Baklava Recipe: Flaky, Nutty Middle Eastern Dessert At Home

By Aditi Saraswat

November 29, 2025

Baklava is a rich, layered pastry prepared with crisp phyllo sheets, butter, and a crunchy filling of nuts, all soaked in fragrant sugar-honey syrup. Every bite is a perfect blend of flaky, sticky, and nutty, making it an amazing yet simple dessert for festivals or gatherings.

Ingredients

300–350 gm phyllo pastry sheets 150 gm unsalted butter, melted 1½ cups finely chopped nuts (walnuts, pistachios, almonds) ¼ cup sugar (for nut mix) 1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional) For Syrup: 1 cup sugar ½ cup water ¼ cup honey 1–2 tsp lemon juice 1 tsp rose water or ½ tsp vanilla (optional)

Step 1

Grease the baking dish with some melted butter. Cut the phyllo sheets to fit the dish. Keep it covered with a moist cloth.

Step 2

Add 1½ cups chopped nuts with about ¼ cup sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon. This crunchy mix will form the sweet, nutty layers inside the baklava.

Step 3

Layer 6–8 phyllo sheets in the baking dish, brushing each sheet well with melted butter. 

Step 4

Spread a thin layer of nut mixture. Add 2–3 more phyllo sheets and repeat the process until the nuts are used.

Step 5

With a sharp knife, cut the baklava into diamonds or squares. Bake at 170–180°C for around 35–40 minutes until it turns deeply golden and crisp.

Step 6

Boil 1 cup sugar, ½ cup water, ¼ cup honey, and lemon juice for 5–7 minutes. Pour the hot syrup over the hot baklava. Let it cool completely and serve.