This Baklava is heavenly! It features flaky layers of pastry with toasted nuts, soaked in juicy syrup and infused with fragrant aromas of rose water, cardamom, and ghee. It's not overly sweet and has a unique flavor. I'll be sharing two ways to make it.
Baklava With a Difference
Baklava, a flaky pastry filled with chopped nuts and soaked in syrup, is a popular dessert in the countries that were part of the former Ottoman empire, spanning the Middle East to Mediterranean, Balkans, and Caucasus. Like the date cookies — maamoul.
This Persian-style baklava though stands out from the more common versions because of its uniquely fragrant flavor. After years of experimenting, I’ve perfected a method to keep the pastry crisp and syrup juicy for longer. Baklava may seem daunting, but it only takes me half an hour to make.
Why You'll Love This Baklava
- Special Flavor and Taste: The blend of rose water, cardamom, and ghee creates an unforgettable flavor, similar to our popular Persian love cake.
- Tips and Easy Option: I'll also share a quick 10-minute assembly option for making it, along with tips for handling phyllo dough.
- Variations: Suggestions for dietary variations.
Key Ingredient Notes
- Phyllo dough shopping: Choose a popular brand from a store with a high turnover rate, such as Walmart or a well-maintained Middle Eastern store in the US. This ensures the dough will be in good quality.
- Phyllo dough options: It is available in two sizes: 17 x 12 inch (24-28 sheets) or 9 x 14 inch (40 sheets in two rolls). You can trim the 17 x 12 sheets to fit a 17 x 12 baking sheet. If using 9 x 14 sheets, use additional layers in a 9 x 13 pan.
- Nuts: I prefer a combination of walnuts (soft bite) and almonds or pistachios (firm bite), evenly and finely chopped using the pulse action on a food processor or hand chopping. But don’t make it a powder.
- Ghee or Clarified Butter (check recipe notes section): Ghee has a higher smoke point and imparts a rich flavor to the baklava. Regular butter has over 15% water, can cause uneven baking and can leave brown specks from the milk solids on the baklava.
- Sweetener: I use sugar with some honey to make the syrup. Healthier options are below under “variations”.
- Flavors: Freshly ground cardamom, rose water and ghee are key to the unique taste. Buy rose water online or at Middle Eastern stores. Grind cardamom seeds fresh for best flavor. The aroma is intense, so start with less if you are not sure.
- Lemon Juice: This helps prevent crystallization, and keeps the syrup juicy for weeks. You can also use corn syrup for this purpose.
Step by Step Visual Overview
Here are step-by-step photos showing how to make baklava. Full printable recipe with measurements are below at the end of the blog post.
- Prep: Thaw phyllo dough. Make ghee from butter.
- Make Syrup: Combine sugar, water, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, stir until sugar dissolves, and simmer. Add honey and simmer. Remove from heat, add rose water, and let cool.
- Nut Mixture: Finely chop the nuts, mix with sugar and cardamom.
- Assemble the Pastry: Layer 10 phyllo sheets in a baking dish at the bottom, half of the nut mixture, another 6 sheets in the middle, the remaining nut mixture, and 12 sheets on top. Brush each layer with ghee.
- Bake: Cut into diamond shapes and bake at 325°F for 1 hour 15 minutes.
- Serve: Remove from oven and pour cooled syrup over hot baklava. Let it soak overnight. Top with pistachios and cut again before serving.
Quick Baklava Method
- For this easy baklava we don't brush each phyllo sheet with ghee. This method produces good baklava, but the traditional method gives superior results.
- Place 12 phyllo sheets in the baking sheet, spread nut mixture, top with remaining 16 sheets, and cut into diamond shapes. Drizzle melted ghee evenly and swirl the pan. Bake and pour syrup over baklava.
Top Tips
- Let phyllo thaw at room temperature and keep it sealed until use. Have all ingredients ready before starting. Make sure the phyllo sheets separate easily before assembly.
- Brush the edges of the phyllo first, working toward the center to prevent cracking. Use torn sheets in the middle layers and save the best for the top. Gently press down each sheet before brushing with ghee to compress and even out any air spaces.
- To help the sheets cling and make cutting easier, drizzle a thin layer of honey over the nuts before placing a phyllo sheet and pressing down gently. Refrigerate or briefly freeze the assembled baklava to make slicing easier.
- Avoid deep baking dishes for better heat distribution. Keep an eye on the time and temperature to ensure the phyllo layers are baked through while preventing the nuts from burning.
- The cooled syrup should be of a consistency that is between honey and maple syrup, sticky enough to hold the phyllo layers together. To prevent sogginess, don’t pour hot syrup on hot baklava. Either the syrup or the baklava should be cooled.
