Our baklava cheesecake is not just any dessert, but a true showstopper that marries the rich, nutty flavors of baklava with the creamy, dreamy goodness of cheesecake. What's better than one dessert? Two fabulous desserts combined into one mouthwatering creation. If you're a fan of baklava and cheesecake, this recipe will blow your mind.
I have a confession to make—I’ve never been able to work with phyllo dough without tearing it. I’ve followed every tip from seasoned bakers and recipe bloggers, yet somehow, those delicate sheets always end up ripping. But here's the silver lining: with this baklava cheesecake recipe, it doesn’t really matter if the phyllo dough tears. The layers don’t need to be perfect, and the result is still absolutely delicious. This realization was a game-changer for me and made the process much more enjoyable.
What is Baklava?
Baklava is a decadent layered pastry dessert made of delicate phyllo dough and a rich blend of nuts (typically walnuts or pistachios) all doused in a hot sweet syrup or honey. The phyllo dough is brushed with melted butter or ghee, stacked, and layered with the nut mixture, then baked to golden perfection. Fresh out of the oven, it's soaked in syrup, transforming it into a sweet, crunchy, and irresistible treat. Originating in the Middle East, baklava also can be found in the dessert tables of Greece and Turkey, making it a Mediterranean delicacy.
What is Cheesecake?
- Baked Cheesecake: This traditional version is made with cream cheese, eggs, and sugar. It's baked in the oven until set, resulting in a dense and creamy texture.
- No-Bake Cheesecake: This version skips the oven and sets in the fridge. It typically involves cream cheese, sugar, and whipped cream. The result is a lighter, creamy texture.
What is Baklava Cheesecake
Imagine combining the crunchy, nutty layers of baklava with the smooth, creamy layers of cheesecake. That’s exactly what baklava cheesecake is—a cheesecake with a baklava crust. This dessert is a fantastic way to celebrate special occasions or indulge in a luxurious treat.
Baklava Cheesecake Recipe Ingredients
- Phyllo Dough Layers: You start with sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each one with melted butter. This forms the base and top layers of your baklava crust.
- Nut Mixture: A delightful blend of pistachios (you can also use walnuts or pecans), sugar, and orange blossom water or rose water.
- Cheesecake Filling: We chose a lighter no-bake cheesecake filling made with cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, vanilla instant pudding, and whipped cream.
Variations
Nut Variations
- Walnuts: Swap out the pistachios for walnuts for a more traditional baklava flavor.
- Pecans: Try pecans for a twist on this classic dessert.
Flavor Enhancements
- Spices: Mix cinnamon and cardamom with the nuts for a warm, aromatic touch.
- Syrups: Drizzle the cheesecake with honey or a warm floral syrup glaze for extra sweetness.
Tips For Working with Phyllo Dough
Phyllo dough can be a bit tricky to handle. Here are some tips to make it easier:
- Keep it covered: Phyllo dough dries out quickly, so keep the sheets covered with a clean towel while you work.
- Butter generously: Don’t skimp on the melted butter. It helps the phyllo sheets stick together and bake up crispy.
- Don’t worry about rips: If the sheets rip, it’s not the end of the world. This recipe doesn’t need to be perfect—rustic is beautiful!
How to Make Baklava Cheesecake
- Layer the Phyllo Dough: Brush a sheet of phyllo dough with melted butter and place it in a springform pan. Repeat with several more sheets, layering and buttering each one.
- Add the Nut Mixture: Mix the chopped pistachios, sugar, and orange blossom water (check the recipe card or substitute). Spread this mixture over the layered phyllo dough.
- Top with more Phyllo Sheets: Layer more sheets of buttered phyllo dough over the nut mixture.
- Bake the Baklava Crust
- Prepare the Cheesecake Filling
- Assemble the Cheesecake:Once the baklava crust is baked and cooled, spread the cheesecake filling over the baklava crust.
- Refrigerate: Cover the cheesecake with aluminum foil and refrigerate for 12-24 hours to allow the cheesecake layer to set.
- Garnish and Serve: Before serving, sprinkle chopped pistachios over the top for a decorative and tasty finish.
Make-Ahead and Freezing Instructions
Make-Ahead
This baklava cheesecake is perfect for making ahead of time. The flavors meld beautifully, and the cheesecake becomes even more delicious after a day or two in the fridge. Just make sure to plan ahead and allow enough time for the cheesecake to set properly.
Freezing
You can also freeze this cheesecake if you need to make it well in advance. Here’s how:
- Prepare and Assemble: Follow the recipe instructions up to the point of refrigerating the cheesecake.
- Wrap and Freeze: Instead of refrigerating, wrap the cheesecake securely in aluminum foil and place it in the freezer.
