Baklava Cheesecake with Phyllo, Pistachios & Honey

Baklava cheesecake is a festive and impressive dessert for the holiday table. Flaky layers of phyllo dough in the crust hold a creamy, irresistible, rose-scented cheesecake. It's not overly sweet thanks to tangy yogurt and cream cheese. Plus, this cheesecake is dairy free!

Just look how elegant this baklava cheesecake is! And trust me, even if you've never made baklava or cheesecake, you can definitely make this epic baklava cheesecake recipe!

In Germany, I grew up making German cheesecake which is normally made without a water bath. So this recipe is designed to bake without a water bath too, which makes it so much easier!

And for more delicious cheesecake recipes, try no bake pumpkin cheesecake and chocolate Black Forest cheesecake.

What is a Baklava Cheesecake?

Baklava cheesecake is a marriage of divine flavors. Baklava is a sweet Middle Eastern and Greek dessert made with buttery phyllo dough, crushed nuts, and honey syrup. Combined with creamy cheesecake, this dessert is a crowd-pleaser.

My version of baklava cheesecake is made with layers of phyllo dough with chopped pistachios and honey. And the baked cheesecake is flavored with rose water to give it an authentic Middle Eastern flavor.

And by using store bought phyllo dough, we can make this dessert much easier and faster to prepare.

Ingredients

Baklava Crust

• Chopped roasted pistachios
• Salt - only add if the pistachios are unsalted
• Honey - I recommend raw organic honey
• Butter - use dairy-free or vegan butter
• Phyllo dough - defrosted to room temperature

Dairy Free Cheesecake

• Dairy-free cream cheese - soften to room temperature
• Granulated sugar
• Salt
• Rose water - can be found in the international section of grocery stores or at Middle Easter markets
• Dairy-free plain Greek yogurt
• Eggs

How to Make Baklava Cheesecake

This recipe does take time, but you'll love the end result, and it's sure to be a crowd pleaser. For the full recipe, scroll down to the bottom of this post.

Make the Baklava Crust

1. Combine nuts and honey: Mix the chopped pistachios with salt and honey in a mixing bowl until it's sticky. Set aside.
2. Prepare the pan: Grease a round 10-inch springform pan. Brush melted butter on the bottom.
3. Layer the phyllo dough: Gently pull apart one sheet of phyllo dough. Use your hands to flatten it on the bottom, in the corners, and up the sides of the pan.
   Brush melted butter on the bottom and sides of the phyllo dough sheet.
   Repeat with 9 more sheets of phyllo dough, until you have 10 total.
4. Add half the nuts: Spread half the pistachio-honey mixture into the pan and press it in an even layer.
5. Layer more phyllo dough: Layer five more sheets of phyllo dough and melted butter.
6. Add more nuts: Spread the other half of the pistachio-honey mixture into the pan and press it in an even layer. Set aside.

Make the Dairy Free Cheesecake

1. Beat the cream cheese: In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with an electric whisk, beat the cream cheese for 4 to 6 minutes, until it is smooth and creamy.
2. Add the sugar & salt: Beat the granulated sugar and salt into the cream cheese for another 4 minutes, until it is smooth.
3. Add the rose water and eggs: While mixing on low speed, add the rose water. Then add the whole eggs, one at a time. Make sure each egg is fully mixed in before adding the next egg. Then add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.
4. Add the yogurt: Add the dairy-free plain Greek yogurt and continue to mix on a low speed until it's smooth, creamy and fully combined, scraping the sides as needed.
5. Add to the pan: Pour the cheesecake batter into the springform pan with the baklava cheesecake crust.

Bake and Decorate

1. Bake at 325°F: Bake for 30 minutes at 325°F.
2. Bake at 250°F: Reduce the oven temperature to 250°F and bake for 1 hour.
3. Finish baking: Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in the hot oven with the door closed for at least 1 hour.
4. Cool: Remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow it to cool completely to room temperature, about 3 hours.
5. Refrigerate: Refrigerate the cheesecake overnight to set (at least 8 hours).
6. Decorate and serve: When ready to serve, carefully release the sides of the springform pan. Top with chopped pistachios. Slice and enjoy!

Recipe Tips

• I recommend using a springform pan so you can easily remove the sides once the cheesecake is ready to slice and serve.
• Don't skip chilling the cheesecake - this step is vital to allow the cheesecake to finish setting. If you try to slice it while it's room temperature, it won't be firm enough.
• I designed this recipe so your cheesecake shouldn't crack while baking and cooling. If for any reason it does crack, just sprinkle extra chopped pistachios on top and no one will ever know!
• If you don't need your cheesecake dairy free, just use normal butter, Greek yogurt and cream cheese.
• If you can start with ingredients at room temperature including the cream cheese, yogurt and eggs, your cheesecake will whip up creamier.
• You can use other nuts like walnuts or almonds instead of pistachios.

Tips for Using Phyllo Dough

• Phyllo dough (also called filo dough) is not the same as puff pastry. Phyllo dough creates thin crispy layers. Puff pastry on the other hand puffs up to create airy crispy layers, which isn't what we want in this dessert.
• Allow frozen phyllo dough to defrost overnight in the fridge, then come to room temperature for about an hour. At room temperature, it's soft and pliable.
• Keep the phyllo sheets that you aren't using covered with plastic cling wrap and a damp kitchen towel to prevent them from drying out.
• Phyllo dough is very thin and fragile - handle it gently to avoid tearing.
• If your phyllo dough does tear, you can patch it together by brushing melted butter to seal the tear. Or patch over a hole with another small piece of phyllo dough.
• Make sure the layers cover both the bottom and sides of your pan, to form the full crust for the cheesecake.

Recipe FAQ's

What is baklava cheesecake made of?

Baklava cheesecake is made with phyllo dough, pistachios, honey, butter, cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and Greek yogurt.

Why is baklava so expensive?

Store bought baklava can be pretty pricey, since it requires a lot of time and effort to make all the flaky layers. If you have the time, making it at home can be a major money saver!

How do you store leftovers?

Store in the fridge covered with plastic cling wrap for up to 4 days.

More Middle Eastern Inspired Desserts

Looking for more delicious Middle Eastern inspired sweets to share with friends? My husband grew up in the Middle East, and I love making desserts that celebrate the flavors of his childhood. <3

• Basbousa (Semolina Cake)
• Ma'amoul (Date-Filled Cookies)
• Vegan Knafeh
• Vegan Baklava
• Light and Sweet Date Cake