Turkish Hazelnut Pistachio Baklava (Printable View)

Crisp phyllo layered with nuts and honey syrup offers a rich, sweet Turkish treat.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Pastry

01 - 16 sheets phyllo dough, thawed
02 - 10.6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

→ Nut Filling

03 - 3.5 oz hazelnuts, finely chopped
04 - 3.5 oz pistachios, finely chopped
05 - 3.5 oz granulated sugar
06 - 1 tsp ground cinnamon, optional

→ Honey Syrup

07 - 8 tbsp water
08 - 5.3 oz honey
09 - 3.5 oz granulated sugar
10 - 1 tsp lemon juice

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly brush an 8x12 inch baking pan with melted butter.
02 - Place 4 sheets of phyllo in the pan, brushing each layer thoroughly with melted butter.
03 - In a mixing bowl, combine finely chopped hazelnuts, pistachios, granulated sugar, and ground cinnamon if using.
04 - Evenly distribute one-third of the nut mixture over the layered phyllo sheets.
05 - Add 4 more sheets of phyllo, brushing each with melted butter, then sprinkle another third of the nut mixture evenly.
06 - Layer 4 more phyllo sheets, buttering each, then top with the remaining nut mixture.
07 - Place the last 4 phyllo sheets on top, brushing each layer generously with melted butter.
08 - Using a sharp knife, carefully cut the layered pastry into diamond or square shapes before baking.
09 - Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes until the pastry is golden and crisp.
10 - While baking, combine water, honey, granulated sugar, and lemon juice in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
11 - Immediately after removing from oven, evenly pour hot honey syrup over the hot pastry to saturate it.
12 - Allow the baklava to cool completely to absorb the syrup before serving.

# Best Practices:

01 -
  • The contrast between shattering crisp phyllo and the way honey syrup softens it just enough is pure magic.
  • Hazelnuts and pistachios together create a richness that feels luxurious without being heavy.
  • Once you nail the technique, you'll make this again and again because nothing store-bought compares.
02 -
  • Never pour cold syrup over hot baklava or hot syrup over cold baklava—both ruin the texture. They need to meet at similar temperatures so the phyllo absorbs the sweetness and stays crisp.
  • Phyllo dough is only forgiving if you respect it. Keep unused sheets covered with a damp kitchen towel so they don't dry out and crack on you.
  • If you try to cut baklava while it's warm, the layers will compress and you'll lose that shatter. Chill it in the fridge for 30 minutes first, and your knife will glide through like butter.
03 -
  • If phyllo is giving you trouble, thaw it in the fridge overnight instead of at room temperature. It'll be more pliable and less likely to crack.
  • A small offset spatula or butter knife works better than a pastry brush for getting butter into corners and ensuring even coverage on those delicate sheets.
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