Easy Vegan Baklava Recipe

What You Will Love About This Recipe

• You will love it if you have a sweet tooth because Baklava is simply mouthwatering.
• This Baklava Easy Recipe is fun to make at home and you will save so much time with my easy hack!
• My Arabic Baklava Recipe is a sweet treat that you can quickly make at home instead of buying at Middle Eastern restaurants.

What is Traditional Baklava made of?

Baklava is a mystery yet delicious dessert with a sweetened nut and syrup mixture that is sandwiched in layers of flaky phyllo dough. It is then baked till the dough is golden brown.

In ancient times, the procedure of making Baklava was long, which made this an expensive dessert. Moreover, the expensive Baklava Ingredients in this Lebanese dessert restricted it to the famous and the rich. It was also confined to special occasions such as weddings.

How Did You Make it Vegan?

With a large percentage of the population going vegan, it is only natural to design a recipe using vegan ingredients that is as delicious as the original one. Traditionally, the recipe for Baklava uses honey and butter.

You can make a similar-tasting Baklawa as a vegan option. The phyllo dough is already vegan because it does not include any eggs or dairy. For a vegan Baklava, there are only two changes needed. The vegan version tastes better than the traditional one between you and me!

• Use plant-based butter instead of animal butter.
• Use agave syrup or maple syrup instead of honey. (I used my cousin's maple syrup, which is the best. Check out this endorsement from the NYT about it.

This Baklava Easy Recipe looks fancy. However, it is one of the easiest recipes you’ll ever make!

Ingredients

Phylo Dough Sheets - Phyllo dough is naturally vegan, yea!!! You will need one box of dough for this recipe.

Plant-Based Butter - Traditional baklava is made with melted animal products such as traditional butter or ghee. For my recipe, I use melted plant-based butter.

Walnuts - For the nut filling I use walnuts. You can use any nut, but walnuts taste great and are more economical. I purchase the pieces and halves and then use a food processor to break them into smaller pieces perfect for this recipe.

Maple Syrup - I used maple syrup instead of honey syrup to create the traditional baklava syrup poured on top of the dough. For best results, always pour cooled syrup on hot baklava. Agave nectar also tastes great as a sweet syrup substitution!

Easy Melted Butter Hack!

The traditional way of making a Baklava involves brushing each phyllo layer with butter. This method is an extremely time-consuming process, and why people shy away from making baklawa. Instead, this recipe below offers a quick hack to butter all those layers of phyllo dough. This hack is the best way to make baklawa and takes the preparation time from an hour to 15 minutes! In other words, set your pastry brush aside; you won't be needing it!

Watch how To Make Authentic Lebanese Hummus

Variations

Chocolate Baklava - Chocolate Baklava is an Americanized version gaining popularity among tourists. It is the perfect fusion of flavors, but I am an American of Lebanese descent.

Different Nuts - With the adoption of Baklavas, the ingredients, and the processes have altered. As a result, each country offers its unique flavors. Even though the most common nuts are walnuts and pistachios, people worldwide also use other alternatives, including hazelnuts, almonds, cashews, cream, chocolate-flavored nuts, etc.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is My Baklava Soggy? This normally happens when warm syrup is poured onto hot fresh oven baklava.

What is Lebanese Baklava Best Served With? It is a special dessert served with coffee or tea after a meal. The baklava Lebanon version is light and delicious and makes it perfect to be eaten with tea. It is also served at weddings, Christmas, and Easter. Moreover, you can also serve it with vanilla ice cream.

Where Does Baklava Come From? The origins of baklava date back to 1473. Turks and Greeks are the main contenders to claim that this mouth-watering dessert originated in their country. However, just about everyone in the region, from Greece to Armenia, lay claim to the creation of baklava. Over time, numerous combinations and variations have emerged; each country claiming its own recipe.

Can I Substitute Clarified Butter? While I prefer to make this recipe with melted vegan butter, clarified butter (ghee) is a popular choice. When you make Baklava, clarified butter will ensure that the phyllo pastry is crispy to the right amount and helps to avoid soggy bottoms.

Make-Ahead/Freezing

Make-Ahead Instructions: After preparing Baklava, you must cool it down until it reaches room temperature. Cut it into individual pieces and place them in a container. Store ahead on the counter for one week or in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.

Freezer Instructions: That’s the grace of this delicious recipe. You can make it ahead and freeze this Lebanese Baklava for a maximum of 3 months. However, you must place the baklava in a freezer-safe ziplock bag or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Once wrapped, I recommend placing it in a freezer-safe storage container. This will prevent anything from bumping into it and cracking the delicate sheets. Before serving, make sure you thaw it at room temperature.