The BEST Vegan Baklava (Easy!)
Layers of buttery, flaky phyllo and savory crushed nuts are bathed in silky sweet syrup, making this vegan baklava an indulgent yet balanced dessert.
Equipment
- 1 food processor
- 1 baking dish
Ingredients
For the baklava:
- 227 g phyllo half of one standard-size box, cut to fit your baking dish
- 227 g walnuts chopped
- 227 g pistachios chopped
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 57 g vegan butter softened
For the syrup
- 100 g sugar any kind
- 120 g water
- 160 g maple syrup substitute agave syrup or honey
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon rosewater optional!! Taste test first- this is very floral!
Instructions
- Ensure your phyllo dough is defrosted.
- Use a food processor to chop nuts finely.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the nuts and the cinnamon; set aside.
- Soften your butter (or coconut oil) by blitzing it in the microwave for a few seconds, or allow it to reach ambient temperature; this makes it easier to work with as you go.
- Remove the phyllo dough from the packaging. Keep a damp towel handy and place it over the phyllo dough as you work to ensure it doesn’t dry out.
- Butter a baking dish. Cut the phyllo dough to fit the dish.
- Place 2-3 sheets of phyllo into the dish and brush with butter or oil. Repeat this 2-3 times for a base layer of 6-9 buttered phyllo layers.
- Add a layer of cinnamon nuts; top with a layer of 2-3 phyllo sheets, and brush with butter.
- Add a second layer of nuts and top with 2-3 phyllo sheets brushed with butter. Add cut phyllo scraps (if you have any) and another 2-3 phyllo sheets and brush with butter to complete the top layer of the baklava.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Use a sharp knife to cut almost completely through the baklava, but leave about ½” uncut from the bottom. You can cut any shapes you like. Small squares or diamonds are more traditional shapes, but I love a palm-sized behemoth slice of baklava, too.
- Bake the baklava until crisp and golden, which will take 45 - 60 minutes depending on the number of phyllo layers you’ve incorporated.
- As the baklava bakes, you can make your simple syrup. Combine water and sugar in a saucepan and bring to boiling. Reduce the heat once it starts to boil and allow the mixture to simmer for 15 minutes.
- Whisk in your maple syrup, vanilla extract, and optional rosewater extract and allow the simple syrup to simmer for another 15 minutes.
- Once the baklava has cooled completely, cut the shapes all the way to the bottom of the pan and pour on the syrup. If you can resist, wait 1-2 hours or so to let the syrup really soak into the pastry and nuts.
Nutrition
Serving: 1sliceCalories: 526kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 12gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 17gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.03gSodium: 97mgPotassium: 415mgFiber: 5gSugar: 24gVitamin A: 353IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 76mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!