Turkish Hazelnut Pistachio Baklava (Print)

Crisp phyllo layered with buttery pistachio and hazelnut filling, finished with golden honey syrup.

# Ingredients:

→ Pastry

01 - 16 sheets phyllo dough, thawed
02 - 2/3 cup unsalted butter, melted

→ Nut Filling

03 - 3.5 oz hazelnuts, finely chopped
04 - 3.5 oz pistachios, finely chopped
05 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

→ Honey Syrup

07 - 1/2 cup water
08 - 2/3 cup honey
09 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
10 - 1 teaspoon lemon juice

# Directions:

01 - Set oven to 350°F and brush an 8x12 inch baking pan with melted butter.
02 - Place 4 sheets of phyllo dough in the pan, brushing each sheet lightly with melted butter.
03 - Mix together finely chopped hazelnuts, pistachios, granulated sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl.
04 - Sprinkle one-third of the nut mixture evenly over the layered phyllo sheets.
05 - Add 4 more phyllo sheets, brushing each with butter, then sprinkle another third of the nut mixture evenly.
06 - Layer 4 more phyllo sheets, buttering each, and distribute the remaining nut filling on top.
07 - Finish with the last 4 phyllo sheets, brushing each layer generously with butter, including the top surface.
08 - Using a sharp knife, cut the layered pastry into diamond or square shapes for serving.
09 - Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden brown.
10 - Combine water, honey, sugar, and lemon juice in a saucepan; bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.
11 - Once baked, pour the hot honey syrup evenly over the hot pastry, allowing it to soak in fully.
12 - Let the baklava cool completely to absorb syrup and set before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The contrast of crispy, buttery phyllo against soft, spiced nuts is genuinely addictive.
  • It feels fancy enough to serve guests but comes together in about ninety minutes with no special skills required.
  • Homemade baklava tastes nothing like the store-bought versions—richer, fresher, and somehow more generous.
02 -
  • Never pour cold syrup over hot baklava, and never pour hot syrup over cool baklava—the temperature match is what makes the difference between soggy and perfectly soaked.
  • If your phyllo cracks or tears while layering, just smooth it out and keep going. No one will ever know once it's baked and syruped.
  • Chill the finished baklava for an hour before cutting if the layers seem soft—cold pastry cuts cleaner, and the pieces will hold their shape better.
03 -
  • Buy your phyllo from a shop with real turnover. Frozen phyllo thaws better than anything else, and checking the packaging date means you're starting with fresher sheets.
  • If you're nervous about the syrup temperature timing, remember this: the whole point is for hot syrup to soak into hot pastry, so don't overthink it—just make sure both are hot when the syrup goes on.
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