Bring the Middle Eastern sweets counter to you with 13 of our favourite baklava recipes. This traditional layered pastry, filled with spices, crushed nuts – like walnuts, pistachios and almonds – and sweetened with honey or syrup is said to date back to the Byzantine Empire (or further) and it’s easy to see why. From traditional to healthy to fresh, foodie takes, here’s 13 baklava recipes that’ll make you realise why it’s the real dessert OG.

Chocolate and pistachio baklava with Greek coffee honey syrup

Chocolate plus coffee equals bliss! Helena Moursellas pays homage to this heavenly combo via a new riff on the syrup-soaked filo favourite.

Bring the Middle Eastern sweets counter to you with these pecan baklava rolls

Pecan baklava roll

Bring the Middle Eastern sweets counter to your home with Michael Rantissi's pecan baklava rolls.

Walnut, cinnamon and haloumi baklava

There's nothing sweeter than the Middle Eastern dessert of baklava, made better by Ottolenghi himself.

Baklava bliss balls

Embrace bliss with these bite-sized baklava desserts.

Pomegranate and baklava trifle with halva cream

Now this is a trifle with a difference! Candied filo pastry sheets top a dish piled high with pomegranate jelly, halva cream and crunchy pistachios. You'll need to start this recipe at least 4 hours ahead, and you'll need a 2.8L trifle dish.

Syrian walnut baklava recipe

“Baklava is the most famous pastry from the Arabic-speaking world and is popular worldwide, as it is in Syria, thanks to the Ottomans. In our family, we always have a box of baklava in the house, ready to bring out if someone comes over for a coffee.” – Anas Atassi

Date and ricotta baklava pie with rosewater syrup

Phoebe Wood gives the classic Middle Eastern treat an update with her date and ricotta version that'll have you feeling like you're wandering the spice bazaars of Dubai.

Maple pecan baklava with spiced apple syrup

Maple pecan baklava

Transform traditional baklava with the addition of maple syrup and pecans - it tastes just like a pecan pie, only better.

Round #5 of the delicious. Bake Club: Snickers baklava recipe

Snickers baklava

Few ingredients are needed for this incredible take on a classic dessert just in time for our new delicious. Bake Club Round #5 challenge. For more, see delicious.com.au/bakeclub

Rose baklava

This baklava recipe is inspired by the ancient spice routes.

Apple and salted caramel baklava

Add an even sweeter twist to this Greek inspired dessert with apples and salted caramel.

Forget espresso martinis, this baklava cocktail is next level

We’ve all been in the predicament where there’s not enough room for dessert, but cravings for something sweet remain all the same. Contemporary Middle Eastern eatery The Thievery has come to your rescue, crafting an alcoholic take on the traditional syrup-laden pastry dessert of baklava. In this case, you can have your cake and drink it too.

Baklava

George Calombaris's baklava is delicious.

"What I love about baklava is that the recipe changes all the time, depending on who’s making it and where they come come from. It’s a great way for cooks to put their personal stamp on it. This combination of almond and vanilla is beautiful, and adding just a pinch of salt brings out the flavour of the almonds. Make sure the syrup has cooled completely before pouring it over the hot pastries (or do it the other way: hot syrup and cold pastries – just make sure one is hot and one is cold)." – George Calombaris