Easy Greek Baklava Recipe

I’m sharing my Greek Baklava, layers of crisp phyllo filled with spiced walnuts and pistachios and soaked in fragrant honey-lemon syrup, a make-ahead dessert for special occasions.

I always thought baklava was fussy, but I made this Easy Baklava and now I get why everyone fights over the last piece. Thin, crackly phyllo pastry stacked with spiced walnuts gives it that perfect mix of crunch and chew, and yes it’s wildly addictive.

I bring this Greek Baklava to holidays because you can make it ahead and somehow it tastes better the next day, which is both a blessing and a curse. There’s a little twist that makes folks ask for the recipe, even though I never tell them my secret, haha.

You’ll want to try it.

Ingredients

• Phyllo pastry: Paper thin layers that bake crisp and give baklava its flaky texture.
• Walnuts: Earthy, slightly bitter nuts offering healthy fats, protein and a bit of fiber.
• Pistachios: Sweet green crunch for color and extra protein and heart healthy fats.
• Butter: Adds rich golden flavor and helps phyllo brown, mostly saturated fats though.
• Honey: Natural sweetener that soaks in, gives floral sweetness and sticky glossy finish.
• Lemon: Brightens the syrup with tang, balances sweetness and adds a fresh zip.
• Cinnamon and cloves: Warm spices lend depth and aroma, small amounts go a long way.
• Orange blossom water: A little perfume like floral note, use sparingly or youll overpower.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 (16 ounce) package phyllo pastry, thawed
• 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, melted
• 2 cups walnuts, finely chopped or pulsed
• 1 cup shelled pistachios, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• Zest of 1 lemon (about 1 teaspoon)
• 1 cup honey
• 1 cup granulated sugar for the syrup
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 whole cloves
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
• 1 tablespoon orange blossom water or rose water (optional)

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and butter a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Unroll the phyllo and keep it covered with a slightly damp towel so it does not dry out, it tears easy if it gets crunchy.

2. Pulse the walnuts and pistachios in a food processor until finely chopped but not powdered. Stir together the nuts with 1 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 4 teaspoon ground cloves, 1 4 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1 2 cup granulated sugar and the lemon zest. Set aside.

3. Melt the 1 1 2 cups unsalted butter in a small saucepan or microwave and keep it warm. You want it fluid so it soaks the phyllo evenly.

4. Lay 8 to 10 sheets of phyllo in the prepared pan, brushing each sheet lightly with melted butter as you go. Sprinkle about one third of the nut mixture evenly over the layered sheets. Repeat twice more using the remaining nuts between stacked phyllo groups, finishing with 8 to 10 buttered phyllo sheets on top. Press gently so the layers are compact.

5. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter score the top into diamond or square shapes, cutting all the way through to the bottom of the pan so it bakes and soaks evenly later.

6. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until the top is deep golden brown and crisp. If edges brown too fast tent loosely with foil, but try not to let the whole thing steam.

7. While it bakes make the syrup. Combine 1 cup honey, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 2 cup water, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1 cinnamon stick and the 3 whole cloves in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer 8 to 10 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract if using and 1 tablespoon orange blossom water or rose water if you like. Let the syrup cool to room temperature.

8. As soon as the baklava comes out of the oven pour the room temperature syrup evenly over the hot baklava so it sizzles and sinks in. Let it cool to room temperature uncovered, then cover and refrigerate or leave at room temp. It needs at least 4 hours but overnight is best so the syrup bonds and the flavors settle.

9. Garnish with extra chopped pistachios before serving. Cut along the pre scored lines again if needed and serve at room temperature. Store covered for up to 5 days, flavors actually get better after one day.

Equipment Needed

1. 9 x 13 inch baking pan
2. Pastry brush (for brushing melted butter)
3. Food processor or nut chopper
4. Sharp knife or pizza cutter (for scoring)
5. Small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl (to melt butter)
6. Medium saucepan (for the syrup)
7. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
8. Mixing bowls and a spatula or wooden spoon
9. Damp kitchen towel (to keep phyllo from drying out)

FAQ

Easy Greek Baklava Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Phyllo pastry: swap for store-bought puff pastry, using a few fewer layers and brushing with butter. It’ll be flakier and richer, but not as paper-thin.
• Walnuts: use pecans or almonds 1:1. Pecans give a sweeter, buttery taste, almonds add a cleaner crunch — both work fine.
• Honey (in the syrup): replace with pure maple syrup or light corn syrup 1:1. Maple gives a warm flavor, corn syrup keeps the syrup glossy and less likely to crystallize.
• Orange blossom water or rose water: substitute 1 teaspoon vanilla extract plus 1 teaspoon orange or lemon zest for a similar floral-citrus note if you don’t have the specialty waters.

Pro Tips

1) Keep the phyllo alive. Work fairly fast and keep the stack covered with a slightly damp towel so it dont dry and tear. Use warm melted butter thats fluid so it soaks evenly but not scorching hot, and brush each sheet lightly so you dont get greasy puddles.

2) Give the nuts texture and more flavor. Pulse them mostly fine but leave some little chunks for crunch, and toast them briefly to bring out the oils, then cool completely before mixing with the sugar or theyll steam and clump. Zest the lemon into the nut mix not the syrup so the citrus stays bright.

3) Nail the syrup timing and temp. The trick is room temp syrup on hot baklava so it sizzles and soaks in; syrup thats too hot will make it soggy and syrup thats stone cold wont absorb. Simmer until it just thickens and coats a spoon, strain out the stick and cloves, then stir in the floral water or vanilla off the heat.

4) Bake smart and let it rest. Score all the way through before baking so cutting is clean and syrup penetrates, rotate the pan once if your oven is uneven and tent edges with foil if they brown too fast. After pouring syrup cool uncovered until room temp then cover or refrigerate, it actually tastes better the next day.