Turkish Baklava with Honey (Printable)

Crisp layers of phyllo and nuts drenched in aromatic honey syrup create a beloved Turkish delicacy.

# What You'll 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

# Method:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish thoroughly.
02 - Mix chopped walnuts, pistachios, almonds, 1/2 cup sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl. Set aside.
03 - Unroll phyllo dough and keep covered with a damp towel. Layer one sheet into the prepared dish, brush with melted butter. Repeat for 8 sheets.
04 - Sprinkle one-third of the nut filling evenly over the buttered phyllo sheets.
05 - Layer and butter 5 more phyllo sheets, then add another third of the nuts. Repeat with 5 sheets and remaining nuts.
06 - Finish by layering and buttering 8 to 10 remaining phyllo sheets evenly over the nuts.
07 - Carefully cut the layered pastry into diamond or square pieces using a sharp knife.
08 - Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until golden and crisp.
09 - Combine honey, water, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and cinnamon stick in a saucepan. Bring to a boil then simmer for 10 minutes. Remove zest and cinnamon.
10 - Pour warm syrup slowly and evenly over the hot baklava immediately after baking.
11 - Allow baklava to cool completely for at least 4 hours to absorb syrup before serving.

# Expert Pointers:

01 -
  • The contrast between shattered-crisp phyllo and tender, nut-soaked layers is genuinely addictive.
  • That warm honey syrup poured over hot pastry creates a magic that tastes like patience paid off.
  • You'll have 24 pieces to share, which means you can actually give some away instead of hiding them in a drawer.
02 -
  • Phyllo tears easily when dry, so keep that damp towel over unused sheets—one second of air exposure can cost you.
  • Pouring the syrup over hot baklava, not cold baklava, is the difference between it soaking in beautifully and just sitting on top like it's too good for the pastry.
  • If your phyllo is still stiff after thawing, give it another hour at room temperature; forced phyllo cracks and ruins your whole afternoon.
03 -
  • Keep your pastry brush light and deliberate—you want each sheet buttered evenly, not drowning, which is the difference between crispy and greasy.
  • If phyllo breaks while you're layering, don't panic; just keep building, because the broken edges get sealed under butter and you'll never notice once it bakes.
  • Measure out your nut mixture before you start layering phyllo, because once you've got buttery hands, measuring becomes annoying.
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