Peanut Free Baklava with Walnuts and Honey Syrup
Baklava is one of those desserts that looks impossibly impressive but rewards patience more than skill, and this version delivers every bit of the flaky, syrup-soaked magic you're hoping for. The filling leans entirely on walnuts — no pistachios, no almonds, no mixed nut blends — which makes it a genuinely safe choice for anyone navigating peanut and tree-nut cross-contact concerns with store-bought versions. Each layer of phyllo gets a thorough brush of melted butter, building up that signature shatter-and-chew texture that makes the first bite so satisfying. The honey syrup is spiced with a cinnamon stick and whole cloves, then brightened with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, giving it a depth that goes well beyond plain sweetness. The key move here is pouring the fully cooled syrup over the piping-hot baklava straight out of the oven — that sizzling contrast is exactly what produces the crisp-yet-moist layers that define a great baklava. Cutting the diamond pattern before baking is non-negotiable, so don't skip it; the pastry will crumble into shards if you try to slice it after it crisps up. Give it a full rest before serving and you'll be rewarded with clean cuts, glossy pieces, and a dessert that genuinely tastes like it came from a specialty bakery.
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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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