Turkish Baklava with Honey (Printable)

Crisp phyllo layers, rich nuts, and aromatic honey syrup combine into a sweet Turkish classic.

# What You Need:

→ Nuts Filling

01 - 1 1/2 cups finely chopped walnuts
02 - 1 cup finely chopped pistachios
03 - 1/2 cup finely chopped almonds
04 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
05 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

→ Phyllo & Butter

06 - 1 pound phyllo dough, thawed
07 - 1 cup unsalted butter, melted

→ Honey Syrup

08 - 1 cup honey
09 - 1 cup water
10 - 1 cup granulated sugar
11 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
12 - 1 strip lemon zest
13 - 1 cinnamon stick

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter.
02 - In a bowl, mix walnuts, pistachios, almonds, 1/2 cup sugar, and cinnamon.
03 - Unroll phyllo dough and cover with a damp towel to prevent drying.
04 - Place one sheet of phyllo in the dish; brush with melted butter. Repeat until 8 sheets are layered and buttered.
05 - Sprinkle one third of the nut mixture evenly over the phyllo layers.
06 - Layer and butter 5 more sheets of phyllo, then sprinkle another third of the nut mixture.
07 - Repeat layering 5 more phyllo sheets and add the remaining nut mixture.
08 - Top with remaining 8 to 10 phyllo sheets, layering and buttering each sheet.
09 - Cut baklava into diamond or square shapes using a sharp knife.
10 - Bake for 45 minutes until golden brown and crisp.
11 - In a saucepan, combine honey, water, sugar, lemon juice, zest, and cinnamon stick. Bring to boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Remove zest and cinnamon stick; cool slightly.
12 - Immediately after baking, slowly pour warm syrup evenly over hot baklava.
13 - Allow baklava to cool completely, letting syrup absorb for at least 4 hours before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • That moment when warm syrup meets hot pastry and everything becomes impossibly crispy yet somehow tender at once.
  • The smell of cinnamon and honey filling your kitchen for hours afterward, clinging to your clothes and your hair.
  • It looks far more impressive than it actually is, making you seem like a dessert wizard to anyone who tries it.
02 -
  • Phyllo is temperamental but not impossible—the damp towel is your secret weapon, and it makes the difference between flaky layers and a crumbly disaster.
  • Pouring warm syrup over hot baklava isn't optional; it's the entire mechanism that transforms crispy pastry into something that feels indulgent and rich despite being technically just phyllo, nuts, and honey.
  • Cutting before baking solves more problems than it creates; waiting until after means broken pieces and frustration.
03 -
  • Room temperature butter brushes easier than cold, but melted butter soaks into phyllo more evenly—keep yours at a gentle warm temperature, not hot.
  • Cut baklava into pieces before baking, but leave them in the dish; they'll bake as one unit and then separate cleanly when you pour the syrup, avoiding any jagged edges.
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