More Middle Eastern Desserts
- Ranginak (Date Walnut Dessert)
- Nan-e Nokhodchi (Chickpea Cookies)
- Chia Muhallebi (Milk Pudding With Pistachios)
★ DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? PLEASE COMMENT AND GIVE IT A STAR RATING BELOW!
Baklava Recipe (Persian Style)
This heavenly baklava features flaky phyllo, toasted nuts, aromatic ghee and a fragrant syrup infused with rose water, and cardamom. It's uniquely flavored and not overly sweet. I'll also share a quicker method in the recipe notes section.
Course :Dessert
Cuisine :Middle Eastern
Servings: 70 pieces
Calories: 126kcal
Ingredients
Pastry
- 16 oz phyllo dough thawed, follow package instructions
- 1½ cups ghee or clarified unsalted butter, 12 oz, see notes
Filling
- ⅔ lb walnuts finely chopped
- ⅔ lb almonds pistachios, or both, finely chopped
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cardamom freshly ground from seeds
Syrup
- 1½ cups sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons rosewater
Equipment
Instructions
Prepare Phyllo
- Thaw phyllo dough according to package instructions. I thaw it overnight in the fridge, then leave it on the counter for 2 hours to reach room temperature.
- My phyllo dough had 28 sheets that measured 17 x 12, which can fit a 17 x 12-inch baking sheet or be trimmed to fit. If using 9 x 14 sheets, just make more layers in a 9 x 13-inch pan, and avoid using deep baking dishes.
Make Syrup
- In a medium saucepan, combine 1½ cups sugar, 1 cup water, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to low-medium and simmer for 5 minutes, without stirring. Add honey and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat, add rose water, and cool to room temperature. The consistency of cooled syrup should be between that of honey and maple syrup.
Pre-Assembly Tips
- Keep the ghee melted at all times, and warm it up gently if it thickens. Unroll the phyllo dough and place the stack of sheets between two kitchen towels. We will layer baklava in the following order: 10 sheets at the bottom, ½ of the nut mixture, 6 sheets in the middle, ½ of the nut mixture, and 12 sheets on top.
Assemble the Baklava (Quicker Method In Notes)
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- In a food processor, pulse walnuts a few times, until finely chopped. Repeat with almonds. Chop larger pieces by hand. In a mixing bowl, combine chopped nuts with ¼ cup sugar and 2 teaspoons ground cardamom.
- Brush the bottom and sides of the baking sheet with melted ghee. Place one phyllo sheet in the pan and brush with ghee evenly. Repeat this process with 9 more phyllo sheets. Spread half the nut filling evenly over the phyllo sheets.
- Add 6 more phyllo sheets, gently pressing down each sheet and then brushing with ghee. Spread the remaining nut mixture evenly. Top with remaining 12 phyllo sheets, gently pressing down and brushing each with ghee.
- Using a sharp knife, cut the pastry into 2-inch strips, and then cut across diagonally to create diamonds shapes. Drizzle extra ghee on top.
Bake and Serve
- Bake the baklava in center of the oven at 325°F for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until golden brown on top.
- Remove from the oven and pour cooled syrup evenly over hot baklava, and let it soak uncovered at room temperature until completely cool. Let rest for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Garnish with ground pistachios and cut again before serving. Store at room temperature, lightly covered with a lid ajar.
Notes
- Quick Baklava: Butter baking sheet, layer 12 phyllo sheets, then spread nut mixture and top with remaining 16 sheets. Cut into diamond shapes, drizzle melted ghee evenly over the pastry and swirl it a bit. Bake and pour syrup as in recipe above.
- Ghee: Melt 1 lb of unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir often and let the foam subside. The milk solids will settle at the bottom and turn toasty brown with a nutty aroma. Be careful not to burn them. Strain the golden liquid through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a small saucepan.
- The order of baklava layers: You can have more baklava layers if desired, such as 8+6+6+6+8 or 10+5+5+5+5+10, using 9 x 14 inch sheets (40 in two rolls).
- Make Ahead: Prepare nut filling, ghee, and syrup up to 4 days in advance. Refrigerate or freeze assembled baklava before baking. Thaw to room temperature before baking.
- Storage: Keep at room temperature for up to two weeks, lightly covered with a tea towel or a lid placed ajar. It can be refrigerated, but it will harden a bit. Freeze in airtight containers for up to two months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
- Variations and recipe FAQs below.
Nutrition
Serving: 1Piece | Calories: 126kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 32mg | Potassium: 54mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 0.5mg
Did you make this recipe?I would love to know about it. Tag me @thedeliciouscrescent.
Variations
Below are a few suggestions, but I have not tried some of them.
- Vegan: Make sure phyllo is vegan. Use neutral oil instead of ghee, and vegan sugar. Skip honey.
