Vegan Baklava (& Other Iftar Desserts!)

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If you're looking for a foolproof baklava recipe that looks and tastes like the traditional Middle Eastern dessert, look no further! I went through countless iterations of this recipe to finally perfect it and achieve my Middle Eastern in-laws approval. This vegan baklava contains no honey or dairy, but it's still sweet, crispy, crunchy, and so delicious! Plus my tips for working with finicky phyllo dough will have you whipping out professional-looking baklava that'll have everyone drooling.

About this Recipe

This vegan baklava recipe has gone through numerous iterations to get it perfected. My in-laws are from Iraq, and they weren't shy in telling me exactly how baklava should look and taste.

When my in-laws tasted the final version of this vegan baklava, they were thoroughly impressed! They said it was even more delicious than traditional store bought baklava!

While this recipe may look fancy and intimidating, it's really just repetition of a few simple steps. Add a layer of phyllo dough. Brush it with melted butter. Sprinkle crushed nuts every few layers. That's just about it!

And I'm all about making impressive-looking recipes that are deceptively simple. I've spent countless hours in my kitchen since 2020, developing fool-proof recipes for beginner home bakers. And trust me, you can totally make vegan baklava to wow your friends and family!

Is Baklava Vegan?

Traditional baklava is made with melted butter in between the phyllo dough layers. My recipe uses vegan butter instead. And normally a honey syrup is poured on top. However, my recipe instead uses a simple syrup, with maple syrup as an alternative.

Is Phyllo Dough Vegan?

Phyllo dough is usually vegan, so you don't need to find a special substitute for that. Just be sure to check the label of the brand you're buying, to make sure it's vegan.

Ingredients

Vegan Baklava

• Nuts - I like a blend of pistachios and walnuts, heavy on the pistachios. But you can also use cashews, almonds and pecans.
  
• Granulated sugar - Sweetens the nut filling in the baklava layers. Don't use brown sugar, otherwise it'll add too much moisture and could make your baklava soggy.
  
• Ground cinnamon - Just a little bit adds a warm flavor. Feel free to add other spices like nutmeg, cloves and cardamom.
  
• Salt - Brings out the flavor of the rest of the ingredients. I recommend using table salt (not kosher salt), since its small granules will disperse more evenly throughout the nut filling.
  
• Vegan butter - Brushed between each phyllo layer so they become crispy in the oven. I've heard some people use olive oil instead with success, but I like the flavor and browning color effect of vegan butter.
  
• Frozen phyllo dough - Allow your frozen phyllo dough to thaw in the fridge overnight, then at room temperature for an hour or two. This will help prevent it from cracking or tearing when you handle it. Don't substitute puff pasty or pie crust, since these will make your vegan baklava layers too thick.

Maple & Rose Syrup

• Water - Simmered with the sugar to form a sweet and sticky simple syrup.
  
• Granulated sugar - Simmered with the water to form a sweet and sticky simple syrup. You could substitute all the simple syrup with maple syrup. You could use brown sugar to make simple syrup, but don't use powder sugar, because the added cornstarch can make the syrup cloudy, affecting the look of your baklava masterpiece.
  
• Maple syrup - Replaces the honey to sweeten the syrup; you can also use agave nectar, corn syrup, or make more simple syrup.
  
• Rose water - Rose water is optional to infuse a floral aroma into the syrup. It's a common ingredient used in Middle Eastern cuisine.

Tips for Working with Phyllo Dough

• Handle your phyllo dough (also called filo dough) gently. It's so thin that it can tear easily.
• Use your baking pan to measure and trim the phyllo sheets so they're the same size as the base of your baking pan. I usually cut 3 to 4 sheets at a time.
• Let the dough completely thaw to room temperature before unrolling it and handling it. If it's still cold, it could stick together and tear.
• Keep the phyllo that you aren't using covered with plastic wrap and a damp kitchen towel to prevent them from drying out. Dry phyllo becomes brittle and breaks easily.

How to Make Vegan Baklava

These are the general steps to make homemade vegan baklava. For the full step-by-step instructions, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

1. Blend the nut mixture: In a food processor, blend the pistachios, walnuts, sugar, cinnamon, and salt.

2. Roll out the phyllo dough and trim: Gently roll out your thawed phyllo dough so it lays flat on the counter. Use a 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan as a guide to trim the phyllo dough sheets to fit in the baking dish bottom.

