This Lebanese Baklava is a generational recipe from my mom — the one she made for every holiday and every gathering that mattered. Her version was always perfectly flaky, fragrant from the sweetness of orange blossom water, and it’s the recipe that taught me how much love can be layered between sheets of filo.

Pieces of baklava on a white plate, topped with walnuts and layered with golden, flaky filo pastry.

I’ve kept her recipe close, but I’ve added a few modern upgrades of my own. The biggest one? Pouring melted ghee over the baklava after it’s cut, instead of brushing every single layer. It gives you the same rich, buttery flavor and crisp texture — but with a more even finish and a beautifully golden top. It’s a small change that simplifies the process without losing any of the soul of her original recipe.

Ingredients at a Glance

Phyllo Dough (filo): made from flour, water, and a touch of oil—no yeast. Consists of ultra-thin layers. My favorite brand of phyllo dough is Apollo Phyllo, when available. My go-to brand is Athens Phyllo Dough because it is more widely available.
Orange Blossom Water Syrup: orange blossom water gives each bite its signature brightness, lighter than honey. Combined with sugar, water, and lemon juice, you have a floral syrup.
Sugared Walnuts: the blend of ground walnuts and cane sugar.
Clarified Butter (ghee): It prevents sogginess and enhances flavor by lowering the water content typically found in traditional butter.

Full ingredient list and instructions are in the recipe card below.

What Makes This Lebanese Baklava “Reimagined”

Chilled Orange Blossom Water Syrup: Hot pastry, cold syrup—creates a “temperature contrast” that shocks the layers. Let them soak it all in.
Clarified Butter (ghee) versus Butter: I swap the butter for clarified butter (ghee) to reduce moisture and deepen the toasty, nut‑forward flavor that complements both the filling and the syrup. I still add the orange blossom water, just like my mom did — it brings a soft, fragrant lift without overpowering the pastry.
Clarified Butter (ghee) Pour-Over: Instead of brushing each filo sheet, I pour warm ghee—lightly infused with orange blossom water—directly over the assembled pan of baklava before baking. It makes the process far more approachable, reduces handling of the fragile filo, and still produces an evenly crisp, golden top. In place of buttering each sheet,

This baklava is still my mom’s at heart—layered with tradition, generosity, and the kind of joy that only comes from a recipe passed down with love. The ghee pour-over technique makes it more approachable for the everyday baker to make confidently for any occasion. The filling and the addition of orange blossom water to the ghee stay true to my mom’s recipe.

Tips for Success

Preparing the syrup and sugared walnuts the day before makes assembly quick and easy.
Grind the sugared walnuts in short pulse bursts to avoid turning them into nut butter.
Keep the filo covered while assembling to prevent it from drying out.
Using a sharp knife, cut into squares (my preference) or diamonds (traditional) before baking for clean edges and even absorption of ghee and syrup. For square cuts, I use two fingers to measure for even spacing.
Gently warm the ghee and stir in the orange blossom water just before pouring it over the pre-cut pan of baklava.
Chill the syrup in the refrigerator before pouring it over the fresh-out-of-the-oven pan of baklava.
Allow the baklava to cool completely. If you can resist, let it rest overnight for the best texture and flavor.

Lebanese Baklava, Mom’s Recipe Reimagined

I’ve kept her recipe close, but I’ve added a few modern upgrades of my own. The biggest one? Pouring melted ghee over the baklava after it’s cut, instead of brushing every single layer. It gives you the same rich, buttery flavor and crisp texture — but with a more even finish and a beautifully golden top. It’s a small adaptation that makes the process simpler without losing any of the soul of her original recipe.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time:45

Cook Time:1

Total Time:1 45

Author: Samantha

Equipment

1 HexClad sauce pan
1 container heatproof
1 Vitamix Blender or food processor with pulse function
1 pastry brush
1 Wilton 9×13 oblong pan
1 Henckels knife medium, sharppened

Ingredients

Orange Blossom Water Syrup

1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup water
1/2 lemon juice from half a lemon
1 tbsp Orange Blossom Water

Prepare the Sugared Walnuts

4 cups walnuts
1 cup cane sugar

Lebanese Baklava Ingredients

1 pound phyllo dough room temperature
1 cup clarified butter (ghee) melted
1 tsp Orange Blossom Water add to the melted ghee

Instructions

I make the syrup and sugared walnuts the day before.

Orange Blossom Water Syrup

In a small heavy saucepan, combine sugar, water, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes, until the sugar is dissolved and the syrup thickens slightly.
Remove from the heat and add the orange blossom water. Pre-measure to avoid extra spills into your syrup.
Pour the syrup into a heatproof container and refrigerate until completely cool.

Prepare the Sugared Walnuts

Combine the walnuts and sugar in a food processor or blender and pulse-grind until finely mixed.

Make the Lebanese Baklava

Preheat the oven to 325℉. Line a 9 x 13 pan with foil and brush the bottom with ghee.
Open the two sleeves of phyllo dough, unroll them, and cut them to fit the 9 x 13 pan.
Divide the dough in half. Place the first half, cut edges down on the bottom of the pan. Cover the second half with parchment paper and a towel to keep it from drying out.
Spread the sugared walnuts evenly over the phyllo dough.
Lay the remaining sheets of phyllo dough over the nuts. Be careful to keep the top sheets intact to create a beautiful baklava top.
Using a sharp knife, cut the baklava into squares by making 5 lengthwise cuts and 9 crosswise cuts, holding the phyllo sheets down with your other hand as you cut carefully.

To cut the baklava into traditional diamond shapes: make long diagonal cuts from corner to corner, then repeat in the opposite direction to create even diamonds. Keep two fingers lightly on the phyllo to steady the layers and measure the space between cuts as you slice.

Pour the melted ghee and orange blossom water mixture evenly over the baklava. Let it sit for 5-6 minutes to soak into the phyllo dough layers.
Bake until the top is golden brown, about 60 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through baking.
Remove the baklava from the oven and immediately pour the chilled syrup evenly over the top. Allow it to cool at room temperature for several hours before serving.

The cold syrup and hot pastry create an instant temperature contrast that shocks the layers, helping them stay crisp and absorb the syrup.

Notes

Substitutes: This recipe is traditional, but here are some common alternatives—

Nuts: pistachios or pecans
Butter: instead of ghee, use a high-fat, low-moisture butter.

Recipe: I adapted my Mom’s Lebanese Baklava recipe to use clarified butter (ghee) to reduce the water content compared with traditional butter, and I use the pour-over technique instead of buttering each phyllo sheet. I credit the “reimagined” updates to Yumna at Feel Good Foodie for inspiring the changes – she made this family tradition more approachable for me to make on my own.

Storage: Cover the baklava and refrigerate for up to 10 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Baklava is an indulgence, so enjoy!

Tray of freshly baked baklava in a 9x13 pan, cut in squares, and the top is glistening with orange blossom water syrup.

Storage & Serving

Serve Lebanese baklava at room temperature to allow the syrup to absorb into the phyllo dough.
Store it in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
Baklava freezes beautifully for up to three months. Let it defrost in the refrigerator the night before serving. Or, if you’re like me and can’t resist a piece for dessert, set a piece on a plate on the counter.

The Shop

Vitamix Pro Series

Ascent X5

Hexclad

Pots & Pans

Wilton

9×13 Cake Pan

Cortas

Orange Blossom Water

Did you make this recipe?

I’d love to hear how your Lebanese Baklava turned out. Whether you’re packaging it in ribboned boxes or savoring a piece alongside your favorite coffee, I hope this reimagined version sparks new traditions in your home, just as it has ours. Leave a comment below.

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