Golden, nutty, syrup-soaked layers with a story in every bite.

There’s something timeless about baklava. One bite of its crispy, honey-soaked layers and you’re transported, whether to a bustling Athenian bakery or a quiet seaside kitchen on Crete, where someone’s grandmother is pulling a fresh tray from the oven.

Baklava is one of those desserts that’s shared across borders and centuries. You’ll find versions in Turkey, Lebanon, Armenia, and the Balkans, but the Greek version has its own signature: a generous blend of nuts (often walnuts and almonds), warm cinnamon, and a lemon- or orange-scented syrup that brings everything together.

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Why It’s the Perfect Start to a Global Baking Journey

For me, baklava felt like the perfect place to begin Passport to Pastry. It’s a celebration of time and care delicate layers brushed with butter, each bite sweet but grounded in spice and crunch. It’s not the fastest bake, but it’s one of the most satisfying, especially when your kitchen fills with the scent of toasted nuts and citrus syrup.

A Dessert with Layers of History

Baklava’s exact origin is debated, with threads tracing back to the Assyrians, Ottomans, and other ancient cultures of the Middle East. But the Greek version has carved out its own identity: finely chopped walnuts, cinnamon, and a generous pour of lemon-scented syrup over crisp phyllo layers.

It’s a celebration dessert—made in large trays for holidays, weddings, and special guests.

My thoughts going into it:

“Well we’re diving straight into the deep end of this personal challenge.” I’ll admit, I was a bit intimidated by this choice. I’d never worked with phyllo dough before and while I’ve had numerous baklavas over the years I’d never actually made it. I’ve done a handful of cooking classes (a couple in Greece actually), but Baklava was not one of the items on the syllabus. With the rest time required, I understand why it wasn’t.

I was a bit anxious giving this a go, but it actually turned out to be easier than I thought it would be. I did learn a few ways that made the second attempt better than the first.

Orange vs. Lemon

🍋Lemon juice or zest is the most common citrus used in baklava syrup in many areas of mainland Greece, such as Athens, Thessaloniki, Central and Northern Greece. Lemon adds brightness and helps cut through the richness of the nuts and butter. It’s considered the more traditional or default flavoring.

🍊Orange zest or juice is often used in the Peloponnese, parts of Crete, the Dodecanese Islands (e.g., Rhodes), and some areas of the Cyclades. Oranges grow abundantly in southern Greece, especially Laconia and Argolis, so they’re used more frequently in sweets. Orange-scented syrup gives baklava a more fragrant and floral twist.

I ended up doing half and half for this first attempt. My husband preferred the lemon while I preferred the orange. We agreed that the orange really drew out the cinnamon flavors more and the lemon was a bit more subtle.

The Recipe

I did research a number of recipes for Greek-style Baklava and there are a number of variations. Some called for Orange Blossom or Rose water, some had pistachios, some had ghee, and some recommended cutting the dessert before baking it.

After a nearly dizzying amount of Baklava research, I settled on the below recipe.

Ingredients

For the baklava:

• 200 g of phyllo dough (about half of a package), thawed according to package instructions
• 8 oz walnuts, finely chopped
• 8 oz of almonds, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup of bread crumbs
• 1 cup unsalted butter, melted (you’ll use about half for brushing the dough)

For the syrup:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• The peels from one lemon or orange
• 1 cinnamon stick (optional)

Instructions

Prep time: 30 mins
Bake time: 45 mins
Total time: About 4 hours (including resting)

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Make the nut filling: Mix chopped nuts, cinnamon, bread crumbs, salt and half of the butter in a bowl. Set aside.
3. Prepare the phyllo: Carefully unroll and cover with a slightly damp towel to prevent drying.
4. Layer the base: Brush a 9×13″ baking dish with melted butter. Take 3-4 sheets and fold them in half, brushing the tops with butter as you layer them. You may choose to layer 6-8 individual sheets brushing every other, which works also, I just found there was a lot of excess pastry to cut away.
5. Add nuts: Spread the mixture evenly.
6. Layer the top: Layer 4-5 folded layers (or 8-10 individual sheets) of phyllo, brushing each with butter.
7. Cut before baking: Using a sharp knife, score the baklava into diamonds or squares.
8. Bake for 45–50 minutes, until deeply golden.
9. Make the syrup: While it bakes, combine sugar, water, lemon (or orange) peel, and cinnamon stick. Simmer 10–12 minutes until the sugar is dissolved, then cool. It needs to be fully cooled before pouring over the baklava.
10. Syrup soak: Pour the cooled syrup over hot baklava immediately out of the oven. It will sizzle!
11. Let it rest: Allow the baklava to cool and absorb the syrup for at least 2 hours (overnight is best).

Baker’s Tips

• Don’t open the phyllo dough until your ready to start layering, or if you do, throw a slightly damp towel over it to keep the dough from drying out too quick.
• If you use the folding method that I mentioned above, you may still have a little dough excess, you can either cut this away or fold the edges to fit.
• Use a sharp knife and make sure to score the top layers before baking. This allows for some venting.
• Don’t skip the rest time—the syrup needs time to work its way into each layer.
• Baklava stores beautifully and tastes even better the next day. Be sure to leave it covered with a tea towel or cheese cloth on the counter. The fridge and plastic wrap will cause it to become soggy.

Serving + Storage

Serve baklava at room temperature. Store covered at room temperature for 5–7 days—or freeze for longer.

What This Bake Taught Me

My first attempt at baklava wasn’t perfect—but it was memorable. I tore a few phyllo sheets and made a glorious mess with butter. But the result? Golden, sticky, spiced magic. That’s the beauty of baklava: it rewards care and patience, not perfection.

Things I did differently the second time time:

• Not cut the dough so deeply when I’m scoring. This allowed the butter and the syrup to rest on top before it seeped down to the lower layers.
• Crushed the nuts more. The first time I used a rolling pin and plastic bag method. The second time I chopped them with my big kitchen knife and used my pestle and mortar, which brought the nuts to a much finer chop.
• Kept the dough covered while making the filling. I opened it a little too soon the first time and it started to dry out on me a little bit, which may have also contributed to my top layer soaking issues.

I hope this recipe inspires you to try something new, embrace a little mess, and bring a taste of Greece into your own kitchen.

Next week, we’ll shift from syrupy to buttery with a playful cookie that shows up during Easter but deserves year-round love: koulourakia. These hand-twisted Greek cookies are a joy to bake and share.

Until then—kali orexi! (Bon appétit!)

Did you try this recipe? Or do you have tips to share? I’d love to hear!