Turkish Baklava with Honey (Printable)

Layers of crisp phyllo and nuts glazed with honey syrup for a sweet Turkish delight.

# 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

# How-To:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish thoroughly.
02 - Mix walnuts, pistachios, almonds, 1/2 cup sugar, and ground cinnamon in a bowl. Set aside.
03 - Unroll phyllo dough and cover with a damp towel to prevent drying during assembly.
04 - Place one sheet of phyllo in the dish and brush with melted butter. Repeat this process to layer and butter 8 sheets total.
05 - Evenly sprinkle one-third of the nut mixture over the layered phyllo.
06 - Layer and butter 5 more phyllo sheets, then sprinkle the second third of the nut mixture evenly on top.
07 - Layer and butter another 5 phyllo sheets, then evenly distribute the final third of the nut mixture.
08 - Complete the top with approximately 8 to 10 remaining phyllo sheets, brushing each layer with melted butter.
09 - Using a sharp knife, cut the assembled layers into diamond or square shapes prior to baking.
10 - Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes until golden brown and crisp.
11 - Combine honey, water, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and cinnamon stick in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove zest and cinnamon stick and allow syrup to cool slightly.
12 - Immediately after removing baklava from the oven, pour the warm syrup slowly and evenly over the hot pastry to soak in.
13 - Allow the pastry to cool completely at room temperature for at least 4 hours before serving to enhance syrup absorption.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The moment you bite through that shattering phyllo crust into the buttery, nutty layers underneath is pure textural bliss.
  • One batch makes 24 pieces, so you can share it around and still have plenty left for midnight snacking with coffee.
  • It tastes even better the next day once the syrup has fully settled into every crevice.
02 -
  • The syrup must be warm (not hot, not room temperature) when it hits the hot baklava, or it won't soak in properly and you'll end up with a damp top layer and dry insides.
  • Phyllo dough dries out in seconds once it's exposed to air, so work quickly and keep it covered—this is the one thing that can derail the entire recipe.
  • Cutting before baking, not after, is non-negotiable; hot baklava will shatter under a knife and cold baklava will splinter.
03 -
  • Buy your phyllo from a store that rotates stock quickly; old phyllo is brittle and will break into shards no matter how careful you are.
  • If your phyllo tears while you're working, don't panic—just butter the torn piece and lay it down anyway; the overlaps get hidden and the butter holds everything together.
  • Make the syrup while the baklava is in the oven so everything is ready at the exact moment you need it, with no rushing or improvising.
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