
Flaky phyllo layers with pistachios and honey syrup
Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
1 hr 15 min
Servings
15
30 pieces
Difficulty
Medium
Cost
Premium
$$$
Flaky phyllo layers with pistachios and honey syrup
Shatteringly crisp layers of buttered phyllo pastry enclosing fragrant chopped pistachios, soaked in a honey and orange blossom syrup. The king of Middle Eastern sweets.
30m
Prep Time
45m
Cook Time
75m
Total Time
15
Servings
Medium
Difficulty
Premium $$$
Cost
(Updated )
Baklava is a labor of love with an extraordinary reward—dozens of tissue-thin phyllo layers turn golden and crispy around a spiced nut filling, then soak up just enough syrup to become sweet and sticky.
Make syrup: boil sugar and water 5 minutes, add honey and orange blossom water. Cool completely.
Brush a 9x13 pan with butter. Layer 10 phyllo sheets, brushing each with melted butter.
Spread 1 cup pistachios. Add 5 more buttered phyllo sheets, another cup of pistachios, then 10 final buttered sheets on top.
Cut into diamond shapes with a sharp knife before baking. Bake at 325°F for 40-45 minutes until golden.
Pour cold syrup slowly and evenly over the hot baklava. Let rest at least 4 hours before serving.
Serve with crusty artisan bread for dipping
Finish with a drizzle of high-quality extra virgin olive oil
Pair with a simple arugula salad dressed in lemon vinaigrette
Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream
Equally traditional in different regions
Different but equally traditional floral note
Test Kitchen Pick
Olive Oil
Helpful Pantry Staple
On recipes like this, olive oil is not just a background fat. A better bottle gives you cleaner flavor and a better finish.
This is one of the few pantry upgrades that keeps paying off every time you cook in this lane.
A good bottle of olive oil is one of the safest pantry upgrades for Mediterranean and Italian cooking.
Shop olive oil for this recipeCut before baking—the layers will shatter if you try to cut after.
Low oven temperature (325°F) ensures the layers cook through without burning.
Store at room temperature covered for up to 2 weeks. Do not refrigerate.
Baklava is served at room temperature. No reheating needed.
Per serving (25mg) · 15 servings
A moderate-calorie serving · based on a 2,000 cal daily diet
Nutritional values are approximate and may vary based on specific ingredients and preparation methods.
Sarah Chen is a professional recipe developer and food editor with over a decade of experience in test kitchens and food media. She trained at the Culinary Institute of America before spending six years developing and testing recipes for national food publications, where she honed her ability to translate restaurant techniques into approachable home cooking. At RecipePool, Sarah leads recipe development, ensuring every dish is tested at least three times for clarity, accuracy, and genuine deliciousness. When she is not in the kitchen, she is browsing farmers markets and collecting vintage cookbooks.
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Mediterranean
Mediterranean

Mediterranean
Mediterranean

Mediterranean

Mediterranean