Coconut Free Pistachio Baklava
Few desserts command a room the way a tray of freshly made baklava does — all those shatteringly crisp, golden layers hiding a fragrant pistachio filling underneath. This version keeps things beautifully simple: raw shelled pistachios seasoned with cinnamon and cardamom, layered between sheets of buttered phyllo, and finished with a honey syrup brightened by orange blossom water and a strip of lemon peel. There is no coconut oil, no coconut sugar, and no desiccated coconut hiding anywhere in the ingredient list, which makes it a genuinely safe choice for anyone navigating that particular sensitivity. The technique is more approachable than it looks — the key moves are keeping your phyllo covered with a damp towel so it doesn't dry out, cutting the pieces before baking so the syrup can soak all the way through, and making sure that syrup is fully cooled before it hits the hot pan. That temperature contrast is what produces the legendary crisp-yet-sticky texture that makes baklava so irresistible. A two-hour rest is all that stands between you and a tray of deeply flavored, flaky diamonds that taste like they came from a specialty pastry shop.
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Learn more →Ingredients
24 servings
For the baklava
- 1 lb phyllo dough, thawed
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
For the filling
- 3 cups raw shelled pistachios
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground cardamom
For the syrup
- 1 cup honey
- ¾ cup water
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp orange blossom water
- 1 strip lemon peel (about 2 inches)
For serving
- 2 tbsp finely chopped pistachios (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Make the syrup first so it has time to cool completely before the baklava comes out of the oven. Combine the honey, water, 1/2 cup sugar, and lemon peel strip in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, until slightly thickened and the syrup coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat, stir in the orange blossom water, and discard the lemon peel. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- 2
Pulse the pistachios in a food processor until coarsely chopped — pieces should be roughly the size of a small pea, not a fine powder. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the 2 tbsp sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom until evenly combined.
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