The Great Greek-Style Baklava

This recipe uses wholesome whole grains and minimally refined sweeteners to replicate traditional baklava's rich nuttiness without industrial additives.

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Ingredients

  • 1 cup organic raw honey
  • 1/2 cup organic water
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp organic vanilla bean paste
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup chopped organic walnuts
  • 1 cup chopped organic pistachios
  • 1/2 cup slivered organic almonds
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) grass-fed butter, melted (or high-quality extra virgin olive oil)
  • 1 package whole grain phyllo dough sheets, thawed (or handmade pastry layers)

Clean swaps

How we upgrade the restaurant version with better ingredients.

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Shop the clean pantry

Reorder the shelf-stable staples for this recipe.

What you'll need

  • Stand mixer — Hands-free creaming and whipping — the most time-saving machine in a baker's kitchen.
  • Kitchen scale — Baking by weight is more accurate than cups — 1 g = 1 g, always.
  • Silicone baking mat — No parchment waste, uniform browning, nothing sticks.

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9x13 inch baking pan with a small amount of butter or oil.
  2. In a small saucepan, combine the honey, water, lemon juice, vanilla bean paste, and cinnamon. Simmer over medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes until slightly thickened, then remove from heat to cool completely.
  3. Toss the chopped walnuts, pistachios, and almonds together with a pinch of cinnamon in a bowl.
  4. Lay one sheet of phyllo in the pan and brush with melted butter (or olive oil). Repeat until you have 8 buttered layers on the bottom.
  5. Spread half the nut mixture evenly over the phyllo. Add 4 more buttered sheets, spread the remaining nuts, then top with 8 more sheets, brushing every layer with butter (or olive oil).
  6. Use a sharp knife to cut the baklava into diamond shapes across both the length and width of the pan, cutting all the way through.
  7. Bake for 40-50 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the pastry is golden brown and crisp.
  8. Immediately pour the cooled honey syrup evenly over the hot baklava. Let it sit for at least 1 hour (overnight is best) before serving to allow the syrup to soak in.

FAQ

Can I substitute the walnuts and pistachios with other nuts?

Yes, you can substitute with almonds, hazelnuts, or pecans, as long as they are organic for consistency in this clean recipe.

Is grass-fed butter a necessary substitution for extra virgin olive oil in this baklava?

No, either fat works well and is considered a cleaner choice. Grass-fed butter adds a creamy flavor, while extra virgin olive oil offers more antioxidants and a neutral taste.

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