Easy Pistachio Walnut Baklava Recipe

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5 from 2 votes

Crispy, flaky layers of cinnamon-scented honey-soaked phyllo pastry stuffed with warm spiced walnuts and pistachios.

Prep Time45

Cook Time40

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Greek, Turkish

Keyword: baklava, phyllo dough, pistachio, walnut

Servings:

Calories: 280kcal

Author: Leigh Harris

Ingredients

Baklava and Nut Filling

16 oz Phyllo dough thawed according to package instructions
1 1/2 cups Unsalted butter up to 2 cups, melted
8 oz Walnuts, raw finely chopped
8 oz Pistachios, roasted and salted finely chopped
1/4 cup Granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp Ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp Ground nutmeg

Honey Syrup

1 cup Water
3/4 cup Granulated sugar
1 cup Honey 100% raw unfiltered is recommended
2 slices Fresh Orange
3 sticks Cinnamon
1 tsp Whole cloves

Instructions

Prep

Thaw the phyllo dough according to package instructions. Overnight in the refrigerator is best. Then remove from the fridge one hour before starting to come to room temperature.

Honey Syrup

In a medium saucepan heat the sugar and water stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Add the honey, orange slices, cinnamon sticks, and whole cloves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 25 minutes.
Remove from the heat and let cool to lukewarm. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a measuring cup. Yields about 1 3/4 cups.

How to Assemble Baklava

Pulse the walnuts in a food processor until finely chopped or coarsely ground. Pour into a medium-size bowl.
Pulse the pistachios in the food processor until finely chopped or coarsely ground. Add to the bowl with the walnuts. Stir in the sugar, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 9×13 baking pan by brushing some of the melted butter over the bottom.
Trim the phyllo dough to fit the baking pan as best as you can. I use Athenos brand and each package has 2 rolls of 40 sheets measuring 9×14 inches. So I trim them slightly, by about 1-inch.
Keep the phyllo dough covered with a damp towel while not in use. You don’t want it to dry out and start breaking.
First Layer – Lay 10 sheets of phyllo dough into the pan one at a time, brushing each sheet with the melted butter before placing the next sheet. Sprinkle about 3/4 cup of the nut mixture evenly over the layers of phyllo dough.
Second layer – Place 5 sheets of phyllo dough brushing each one with butter. Sprinkle another 3/4 cup of nut mixture.
Third layer – Place 5 sheets of phyllo dough brushing each one with butter. Sprinkle another 3/4 cup of nut mixture.
Fourth layer – Place 5 sheets of phyllo dough brushing each one with butter. Sprinkle another 3/4 cup of nut mixture.
Fifth layer – Place 5 sheets of phyllo dough brushing each one with butter. Sprinkle another 3/4 cup of nut mixture.
Final layer – Lay 10 sheets of dough buttering each one. Brush the very top layer with the butter again.
To cut the baklava into diamonds, using a sharp knife cut into about 1 1/2″ wide strips (three cuts). Then cut diagonally into diamond shapes.
Bake uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
Remove from the oven and immediately pour or spoon the cooled syrup over the hot baklava. Garnish with finely chopped pistachios or walnuts if desired.
Let the baklava cool completely on a wire rack, uncovered at room temperature. For the best results cover once it is completely cooled and let it sit overnight.

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