkish cuisine, to name a few. It’s also delectable!
When we lived in North Hollywood, my Armenian neighbor used to bring us the sugar syrup topped baklava, and I just didn’t know how to tell her that we didn’t like it. We much preferred the honey walnut baklava recipe that I’d discovered. This recipe for baklava is the best baklava recipe, in my humble opinion.
How to Make this Baklava Recipe
There’s no mixer involved, and unless you try to make your own phyllo dough, it’s really just a layering process. Mix the nuts, cinnamon and sugar, which you sprinkle in between 5 layers of buttered phyllo dough. Then mark the slices with a knife, bake and pour on the hot honey! See, I told you it was an easy recipe for baklava.
I used to make this easy baklava recipe frequently before I had children. After my daughter was born, I continued making baklava until I found out that she was severely allergic to tree nuts. Since she’s now studying at St Andrews, she’s far enough away from home for me to make it again!
You may also enjoy this nut topped coffee cake
It turned out as wonderful as I remember. Just be sure to use good quality, fresh nuts. If you would like, you can mix up the nuts a bit, too. I was 4 ounces short of a pound of walnuts, so I added pecans. If you think working with phyllo dough (filo dough) is a daunting task, it really isn’t. Just trim the dough to the size of the pan and keep it covered with a damp cloth.
Baklava Recipe
slightly adapted from a Good Housekeeping recipe makes 24 pieced
FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW
Ingredients
- 454 g (4 cups) finely chopped walnuts and/or pecans (or your choice of tree nuts)
- 70 g (1/3 cup) sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 1lb (454 g) package of phyllo dough (thawed)
- 200 g (1 3/4 sticks butter), melted
- 340 g jar of honey
Special equipment: 9″ x 13″ pan (23 cm x 33 cm) and a pastry brush
Make the Baklava Filling
Stir the nuts, sugar and cinnamon together in a large bowl and set aside.
Start Layering the Pastry
Remove the phyllo dough from the package and unroll on the counter. Trim to 9″ x 13″ (23 cm x 33 cm) and cover with a damp cloth.
Brush the bottom of the pan with melted butter and place a sheet of phyllo dough into the pan. Next, carefully brush melted butter onto the sheet of pastry and top with another sheet. Butter and repeat until you’ve used 5 sheets of phyllo dough.
Assemble the Baklava Recipe
Divide the nuts mixture into 3 equal portions and sprinkle one third over the pastry layers in the pan.
Repeat with butter and pastry sheets again; top with nuts.
Then one last time with 5 more sheets of phyllo pastry and butter.
Using a sharp knife, cut halfway through the layers (lengthwise into 3, and crosswise into 4). Next cut each piece in half, diagonally to end up with 24 pieces total.
Bake the Baklava
Bake in 300°F oven for about 1 1/2 hours or until top is golden brown. Remove from oven.
Heat honey until hot, then spoon over the baklava as soon as it comes out of the oven.
Allow to cool in tray on cooling rack. Keep at room temperature, covered with aluminum foil.
To serve, cut all the way through the layers to remove the pieces from the pan. Finally, you can eat a piece! Take a sweet bite of the crispy decadence and you’ll agree; this is the best baklava recipe, ever!
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Baklava Recipe
Easy step by step instructions to give you the most crunchy and delicious baklava you've ever tasted.
Ingredients
- 454 g (4 cups) finely chopped walnuts and/or pecans (or your choice of tree nuts)
- 70 g (1/3 cup) sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 1lb (454 g) package of phyllo dough (thawed)
- 200 g (1 3/4 sticks butter), melted
- 340 g jar of honey
Instructions
- Stir the nuts, sugar and cinnamon together in a large bowl and set aside.
- Remove the phyllo dough from the package and unroll on the counter. Trim to 9" x 13" (23 cm x 33 cm) and cover with a damp cloth.
- Brush the bottom of the pan with melted butter and place a sheet of phyllo dough into the pan. Carefully brush melted butter onto the sheet of pastry and top with another sheet. Butter and repeat until you've used 5 sheets of phyllo dough.
- Divide the nuts mixture into 3 equal portions and sprinkle one third over the pastry layers in the pan.
- Repeat the pastry and buttering process with 5 more sheets of phyllo dough, and top with another third of the nuts.
- Repeat with butter and pastry sheets again; top with nuts, then one last time with 5 more sheets of pastry and butter.
