This Greek Rolled Baklava, known as Saragli, features buttery, flaky phyllo filled with cinnamon-spiced nuts, finished with a decadent orange-cinnamon-infused honey syrup.
Baklava is a traditional Mediterranean dessert known for its buttery, flaky pastry, crunchy spiced nuts, and sticky honey syrup. While baklava can be prepared in a rectangular pan and cut into diamond shapes, this rolled baklava recipe is a much easier method for preparing baklava. The baklava rolls have a unique presentation, making them perfect for entertaining a crowd, or gift-giving.
Baklava is traditionally served during the holidays and special occasions like weddings and baptisms alongside other Greek desserts like kourabiedes and melomakarona, but it can be enjoyed year-round in moderation. If you love Baklava - be sure to also check out my Baklava Cups recipe.
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Ingredients in Rolled Baklava
This recipe uses three kinds of nuts (pecans, almonds and pistachios) for a delicious baklava filling. You can use any mixture of nuts you like or have on hand. While walnuts are traditionally used, I prefer a mixture of nuts for added texture and flavor.
- sugar - granulated sugar is used for preparing the baklava syrup. Brown sugar is used for lightly sweetening the nut mixture.
- water - water is necessary for making the syrup.
- cinnamon stick - a cinnamon stick is used to infuse warm cinnamon flavor in the syrup.
- star anise - Star anise has a distinct licorice flavor similar to that of anise or fennel, though it’s not related to either of these spices. It pairs well with cinnamon, cardamom, and clove. It's used to flavor the syrup. If you don't have star anise, you can omit, it or use whole cloves instead.
- citrus - lemon slices and orange slices infuse the syrup with aromatic citrus flavors,
- honey - all Greek baklavas are made with honey in the syrup. It's added at the end after the sugar has dissolved. It adds a distinct honey flavor to the syrup.
- mixed nuts - we use whole almonds, pecans, and pistachios for the filling in this baklava.
- spices - ground cinnamon and a pinch of ground cardamom infuse the nuts with a warm spice that lingers long after you've bit into the baklava
- phyllo dough - the flaky pastry comes from the grocer's freezer. We use 10 sheets of phyllo dough for this baklava recipe. Be sure to thaw it in the refrigerator overnight for the best results.
- butter - clarified butter works best for all phyllo pastry baked goods. Clarifying removes the water and salt, leaving behind golden clarified goodness.
See the recipe card below for the quantities.
How to Make Rolled Baklava
Rolled Baklava is easy to make! Don't be intimidated by working with phyllo. Pull one sheet of dough out at a time and keep the rest covered. Work quickly so it doesn't dry out. If the phyllo is torn, simply fold it over itself to cover the tear.
Combine the syrup ingredients in a saucepan and simmer for 7 minutes. Strain and cool syrup.
Coarsely chop the nuts in the food processor, then mix with spices and brown sugar
Brush clarified butter over phyllo dough.
Fold the bottom of the phyllo sheet up 3" and brush with butter.
Add 2 tablespoon of the nuts to the folded part of the phyllo dough.
Fold in the sides, brush the sides with butter, then roll up from the bottom to form a log.
Brush the tops with butter, then refrigerate. Slice each log into 4 even pieces, then bake.
Pour cold syrup over hot baklava. Let it sit for several hours to soak up all the syrup.
Substitutions
- Butter - vegan butter can be used instead of regular butter. No need to clarify the vegan butter.
- Nuts - use any mixture of nuts that you like. Popular options include walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, pistachios and almonds. If you have a jar of mixed nuts at home, you can totally use it - just make sure to use 4.5 cups of nuts to make 40 pieces of baklava.
Cold Syrup, Hot Baklava
The most important step for properly preparing baklava is to add cooled syrup to the hot baklava. You will hear a sizzle when you pour the syrup over the baklava rolls. This ensures the syrup is soaked into the pastry and evenly distributed through the filling.
The syrup will appear to pool in the pan, but don't worry, all that luscious syrup will be absorbed by the baklava rolls.
Top Tips for Making Greek Baklava Rolls
In addition to using cooled syrup over hot baklava, it's equally important to let the baklava hand out in the syrup for hours, or even overnight. The baklava soaks up the syrup through all the layers the longer it sits.
Ideally, baklava is prepared the day before serving.
Why Clarified Butter for Baklava?
I use clarified butter in all my phyllo dishes. Clarified butter bakes evenly without any brown bits from the salt and milk solids in the butter.
Storing Rolled Baklava
Once the baklava has absorbed all the syrup, remove the rolls to a serving plate for serving within a day. To store, place the baklava in a food storage container, placing a sheet of parchment or wax paper in between the layers.
Store at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
FAQ
Greek Baklava uses honey in the syrup, whereas Turkish Baklava uses a sugar syrup without honey. Additionally, the variety of nuts used differs between the countries, with the Turkish baklava using more pistachios.
Soggy Baklava is a result of too much butter. Use a light hand when brushing the butter.
Baklava does not require refrigeration. Store it in an air-tight food storage container for up to 2 weeks.
Serve baklava at room temperature. You have to let it soak all the syrup before serving, so ideally it's best the next day after you bake it.
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Ingredients
Syrup
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 ½ cups water
- 3 orange slices
- 3 lemon slices
- 3 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 ½ cups honey
Baklava
- 16 oz unsalted butter 2 sticks, melted and clarified
- 1 ½ cups pecans
- 1 ½ cups almonds
- 1 ½ cups shelled pistachios
- 1 ½ tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- 10 sheets phyllo dough thawed
Instructions
Prepare Syrup
- In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, water, orange slices, lemon slices, star anise and cinnamon stick. Stir to incorporate. Bring to a boil, then simmer over medium heat for 7 minutes.
- Once the sugar has dissolved, add the honey to the syrup. Stir and cook for one additional minute. Remove the syrup from the heat and allow to cool.
Prepare Baklava Rolls
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place the butter in a medium saucepan and melt. Heat over low medium-low heat until the water and solids begin to separate, Skim off the foamy solids to clarify the butter. Pour the clarified butter into a bowl, leaving behind any solids in the pan. Set aside.
- Roughly chop the pecans, almonds and pistachios in a food processor until you have a course meal. Remove the nuts from the food processor to a bowl.
- To the chopped nuts add the brown sugar, ground cinnamon and cardamom. Stir to incorporate.
- Lay out one sheet of phyllo dough vertically and brush with melted butter. Fold the bottom up 3 inches, then brush with butter.
- Add 2 tablespoons of the nut mixture to the folded phyllo. Fold in the sides of the phyllo dough and brush with butter.
- Roll the phyllo dough up from the bottom sealing in the nuts and rolling over the nuts until you have a rolled log. Place on a baking sheet. Repeat until you have 10 baklava logs.
- Brush the rolled baklava tops with melted butter. Refrigerate the logs on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes until the butter has hardened. This makes it easier to cut the baklava.
- Using a serrated knife, slice the baklava logs into individual pieces. Start in the center, then slice each log into 4 even pieces about 3" long.
- Bake the baklava for 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown on top.
- Remove the cooked baklava from the oven and immediately pour the cold syrup over the hot baklava. It will appear to pool in the pan, but it will be soaked up by the baklava within a few hours or even overnight.
- Top with chopped pistachios as garnish if desired.
Nutrition
Pairing
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Eva says
these baklava rolls were easy to make and so delicious!