This easy and traditional Greek baklava recipe is so quick and easy to make, and it is one of my favorite desserts.
Baklava is a rich and decadent dessert made with layers of filo (phyllo) dough pastry sheets filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with syrup or honey. This easy and classic Greek baklava recipe is finger-licking good!
Baklava is a very popular traditional dessert in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. But it is gaining popularity all over the world with its sweet, sticky, and decadent flavor.
Baklava is the perfect make-ahead dessert because it’s even better the next day! It is also perfect for the holidays or special occasions.
I grew up eating baklava. My family and most families we knew, made this delicate and mouthwatering dessert throughout the year as a sweet treat but especially around the holidays. There is not a Christmas or a New Year that I can remember, where baklava was not part of our holiday dinner menu.
For the longest time, I honestly was afraid of making this dessert. It seemed intimidating. So, I know what you are thinking…this sure looks complicated and very time-consuming to make, right? Nope. I promise you, this baklava recipe is quick and easy, and in no time, you will be a pro in making this amazing dessert.
This easy Greek baklava is also a great recipe to make with your kids. I made it recently with my daughter and she had a lot of fun layering and buttering the phyllo dough sheets and spreading the walnut mixture.
Why you will love this classic Baklava recipe
- Easy – believe it or not and you will see soon, baklava is very easy to make. A lot of people are intimidated by it but once you make it, you will see how easy it is to make baklava at home.
- Minimal ingredients needed – This classic homemade baklava recipe only calls for 7 ingredients, most of which you probably already have at home. This dessert is mostly about layers of phyllo dough, honey, walnuts, sugar, lemon, and spices to enhance the flavor.
- Make-ahead dessert – This is probably one of the best make-ahead desserts since it needs to actually sit for a little bit after it is made to allow the phyllo dough sheets to absorb the sweet and decadent syrup and for all the flavors to come together. Baklava gets better and better as each day goes by.
- Perfect dessert for the holidays or gatherings – Baklava is such a crowd-pleaser and a great dessert to bring to parties. Despite how easy it is to make it, everyone is going to be so impressed that you made baklava from scratch!
Ingredients
See the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
For the simple syrup:
- Water
- Sugar
- Honey
- Lemon juice
For the Baklava:
- Phyllo dough sheets
- Sugar
- Butter
- Walnuts
- Cinnamon
- Lemon zest (optional)
How to make this easy classic Greek baklava
Step 1. Make the filling – Place walnuts in a food processor and pulse about 10 times, until the walnuts are coarsely ground/ finely chopped. Add the cinnamon and toss to combine. Set aside.
Step 2. Prepare the phyllo dough sheets – Thaw your phyllo dough sheets if they are frozen. Unroll the phyllo sheets. As you work with the phyllo sheets, keep the stack covered with a damp paper towel so they don’t dry out while you’re working. You can also use plastic wrap to cover the stack. Keep in mind, the phyllo dough sheets are very thin and can be fragile. If you are having a hard time finding phyllo dough sheets in your grocery store, you can get them here.
Step 3. Assemble the baklava – Butter the bottom of a 9×13 pan very well. Melt the butter. Place 10 phyllo sheets into baking pan one at a time, brushing each sheet with butter once it is in the pan before adding the next (i.e. place phyllo sheet into pan, brush the top with butter, place next phyllo sheet in the pan, butter the top, etc.). Spread about 1/5 of the nut mixture (about 3/4 cup) over phyllo dough. Add 5 buttered sheets of phyllo, then another layer of nuts. Repeat this 4 times. Finish off with 10 layers of buttered phyllo sheets. Brush the very top with butter.
Here is the order:
10 buttered phyllo sheets, 3/4 cup nut mixture, 5 buttered phyllo sheets, 3/4 cup nut mixture, 5 buttered phyllo sheets, 3/4 cup nut mixture, 5 buttered phyllo sheets, 3/4 cup nut mixture, 5 buttered phyllo sheets, 3/4 cup nut mixture, then the last 10 buttered phyllo sheets, and butter the top.
Cut into 1 1/2″ wide strips, then cut diagonally to form diamond shapes. Bake at 325°F for 1 hour or until tops are golden brown.
Step 4. Make the syrup – While the baklava is baking, make the syrup. In a medium saucepan, combine 1.5 cups sugar, 1/2 cup honey, 2 Tbsp lemon juice, and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil over med/high heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then reduce heat to med/low and boil an additional 4 minutes without stirring. Let it cool.
Step 5. Once the baklava has finished cooking. remove it from the oven and immediately spoon the cooled syrup evenly over the hot baklava (you’ll hear it sizzle). This will ensure that it stays crisp rather than soggy. Let the baklava cool completely, uncovered and at room temperature.
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Easy Greek Baklava Recipe
Ingredients
- 16 oz phyllo dough thawed by package instructions
- 1 1/4 cups 10 oz unsalted butter or 2 1/2 sticks melted
- 1 lb. walnuts finely chopped (about 4 cups)
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1.5 cups granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice optional
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 cup honey
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F
- Thaw phyllo dough according to package instructions (this is best done overnight in the fridge, then place it on the counter for 1 hour before starting your recipe to bring it to room temperature)
- Pulse the walnuts about 10 times in a food processor until coarsely ground/ finely chopped.
- In a medium bowl, stir together: 4 cups finely chopped walnuts and 2 tsp cinnamon
- Melt the butter in the microwave on 30-second intervals. Use a pastry brush to brush butter onto the bottom and sides of a 9×13-inch baking pan. Line the phyllo dough sheets up with the length of the pan and feel free to cut off any excess at the end, usually, there’s an extra inch or so that can be removed
- Place 10 phyllo sheets into baking pan one at a time, brushing each sheet with butter once it’s in the pan before adding the next (i.e. place phyllo sheet into pan, brush the top with butter, place next phyllo sheet in the pan, butter the top, etc.). Keep remaining phyllo covered with a damp towel at all times. Spread about 1/5 of nut mixture (about 3/4 cup) over phyllo dough
- Add 5 buttered sheets of phyllo, then another layer of nuts
- Repeat this 4 times. Finish off with 10 layers of buttered phyllo sheets. Brush the very top with butter. Here is the order:10 buttered phyllo sheets, 3/4 cup nut mixture,5 buttered phyllo sheets, 3/4 cup nut mixture,5 buttered phyllo sheets, 3/4 cup nut mixture,5 buttered phyllo sheets, 3/4 cup nut mixture,5 buttered phyllo sheets, 3/4 cup nut mixture,10 buttered phyllo sheets, and butter the top
- Cut pastry into 1 1/2″ wide strips, then cut diagonally to form diamond shapes
- Bake at 350°F for 1 hour or until tops are golden brown
- While the baklava is baking, make the syrup. In a medium saucepan, combine 1.5 cups sugar, 1/2 cup honey, 2 Tbsp lemon juice, and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then reduce heat to medium-low and boil an additional 4 minutes stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let syrup cool
- Remove the baklava from the oven and immediately spoon the cooled syrup evenly over the hot baklava (you’ll hear it sizzle). This will ensure that it stays crisp rather than soggy. Let the baklava cool completely, uncovered and at room temperature.
- Serve and Enjoy!