- Using a sharp knife, cut halfway through the layers (lengthwise into 3, and crosswise into 4). Next cut each piece in half, diagonally to end up with 24 pieces total.
- Bake in 300°F (150°C) oven for about 1 1/2 hours or until top is golden brown. Remove from oven.
- Heat honey until hot, then spoon over hot baklava as soon as it comes out of the oven. Allow to cool in tray on cooling rack. Keep at room temperature, covered with aluminum foil.
- To serve, cut all the way through the layers to remove the pieces from the pan.
Oven temp: 300°F (150°C)
Notes
Special equipment: 9" x 13" pan (23 cm x 33 cm) and a pastry brush
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1 pieceAmount Per Serving: Calories: 192Total Fat: 12gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 2.5g
I have been making Bakalava for many years and one hint to keeping it crispy is to drain off as much butter as you can before pouring on the hot syrup. Simply place a cookie sheet over the dish, leave one corner open and with hot pads, tilt the dish until much of the fat runs out. Saves a few extra calories also.
I’ve never made baklava that wasn’t crispy as I always use this recipe. Also, there is no butter to drain in this recipe, Juley. I would simply use less butter if you’re throwing it away after it’s baked. I’d encourage you to try this recipe as I’d love to know what you think.
I have just one question…lol. I was just wondering after you do the first 5 layers of phyllo and butter, on the 5th do you put butter on it too before the nut mix or just straight to the nuts? Please help! Lol. Making this for the first time and super excited about it! Thank you for sharing all your recipes with us! I really appreciate it. You’re Ah-maz-ing!
You are so sweet, Amber! Thank you!
Yes, brush the 5th layer with butter then top with nuts and repeat :) Let me know how it turns out! Enjoy!
My main concern with this recipe is immediately pouring the hot honey on the baklava as soon as it comes out of the oven, because I have heard from other recipes rlto wait till it completely cools before doing this to avoid it getting soggy, and also to avoid covering it with foil while it cools. Any thoughts on this, and how does it turn out crispy with this recipe?? Thanks
Hi Amira, you are most likely new to my site, but if you get to know me, you’ll trust my recipes. I don’t give out recipes with instructions that don’t work. Many other bloggers are copying from each other and some don’t even know the basics of cooking/baking and are giving incorrect advice. I know of one Italian recipe that is completely wrong, and my theory is proven because 99% of bloggers and recipe sites have the same recipe!
To me, I don’t care what’s going on on other sites, I’m working in my kitchen and sharing recipes I make and love with my readers. So, all I can tell you is that pouring the hot honey on does NOT make it soggy. I also don’t know the science behind why it turns out crispy, but it does. I’ve made this lots of times and never had a soggy result.
Now it’s up to you to decide which recipe to use. Have a good weekend!
Made this recipe and Christina your recipes always work. And they’re good. What a brilliant baklava and it turned out exactly as you said. On the mark. And the honey is totally the way to do it. Crisp and utterly delicious. I used organic avocado blossom honey as that’s what I had in the kitchen. It added a very interesting dimension. Next time I’ll use orange blossom honey. Used 1/4 cashews and 3/4 walnuts. Delicious. Thank you for sharing this fantastic recipe. Mo.
Oh thank you so much, Mo! Love to hear it. I love your choice of hone and combination of nuts! Now I want baklava! (would you mind clicking on the star rating above the PRINT button in the recipe card above? if it’s not a bother) Thank you, again!
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Hi
You mention 1lb of walnuts(4 cups) however, 1lb is 16 oz so 2 cups? I this correct?
Thanks
No this is not correct and exactly the reason I advise the use of a kitchen scale. You are mixing up weight and volume. Please use either 1 lb of nuts or 4 cups of nuts, but I IMPLORE YOU to invest in a kitchen scale for baking. They are very inexpensive and you won’t regret it. :)
I love Baklava so much. My family not so much. SO whenever I have the “want” to get some I go to the weekend art and food market to grab some. I will try this, but pretty sure it won’t come out how great it looks here!
It looks pretty complicated, but it is really quite easy to make, Bee! Enjoy!
I was looking for baklava made with honey that could be shipped to my sister for her birthday but will send her the recipes so she can try to make them herself.
Better get her another present, then! Haha! Sounds good, Mary! :)