Description
Old Fashioned Baklava is a classic layered dessert made with crisp, buttery filo pastry, finely chopped walnuts, warm spices, and a fragrant honey-lemon syrup. This timeless treat delivers perfectly balanced sweetness and crunch in every bite, making it ideal for holidays and special gatherings.
Ingredients
- 1 package (16 ounces / 450 g) filo pastry dough, thawed
- 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 3 cups (300 g) finely chopped walnuts
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves (optional)
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (240 ml) water
- 1/2 cup (170 g) pure honey
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)
Instructions
- Thaw filo dough overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature. Keep covered with a slightly damp towel while working.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Brush a 9×13-inch baking dish with melted butter.
- Mix chopped walnuts with cinnamon and cloves in a bowl.
- Layer one sheet of filo in the dish and brush with butter. Repeat until 8 sheets are layered.
- Sprinkle a thin layer of nut mixture evenly over the filo.
- Add 4–6 buttered filo sheets, then another layer of nuts. Repeat layers until nuts are used, finishing with 8–10 buttered filo sheets on top.
- Using a sharp knife, cut into diamond or square shapes all the way through.
- Bake for 45–50 minutes until deeply golden and crisp.
- Meanwhile, simmer sugar and water for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in honey, lemon juice, and zest.
- Immediately pour warm syrup evenly over hot baklava.
- Allow to cool completely for at least 4 hours or overnight before serving.
Notes
- Baklava tastes best the next day after fully absorbing syrup.
- Brush each filo sheet lightly but evenly with butter to prevent dryness.
- Cut before baking for cleaner slices and even syrup absorption.
- Store covered at room temperature up to 5 days.
- Freeze baked baklava up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece
- Calories: 210 kcal
- Sugar: 16 g
- Sodium: 55 mg
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
