Chef John's Baklava

Rating: 4.68 stars
28 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 21
  • 4 star values: 6
  • 3 star values: 0
  • 2 star values: 1
  • 1 star values: 0

I tend to enjoy a generous ratio between nuts and pastry, as that makes me feel a little bit better about the copious amounts of sugar in this, but above and beyond that, I think this approach produces the best texture. You can use as many layers of filo as you want, but be careful, since too many may not cook through, and the only way to mess this up is to undercook the dough. The top and bottom layers need to dry out, and thoroughly crisp up, otherwise, once the syrup gets ladled over, you'll have a soggy mess.

By Chef John

Gallery
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Recipe Summary

prep:
20 mins
cook:
1 hr
additional:
1 hr 5 mins
total:
2 hrs 25 mins
Servings:
12
Yield:
1 (9-inch) round
Nutrition Info
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Ingredients

12
Original recipe yields 12 servings
The ingredient list now reflects the servings specified
Nut Mixture:
Dough:
Syrup:

Directions

  • Place walnuts, pistachios, and cinnamon in bowl of a food processor. Pulse on and off until mixture is chopped but not too fine.

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  • Brush bottom of 9-inch round baking pan with melted butter. Place one round of phyllo dough in the pan; add a second round of dough. Drip about 1 tablespoon of melted butter over the top. Add 2 more sheets and drizzle with butter. Add 2 more sheets and drip with butter creating 6 layers for the bottom. (While you work keep the phyllo sheets covered with a damp, nearly dry, cotton towel to keep dough from drying out.)

  • Sprinkle with 1/3 of the nut mixture. Top with a sheet of phyllo and drip with melted butter; repeat with 1 more sheet of filo. Add another 1/3 of the nut mixture.

  • Place another sheet of phyllo on the nuts; drip with butter. Top with another sheet and drip with butter. Add the remaining nut mixture.

  • Top with 2 sheets of phyllo; drip with butter. Add 2 more sheets; drip with butter. Top with the last 2 sheets and drizzle generously with the remaining butter. Cover pan with plastic and refrigerate until completely chilled, about 1 hour.

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

  • Cut baklava into about 12 diamond-shaped pieces approximately the same size.

  • Bake in preheated oven until browned and crisp, about an hour.

  • Place sugar, honey, and cloves in a saucepan. Pour in water. Place pan over medium-high heat and whisk to combine. Bring to a boil; remove from heat. Whisk in vanilla and orange blossom water.

  • After baklava has rested 5 minutes, ladle syrup over the top. Cool down to room temperature before serving.

Editor's Note:

If you want to use homemade phyllo dough, use 16 sheets in the baklava. Get the recipe for Chef John's Homemade Phyllo Dough.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:
466 calories; protein 7.5g; carbohydrates 47.4g; fat 29.8g; cholesterol 20.3mg; sodium 138.4mg. Full Nutrition
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Reviews (23)

Read More Reviews

Most helpful positive review

Lauren Davis
Rating: 5 stars
11/04/2017
I made exactly as the recipe stated. I did experience the syrup pooling at the bottom at first but after leaving it to soak in overnight the syrup absorbed and it became sticky and delicious! Well worth the trouble of tracking down the orange blossom water. I tried to bring it to a work potluck but my family had at it first and left no survivors. One thing to watch out for is time; it can go from golden brown to blackened brown very quickly so keep an eye out after 45 minutes or so. Read More
Helpful
(5)

Most helpful critical review

vancansfan
Rating: 2 stars
10/10/2017
I don't like how this turned out for me. I didn't make any changes to the recipe. The taste is fine very sweet but what can you expect from baklava. I like the interesting taste the orange flower water adds although it gets lost once it's poured over the baklava. The top crisped up way too much and I didn't even leave it in the oven for the required amount of time so the liquid didn't absorb properly. Also there is too much liquid it's pooling at the bottom of the pan... probably because it didn't absorb properly. I'll stick to supermarket baklava that way I just buy what I want and am not stuck with copious amounts of it. Sorry Chef John - not a winner. Read More
Helpful
(2)
28 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 21
  • 4 star values: 6
  • 3 star values: 0
  • 2 star values: 1
  • 1 star values: 0
Reviews:
Most Helpful Most Positive Least Positive Newest
Lauren Davis
Rating: 5 stars
11/04/2017
I made exactly as the recipe stated. I did experience the syrup pooling at the bottom at first but after leaving it to soak in overnight the syrup absorbed and it became sticky and delicious! Well worth the trouble of tracking down the orange blossom water. I tried to bring it to a work potluck but my family had at it first and left no survivors. One thing to watch out for is time; it can go from golden brown to blackened brown very quickly so keep an eye out after 45 minutes or so. Read More
Helpful
(5)
Lex A.
Rating: 5 stars
01/21/2018
I made this as stated with a bake time of 40 minutes. I used a bunch of orange zest instead of orange blossom water and while the sauce did pool it had completely absorbed by the time the baklava had cooled completely. Definitely will be throwing this into the recipe box! Read More
Helpful
(2)
karen comeaux
Rating: 5 stars
06/24/2018
This was the best baklava that I have ever eaten and surprisingly simple to make. Read More
Helpful
(2)
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vancansfan
Rating: 2 stars
10/10/2017
I don't like how this turned out for me. I didn't make any changes to the recipe. The taste is fine very sweet but what can you expect from baklava. I like the interesting taste the orange flower water adds although it gets lost once it's poured over the baklava. The top crisped up way too much and I didn't even leave it in the oven for the required amount of time so the liquid didn't absorb properly. Also there is too much liquid it's pooling at the bottom of the pan... probably because it didn't absorb properly. I'll stick to supermarket baklava that way I just buy what I want and am not stuck with copious amounts of it. Sorry Chef John - not a winner. Read More
Helpful
(2)
anfisechka
Rating: 4 stars
01/05/2020
Good recipe but keep an eye on it while baking. I took mine out around 40 minutes and it was already overdone so it's a little bitter and overly brown on the bottom. Take it out when it's light golden brown and you'll be fine. Read More
Dennis Tobin
Rating: 5 stars
11/15/2019
Mm-mm good This made me look good. Took liberty with nuts. Switched to Almonds and pecans. Could not find orange flower water. Will try this again after it arrives This is another Chef John recipe for me. Read More
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Drew
Rating: 5 stars
04/05/2020
I had never eaten baklava before this, but my family loved it, so I figured I’d give this a shot. Chef John breaks the recipe down so conveniently in his video. My Dad was in the navy and he said this is better than the baklava he had in turkey! So thankful for this recipe and the experience it gave my family Read More
Maria Patsis
Rating: 5 stars
01/14/2021
It’s important that the syrup be cold and the baklava right out of the oven, piping hot when you ladel the syrup over it. Otherwise you risk it getting soggy. One hot while the other cold. Read More
Kathleen Johnson
Rating: 4 stars
05/26/2018
yes I will make it again but I would cut the sugar syrup down by 1/2. The baklava was literally floating in sugar syrup. Read More
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