Name: Walnut Baklava Rolls
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 65 min
Ingredients: 15 sheets phyllo dough; ⅔ cup melted ghee (or butter); 1½ cup raw walnuts; ⅓ cup sugar; 1 tbsp orange blossom water (optional); 2 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 cup sugar; 1 cup water; 1 tbsp orange blossom water (optional); 1 tsp fresh lemon juice

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Walnut baklava rolls are a delicious dessert made with phyllo sheets, melted ghee, a cinnamon walnut mixture, and orange blossom simple syrup.

Baklava Rolls

Baklava, like this pistachio baklava recipe, is a well-known delicacy dating back to the Ottoman Empire. It's served all over the Mediterranean, including Greece, Armenia, the Levant, and Turkey. When many people think of a traditional baklava recipe, they think of a layered pastry dessert topped with sugar syrup.

Baklava rolls are baklava's cousin- the same flavors just prepared a little differently. This walnut baklava roll recipe is made with cinnamon and walnuts, but the filling is customizable. Some filling ideas: double cream, pistachios, honey syrup, rose water, chocolate spread, pistachios, and almonds. Don't be afraid to get creative in the kitchen and experiment with different flavor combinations!

Ingredient Notes

Phyllo Dough: You'll find these ready-made phyllo sheets in the frozen section of your local grocery store, and they usually come in a standard square size. You can also make them yourself, but it's really tricky to get them as thin as they should be.
Ghee or Melted Butter: Baklava loves fat. Each phyllo sheet is brushed with melted ghee or butter. Traditionally, you'd use ghee, but if it's unavailable where you live, you can use melted butter instead.
Walnuts: You can use any of your favorite nuts, but for this recipe, I'll be showing you how to make my favorite walnut cinnamon filling. Substitute hazelnuts, pistachios, peanuts, cashews, pine nuts, or a mix. Just make sure they are raw and unsalted.
Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon gives the walnut filling its addicting smell and flavor. In my book, the more cinnamon, the better.
Sugar: Use regular white sugar for both the walnut filling and the simple syrup. You can also use honey for the walnut filling instead of sugar.
Lemon Juice: Always use fresh lemon juice, and not the fake-tasting store-bought kind. It will help thicken your syrup and intensify the flavor.
Orange Blossom Water (Optional): The secret ingredient to Arab simple syrup. A tablespoon goes a long way and will leave your syrup tasting fresh.
Pistachios (Optional): Crushed pistachios add a pop of color and make the baklava rolls look pretty.

Phyllo Dough

Traditional baklava is made with layers and layers of very thin sheets of phyllo dough. Phyllo dough (aka fil dough) is usually just made of flour and water, with maybe a couple of other ingredients in the mix, depending on where you buy it from. What makes phyllo dough so special is that it's so thin, it's almost see-through. You'll have to be very gentle while handling it or else it will tear. You'll also want to keep the sheets covered or in an airtight container because they'll start ripping if they dry out.

How To Make Baklava Rolls

Thaw the phyllo sheets ahead of time. Move the frozen package of phyllo dough to the fridge a day before.

Add the walnuts to a food processor. Blend until they are crushed.

Add the crushed walnuts to a large bowl. Mix in the sugar, ground cinnamon, and orange blossom water. Mix together.

Melt the ghee in the microwave. Set up a clean working surface on the kitchen counter: melted ghee, crushed walnut mixture, and thawed phyllo sheets. Cover phyllo sheets with a damp kitchen towel so they don't dry out.

Lay a single sheet of phyllo dough on a flat surface. Spread melted ghee on top using a pastry brush. Repeat for three sheets of phyllo dough.

spooning the walnut filling onto the phyllo dough sheets

Add some of the walnut mixture on top of the phyllo sheet layers.

rolling the phyllo dough with the crushed walnut

Spread the walnut mixture in a thin layer. Carefully roll into a tight log. Repeat.

brushing ghee on the rolled phyllo baklava rolls

Once you're out of phyllo sheets, place them side by side in an appropriately-sized baking dish. Spread some melted ghee on top.

Cut the baklava rolls horizontally or diagonally before baking. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 ℉ (190 ℃) for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.

Make the sweet syrup while the baklava rolls are baking. Add the water, sugar, orange blossom water, and lemon juice to a small pot. Simmer until it thickens.

Pour the simple syrup on top of the hot baklava rolls.

Let the baklava rolls cool prior to serving. Sprinkle some crushed pistachios on top.

Tips And Tricks

Set up your workstation. The phyllo sheets are very delicate, so you want to work quickly to prevent them from drying out and tearing. Have your filling, melted ghee, and all the tools you need ready and spread out neatly in front of you to make the process quick and easy.
Roll tightly. You really want the rolled baklava to stay put and not loosen up and fall apart. Use the tips of your fingers while you roll them to tuck the dough in on itself tightly.
Use a sharp knife. To cut your baklava as neatly as possible, you'll need a sharp knife like a bread knife.
Make your simple syrup while the baklava is in the oven. To save time, make your syrup while the baklava goodness is baking. It also needs to be hot when you pour it on top, so I find this way to be the most efficient.
Pour the syrup onto the baklava immediately after it's out of the oven. This will make sure your baklava stays crispy.

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