Lupin Free Pistachio Baklava
Few desserts command a room the way a tray of freshly made baklava does — all those shatteringly crisp, golden layers soaked in fragrant syrup, with a generous pistachio filling spiced with cinnamon and cardamom. The filling here is built entirely around raw shelled pistachios, which means no lupin flour, no legume-based fillers, and none of the hidden additives that can sneak into store-bought versions of this classic. The syrup is a simple, beautiful blend of honey, water, sugar, lemon peel, and orange blossom water — that floral note is what takes the whole thing somewhere special. One of the smartest moves in this recipe is making the syrup ahead and letting it cool completely, then pouring it over the pistachio-hot baklava straight from the oven — that temperature contrast is what creates the iconic crisp, flaky texture. Cutting the pieces before baking is another technique worth trusting, since it lets the syrup seep all the way down through every layer. The result is deeply satisfying: sticky, nutty, aromatic, and layered in the most literal sense. Give it the full two-hour rest and it will reward your patience with clean, set pieces that are every bit as impressive as they look.
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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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