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Home » Desserts

Baklawa (Lebanese Baklava)

Published: Feb 27, 2021 · Modified: Feb 27, 2021· By: Janelle Hama

Jump to Recipe

Baklawa, a mouthwatering dessert of layered golden filo pastry, with crushed nuts and a drizzle of sugar syrup. This is the best Lebanese baklava recipe.

A couple of pieces of baklawa on a plate
Freshly baked golden baklawa

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Jump to:
  • Baklawa vs Baklava
  • 😋Why you’ll love this recipe
  • ✔️What you’ll need
  • 🥘Ingredient Notes
  • 🔪Step by Step Guide
  • 💡What to serve with?
  • 💭Pro Tips
  • 🍳Variations
  • 🥘Related Recipes
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Community

This is one of the Arabic desserts that won my heart as a child. I swear I would devour about four pieces in one sitting as a kid.

Baklawa is just naughty good.

I so adore the aroma when it’s baking this sweet, it wafts throughout the home, filling it with that feeling of ‘something super sensational is baking’.

I don’t think there ever lived an Arab who doesn’t love this dessert. It’s always found in the kitchen when guests are over, ready to be served with some strong ahwa (Arabic coffee) or it’s always available for a special occasion.

For the kids, they can have a slice with some cocoa oat milk.

Baklawa is pronounced as bak-lah-wah in Arabic. It is also said as baklehwah, batlehwah, batlawa depending on where in the Middle East.

Traditionally, batlewah it is not made with layers of nuts, rather a sandwich of nuts between two layers of filo pastry. 

My mother makes her Lebanese baklava by brushing each layer of pastry with ghee.

I’ve swapped out ghee with vegetable ghee and used the soaking method I learned by Chef Ahmed.

fresh Lebanese baklava in a tray cut up

Baklawa vs Baklava

Baklawa is the Middle Eastern version whilst baklava is the Greek version. The concept of both is similar, the difference is in the syrup.

The Middle Eastern dessert uses a rose water/orange blossom sugar syrup called atter.

Whilst the Greek dessert uses a honey-based syrup.

It is believed that baklawa first originated in Assyria which then spread to the Mediterranean and various versions created from there developed into baklava.

Lebanese/Syrian Baklawa is normally quite light and not as heavy in sweetness.

😋Why you’ll love this recipe

  • It’s so easy to make - you’ll be surprised
  • Simply irresistible.
  • No need to (butter) each layer! Save yourself some time.

✔️What you’ll need

baklawa ingredients in a flat lay

🥘Ingredient Notes

Filo pastry - also known as phyllo pastry. Is usually found in the freezer section or fridge section. If found in the fridge there is no need to thaw out.

Cut the filo pastry to fit your tray, but allow some excess on the top layer to tuck in the edges. See video for how this is done.

Walnuts - use only raw walnuts. Try and find the freshest variety, rather than old and stale as the nut filling is the hero in this recipe.

Atter (sugar syrup) is used widely in Arabic desserts. Specifically for Baklava, atter is made in a 3:1 ratio (sugar:water) as it needs to be thicker as little is used to drizzle on top.

It (atter) can also be left to the discretion of the person eating a piece of baklawa to add as much as they like.

Atayef is another Arabic dessert that uses atter.

Batlawa fresh out of oven with a little sugar syrup

🔪Step by Step Guide

Here’s how to make baklawa;

Prepare Atter (Sugar Syrup)

Step 1 Over high heat, add sugar and water. Stir for 30 seconds and bring to a boil.

Once boiling add rose water/orange blossom water and then add lemon juice, continuously stirring for 1 minute and then allow to boil for 2 more minutes. 

Set aside to cool. (see pro tips)

Prepare hashweh (filling)

Step 2 Roughly chop walnuts into small pieces. Add chopped walnuts in a bowl with 1 tbs of sugar and ¼ cup of rose water/orange blossom water.

Mix with hands until mixture holds together but can still crumble.

