Baklava Cheesecake
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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
- 12 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 10 tablespoons of melted butter and then fold it in half (one tablespoon per sheet). 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 the remaining 2 tablespoons of 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.
Cheesecake was delicious before and after cooking. Sauce was delicious, but yielded way too much. I would happily pour it over ice cream, pound cake, creme brulee, or drink it straight up. I made a lavender water infusion since I had no rose water. That yielded a floral hint. It makes a big cake. The large mixed crowd to whom it was served didn’t finish it, so I might not re-make this one.
Hi Mary, thanks so much for sharing this. The floral flavors of the topping can divide people sometimes but it sounds like you had a lot of success with this one! Thanks so much for the feedback.
So yummy! I messed up the phyllo (inexperience), but the cake was delicious and a wonderful change.
Thanks so much for the kind words Mary! So glad you liked this one.
Okay, I’m not against the idea of baklava cheesecake. One of the dishes that may have later became baklava was a cheesecake, it’s a fine idea. The recipe is pretty delicious.
No worries, I appreciate the feedback. I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe.
why is the phyllo so white? it should be golden brown and crunchy.
Hi Nas, I guarantee the edges are nice and crispy. The moisture from the filling can stop the edges changing color too much in some cases. If you’re looking for a more exaggerated golden edge, I would brush them with a little more butter.
are you suppose to brush butter on both sides of the phyllo the fold?
Hi Aley- Just one side before folding- the butter on the outside of the fold will help the layers crisp up nicely in the oven 🙂
Hi, how many bricks is 3 cups of cream cheese?
Hi Monika, if they’re 8 oz bricks you’ll just need 3 🙂 Should be 1 brick per cup. Hope this helps!
Question: are all of the nuts supposed to be raw? Roasted? Salted? Unsalted? What’s best?
Hi Nick, for best results all the nuts used should be lightly roasted to help deepen their flavor. Hope this helps!
Hi – this looks amazing! If we make it four days before Christmas, should we freeze the entire pie or will it be fine in fridge for four days for our event?!
Hi Maria, as long as the cheesecake is stored in an airtight container and refrigerated it should be fine 4 days later. Freezing will keep it longer but you’ll lose some of the crust’s texture. Hope this helps!
It says divide butter but it doesn’t specify how that I saw. How much to melt versus how much to add to mixing bowl?
Hi Jamie- I’m so sorry, it’s been amended now. It’s 10 tablespoons butter for the phyllo (one tablespoon each), and then 2 tablespoons for the nuts.
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!