Ingredients

The following ingredients have 16 Servings
  • 1 package phyllo dough
  • 4 c. chopped walnuts or pecans
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 sticks butter
  • 2 c. honey
  • 1/2 c. water
  • 1/2 c. sugar
  • 3 tsp. vanilla extract

Instruction

  • Remove phyllo dough package from freezer and place in the fridge for 24 hours to thaw. Remove from fridge 1 hour before using.
  • When working with the phyllo dough, only remove the sheets you immediately need, keeping the other sheets covered in plastic wrap, then a damp cloth. 
  • Toss together the chopped walnuts and cinnamon. Set aside.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt 1/2 stick of the butter in a small saucepan and butter a rectangular baking pan. Make sure the sheets of phyllo will generally fit the pan (if they're a little bigger, that's okay.) If they're much bigger, just trim them with a sharp knife.
  • Butter the top sheet of phyllo with melted butter, then grab it and the unbuttered sheet below it. Set the 2 sheets in the pan, buttered sheet face down. Press lightly into the pan. Repeat this twice more, so that you have 6 sheets of phyllo in the pan, three of the sheets buttered.
  • Sprinkle on enough walnuts to make a single layer. Butter 2 sheets of phyllo and place them on top of the walnuts. Add more walnuts, then 2 more buttered phyllo sheets. Repeat this a couple more times, or until you're out of walnuts. Top with 4 more buttered phyllo sheets, ending with a buttered top. Cut a diagonal diamond pattern in the baklava using a very sharp knife.
  • Bake for 45 minutes, or until the baklava is very golden brown. 
  • While the baklava is baking, combine the remaining 1 stick of butter, honey, water, sugar, and vanilla in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. 
  • When you remove the baklava from the oven, drizzle half the saucepan evenly all over the top. Allow it to sit and absorb for a minute, then drizzle on a little more until you think it's thoroughly moistened. You'll likely have some of the honey mixture leftover, which you can drink with a straw. Just kidding.
  • Allow the baklava to cool, uncovered, for several hours. Once cool and sticky and divine, carefully remove them from the pan and serve with coffee (or give as gifts!)