Jolly Christmas Baklava Recipe: Festive Layers of Sweet Joy

Layers of delicate phyllo pastry dance with a rich baklava spiced christmas delight that whispers holiday traditions from distant lands.

Crisp, buttery sheets nestle between generous handfuls of chopped nuts and warm cinnamon.

The sweet aroma promises memories of festive gatherings and cherished moments.

Honey syrup glistens between each golden-brown layer, creating a dessert that speaks directly to the heart.

Every bite carries the warmth of seasonal celebrations and culinary craftsmanship.

Nutty, sweet, and beautifully complex, this christmas baklava transforms ordinary ingredients into an extraordinary treat.

Dive into this recipe and let the magic of the holidays unfold on your plate.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 5 hours 20 minutes

Calories: 380 kcal

Servings: 11

What’s Inside Christmas Baklava

• Phyllo Dough: Delicate, paper-thin sheets that create crispy, flaky layers perfect for capturing rich buttery flavors.
• Unsalted Butter: Provides golden crispness and luxurious richness to each phyllo layer.

• Walnuts, Pistachios: Crunchy Mediterranean nuts bringing warm, robust depth and festive holiday texture.
• Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps caramelize the nuts during baking.
• Ground Cinnamon: Introduces warm, aromatic spice that complements the nutty base.
• Ground Cloves: Delivers intense, slightly peppery undertone typical of Christmas baking.

• Water: Creates the smooth, glossy syrup base.
• Honey: Provides natural sweetness and glossy sheen.
• Granulated Sugar: Enhances syrup's sweetness and consistency.
• Vanilla Extract: Adds subtle, comforting background flavor.
• Orange Peel: Introduces bright, citrusy note that elevates the entire dessert.
• Cinnamon Stick: Infuses deep, warming spice throughout the syrup.
• Pistachios: Garnish that adds color, crunch, and visual appeal.
• Edible Gold Leaf: Optional luxurious festive decoration.

Tools You’ll Use For Christmas Baklava

• Baking Dish (9×13-inch): Essential for layering and baking the baklava.
• Pastry Brush: Perfect for evenly spreading melted butter between phyllo layers.
• Sharp Knife: Crucial for cutting precise diamond or square shapes before baking.
• Large Mixing Bowl: Needed for combining nuts, sugar, and spices.
• Saucepan: Used for preparing the sweet syrup.
• Cutting Board: Helpful for chopping nuts and preparing ingredients.
• Measuring Cups and Spoons: Ensures accurate ingredient proportions.

How To Layer Christmas Baklava Right

• Oven Preparation

Warm the kitchen with a cozy 175C (350F) oven temperature. Select a beautiful 9×13-inch baking dish and lovingly coat it with a smooth butter layer.

• Nutty Symphony

Create a delightful spice mixture by blending chopped nuts with sweet sugar, warming cinnamon, and mysterious cloves. Let this fragrant blend rest and anticipate its delicious destiny.

• Delicate Dough Dance

Begin a graceful layering ritual with phyllo sheets. Gently brush each gossamer-thin sheet with melted butter, creating a golden landscape. Sprinkle the nutty mixture between layers, building delicate flavor mountains. Continue this elegant process, alternating buttery phyllo and spiced nuts until your creation reaches a beautiful peak.

• Precise Cutting

With gentle precision, slice the baklava into elegant diamond or square shapes, preparing pathways for sweet syrup to travel.

• Golden Transformation

Bake until the phyllo turns a mesmerizing golden brown, filling your kitchen with irresistible aromas.

• Seductive Syrup

Craft a magical liquid by simmering water, sugar, honey, and aromatic spices. Let the syrup develop a rich, complex personality.

• Sweet Fusion

Immediately after baking, cascade the warm syrup over the baklava, allowing it to seep into every delicate crevice. Let it rest and absorb flavors for several hours.

• Festive Finale

Crown your masterpiece with scattered pistachios and optional glimmering gold leaf, transforming it into a true holiday treasure.

Tips To Perfect Christmas Baklava

• Baking Brilliance: Mastering Christmas Baklava Secrets
• Phyllo Perfection: Handle phyllo dough with care by keeping it covered with a damp towel to prevent drying and cracking. Work quickly and gently to maintain its delicate texture.
• Butter Brushing Technique: Use a soft pastry brush and apply melted butter sparingly but evenly between layers. This ensures a crispy, golden-brown result without making the dessert overly greasy.
• Make-Ahead Magic: Prepare baklava 1-2 days before serving, as it actually improves with time. The syrup needs hours to fully penetrate and soften the layers, creating a more delicious dessert.
• Gluten-Free Option: Replace traditional phyllo with gluten-free phyllo sheets or use layers of thinly sliced almond flour pastry for a celiac-friendly version. Ensure all other ingredients are gluten-free.
• Nut-Free Twist: Swap traditional nuts with seeds like sunflower or pumpkin seeds for those with nut allergies. This adaptation maintains the crispy texture while offering a safe alternative for sensitive guests.

