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Vegan Baklava
5 from 24 votes

Vegan Baklava

Vegan Baklava layers crisp phyllo dough with a spiced mix of chopped walnuts, pistachios, and almonds sweetened with brown sugar and cinnamon. Olive oil brushes each layer to create a flaky texture. A syrup made from brown sugar, agave syrup, water, orange peel, and cinnamon soak finishes the dessert with a sweet, citrus-tinged glaze. The recipe allows variations in oil choice and sweetener while maintaining the rich nuts and spices.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
50 mins
Resting Time
2 hrs
Total Time
3 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 25 people
Calories: 190 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Mediterranean

Ingredients

Baklava:
  • 8 ounces phyllo dough Most phyllo dough is vegan, check the ingredients before buying to be sure, ½ lb, half of one standard-size box
  • 6 ounces walnuts roasted or raw, whole, shelled
  • 4 ounces pistachios roasted or raw, whole, shelled
  • 4 ounces almonds roasted or raw, whole, shelled
  • ⅓ cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon ground
  • ⅓ cup olive oil Alternatively, use melted coconut oil or vegan butter for a sturdier baklava
Syrup:
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ¾ cup water
  • ½ cup agave syrup See recipe notes to substitute HONEY
  • orange peel from ½ orange
  • cinnamon stick 1 inch, or ½ tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
  2. Prep the dough: Use scissors to trim the dough to match the size of a 10" square baking dish.  Do not discard the smaller strips that you've cut off-- you'll be using them.Unroll the phyllo dough, and lay plastic wrap over the dough. Set a barely damp kitchen towel over the dough.  Your goal is to keep the dough from drying out, and becoming even more fragile, but you do not want to get the dough wet.Humid Conditions Note: When the air is very humid, it may be better to leave the dough uncovered.
  3. Prep the Nuts:  Use a food processor or nut chopper to chop the nuts into small pieces.  Pour the nuts into a bowl, and stir in the cinnamon and brown sugar.
  4. Brush oil on the bottom and sides of a square 10" baking dish.
  5. Begin Layering: Lay a square of the cut phyllo dough inside the dish, and brush with oil.  Repeat by layering more dough and more oil until you have 8 layers of phyllo.Sticky Dough Tip: If any sheets of phyllo seem to be stuck together, it's okay to lay 2 sheets down together, without adding oil to the middle.Small Reserved Dough Tip: The smaller, reserved sheets of phyllo can be laid together to create a single sheet (like lasagna). Make sure to oil the seams well. Avoid using the small pieces on the top layers-- use them in the middle instead.
  6. Add ⅓ of the nut mixture on top of the phyllo layers.  Spread them out evenly using your hand.Continue layering 5 more layers of phyllo and oil, then another ⅓ of the nuts, another 5 layers of phyllo and oil, then the remaining nuts.Finish the layers with 8 more layers of phyllo and oil.  Finish with a layer of oil, taking extra care that the edges of the dough are oiled.
  7. Cut dough into squares: Use a paring knife to cut 4 equally spaced parallel lines in the dough.  Rotate the dish, and cut 4 more lines perpendicular to the first set of lines.  Alternatively, cut perpendicular diagonal lines to cut the baklava into diamonds.Cutting Tip: Make sure to cut the baklava before baking, because the dough will become quite brittle when cooked, and you won't be able to cut it cleanly.
  8. Bake the baklava 30 minutes.  Remove it from the oven, and tent it with foil.  Bake it 20 more minutes.  (50 minutes total.)
  9. Make the syrup: While the baklava bakes, add all the syrup ingredients to a small pan, and bring the mixture to a boil.  Once it begins to boil, lower the heat to medium-low, and lower the boil to a light simmer for 10 minutes.  Strain out the orange peel and cinnamon stick.
  10. When the baklava finishes baking, remove it from the oven, and then slowly pour the syrup evenly over the baklava.
  11. Let the baklava rest for at least 2 hours before serving to allow the syrup time to soak into the dough and nuts.
  12. Serving: Use a narrow metal spatula to remove the baklava from the pan.  Olive oil baklava is more delicate than traditional butter baklava, so handle the pieces carefully.Storing Short Term: Lightly cover with foil, and store at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.  Note that covering the baklava tightly with a lid or with plastic wrap will cause it to become soggy.Freezing: Store the baklava in an air-tight container and freeze for up to 3 months.  Thaw in the refrigerator 4-5 hours or overnight.

Notes

  • Phyllo dough should be kept covered with plastic wrap and a damp towel during prep to prevent drying and breaking.
  • The finished baklava should rest for about 2 hours for syrup absorption before serving.
  • Frozen phyllo dough needs to thaw in the refrigerator for about 24 hours before use.
  • For thicker baklava, use melted coconut oil or vegan butter instead of olive oil.
  • Agave syrup in the syrup can be replaced with honey (adjusting sugar amounts) if not strictly vegan.

Nutrition Information

Calories 190kcal (10%) Carbohydrates 18g (6%) Protein 3g (6%) Fat 12g (18%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Sodium 46mg (2%) Potassium 124mg (3%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 10g (20%) Vitamin A 10IU (0%) Vitamin C 0.2mg (0%) Calcium 32mg (3%) Iron 0.9mg (5%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 25 people

Amount Per Serving

Calories 190

% Daily Value*

Calories 190kcal 10%
Carbohydrates 18g 6%
Protein 3g 6%
Fat 12g 18%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Sodium 46mg 2%
Potassium 124mg 3%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 10g 20%
Vitamin A 10IU 0%
Vitamin C 0.2mg 0%
Calcium 32mg 3%
Iron 0.9mg 5%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.