Home » Vegan Baklava: Heavenly Baklava (oil-free)
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Vegan baklava is yours to enjoy!
The votes were close after this query on facebook, youtube, and instagram – but Heavenly Baklava from Dreena’s Kind Kitchen took the win!
One of my all-time favorite treats, baklava is crunchy, sweet, and sticky phyllo layered with a cinnamon-infused nut mixture.
I first made baklava years ago, before becoming fully vegan. I loved it so much! And, it was close to being a vegan recipe, just needed a substitute for honey.
Creating vegan baklava without honey was easy. Without oil, not so easy.
But I was up for the recipe challenge!
My vegan baklava has all the flavor and texture of traditional baklava, but without added oil or margarine.
This dessert can be a special occasion treat to impress guests, especially at parties and holidays. It’s not difficult to make, but as with other phyllo pastry recipes, it requires a little patience.
Phyllo isn’t as finicky as we anticipate it to be. It is certainly delicate but can be patched or covered up with little-to-no effect on the final product.
Once you use phyllo a couple of times, you get the hang of it, and want to use it again – because it’s a finished dish looks so impressive!
Let’s focus on some key questions about making this vegan baklava recipe…
Vegan Baklava FAQ
Can I freeze phyllo pastry?
Normally we buy phyllo pastry frozen at grocery stores. When you bring it home, freeze it until ready to use in a recipe. Then, let it thaw overnight in the fridge or a couple of hours at room temperature.
Is phyllo pastry the same as puff pastry?
No. They are different products. Phyllo dough is mostly flour and water, with a marginal amount of fat. The sheets are as thin as tissues and become flaky and crisp in recipes. Puff pastry is flaky like phyllo but much higher in fat with a richer taste and airy texture.
What is the difference between filo and phyllo?
They are the same thing, the terms are used interchangeably.
Can I refreeze unused phyllo dough?
It’s best not to refreeze it, but you can keep it refrigerated (wrapped) for up to 4-5 days to use in other dishes.
Can I make my own phyllo dough?
You can. It’s more work than I want for any given recipe, but you can find recipes online.
What is baklava?
Baklava is layers of crushed, spiced nuts in a sticky, sweet syrup between flaky phyllo dough. Traditional baklava uses dairy and honey, vegan baklava substitutes honey with another sweetener. My vegan baklava also omits vegan margarine/oil.
Why is baklava not vegan?
Because of the honey traditionally used in baklava recipes, and also the inclusion of butter in some recipes.
Is phyllo pastry vegan?
Yes, most commercial phyllo pastries are vegan!
Doesn’t phyllo dough have oil?
I have yet to find a fully oil-free phyllo dough. However, the oil used in phyllo is very minimal, it’s low on the ingredients, and 4 full sheets of phyllo typically have only 1 gram of fat. There is no added oil to this baklava, which is where most of the oil comes from in phyllo recipes.
Is there a gluten-free phyllo pastry?
I haven’t seen one, but if you know of a gluten-free phyllo pastry, please comment!
Can I substitute other nuts in baklava?
Yes, you can substitute other nuts. While traditional baklava recipes use pistachios or walnuts, you can use nuts like almonds, pecans, and hazelnuts (and combinations of these nuts are good).
Can I make baklava nut-free?
If you want to try a nut-free version, I suggest a combination of pumpkin seeds with coconut and sunflower seeds. Use a mixture of seeds for the best flavor. You may also want to increase the cinnamon slightly.
Heavenly Baklava
One of my all-time favorite treats, baklava is crunchy, sweet, and sticky phyllo layered with a cinnamon infused nut mixture that always hit the sweet spot! This version is big on flavor without the need for added oil or margarine. (While commercial phyllo dough does contain oil, it’s a very small amount.) This dessert can be a special occasion treat to impress guests, especially at parties and holidays.
Course Dessert
Keyword almonds, baklava, nuts, pecans, phyllo
Servings 8 people
Ingredients
Nut Mixture
- ¾ cup almonds see note
- ¾ cup pecans see note
- 3 tablespoons coconut sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla bean powder optional
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Phyllo Layers
- 4-6 tablespoons refrigerated canned coconut cream see note
- 1/4 cup almond meal
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
- 1/2 1-pound package frozen phyllo pastry dough, thawed
Syrup
- 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp coconut nectar or agave nectar
- 1 1/2 – 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Have ready an 8 × 11-inch baking dish.
Put the almonds in a food processor and process until crumbly. Add the pecans and process until you have a fine nut meal. Add the remaining ingredients for the nut mixture and pulse.
Wipe the inside of the baking dish with some of the coconut cream. Cut the phyllo dough to roughly fit the bottom of the dish (the sheets should fit into the bottom of the dish and not drape up the sides).
In a small bowl, combine the almond meal and sugar (to sprinkle between the phyllo layers).
Begin to layer your phyllo sheets. Very lightly brush each of the first 2 sheets with coconut cream and sprinkle with about 1 teaspoon of the almond meal mix. Layer on the third sheet and add 1/4–1/3 cup of the pureed nut mixture. Layer with another 3 sheets phyllo, again brushing the first 2 sheets with a touch of coconut cream and sprinkling with the almond meal mix, then adding the nut mixture after the third sheet. Continue this layering until all the nut mixture is used. (You will get 5 or 6 layers total.) For the top layer, use 3–4 sheets of phyllo and brush and sprinkle each layer. For the top layer, use a more generous amount of the coconut cream and a dusting of the almond meal mixture.
Before baking, score the baklava in a diamond pattern or squares with a sharp knife, cutting into the baklava almost through to the bottom. Bake for 35–45 minutes, until golden. Remove from the oven and let cool.
When the baklava is mostly cooled, combine the nectar and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Allow the -syrup to come to a slow bubble over medium=low heat. Once bubbling, remove the syrup from the heat and slowly drizzle it over the cooled baklava. Try to distribute it fairly evenly rather than pour it all in one area. Allow the baklava to cool enough to cut into pieces along the score lines.
Notes
Nut Note: For this recipe, the exact amount of each nut doesn’t really matter; you want a total of 1 1/2 cups of almonds and pecans, kept separate for processing; almonds are much harder than pecans, so it’s helpful to process them first, and then add the pecans once the almonds have become mealy.
Coconut Cream Note: Use regular (not light) coconut milk in this recipe. Before using, refrigerate the can overnight or for a few days. The thick cream will rise to the top and be easy to scoop and measure. Use only the thick cream (reserve the thin coconut milk for another use).
Disclosure
This post may include affiliate links. DreenaBurton.com is an affiliate with trusted brands, and if you purchase a product through any of these affiliate links, my site earns a commission from the sale (at no extra cost to you). Thank you for supporting my website.
Reader Interactions
Comments
Lisa says
This says oil-free but I’ve yet to find phyllo that’s oil-free. Did you use an oil-free one?
Reply
Dreena Burton says
Hi Lisa, yes, I have a note in the FAQ about that. You can have a read, I will paste below what’s in the post:
——–
“Doesn’t phyllo dough have oil?I have yet to find a fully oil-free phyllo dough. However, the oil used in phyllo is very minimal, it’s low on the ingredients, and 4 full sheets of phyllo typically have only 1 gram of fat. There is no added oil to this baklava, which is where most of the oil comes from in phyllo recipes.”
—
hope that helps and clarifies! thanks, DreenaReply
eileen says
Please if you could tell me a substitute for the coconut cream. My cardiologist suggested not to use it.
Thank YouReply
Elissa says
I was pondering the same thing. I eat a low fat diet. I was thinking I would try some soy yogurt, sparingly between the sheets.
Reply