Assemble Baklawa

Step 3  Brush the baking tray with a light coating of vegetable ghee. Place 20 filo dough flat into the tray. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of sugar onto the dough. Evenly Spread hashweh (filling) on top.

Step 4 Spray 1 teaspoon of sugar onto hashweh and then cover with another 20 layers of filo dough. Tuck edges in using your fingers. 

Step 5 Pat down and press the pastry firmly so it compacts together really well. 

Step 6 Cut into diamonds (or desired shape) and cover with warm vegetable ghee.

Step 7 Place into a preheated oven of 180C (356F) on the ¾ shelf (lower than mid-shelf). Bake for 15 minutes and then turn the tray around. Bake for another 50-60minutes.

Step 8 Once baklawa is baked, take it out of the oven and drain excess ghee immediately. Lightly coat in cold sugar syrup.

Allow baklawa to completely cool at room temperature for at least 2-3 hours before re-cutting and serving. See pro tips.

close up of Lebanese baklava

💡What to serve with?

Lebanese baklava is best served as a dessert with tea or coffee after a wonderful meal, such as Lebanese kibbeh or this flavorsome mujadara recipe.

💭Pro Tips

Baklawa is always served cold.

Hashweh must not contain too much moisture, moisture will cause the filling to bake a dark color which is not ideal.

A spray of sugar on top of the bottom layer of filo dough and on top of the hashweh helps the dough stick to the hashweh (filling)

Tuck in the edges as tightly as you can without ripping the delicate dough

Patting down pastry is super imperative to the success of constructing a successful batlawa, it’s one of the factors for making sure there is no separation between the layers

Whilst baking, if the baklawa doesn’t dry in the oven, the layers will separate from each other

Warm vegetable ghee is important, hot vegetable ghee will not soak through all layers. Each piece must be covered in vegetable ghee.

The first 15 minutes are important when baking, as it’s when the layers are baking into each other. DO NOT open the oven beforehand. After rotating the tray, check-in every 10 minutes. The last 10 minutes are crucial as the pastry will brown quickly.

As soon as the Lebanese baklava is baked and taken out of the oven, it must be drained of excess vegetable ghee so it doesn’t soak up any excess.

Applying atter (sugar syrup) - the following rules must be followed otherwise you will end up with soggy baklawa. Apply cold sugar syrup to hot pastry or hot sugar syrup to cold pastry.

Most likely not all the atter (sugar syrup) will be used, leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one month.

baklawa with tea in the background

🍳Variations

Though I’ve not tried these, here are some ideas for making it healthier

  • Use maple syrup or agave syrup in place of sugar syrup
  • Brush each layer of filo with a light olive oil rather than using vegetable ghee
  • I am currently working on a healthier baklava version, so stay tuned - sign up to my newsletter to get notified.

🥘Related Recipes

Another vegan Lebanese dessert recipe is namoura it's a decadent semolina cake. Or you might like something light like my creamy Lebanese rice pudding.

You might also like a cup of foam coffee or a wholefoods plant based no oil dairy-free brownies.

  • Rice Cake with Peanut Butter and Chocolate
  • Persimmon Chocolate Vegan Pudding (3 Ingredients + No Bake)
  • Creamy Moghli Lebanese Dessert (Meghli)
  • Easy Quinoa Flakes Porridge (Gluten-Free)

Did you enjoy making the best Lebanese baklava? I would love to hear from you, leave me a comment below and give me a rating. This will help me sustain Plant Based Folk. 

Alternatively, did you happen to take a photo? Tag me @plantbasedfolk on Instagram to be featured via stories.

