Traditional Baklava with Walnuts & Pistachios

This traditional baklava recipe gives you everything the great pastry shops do: shatteringly crisp layers of filo, a spiced walnut and pistachio filling, and a fragrant syrup soaked right through. It takes a little patience, but it's far easier than it looks — and streets ahead of any bought box.

The one rule that makes or breaks it: cool syrup on hot baklava. Get that right and the layers stay crisp instead of going soggy.

Why you'll love this baklava

• Crisp, buttery layers with a generous nut filling.
• Make-ahead friendly — it actually improves after resting overnight.
• A showstopper for Eid, Christmas, weddings or any celebration.
• Freezes beautifully, so you can bake once and enjoy for weeks.

What is baklava?

Baklava is a rich, sweet pastry made of many layers of paper-thin filo, filled with chopped nuts and soaked in sugar syrup or honey. It's beloved right across the former Ottoman world — Turkey, the Levant, Greece, the Balkans and the Middle East — with each region claiming its own version.

Its layered form is thought to have been perfected in the kitchens of Istanbul's Topkapı Palace, though its roots reach back through centuries of Central Asian and Middle Eastern pastry-making. The nuts vary by region — pistachios in Gaziantep, walnuts in much of the Levant, almonds in parts of Greece — and the syrup may be scented with rose water, orange blossom or lemon. It remains the dessert of celebration, cut into small diamonds and served with strong coffee or tea.

Ingredients you'll need

• Filo pastry — thawed slowly in the fridge, and kept under a damp cloth as you work.
• Walnuts and pistachios — finely chopped; use all of one or a mix.
• Ghee or butter — for brushing every layer; ghee gives the crispest result.
• Sugar, water, lemon and rose water — for the signature fragrant syrup.
• Cinnamon — a warm note through the nut filling.

How to make baklava, step by step

1. Make the syrup first. Boil the sugar, water and lemon juice, then simmer 10 minutes. Stir in the rose water and cool completely.
2. Make the filling. Mix the chopped walnuts, pistachios and cinnamon.
3. Layer. Brush a tray with ghee. Lay a filo sheet, brush with ghee, and repeat for about 10 sheets. Spread over half the nuts. Add 5 more buttered sheets, the rest of the nuts, then 10 more buttered sheets on top.
4. Cut. With a sharp knife, cut all the way through into diamonds or squares before baking.
5. Bake. Bake at 180°C for 35–40 minutes until deep golden and crisp.
6. Soak. Immediately ladle the cool syrup over the hot baklava — listen for the sizzle. Scatter with pistachios and rest at least a few hours, ideally overnight.

Tips for perfect baklava

• Keep filo covered with a damp tea towel so it doesn't dry and crack.
• Cut before baking — you can't cut it neatly once it's crisp and soaked.
• Cool syrup, hot pastry — the golden rule for crisp layers.
• Rest before serving so the syrup soaks through evenly.

Variations

Use all pistachios for a luxe Gaziantep-style baklava, swap the rose water for orange blossom, or add a little ground cardamom to the nuts. Honey in the syrup gives a deeper, more traditional flavour.

Make ahead & storage

Baklava keeps at room temperature, loosely covered, for up to a week — don't refrigerate, as it softens the pastry. It also freezes well for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature.

What to serve it with

Serve with Arabic coffee, Turkish tea, or alongside knafeh and muhallabia for a full dessert table.

Baklava FAQ

Why is my baklava soggy? Almost always hot syrup on hot baklava. Make sure the syrup is completely cool when it goes on.

Walnuts or pistachios? Either, or a mix — walnuts are traditional and economical, pistachios are luxurious.

How long does baklava keep? Up to a week at room temperature, or 3 months frozen.

Can I make it ahead? Yes — it's better made a day ahead so the syrup fully soaks in.

Shop the ingredients

Everything's in store: filo pastry, walnuts and pistachios, rose water and ghee — in Artarmon or delivered Australia-wide. See more in our bakery range.

Hero photo: public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.