Golden Walnut Baklava with Honey Syrup

I make baklava when I want the house to smell like butter and warm walnuts. It’s simple work, just a bit fussy: thin sheets of phyllo, a bowl of roughly chopped walnuts (don’t grind them to dust), a shake of cinnamon and a tiny pinch of salt. Keep the phyllo under a towel so it doesn’t dry out, brush a sheet with melted butter, stack another, repeat, then scatter nuts. You fall into a rhythm pretty fast.

Before baking I score diamonds—some neat, some not—and slide the tray in until the top goes deep gold and the edges look toasty. While it’s in, I warm a quick syrup: honey, a slice of lemon, splash of water. Hot pastry + cooler syrup is the trick. Pour in slow lines and listen to that quiet crackle as it sinks through the layers, then walk away for a bit so it settles.

Serve when it’s still slightly warm. Flaky on top, syrupy inside, not cloying. It looks festive even on a Tuesday, and the corner piece is the cook’s tax—trust me, take it.

Ingredients

Portions

-

20

+

Metric US

For the pastry

• 500 g
  phyllo dough
• 250 g
  unsalted butter, melted

For the filling

• 400 g
  walnuts, finely chopped
• 100 g
  sugar
• 1 tsp
  ground cinnamon

For the syrup

• 500 ml
  water
• 400 g
  sugar
• 150 g
  honey
• 1
  lemon, juiced

Author

Mario Kapustic

Hi! I’m Mario from Croatia. I love cooking and sharing recipes that combine tradition with creativity. I started Tasty Empire to share my family’s recipes — the ones from Mom and Grandma — and all the little tricks I’ve picked up along the way. I especially enjoy pasta, risottos, homemade breads, and desserts, always looking for little ways to enrich flavors.

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Method

Prepare the filling

• Mix the nuts
  In a bowl, combine chopped walnuts, sugar, and cinnamon. Set aside.

Assemble the baklava

• Layer the phyllo
  Grease a baking tray with melted butter. Place 5–6 sheets of phyllo at the bottom, brushing each sheet with butter. Spread a portion of the walnut filling over the dough. Continue layering phyllo and filling until all is used, finishing with 6–8 layers of buttered phyllo on top.
• Cut before baking
  Using a sharp knife, cut the baklava into diamond or square shapes before baking to prevent breaking after.
• Bake
  Bake at 170°C for about 50–60 minutes, until golden and crisp.

Make the syrup

• Cook syrup
  In a saucepan, combine water, sugar, and lemon juice. Simmer for 10 minutes, then stir in honey and cook for 2–3 minutes more. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

Finish and serve

• Pour syrup
  As soon as the baklava comes out of the oven, pour the warm syrup evenly over the hot pastry. Let it rest for at least 6 hours (preferably overnight) before serving.

Note: Best if left to rest overnight, allowing the syrup to soak into every layer.

Nutrition per serving

Calories

420 kcal

Updated: August 30, 2025

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