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My baklava cheesecake recipe features a tangy cheesecake filling atop phyllo crust with a delicate honey, rose, and pistachio topping. It’s a delicious treat with a Middle Eastern twist!
Need more creative cheesecake recipes? You’ll love my brownie cheesecake, Biscoff cheesecake, and no-bake Oreo cheesecake.
What do you get when you pair the flavors of the Middle Eastern dessert, classic baklava, and the rich, decadent texture of cheesecake? Um, the best thing ever?
The base is a classic cheesecake, but what makes it special is the airy phyllo crust and topping of honey and rosewater-infused pistachios. The best part? It’s SO easy to make!
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- The perfect texture. The cheesecake is soft and creamy, the nut topping adds the perfect crunch, and the thin phyllo crust is ultra-flaky.
- Pure decadence. This dessert is guaranteed to be a head turner–I’ve got the evidence!
- It’s easier than you think. Despite how complex it sounds, it’s no different than any other cheesecake recipe. Also, the ingredient list may look long but most of the ingredients are repeated throughout each process.
- No fancy kitchen gadgets needed. So long as you have a mixer and a springform pan, you’re in luck.
Ingredients needed
Crust:
- Phyllo pastry dough. The light, unleavened phyllo dough gives baklava its crisp texture. In this recipe, it’s layered on the bottom and up the sides to act as the crust. I can usually find it in the frozen aisle of the grocery store.
- Butter. Brushed over the phyllo to give it a golden hue and prevent it from burning.
- Nuts. Walnuts, pistachios, and almonds are crushed on the phyllo layer.
Cheesecake batter:
- Cream cheese. Use full-fat cream cheese that’s been softened to room temperature.
- Honey. Honey is essential in baklava recipes for its sweetness and floral flavor.
- Eggs. Gives the filling a silky smooth consistency while binding the ingredients.
- Vanilla extract. For flavor.
- Lemon juice. For brightness and balance.
Topping:
- Honey. Used as the base of the syrup.
- Water. To get the proper texture.
- Rose water. Adds a light, floral flavor to the honey syrup.
- Nuts. For added crunch. Use hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds, and or pistachios.
- Lemon juice and zest. For brightness. Orange juice and zest work, too.
How to make baklava cheesecake
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Prep work. Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and spray the sides with cooking spray.
Step 2- Add the phyllo layer. Working quickly, brush the pastry with melted butter and fold the sheets of phyllo in half. Place the pastry into the pan. Repeat until the pan is covered.
Step 3- Add nut layer. Combine the nuts for the crust in a large bowl. Add butter and mix until coarse. Sprinkle the nut mixture over the phyllo pastry sheets and press firmly.
Step 4- Make the filling. Using a hand mixer, beat cream cheese with honey until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, then vanilla and lemon juice. Once combined, pour the filling over the crust.
Step 5- Bake for 45 minutes at 325F. Chill in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight.
Step 6- Make the topping. Combine honey, water, and rose water in a small saucepan. Add half the lemon zest, boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the remaining zest and juice. Once cool, stir in the nuts.
Step 7- Add topping layer. Pour the topping over the cake and chill before slicing.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Keep the filo sheets from drying out. Lay a damp kitchen towel on top of the sheets of filo when layering them into the springform pan.
- Guarantee a smooth, creamy filling. Sometimes I like to run the filling through a sieve as I find this helps remove any clumps.
- Know when the cheesecake is done. The phyllo should be golden brown and crisp, the edges of the filling are set, and the middle is slightly jiggly.
- Use a VERY sharp knife to slice. So you don’t rip through the phyllo.
Variations
- Want to skip the filo pastry? Just use a regular graham cracker crust!
- Top the entire cheesecake with phyllo. Rather than fold the sheets in half, leave enough sticking out over the edge so you can fully wrap the top of the cheesecake in phyllo.
- Add cinnamon. Many recipes call for cinnamon in the honey rose syrup. I tested it and didn’t think it was necessary, but you can add 1-2 teaspoons.
Storage instructions
To store: Store leftover cheesecake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
To freeze: Wrap leftover slices in aluminum foil, store them in freezer-safe containers, and freeze for up to three months.
Frequently asked questions
Technically, baklava is believed to have originated in Assyria, though both Greece and Turkey have been known to make this dessert since at least the 11th century.
I tested this cheesecake using store-bought gluten-free phyllo, and it wouldn’t set, and wasn’t light and flaky either. If you want to make this celiac-friendly, I suggest using your favorite gluten-free pie crust.
More elegant desserts
Baklava Cheesecake
Ingredients
Cheesecake
- 3 cups cream cheese
- 1/2 cup honey
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 162C/325F.
- Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and spray the sides with some cooking spray.
- Working quickly, brush the phyllo pastry with melted butter and then fold it in half. Place the pastry into the springform. Repeat until the spring form pan is completely covered.
- Combine walnuts, pistachios, and almonds in a large bowl. Add butter and stir until you have a coarse mixture. Place the nut mixture over the phyllo pastry and press firmly.
- Make the cheesecake filling; beat cream cheese with honey until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla extract and lemon juice. Pour the filling over the crust.
- Bake the cake for 45 minutes. Chill the cake for 4 hours in the fridge or overnight.
- Make the topping; combine honey, water, and rose water. Add half the lemon zest. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the remaining lemon zest and juice. Cool the syrup for 40 minutes and stir in walnuts and pistachios.
- Pour the topping over the cake and chill the cake for 2 hours or until its set, before slicing and serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published July 2023, updated and republished October 2024
Amazing recipe! One of the best things I have ever made. I didn’t use honey in cheesecake. Used normal sugar instead.
Love to hear that, Farah!
Delicious cheesecake! The biggest comment is about the topping: (1) it made FAR too much liquid, so we ended up not using all of it (although we did use all of the nuts), and (2) the lemon flavor overpowered the rest of the cheesecake, and made this not taste like baklava. Although the cake was truly delicious, the lemon took it out of the baklava realm for most of the bites until the last of the crust.
A few minor notes: (3) we added cinnamon and nutmeg to the nut mixture and agree with the author that we didn’t notice it, (4) we needed more than 10 tablespoons of butter, and (5) we added some sugar and honey to the nut mixture and it was good.
I will make this dessert for my friends this week. I think they will love it.
Baklava is very famous in my country. I never heard it can be made as cheesecake. Delicious!
Best baklava cheesecake EVER!
I make this every holiday season- it’s such a winner!
Making this tomorrow for Mother’s Day. Question- is the honey the only sweetener of the cheesecake? A lot of other recipes call for either brown or granulated sugar- I’m worried on if the honey itself will be sweet enough?
Yes, it’s correct. It’s a double dose of honey, and also liquid sweeteners are much more concentrated that granulated ones 🙂
You are my favorite chef handsdown. I hope your customer’s appreciate you as much as your followers! You truly bring the joy of cooking into your followers kitchens. I can’t thank you enough!
You are too sweet, Mary!
One of my go-to desserts for entertaining!