- Gluten Free: Use homemade gluten-free phyllo.
- Nut Free Filling: Use shredded coconut or seeds (sesame, pumpkin, or sunflower), with dried fruits like raisins.
- Dairy Free: Substitute ghee with neutral oil such as avocado oil.
- Light Baklava:
- Mix ghee with oil to reduce saturated fat. The aroma of ghee is rich and intense, so you can use less of it without sacrificing flavor.
- Ghee may be suitable for lactose intolerant individuals.
- To make this dessert suitable for diabetics, use a low-carb or sugar-free syrup and skip the sugar in the filling.
Recipe FAQs
What is the difference between Persian baklava and Greek baklava?
Persian baklava uses rose water, cardamom, a blend of finely ground nuts and traditionally made with homemade dough. Greek baklava uses honey syrup infused with cinnamon, other spices and lemon.
How do you keep baklava from getting soggy?
Bake phyllo thoroughly at a lower temperature, increasing baking time as needed. Over-baking at high temperature can cause the top and bottom layers to brown too much while leaving the middle layers undercooked. Use a thick syrup and avoid pouring hot syrup over hot baklava. Brush phyllo sheets with clarified butter or ghee.
How do you keep this baklava from getting dry?
Brush phyllo well with ghee, use moderately thick syrup prepared with lemon juice or corn syrup to prevent crystallization. Use enough syrup to fully cover baklava and make sure to maintain a good nut-to-syrup ratio.
This post was first published on May 16, 2019 and has been updated with improvements in pictures, tips, FAQs and additional enhancements.
Bill
I tried posting, but my computer decided it was time to reboot, so I don't know if it posted. This recipe is insanely good. I can't leave a recipe alone, so I had to have cinnamon and cloves in the nut mixture. I also used my regular 4 whole cloves and a cinnamon stick in the syrup. But the cardamom in the nut mixture and the rose water in the syrup add a whole new aspect. But using ghee is a game-changer: no spots of burnt butter solids and it spreads on the phyllo sheets without them sticking to the brush. Generally, I am hopeless at baking, so when I make it, people who know me are stunned.
Roxana Begum
Thanks for the lovely feedback.
Karen
Hi Roxana!
This looks absolutely gorgeous! I am planning to make this for a dinner in advance of my son's wedding in a few weeks. You said I can assemble it ahead and freeze it before baking, but you also said freezing it won't bring the same result. Is refrigerating it ahead going to produce better results than freezing it? I would like to get it ready 3 or 4 days ahead. I want it perfect like yours :)
Roxana Begum
Thank you. You can refrigerate or freeze the assembled baklava before baking. I would do refrigerating if I can. Freezing baked baklava is not optimal. They taste best at room temperature. If this is your first time making, I would suggest doing a trial run, because it's for an important event. Sometimes it helps figure out how things work best with our baking pans, oven etc, and make adjustments. Please let me know if you any questions.
Anonymous
thanks for your reply. I think I will assemble it a few days early, and refrigerate it. I will bake it 2 days before. I wish I had time to try before but I won't. I will just have to go for it !!
Roxana Begum
Wish you all the best for your family event!
Anonymous
Just made it for the 1st time. Very easy recipe. Can't wait to try it tomorrow 😋
Sara Gambari
Fantastic recipe and tasted just like bakery in Tehran, all my friends now ask for me to make it. I did find it got better the longer I left it but my husband and kids couldn't wait
regs
Fantastic recipe, love it!
Roxana Begum
Thanks.
Fiona
Thank you so much for posting this recipe.
I made this as a holiday and thank you gift for an Iranian man at work.
He came up to me the next day and said that it was delicious and that his wife would really like to have the recipe:))
Thanks again and have a good night
Roxana Begum
Thanks Fiona for such a lovely feedback. So happy you liked it.
Matt Ivan
So many awesome tips! I love baklava but have yet to try making it at home.
Roxana Begum
You must definitely try it. Homemade is so much better than most store bought versions.
Tisha
Baklava is always a great treat! I need to try to make it myself!
Roxana Begum
It is quite easy. Hope you give it a try.
Laura
I love the step where you soak the toasted nuts in the syrup. I have been doing this from time to time, and it never disappoints. And the level of details in this recipe is amazing.
Anne
This baklava is amazing even on day 1. Can’t wait to see what it tastes like tomorrow! I followed the recipe exactly. Thanks for the detail and awesome tips.
Roxana Begum
Thanks for your lovely feedback Anne.
Jessica Formicola
After trying this recipe, I'll never make baklava another way again! It was so perfect!
Roxana Begum
So happy you like it Jessica :)
kim
Love how easy and tasty this is! Fabulous Recipe!