Turkish Baklava Honey Syrup (Printable)

Crisp phyllo layers combine with nuts and honey syrup for a traditional Turkish sweet treat.

# What You'll Need:

→ Nuts Filling

01 - 1 ½ cups finely chopped walnuts
02 - 1 cup finely chopped pistachios
03 - ½ cup finely chopped almonds
04 - ½ 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

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with melted butter.
02 - In a mixing bowl, combine walnuts, pistachios, almonds, ½ cup sugar, and ground cinnamon; set aside.
03 - Unroll phyllo dough and cover with a damp towel to prevent drying out.
04 - Place one sheet of phyllo in the baking dish and brush with melted butter. Repeat layering and buttering 8 sheets.
05 - Spread one-third of the nut filling evenly over the phyllo sheets.
06 - Layer and butter 5 more sheets of phyllo, then sprinkle the next third of the nut filling over them.
07 - Repeat layering 5 additional phyllo sheets with butter, then add the remaining nut filling on top.
08 - Finish with about 8 to 10 phyllo sheets, layering and buttering each sheet thoroughly.
09 - With a sharp knife, cut the assembled layers into diamond or square shapes before baking.
10 - Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until pastry turns crisp and golden brown.
11 - While baking, combine honey, water, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and cinnamon stick in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Remove zest and cinnamon stick; let syrup cool slightly.
12 - Immediately after removing from oven, pour the warm syrup evenly over the hot baklava to absorb flavors.
13 - Let the baklava cool completely, allowing syrup to soak in for at least 4 hours before serving.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The contrast of crispy, buttery phyllo against creamy nuts and sticky honey syrup feels like eating happiness.
  • Once you master the layering, you'll make this for every gathering because people lose their minds over homemade baklava.
  • It actually improves as it sits, so you can make it days ahead and stress less.
02 -
  • Never skip the damp towel over phyllo—I learned this the hard way when an entire stack dried out and shattered in my hands, ruining the whole batch.
  • Pouring the syrup while baklava is hot is non-negotiable; cold baklava won't absorb it properly, and you'll end up with soggy bottoms and dry tops.
  • Cutting all the way through before baking means the syrup can reach every layer; if you try to cut after baking, you'll have a crumbling mess.
03 -
  • Invest in a very sharp knife for scoring—a dull knife will drag and tear the delicate layers, while a sharp one glides through cleanly.
  • Store finished baklava in an airtight container at room temperature; it actually gets better over a few days as flavors meld and the texture settles into that perfect tender-crispy balance.
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