Janelle x

📖 Recipe

freshly cut baklawa in a tray

Baklawa (Lebanese Baklava)

Baklawa, a mouthwatering dessert of layered golden filo pastry, with crushed walnuts and a drizzle of sugar syrup. This is the best baklawa recipe will ever need. Thank me later!
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Lebanese, Middle Eastern
Diet: Vegan
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Resting Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 34 pieces
Author: Janelle Hama

Ingredients

Atter (Sugar Syrup)

  • 1½ cup White Granulated Sugar
  • ½ cup Water
  • ½ teaspoon Rose Water
  • ½ teaspoon Orange Blossom Water
  • 1 teaspoon Lemon juice fresh

Hashweh (Filling)

  • 750 g Crushed walnuts
  • 115 ml Orange Blossom Water
  • 115 ml Rose water
  • 25 g Sugar granulated

Baklava

  • 750 g Filo Pastry thawed (40 sheets)
  • 25 g Sugar granulated (divided into 2)
  • 320 g Vegetable Ghee melted and warm
  • 20 g Pistachio crushed (for garnish)
US Customary - Metric
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Instructions

Prepare Atter (Sugar Syrup)

  • Over high heat, add sugar and water. Stir for 30 seconds and bring to the boil. Once boiling add rose water/orange blossom water and then add lemon juice, continuously stirring for 1 minute and then allow to boil for 2 more minutes.  Set aside to cool. (see pro tips)
    Stirring sugar syrup

Prepare hashweh (filling)

  • Roughly chop walnuts into small pieces. Add chopped walnuts in a bowl with 1 tbs of sugar and ¼ cup of rose water / orange blossom water. Mix with hands until mixture holds together but can still crumble.
    Mixing hashweh with hand

Assemble Baklawa

  • Brush baking tray with a light coating of vegetable ghee. Place 20 filo dough flat into the tray. Spray 1 teaspoon of sugar onto the dough. Evenly Spread hashweh (filling) on top. Spray 1 teaspoon of sugar onto hashweh and then over with another 20 layers of filo dough. Tuck edges in using your fingers. 
    nut filling a baking tray
  • Pat down and press pastry firmly so it compacts together really well. Cut into diamonds (or desired shape) and cover with warm vegetable ghee.
    Baklawa covered in warm vegetable ghee
  • Place into a preheated oven of 180C (356F) on the ¾ shelf (lower than mid shelf). Bake for 15 minutes and then turn the tray around. Bake for another 50-60minutes.
    Baklawa at the 15 minute mark
  • Once baklawa is baked, take out of the oven and drain excess ghee immediately. Lightly coat in a cold sugar syrup. Sprinkle with crush pistachio. Allow baklawa to completely cool at room temperature for a couple of hours before re-cutting and serving. See pro tips.
    Batlawa fresh out of oven with a little sugar syrup

Video

Notes

  • You can add a little bit more sugar in the walnut if you desire
  • Baklawa is always served cold.
  • Hashweh must not contain too much moisture, moisture will cause the filling to bake a dark colour which is not ideal.
  • A spray of sugar on top of the bottom layer of filo dough and on top of the hashweh helps the dough stick to the hashweh (filling)
  • Tuck in the edges as tightly as you can without ripping the delicate dough
  • Patting down pastry is super imperative to the success of constructing a successful batlawa, it’s one of the factors for making sure there is no separation between the layers
  • Whilst baking, if the baklawa doesn’t dry in the oven, the layers will seperate from each other
  • Warm vegetable ghee is important, hot vegetable ghee will not soak through all layers. Each piece must be covered in vegetable ghee.
  • The first 15 minutes are important when baking, as it’s when the layers are baking into each other. DO NOT open the oven beforehand. After rotating the tray, check in every 10 minutes. The last 10 minutes are crucial as pastry will brown quickly.
  • As soon as the baklawa is baked and taken out of the oven, it must be drained of excess vegetable ghee so it doesn’t soak up any excess.
  • Applying atter (sugar syrup) - the following rules must be followed otherwise you will end up with soggy baklawa. Apply cold sugar syrup to hot pastry or hot sugar syrup to cold pastry.
  • Most likely not all the atter (sugar syrup) will be used, left overs can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one month. Atter is also used on Atayef, another mouthwatering Arabic dessert
N.B., nutrition info is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. This will vary based on the specific ingredients you use and how much sugar syrup is actually used.