3. Brush the baking pan with butter: Brush the 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan with melted vegan butter.

4. Brush the pan and phyllo sheets with melted butter: Place one sheet of phyllo on the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Brush the top of the phyllo sheet with more melted butter.

5. Layer phyllo sheets and melted butter: Repeat step 4 with 9 more phyllo sheets, for a total of 10 phyllo sheets.

6. Add one third of the nut mixture: Sprinkle one heaping cup of the nut mixture evenly on the buttered phyllo sheet. Drizzle a little melted butter on top of the nuts.

7. Add more phyllo dough layers: Add 5 more layers of phyllo sheets and melted butter.

8. Add one third of the nut mixture: Sprinkle another one heaping cup of the nut mixture, drizzle with a little melted butter.

9. Add more phyllo dough layers: Add 5 more layers of phyllo sheets and melted butter.

10. Add the remaining nut mixture: Sprinkle the final heaping cup of the nut mixture and drizzle with a little melted butter.

11. Add more phyllo dough layers: Add 5 more layers of phyllo sheets and melted butter. Brush the top layer generously with melted butter.

12. Slice the baklava: Use a sharp knife to cut the baklava all the way to the bottom in 12 squares, then cut each square on the diagonal.

13. Bake: Bake at 350°F for 40 to 45 minutes, until the top is dark golden brown and crispy.

14. Boil then simmer the syrup: In a medium sauce pan, combine the water, granulated sugar, maple syrup, and optional rose water. Bring to a boil, then simmer on medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until slightly thickened.

15. Cool the syrup: Set aside to cool while the baklava finishes baking.

16. Pour the syrup: As soon as the hot baklava comes out of the oven, slowly pour the syrup evenly over it. Make sure the syrup gets all over, into the corners and onto all the slices.

17. Cool then serve: Let cool at room temperature for at least 3 hours. Enjoy!!

Recipe Tips

• The bottom layer should be the thickest layer with 10 sheets of phyllo dough. This allows you to pick it up and eat it.
• Save a couple tablespoons of chopped nuts to sprinkle on top right after you pour the syrup, so it sticks on top and looks even more impressive.
• Cut the baklava before it's baked, while the phyllo dough is still soft. If you try to cut baked baklava, the phyllo will shatter.
• Pour the syrup onto the baklava as soon as it comes out of the oven, then allow it to cool for a few hours. This allows the syrup to soak into all the layers creating a scrumptious, sticky texture.
• If you have a food processor, use that to chop your nuts much faster. But a knife and cutting board work just as well.

Recipe Variations

My vegan baklava recipe is based on a mix of flavors of Greek and Middle Eastern baklava. Greek baklava is often made with honey, walnuts, and cinnamon. And there are numerous variations of Middle Eastern baklava, but it's often made with syrup and pistachios, with little to no added spices.

• You can use pretty much any type of nuts in the filling. You can use pistachios, walnuts, cashews, almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, etc.
• I just use a small amount of cinnamon, since my in-laws from the Middle East don't care for baklava with tons of added spices. But feel free to add ground nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, or allspice for added warmth and flavor.
• Instead of simple syrup made with granulated sugar, you can substitute brown sugar for a more rich, caramel flavor.
• Instead of maple syrup, you can substitute agave nectar, corn syrup, or increase the amount of simple syrup you make.
• Orange blossom water and rose water are both common additions to the simple syrup in Middle Eastern baklava. They add an intoxicating floral aroma. But just use a little, because they are powerfully strong!

Storing

• Room temperature: I usually store homemade baklava in the pan covered with plastic wrap for up to 3 days at room temperature.
• Fridge: store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
• Freezer: store in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before eating.
• Note that leftover phyllo will absorb moisture, so the layers won't be quite as crispy as the first day it's baked.

Recipe FAQ's

More Middle Eastern Desserts

I made this vegan baklava recently to share with my in-laws for iftar dessert during Ramadan. Here are some more Middle Eastern-inspired recipes to enjoy during Ramadan, or for any occasion!

• Vegan Knafeh
• Mamool (Date-Filled Cookies)
• Basbousa (Semolina Cake)
• Baklava Cheesecake
• Light and Sweet Date Cake