Greek Baklava with Honey Syrup (Printable)

Buttery phyllo layers with spiced nuts, soaked in fragrant honey syrup for a classic Greek dessert.

# What goes in:

→ Nut Filling

01 - 7 oz walnuts, finely chopped
02 - 3.5 oz pistachios, finely chopped
03 - 1.75 oz almonds, finely chopped
04 - 2 tsp ground cinnamon
05 - 1/4 tsp ground cloves
06 - 2 tbsp granulated sugar

→ Pastry

07 - 14 oz phyllo dough (about 20 sheets), thawed if frozen
08 - 7 oz unsalted butter, melted

→ Honey Syrup

09 - 9 oz granulated sugar
10 - 3/4 cup water
11 - 6.5 oz honey
12 - 1 cinnamon stick
13 - 3 strips lemon peel

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 340°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with a little melted butter.
02 - In a bowl, combine all ingredients for the nut filling: walnuts, pistachios, almonds, cinnamon, cloves, and sugar. Mix well.
03 - Unroll the phyllo dough and cover with a lightly damp cloth to prevent drying out.
04 - Place one sheet of phyllo in the baking dish and brush lightly with melted butter. Repeat with 7 more sheets, brushing each layer with butter (total 8 sheets).
05 - Sprinkle 1/3 of the nut mixture evenly over the phyllo.
06 - Add 4 more sheets of phyllo, brushing each with butter. Sprinkle another 1/3 of the nut mixture.
07 - Add another 4 sheets of phyllo, each brushed with butter. Sprinkle remaining nut mixture.
08 - Finish with the remaining 4 sheets of phyllo, each brushed with butter. Brush the top generously.
09 - Using a sharp knife, cut the assembled baklava into diamond or square shapes.
10 - Bake for 45–50 minutes, until golden and crisp.
11 - While baklava bakes, prepare the syrup: Combine sugar, water, honey, cinnamon stick, and lemon peel in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly; discard cinnamon stick and lemon peel.
12 - As soon as baklava comes out of the oven, slowly pour the warm syrup evenly over it. Allow to cool completely before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The contrast between shatteringly crisp phyllo and syrup soaked layers is pure magic
  • One batch fills your kitchen with the most incredible cinnamon honey aroma for hours
  • It keeps beautifully for days and actually tastes better on day two when the syrup has fully absorbed
02 -
  • Hot baklava needs warm syrup, cold syrup will make the butter seize and you will lose that perfect crisp tender texture
  • Cutting through all the layers before baking is non negotiable, trying to cut after the syrup has been added creates a crumbled mess
  • Room temperature butter works better than melted straight from the fridge, it brushes more evenly and coats every delicate layer
03 -
  • Use a pastry brush with natural bristles instead of silicone, they hold more butter and distribute it more evenly
  • Cut your diamonds or squares completely through to the bottom of the pan before baking, this ensures clean portions and proper syrup absorption
  • The baklava is ready when the top is deep golden brown, pale baklava never crisps properly no matter how long it cools

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