Equipment

15 inch (38cm) baking sheet tray
Mixing Bowl
Hand held mixer or beater

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 11332kcal | Carbohydrates: 848g | Protein: 168g | Fat: 854g | Saturated Fat: 137g | Trans Fat: 42g | Sodium: 3660mg | Potassium: 3875mg | Fiber: 65g | Sugar: 370g | Vitamin A: 150IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 828mg | Iron: 46mg

N.B., nutrition info is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. This will vary based on the specific ingredients you use.

Tried this recipe?Mention @Plantbasedfolk or tag #plantbasedfolk
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Katie

    March 11, 2022 at 11:08 pm

    5 stars
    One of my favorite desserts this recipe is so good!

    Reply
  2. Abigail

    February 09, 2022 at 1:15 pm

    5 stars
    I absolutely love baklava and never pass it up when I see it at restaurants. So happy to try making my own that is vegan and less sweet. Thanks for sharing this!

    Reply
  3. Maha

    July 27, 2021 at 5:33 am

    5 stars
    you turn it into a simple-to-make yet same old traditional taste. Bravo!

    Reply
    • Janelle

      July 27, 2021 at 9:01 am

      Thank you Maha, for the wonderful compliment

      J 🙂

      Reply
  4. Fadia

    June 11, 2021 at 9:03 pm

    5 stars
    Oh yum! I made a tray and now I'm addicted. Lebanese baklava is amazing.

    Reply
  5. ella

    April 16, 2021 at 4:40 pm

    5 stars
    i’ve been making my way through your recipes, this one i was excited about. it’s so good, considering the little amount of sugar which is normally in baklawa. i can control my sugar through the syrup. keep those recipes coming.

    Reply
    • Janelle

      April 19, 2021 at 9:07 am

      I am so pleased for your support! It means a lot.
      I am also glad you love baklawa - yay!

      Reply
      • Urni

        March 18, 2022 at 6:25 am

        Would vegetable margarine work instead of the ghee? Thanks

        Reply
        • Janelle Hama

          March 18, 2022 at 8:22 am

          it should work 🙂

          Reply
    • Anna

      March 12, 2022 at 4:58 am

      5 stars
      What a great recipe. My family loved baklawa, so I want to surprise them one day with a homemade one.

      Reply
  6. Ed

    March 13, 2021 at 2:21 pm

    5 stars
    Received this in my email from you. Had to make it. Took my oven a little longer, these were amazing.

    Reply
    • plantbasedfolk

      March 15, 2021 at 7:57 am

      Hi Ed,

      So glad you followed through via email. So glad you made this Lebanese baklawa recipe.

      Enjoy!
      J

      Reply
  7. Samar

    March 11, 2021 at 7:12 pm

    5 stars
    i always wanted to try and make this at home but thought it would be too hard. you made it easy. i like how it has a lot less sugar in it and i can control how much simple syrup goes onto it. can i store baklava in the fridge?

    Reply
    • plantbasedfolk

      March 11, 2021 at 8:49 pm

      Hi Samar,

      I like mine with a lot less sugar too.
      Yes you can place these in the fridge for storage. They will keep for a few weeks (if they last long)

      Enjoy!
      J x

      Reply
  8. Gena

    February 27, 2021 at 3:44 pm

    5 stars
    Wow
    These look amazing. I’m making it tonight

    Reply
    • plantbasedfolk

      March 01, 2021 at 9:48 am

      Thank you and enjoy Gena! 🙂

      Reply

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Heya, I'm Janelle! I've been a messy but delicious cook for a couple of decades now.

In the last few years, I've converted to a vegan diet and have fallen in love with the flavors that can be created from plants.

I specialize in vegan Lebanese food and I'm excited to share these amazing recipes with you.

Let's cook together!

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