Baklava Bites are a surefire, foolproof way to creating mouthwatering baklava in the comfort of your own home without pesky phyllo sheets! Made with a scratch-made honey syrup and two kinds of nuts, these sticky-sweet poppable bites are sure to bring smiles to everyone who eats them!
It was only about 13 or so years ago that I discovered baklava and Greek food in general.
Growing up, we didn’t try other cuisines unless it was Mexican or Chinese. Not just because our family is notoriously picky, but because there were no good options around here. The closest thing we had to authentic Greek food would be Daphne’s – and that’s about as authentic Greek as Taco Bell is authentic Mexican.
But then one year I got invited to Sacramento’s Greek food festival with an ex-boyfriend and it was one of the best days ever! Not only did I get to experience authentic Greek food firsthand, but I got to experience the Greek culture by watching traditional dances, hearing traditional music, and buying pretty things from merchants who imported their wares from Greece.
Suddenly my world was opened up to pastitsio and spanakopita, dolmas and baklava. And boy, was my life changed! The Greeks definitely know how to make some amazing food! 🙂
I tried my hand at making some authentic Greek fare at home but received mixed reviews. My family has a pretty traditional American palate and Greeks are known for their heavy-hand with spices like cinnamon in their savory dishes. Let’s just say that didn’t go over well.
Baklava, however, was always a hit with my family! Who doesn’t love a gooey, sticky piece of nutty baklava?
The only issue is that baklava can be a pain to make. Having to babysit the phyllo sheets, layer them meticulously one by one, and try your hardest not to rip each sheet to shreds is time-consuming and stressful. Let’s leave that one up to the pros, right? (Although I have that recipe here in case you’re feeling ambitious!!). This means Baklava Bites are going to be your go-to way to satisfy your baklava cravings without the labor-intensive process of making traditional baklava from scratch.
Baklava Bites are just as the name implies: bite-size pieces of baklava! They’re made with phyllo shells which take the laborious work of working with phyllo and transforms them into bite-size empty shells for filling. They usually come 15 to a package and are found in the freezer section of the grocery store near the frozen desserts. They make these bites a BREEZE with how easy they are!
You simply fill the phyllo shells with the spiced nut mixture, bake them, and pour over the delicious honey lemon syrup while they’re still hot so the syrup integrates with the nuts and coats them in the sweet sauce.
These Baklava Bites are sure to become a staple this holiday season due to their deliciousness and ease in preparation! Can’t wait for you to try one!
*adapted from Natasha’s Kitchen
- FOR THE HONEY SYRUP:
- ½ cup granulated white sugar
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- ⅓ cup water
- ¼ cup honey
- FOR THE BAKLAVA:
- Two packages (15-count each) Athens phyllo shells, frozen
- 2 cups nuts (I used 1 & ½ cups finely chopped walnuts and ½ cup finely chopped pecans)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 Tablespoons melted butter
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. First, make your honey syrup: In a small saucepan, combine the granulated sugar, lemon juice, water, and honey over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves, and then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 4 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat and let cool while you prepare the baklava bites.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil for easier cleanup and lightly grease with foil. Arrange the phyllo shells onto the baking sheet in an even layer. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the finely chopped nuts, cinnamon, and melted butter and stir until the melted butter has moistened the nuts and everything has combined. Using a cookie dough scoop, portion out the nut mixture into each phyllo cup, filling to the top. Compact the nut mixture into each cup using the back of the cookie dough scoop very gently.
- Bake the baklava cups for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately disperse the honey syrup among the phyllo cups, about 1 teaspoon per baklava bite. If any leftover syrup remains, add an additional ½ teaspoon of syrup to each baklava bite until you run out of syrup.
- Allow the baklava bites to cool completely, then allow them to set overnight so the flavors have a chance to meld together. (Pro tip: save the phyllo cup packaging and store the baklava in the phyllo cup holders within the package!). Let stand overnight.
Sticky, chewy, gooey and perfectly sweet baklava cups in bite-size portions! So dreamy.
Have a super sweet day!
xo, Hayley
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