This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.
My baklava cheesecake recipe features a tangy cheesecake filling atop a phyllo crust with a delicate honey, rose, and pistachio topping. It’s a delicious treat that is deceptively easy to make.
What do you get when you pair the flavors of the Middle Eastern dessert, classic baklava, and the rich, decadent texture of cheesecake? You get my baklava cheesecake.
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. It has the perfect texture- The cheesecake is soft and creamy, the nut topping adds the perfect crunch, and the thin phyllo crust is ultra-flaky. It’s THE dessert I make when I’m entertaining because it is always a showstopper.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- 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.
- No fancy kitchen gadgets needed. So long as you have a mixer and a springform pan, you’re in luck.
Need more creative cheesecake recipes? You’ll love my brownie cheesecake, Biscoff cheesecake, and no-bake Oreo cheesecake.
★★★★★ REVIEW
“I made this cheesecake for my mother-in-law’s birthday and everyone RAVED about it. It really is the best of both worlds. I was worried I would mess it up but you made it so easy to follow.” – Holly
Key Ingredients
- 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.
- Crust. We use phyllo pastry dough instead of a traditional pie crust. It’s paired with butter and crushed nuts for the ultimate baklava experience.
- Topping. Honey, rose water, nuts, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
How to make baklava cheesecake
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Step 1- Quickly brush phyllo with melted butter, fold in half, and layer in the pan. Repeat until covered.
Step 2- Mix crushed nuts with butter until coarse. Sprinkle over phyllo and press firmly.
Step 3- Beat cream cheese with honey until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla and lemon juice. Pour over the crust.
Step 4- Bake for 45 minutes at 325°F. Chill in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight.
Step 5- Combine honey, water, rose water, and half the lemon zest in a small saucepan. Boil, then simmer. Stir in remaining zest, juice, and nuts once cool.
Step 6- 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.
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.
If you tried this Baklava Cheesecake recipe or any other recipe on The Big Man’s World, please rate the recipe and let me know how it went in the comments below. It really helps others thinking of making the recipe.
Baklava Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 10 sheets phyllo dough
- 10 tablespoons butter divided
- 2 cups walnuts ground
- 1 1/2 cups pistachios ground
- 1/2 cup roasted almonds ground
Cheesecake
- 3 cups cream cheese
- 1/2 cup honey
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Topping
- 1 cup honey
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 teaspoon rose water
- 1/2 cup walnuts roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup pistachios roughly chopped
- 2 large lemons juiced and zested
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
- 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.
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
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.
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!
Best baklava cheesecake. It is so easy and such a showstopper!
Hi, Arman! I’m going to make this recipe today and I was wondering if the nuts should be raw, salted, or lightly salted? Thank you!
Raw is best, Taleen!
How perfectly delectable! Perfect pair with cheesecake and baklava, superb! ❤️
😀 YES!!
My guests loved it- they asked for a second serving!
Fab!! Thanks, Susie!
This was such an easy dessert that turned out perfectly- thank you!
Do I need to do a water bath like with other cheesecakes?
I didn’t for this one!
This was such a deceptively easy cheesecake to make. It’s creamy and I love the pastry section!
So great to hear that, Ala!
This sounds AMAZING! I am a huge lover of Baklava and then making it into a cheesecake is just BRILLIANT! I want to make this and would like to add cardamom to it, when would i add that? Best to add it into the base of curshed nuts or into the cream cheese filling?
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. 🌟🥰
Hmmm I’d go with the nuts- it won’t compete with the flavors of the cheesecake 🙂
Hi if I cant find any rosewater can I leave it out or what else can I substitute instead?
Honestly, I’d see if you can find it as it gives this its signature taste. If you can’t find it, just leave it out
Check Amazon.com they carry Cooking Rose Water
Followed recipe exactly as written: Absolutely fabulous and so easy!
It looks so delicious and have to find the ingredients I would love to give it a try to make it
What would you use instead of rose water?
You can just leave it out
Do you taste the rose water?
It’s super subtle 🙂
I LOVED it is so low carb. I would love to see a zero carb crust and sweetener option. Is that even possible? Thanks!
Not sure! Haven’t tried!
This sounds so so good!Are you using unsalted pistachios?
Yes 🙂
Looks amazing, but what do you mean by fold the Philo in half?