Gelatin Free Baklava with Walnuts and Honey Syrup
Flaky, golden, and dripping with spiced honey syrup, this baklava is the kind of dessert that makes a room go quiet the moment it hits the table. Many store-bought versions and even some restaurant preparations rely on gelatin-based glazes or stabilizers to achieve that glossy finish, but here the syrup is built entirely from honey, sugar, water, warm spices, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice — nothing hidden, nothing unnecessary. The walnut filling is fragrant with cinnamon and cardamom, and the technique of pouring cool syrup over hot pastry straight from the oven is what creates that irresistible crisp-yet-sticky texture without any additives. Forty-plus sheets of butter-drenched phyllo get layered and baked until deeply golden, so every bite delivers serious crunch alongside the rich, nutty filling. The hardest part is honestly the waiting — a few hours of rest lets the syrup soak all the way through and the layers settle into that iconic, pull-apart structure. Cut along the pre-scored diamond lines and serve at room temperature, where the flavors are at their absolute best.
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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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