Description
Crisp, buttery phyllo cups filled with chopped pecans and pistachios, warmly spiced with cinnamon and cardamom, then finished with a sweet honey-lemon syrup. These individual baklava cups deliver the flaky, nutty richness of baklava in an easy-to-serve little dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
ngredients
For the Baklava Cups
- 12 sheets phyllo dough
- ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, melted
For the Filling
- 1 cup (110 g) pecans, finely chopped
- ¾ cup (90 g) pistachios, finely chopped
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom, optional
- Pinch of salt
For the Honey Syrup
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) honey
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (60 ml) water
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon orange blossom water or rose water, optional
For Topping
- 2 tablespoons pistachios, finely chopped
- Extra honey, optional
Instructions
Instructions
- Make the syrup. Combine honey, sugar, water and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Simmer gently for 3–4 minutes, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat, stir in orange blossom or rose water if using, and cool completely.
- Make the filling. Combine the pecans, pistachios, sugar, cinnamon, cardamom and salt in a bowl.
- Prepare the oven and phyllo. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin pan. Cut the phyllo into approximately 5-inch squares, keeping unused pieces covered.
- Form the cups. Brush one phyllo square lightly with melted butter. Stack three buttered squares at slight angles and gently press the stack into a muffin cup. Repeat with the remaining phyllo.
- Fill. Divide the pecan-pistachio mixture evenly among the cups. Press the filling very lightly into place.
- Bake. Bake for 18–22 minutes, until the phyllo is crisp and golden brown around the edges.
- Add the syrup. While the cups are still warm, slowly spoon the cooled honey syrup over each one.
- Rest. Allow the baklava cups to rest for 20–30 minutes so the syrup can settle into the filling.
- Finish. Carefully remove from the muffin pan, sprinkle with chopped pistachios and add a light drizzle of honey if desired. Serve at room temperature.
Notes
Notes
Keep unused phyllo covered while assembling the cups so it doesn't dry out. Small tears aren't a problem because the sheets are layered.
Don't over-process the nuts. Small chopped pieces provide a better texture than finely ground nut meal.
For the best contrast between syrupy filling and crisp pastry, spoon cooled syrup over warm baklava cups and don't oversaturate them.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: Bake Time: 18–22 minutes Rest Time: 20–30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean-Inspired