Cashew Free Baklava with Walnuts and Honey Syrup
Few desserts hit the way a tray of freshly made baklava does — shatteringly crisp layers of buttered phyllo, a fragrant walnut filling spiced with cinnamon and cardamom, and a honey syrup infused with whole cloves and a cinnamon stick that soaks into every golden layer as it cools. The filling here is built entirely around walnuts, which means anyone avoiding cashews can dig in without a second thought — no mixed nut blends, no ambiguous "assorted nuts" shortcuts. The technique is straightforward but intentional: the syrup gets made first so it's fully cooled by the time the baklava comes out of the oven, and that temperature contrast between hot pastry and cool syrup is exactly what creates the iconic crisp-yet-sticky texture. Cutting the diamond pattern before baking is one of those small steps that makes a huge difference, since the delicate phyllo would crumble into shards if you tried to slice it after. After a long rest — ideally overnight — the syrup absorbs completely and the layers settle into something truly special. This is the kind of recipe that looks impressive on a dessert table but rewards patience more than skill.
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Learn more →Ingredients
24 servings
For the baklava
- 1 lb (about 40 sheets) phyllo dough, thawed
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
For the walnut filling
- 4 cups walnut halves
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground cardamom
- ⅛ tsp fine salt
For the honey syrup
- 1 cup honey
- ¾ cup water
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 whole cloves
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- 1
Make the syrup first so it has time to cool completely before use. Combine the honey, water, sugar, cinnamon stick, and whole cloves in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon juice, and let the syrup cool to room temperature. Remove and discard the cinnamon stick and cloves.
- 2
Pulse the walnut halves in a food processor 8–10 times until coarsely chopped — pieces should be roughly the size of a pea, not a fine powder. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the sugar, ground cinnamon, cardamom, and salt until evenly combined.
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