Turkish Baklava Honey Syrup (Print)

Crisp phyllo layered dessert with nuts and honey syrup, offering rich Turkish flavors.

# 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

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish to prevent sticking.
02 - In a bowl, mix walnuts, pistachios, almonds, 1/2 cup sugar, and ground cinnamon. Set aside.
03 - Unroll phyllo dough and keep covered with a damp towel to avoid drying. Place one sheet in dish and brush with melted butter. Repeat for a total of 8 sheets, brushing each with butter.
04 - Evenly sprinkle one-third of the nut mixture over the buttered phyllo layers.
05 - Layer and butter 5 more sheets of phyllo dough evenly over the nuts.
06 - Sprinkle the next one-third of the nut mixture evenly over the phyllo layers.
07 - Layer and butter 5 additional sheets of phyllo, then sprinkle remaining nuts evenly.
08 - Finish with 8 to 10 sheets of phyllo, layering and brushing each generously with melted butter.
09 - Using a sharp knife, cut the assembled baklava into diamond or square shapes before baking.
10 - Bake the baklava 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 boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Remove zest and cinnamon stick; allow syrup to cool slightly.
12 - Immediately after baking, pour warm syrup evenly over the hot baklava, allowing it to absorb fully.
13 - Let baklava rest at room temperature for at least 4 hours to absorb syrup and set properly before serving.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • The contrast between crisp, buttery phyllo and the warm, perfumed honey syrup is pure magic.
  • Once you nail the layering technique, you'll find yourself making this for every gathering because it genuinely impresses.
  • It's a dessert that keeps for days, getting better as the flavors meld together.
02 -
  • Never skip the damp towel over your phyllo—even five minutes of exposure to air will make it crack and tear, turning your careful layers into frustration.
  • Pouring warm syrup over hot baklava is non-negotiable; cold syrup on cold pastry just sits there, and you'll end up with disappointed bites.
  • The four-hour soak isn't a suggestion; it's when the baklava actually becomes what it's supposed to be, with every layer infused with honey and sweetness.
03 -
  • If phyllo tears, don't panic—brush the tear with extra butter and it will seal itself during baking, invisible in the final product.
  • Let your nuts be genuinely fine; too coarse and they feel gritty between the delicate layers, too coarse and they slip around and won't distribute evenly.
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