How To Serve Christmas Baklava Sweetly

• Festive Family Gathering: Spread this Christmas baklava on a beautiful wooden board surrounded by holiday decorations, creating a warm and inviting dessert centerpiece that draws everyone together.
• Holiday Gift Delight: Package individual diamond-shaped pieces in clear gift boxes tied with red ribbons, making perfect homemade presents for neighbors, teachers, or holiday party hosts.
• Coffee Companion Pairing: Serve alongside rich espresso or traditional Greek coffee, creating a delightful after-dinner treat that complements the sweet, nutty flavors of the baklava and enhances the festive dining experience.
• Dessert Buffet Star: Display the baklava as a stunning centerpiece on a holiday dessert table, garnished with extra pistachios and a sprinkle of edible gold leaf to add elegance and festive sparkle.

Keep Christmas Baklava Fresh Longer

• Fresh Slice Strategy: Cut baklava into desired shapes before baking to ensure clean, even pieces that absorb syrup perfectly and look professionally presented.
• Cooling Technique: Allow baklava to rest at room temperature for 4-6 hours after adding syrup, enabling complete liquid absorption and developing rich, deep flavors.
• Refrigeration Method: Store in an airtight container between parchment paper layers, keeping at cool room temperature for up to 5 days or refrigerate for extended freshness up to 2 weeks.
• Freezing Solution: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 2-3 hours before serving to maintain crispy texture and delicate layers.

Festive Christmas Baklava Recipe

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4.6 from 29 reviews

• Total Time: 5 hours 20 minutes
• Yield: 11 1x

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Description

Rich layers of phyllo dough showcase this christmas baklava with a festive walnut and spice filling. Honey-soaked pastry celebrates holiday traditions from Greece with sweet, nutty perfection you’ll savor.

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Ingredients

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• 1 pkg (16 oz / 450 g) phyllo dough, thawed
• 1 cup (225 g / 8 oz) unsalted butter, melted
• 2 cups (200 g / 7 oz) mixed nuts (walnuts, pistachios, and almonds), finely chopped
• 1 cup (240 ml / 8 fl oz) water
• 1 cup (200 g / 7 oz) granulated sugar
• ¾ cup (180 ml / 6 fl oz) honey
• ¼ cup (50 g / 1.8 oz) granulated sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 whole cloves
• 1 orange peel (zest, removed in large strips)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Chopped pistachios or walnuts
• Edible gold leaf (optional, for a festive touch)

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Instructions

1. Preparation: Preheat oven to 175C (350F) and thoroughly butter a 9×13-inch baking dish, coating every surface to prevent adherence.
2. Nut Mixture: Combine chopped nuts with sugar, cinnamon, and cloves, blending spices to create an aromatic base for the filling.
3. Layering: Meticulously arrange phyllo sheets in the dish, gently brushing each layer with melted butter to achieve a delicate, crisp texture. Alternate between phyllo and nut mixture, creating a harmonious stratification of pastry and filling.
4. Scoring: Craft precise geometric patterns by cutting diamond or square shapes across the assembled pastry, facilitating syrup absorption and creating an elegant visual design.
5. Baking: Bake in the preheated oven for 40-50 minutes, monitoring the transformation to a rich, golden-brown hue.
6. Syrup Creation: While baking, simmer water, sugar, honey, cinnamon stick, cloves, and orange peel to develop a complex, fragrant syrup. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla extract, and allow to cool slightly.
7. Syrup Infusion: Immediately after removing from the oven, lavishly pour the warm syrup over the hot baklava, ensuring complete saturation of every layer and crevice.
8. Resting: Allow the dessert to rest at room temperature for several hours, enabling the syrup to fully permeate and soften the pastry.
9. Finishing: Garnish with finely chopped pistachios and optional edible gold leaf for a festive, luxurious presentation.
10. Serving: Present at room temperature, showcasing the intricate layers and rich, honeyed essence of this traditional holiday delicacy.

Notes

• Master Phyllo Handling: Work quickly and keep phyllo sheets covered with a damp cloth to prevent drying and cracking, ensuring delicate, crisp layers.
• Butter Technique: Brush each phyllo sheet gently and thoroughly with melted butter, using light strokes to create multiple gossamer-thin layers without tearing.
• Cutting Before Baking: Score the baklava before baking to help syrup penetrate evenly and create clean, beautiful serving pieces that don’t crumble.
• Syrup Temperature Trick: Pour slightly cooled syrup over hot baklava to ensure maximum absorption and prevent soggy bottom layers, allowing the pastry to maintain its crisp texture.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 50 minutes
• Category: Desserts, Snacks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 11
• Calories: 380
• Sugar: 22 g
• Sodium: 90 mg
• Fat: 24 g
• Saturated Fat: 10 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 40 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 5 g
• Cholesterol: 30 mg