Here is a delicious homemade traditional Greek baklava recipe with walnuts that is easy and quick to prepare at home. The baklava is finished off by pouring sweet honey syrup over the top allowing it to soak every buttery layer of the phyllo pastry giving it its iconic flavor and taste.

This Greek baklava is a traditional sweet pastry made with layers of buttered phyllo pastry dough and chopped walnuts which is popular in Greece and other countries such as Turkey.

I love Greek pastries, especially this Baklava, it’s delicious and one of the most decadent Greek desserts that are unique on its own because of the combination of buttery flaky phyllo dough, crunchy nut filling, and sweet honey syrup that creates a flaky and rich pastry that is irresistible and memorable.

Substitutions For Ingredients

Phyllo Pastry Dough: The phyllo pastry (Filo) I use in this recipe is wheat-based meaning it’s made with white flour. You can substitute it with whole wheat phyllo or even with gluten-free phyllo if you want to make a gluten-free baklava.
Walnuts: If you do not have walnuts you can use other types of raw nuts such as pistachios, pecans, almonds, or hazelnuts. You can also combine different nuts together, for example, two cups walnuts and 2 cups pistachio to create a different flavored Greek baklava.
Butter: For this recipe, I use unsalted butter, you can use salted butter but it will keep in mind that the flavor will end up salter. To make a lighter version of this Baklava, you can use a mixture of butter and olive oil to brush the phyllo dough sheets. You can also use a dairy-free butter such as margarine.

Cinnamon: If you don’t have ground cinnamon, you can use other spices such as allspice, nutmeg, or cardamom.
Sugar: This traditional Greek baklava recipe is versatile, you can adjust the amount of sugar to your own preference. For a less sweet version of baklava, you can reduce the amount of sugar or use a sugar substitute such as Granulated Splenda, Monk Fruit Sugar, or Stevia.
Honey: If you don’t have honey, you can easily substitute it with maple syrup, agave nectar, or corn syrup. Another option is just to remove the honey and prepare the syrup with 2 cups of water and 2 cups of sugar.

Tips And Tricks For Traditional Greek Baklava Recipe

Here are some tips and tricks for making the best traditional Greek Baklava.

Thaw the phyllo pastry dough sheets in the refrigerator overnight before using them. You will not be able to use it straight out of the freezer, it will crack and become difficult to work with. Also thawing them at room temperature creates condensation between the layers of sheets making them difficult to remove without breaking them apart.
Always keep the phyllo sheets covered with a plastic or damp kitchen towel while working with them. This will prevent the thin paper-like sheets from drying out and becoming brittle.

Generously brush the phyllo dough with melted butter, but avoid over-saturation, which will result in greasy baklava.
To ensure the even baking of the baklava, press the edges down to seal it, before baking.
Cut the baklava after layering it. This will make it easier to cut before serving and also allow the syrup to seep into the layers.

Prepare the honey syrup while the Baklava is baking. It’s important that the syrup is hot when poured over the baklava right after it comes out of the oven. i
Allow the baklava to cool completely, about one hour before serving. This will allow the sweet syrup to be absorbed properly resulting in a moist and delicious baklava.
To store the baklava, keep it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 10 days. The baklava can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

Let’s make this traditional Greek Baklava Recipe!

Ingredients For Traditional Greek Baklava

450 grams of phyllo pastry dough (1 Ib or 16oz)
4 cups cup walnuts, chopped (or use pistachio or pecans)

1 cup of unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups of sugar, (separate half cup)
1 cup of honey

1 cup of water
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 rind lemon rind

How To Make Traditional Greek Baklava?

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with melted butter.
Add the chopped walnuts, sugar, and cinnamon into a large mixing bowl and mix together using a spatula. Make sure the nuts are chopped finely, a quick way to do this is to use a food processor.

Place one sheet of phyllo pastry dough in the bottom of the buttered baking dish, then brush the top with the melted butter.
Repeat this step by brushing nine more sheets of phyllo pastry and layering them onto each other.
Spread half of the walnut mixture over the phyllo dough, then add one sheet and brush with butter.

Repeat by layering seven phyllo sheets and brushing each one with butter. Then, spread the remaining nut mixture over the top.
Add eight more buttered sheets on the top, then using a sharp knife, cut the into squares or diamond shapes.
Place into the oven and bake for 55-60 minutes or until golden on top.

Prepare the honey syrup: Add the water, 1 cup of sugar, honey, lemon juice, and lemon rind into a pot and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Once the baklava is baked, remove it from the oven and pour the syrup over the top. All the honey syrup to seep into the baklava pastry for one hour before serving.
Enjoy your homemade Greek Baklava!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Make Baklava Ahead Of Time?

Yes, you can prepare this Greek baklava recipe ahead of time. If storing baked, make sure to cool it down completely before covering the baking pan with plastic wrap or aluminum. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks or freezer for up to 3 months. You can also freeze the baklava unbaked, and cover it the same way, it will keep for up to 4 months unbaked in the freezer. To bake it, remove it from the freezer and allow it to thaw before baking.

How Do I Know If The Baklava Is Baked?

The Baklava is baked when the phyllo pastry is golden brown from the top and bottom, and the nut filling is cooked through. You can insert a toothpick or knife into the center of the Baklava, if it comes out clean, it indicated that the baklava is done.

Can I Make Baklava Without Syrup?

The answer is yes but it is not traditional. If you opt to make this Greek Baklava without syrup you could instead dust the top with powdered sugar or brush it with a simple syrup or melted honey.

How To Prevent The Phyllo Dough From Getting Soggy?

The best way to prevent the baklava phyllo dough from becoming soggy after it’s baked is to make sure the phyllo pastry sheets are well buttered and that the filling is evenly spread between the layers. Also pouring the hot syrup over the baklava immediately as it comes out of the oven helps to moisten the baklava while preserving the flakiness avoiding it to become soggy.

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