Turkish Hazelnut Pistachio Baklava (Printable)

Crisp phyllo pastry layered with hazelnut-pistachio filling and honey syrup, offering a rich, aromatic treat.

# What You Need:

→ Pastry

01 - 16 sheets phyllo dough, thawed
02 - 2/3 cup unsalted butter, melted

→ Nut Filling

03 - 3/4 cup hazelnuts, finely chopped
04 - 3/4 cup pistachios, finely chopped
05 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

→ Honey Syrup

07 - 1/2 cup water
08 - 2/3 cup honey
09 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
10 - 1 teaspoon lemon juice

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush an 8x12-inch baking pan with melted butter.
02 - Place 4 sheets of phyllo in the pan, brushing each sheet generously with melted butter.
03 - In a bowl, mix chopped hazelnuts, pistachios, sugar, and cinnamon until evenly incorporated.
04 - Evenly sprinkle one-third of the nut mixture over the layered phyllo sheets.
05 - Cover nut layer with 4 more sheets of buttered phyllo, then sprinkle the second third of nut mixture.
06 - Add another 4 sheets of buttered phyllo followed by the remaining nut mixture.
07 - Top with the final 4 sheets of phyllo, brushing each generously with melted butter.
08 - Using a sharp knife, cut the layered pastry into diamond or square shapes for serving.
09 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and crisp.
10 - While baking, combine water, honey, sugar, and lemon juice in a saucepan. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
11 - Immediately pour the hot honey syrup evenly over the baked pastry once removed from the oven.
12 - Allow baklava to cool completely, letting the syrup soak into the layers before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • That shattering crunch of phyllo meeting warm honey syrup is pure theater for your mouth.
  • The pistachio and hazelnut duo creates a complexity that makes people ask for the recipe.
  • Once you nail the layering technique, you'll feel like you've unlocked a secret kitchen superpower.
02 -
  • Never pour cold syrup over hot baklava or hot syrup over cold baklava—the temperature contrast is what makes the magic happen, and skipping it means dry, disappointing results.
  • Phyllo sheets dry out faster than you'd think; keep unused sheets covered with a damp towel while you work, or you'll end up with torn, crackling sheets that won't layer properly.
  • Chill the baklava for 30 minutes before cutting if you want cleaner pieces instead of a shattering mess across your cutting board.
03 -
  • Brush your knife with a bit of oil before cutting—it glides through buttery phyllo without tearing or dragging.
  • If your phyllo tears while layering, don't panic; patch it with a bit of butter and another small piece of phyllo, and keep going—no one will ever notice once it's baked.
  • Make the syrup while the baklava bakes so they're both ready at the exact moment you need them.
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