Calling all bakers! You’ll bak-LOVE-a this Baklava Cheesecake recipe!
I love a good collab between my favorite foods. From lasagna soup to sushi burritos, to my favorite French toast casserole, mixing and matching foods and cooking methods to create something entirely new is oddly satisfying to me. If you love indulging in creative, delicious crossover recipes like I do, and you share my sweet tooth, you’ll love this baklava cheesecake.
I’m a sucker for a good cheesecake. Growing up, I always opted for cheesecake over a traditional birthday cake. As much as I love cheesecake, I might love baklava even more. One of my closest friends is from Lebanon, and every time he visits his family back home, he manages to bring back these huge green boxes filled with baklava for all of us to enjoy. When I’m gifted one of these green boxes, it’s like Christmas! I indulge in baklava for as long as I can make it last, and yearn for the next time my friend visits his family in Lebanon.
Now you know how much I love cheesecake, and how much I love baklava. So you can imagine my ecstatic response when I discovered this baklava cheesecake recipe! I’ve been able to combine two sweet treats dear to my heart, to create one new, ultimate dessert to celebrate with. Baklava cheesecake, inspired by the classic Middle Eastern pastry, is a decadent, delicate, just-sweet-enough dessert that’s worth all the time and effort. It’s got a classic cheesecake filling, but instead of a standard graham cracker crust, this dessert uses a flaky phyllo crust reminiscent of a traditional baklava pastry.
Is Baklava Cheesecake Healthy?
Baklava cheesecake is a sweet and rich dessert, made with lots of sugar, butter, and dairy products, so it isn’t very healthy. The dish should be enjoyed in moderation. Like all sweet treats, you shouldn’t eat this if you’re watching your weight, sugar intake, or dairy consumption.
What Is Baklava?
Baklava is a sweet, nutty, flaky pastry that’s popular in Greece, Turkey, and the Middle East. It’s made of phyllo pastry, filled with chopped pistachios or other nuts, and sweetened with syrup or honey. The result is a slightly crispy, yet perfectly soft and gooey treat that feels more like you’re enjoying an indulgent candy than a pastry.
Though slightly different between cultures, baklava has been historically and universally enjoyed at festive occasions. Before you could buy pre-rolled phyllo dough at the grocery store, baklava was expensive and tedious to make, so it was considered a special dish. Now, baklava is much more common, and this baklava cheesecake makes for a delicious and unique way to enjoy it!
INGREDIENTS
- 20 sheets phyllo dough (for crust)
- 1 cup pistachios, finely chopped (for crust)
- 3/4 cup walnuts, finely chopped (for crust)
- 4 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar (for crust)
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for crust)
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted (for crust)
- 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar, (for syrup)
- 1/3 cup water (for syrup)
- 1/3 cup honey (for syrup)
- Lemon juice, a few drops (for syrup), optional
INSTRUCTIONS
Prep
Prepare ingredients, preheat oven, and make filling.
Assemble
Layer phyllo sheets with nuts and butter, add filling.
Bake & Finish
Bake, prepare syrup, pour over cheesecake, and chill.
Devour!
FAQs & Tips
You can store your leftover baklava cheesecake in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. If you have a cake cover, this is the best option for storing. Otherwise, keep your cheesecake in an airtight container. Do not wrap your cheesecake in saran wrap as it won’t work well with the crust.
Phyllo dough is a very thin, unleavened dough that makes the perfect crust for pastries. Typically, phyllo-based pastries are made by layering sheets of phyllo and brushing them with oil or butter to create a flaky, crispy texture when baked.
While both galaktoboureko and baklava are beloved phyllo pastries, galaktoboureko is known for its custard filling and creamy texture. Baklava, on the other hand, contains a crunchy, nut-based filling.
Serving Suggestions
Baklava cheesecake makes a delicious “treat yourself” dessert following a healthy dinner! If you want to stay on theme, try cooking a Middle Eastern inspired meal, like Za’atar Chicken Thighs, Batata Harra, and a side of Bulgur Salad. You could also opt for something simple and easy, like Shish Tawook or Air-Fryer Falafel.
Baklava Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 20 sheets phyllo dough
- 1 cup pistachios finely chopped
- 3/4 cup walnuts finely chopped
- 4 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup unsalted butter melted
For the Filling
- 16 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 large eggs room temperature
For the Syrup
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/3 cup honey
- Lemon juice a few drops (optional)
Instructions
-
Ensure cream cheese, eggs, and sour cream are at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
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Mix the finely chopped nuts with cinnamon and 4 1/2 tablespoons sugar.
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Beat 1 cup sugar with the vanilla, salt, and cream cheese until smooth. Add sour cream and lemon juice, beat until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating just until combined. Sieve to remove any lumps.
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Brush a 9-inch springform pan with melted butter. Layer 10 phyllo sheets, each brushed with butter, slightly rotating each sheet. After 10 layers, add half the nut mixture, then 5 more phyllo sheets, add remaining nuts, and top with 5 more sheets.
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Pour the cheesecake mixture into the crust. Transfer the springform pan to a sheet pan to catch any butter drippings. Bake for 65 minutes or until set but slightly jiggly in the center.
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Combine sugar, water, and honey in a saucepan. Cook until slightly thickened. Remove from heat, add lemon juice if using.
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Pour syrup over the hot cheesecake, focusing on the sides. Let cool, then chill overnight in the fridge to set.
Nutrition
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