- Thaw: When you’re ready to serve, transfer the cheesecake to the fridge and let it thaw for 24 hours.
If you enjoyed this recipe, it would help us tremendously if you left us a star rating in the comments below or on the recipe card. Do you have any questions about the recipe? Do you need a swap for any of the ingredients? We are here to help, just leave us a question in the comments below.
Baklava Cheesecake
- Total Time: 24 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: 8 slices 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 12 phyllo dough sheets, thawed in the refrigerator (See Note 1)
- ⅓ cup melted butter and more for greasing the pan (See Note 2)
- 1 ¼ cups raw pistachios, chopped and divided
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp orange blossom water or rose water (See Note 3)
- 1 8-ounce pack of cream cheese, at room temperature
- ½ cup confectioner's sugar
- ¾ cup cold heavy whipping cream,
- 1 pack instant vanilla pudding (80gr/2.8ounces) (See Note 4)
- 1 cup plain yogurt, fat-free or low-fat (See Note 5)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ºF. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9" springform pan
- Open the pack of phyllo dough and unroll it. Remove 1 sheet of phyllo dough and cover the rest with a towel.
- It is very likely that the sheet of phyllo dough will rip, but don't worry you can still use it. Line the bottom of the pan with the phyllo dough sheet, making sure some of it comes up the sides of the pan. If the sheet rips, just cover the bottom even if it is not whole. Brush with the melted butter and repeat 5 more times. You should have 6 buttered phyllo sheets at the bottom of the pan.
- In a medium bowl place chopped pistachios, granulated sugar, and orange blossom of rose water. Mix well to combine.
- Spread the sugary pistachios on the phyllo dough and repeat the abovementioned process. Buttering and layering the remaining 6 phyllo dough sheets on top of the pistachios.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the phyllo dough is golden and crispy. Baking time will vary depending on your oven.
- While the baklava crust bakes, make the filling. Whip together cream cheese, confectioner's sugar, and vanilla pudding, in a large bowl, using a stand-up mixer or hand mixer, until smooth and creamy. Set aside
- In another bowl whip the heavy cream until you get a stiff whipped cream.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. Set aside in the refrigerator.
- Let the baklava crust cool and then spread the cheesecake mixture on top.
- Sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup of chopped pistachios.
- Cover it with aluminum foil and let it set the fridge overnight.
Notes
- I find it difficult to work with Phyllo Dough. I don't usually manage to separate one sheet without ripping it. Whole Phyllo dough sheets don't matter for this recipe, since we are going to a rustic look, not a perfect look. Or unrealistically perfectly even layers, like some AI-generated images I am encountering lately.
- Depending on how generously you are buttering the layers, you may need butter. We feel this dessert is rich and decadent enough and ⅓ cup should be enough, but go ahead and use more if you would like.
- If you don't have, cannot find or simply don't want to buy rose water or orange blossom water, use freshly squeezed lemon juice or orange juice instead. The flavor will not be as traditional, but it will be delicious. Just note that if you use lemon juice the cheesecake will have a distinct lemony flavor.
- To make instant pudding at home use this recipe.
- You can also use sour cream or whipped cottage cheese.
- Plan: make sure to plan and make this baklava cheesecake one or two days before you plan to serve it.
- Freezing instructions: you can make this cheesecake ahead of time and freeze it instead of letting it set in the fridge. Remove from the freezer and place in the fridge 24 hours before serving.
- Prep Time: 20
- Refrigeration time: 24 hours
- Cook Time: 25
- Category: Dessert
- Method: baked
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 475
- Sugar: 36.3 g
- Sodium: 323.5 mg
- Fat: 31.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 14.7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 44 g
- Fiber: 2.2 g
- Protein: 8.1 g
- Cholesterol: 63.5 mg
Sophie
My two favorite’s…
! חג סמח
Vicky and Ruth
Our two favorites too!
Lindy
I don’t like using any pre-packed UPF (ultra processed!) ingredients. Please use natural ingredients as this is why so make my own!!
Vicky and Ruth
Hi Lindy, it's great that you can make your own phyllo dough. I would love you have your recipe. I am assuming is very time consuming. Is that correct?
E Louise
Could I make this without the vanilla pudding? I really want to do a baklava crust with no bake cheesecake, my plan was to follow this recipe and the adjust:
No vanilla pudding - perhaps add some extra cream / sugar? and vanilla essence instead? (or pistachio butter?) + add in small amount of rose water to the cheesecake mixture, and some pistachio butter too for flavour, but not too much.
I have never used pastry sheets before so fingers crossed all works out 🙂
Vicky and Ruth
It's hard to say. Adding extra cream, sugar and some vanilla essence is a good idea. I love the idea of adding rose water and pistachio butter swirled into it. Let us know what the results are.