Vegan Baklava (Nut-Free)

Vegan Baklava Recipe that can be easily made nut-free with phyllo dough, dried apricots, dates or figs, and golden raisins. Walnut and coconut are optional. It is sweet, crispy, and super delish!

What's your favorite Middle Eastern pastry? Mine is baklava!

Yep -- a sweet pastry made with layers of phyllo dough, traditionally filled with chopped nuts, and soaked in a syrup containing honey, rosewater, or orange flower water.

Ours, however, is vegan baklava!

Are you allergic to nuts? No problem! You can easily adapt the recipe to be nut-free.

I call it 'ours' because it is being published on our blog. But the recipe is Lauren's, a friend of a dear friend of mine.

Hers calls for shredded coconut, dried apricot, and raisins which we added crushed walnuts.

However, you can replace the shredded coconut and walnuts with dried dates and figs for making a no nuts baklava dessert.

What is Baklava?

Baklava is one of the most popular desserts of Ottoman cuisine made from layers of phyllo dough filled with chopped nuts and topped with sweet syrup.

Turkey, Greece, and Lebanon, among other countries have their version, presenting variations in the type of nuts used as well as syrup.

Ingredients and Substitutions

To make this vegan baklava, with or without nuts, you'll need the following ingredients:

For the Baklava:

• ½ cup sweetened shredded coconut, For a nut-free baklava version of Lauren's recipe, replace the coconut with finely chopped dried dates (same amount).
• ½ cup walnuts, For a nut-free baklava recipe, replace the walnuts with finely chopped dried figs (same amount). If you prefer, use other nuts such as pistachios, almonds, hazelnuts, or pecans!
• ¾ cup dried apricots
• ¾ cup golden raisins (or currants)
• ¼ cup caster sugar (granulated sugar would work too! For our vegan version, I used beet powdered sugar!)
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 16 sheets of phyllo dough pastry, thawed in the refrigerator (Please do not thaw it over the counter; otherwise, your dough will become chewy instead of crispy).
• 8 tablespoon dairy-free unsalted butter, melted (or use melted coconut oil, or melted regular unsalted butter for a non-vegan version that is also nut-free)

For the Syrup:

• 1 tablespoon agave nectar ( other options are pure maple syrup, golden syrup, or honey if you are not vegan)
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon finely grated orange
• 1 cup granulated sugar (I used beet granulated sugar for our vegan baklava but you can use others)

NOTE: Some vegan baklava recipes use light olive oil to brush the phyllo dough, but I don't recommend it. It won't alter the flavor a lot! However, it will not help the baklava hold its shape when slicing it.

Equipment

To make this easy dessert, you'll need:

• Oven
• Baking pan
• Brush
• Food processor
• Saucepan

How to Make Vegan Baklava

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C). Grease a 10 x 7-inch glass pan (double recipe for a 13 x 9-inch).
2. Make the vegan baklava filling: Place coconut and walnuts (or dried dates and dried figs), apricots, and raisins in a food processor. Add sugar and cinnamon. Process until finely chopped. The mixture will be clumpy.
3. Assemble: Place the phyllo sheets on a clean work surface. Cover with a damp towel to prevent it from drying out—brush 1 sheet of the pastry with melted butter. Fold in half, pressing into the pan. Trim excess dough from the edges to fit the side of the pan. Sprinkle ½ cup dried fruit mixture evenly on top of the pastry.
4. Brush another sheet of pastry with melted butter and fold it in half. Press into the baking dish on top of the first layer. Sprinkle with 2 Tablespoons of the fried fruit mixture. Then repeat the process with the remaining pastry sheets, butter, and 2 Tablespoons of the dried fruit mixture per layer, trimming edges as you go to fit the side of the pan.
5. End layering with a pastry sheet buttered and folded in half. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut the stacked phyllo layers of pastry into thirds lengthwise. Then cut crosswise diagonally to make 16 diamond-pattern pieces.
6. Bake for 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees F (163 degrees C) for about 10-15 more minutes or until golden brown. NOTE: The fruit mixture will darken faster than the pastry!
7. Make the syrup: While the baklava is baking, make the syrup. Place the agave syrup, cinnamon, orange rind, sugar, and ⅔ cup cold water in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Bring it to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium. Simmer for 5 minutes or until the syrup is slightly thickened. Pour the hot syrup over the hot baked baklava.
8. Serve: Let the vegan baklava cool in the pan and serve!

Tips for Vegan Baklava Recipe

• The base and the top of the baklava are usually thicker than the layers in between to hold the dessert together, although the top can be thinner than the base.
• For a nice presentation, you can reserve some extra chopped walnuts to top the baklava with, before serving.
• To make this vegan baklava also gluten-free, use gluten-free phyllo dough.
• Make sure to use either vegan butter or coconut oil to brush the filo dough. Olive oil will make the pastry fall apart when slicing it.
• Replace coconut and walnuts with dried dates and figs for nut-free baklava.
• Cover the phyllo dough with a damp towel to prevent it from drying out while layering the baklava.
• Also, make sure to thaw the dough in the fridge instead of at room temperature, or you will end up with chewy layers instead of crispy ones.
• This is also a dairy-free baklava because it calls for a dairy-free butter or coconut oil.

Is baklava vegan?

Traditional baklava is vegetarian but not vegan! The reason for this is that some of the ingredients (butter, cane sugar, and honey) are not vegan. However, you can easily adapt it by using dairy-free butter, beet sugar, maple syrup, or agave nectar.

Most phyllo dough and filo pastry are vegan. There are no eggs or dairy used in them but check the label to make sure of it!

They produce vegan baklava with a great crispy texture and buttery flavor, with some added crunch from the nuts. It's sweet without being overpowering!

Is this a Nut-Free Baklava?

It can be baklava without nuts if you replace shredded coconut and walnut with dried dates and dried figs respectively. This means this vegan baklava recipe can be easily adapted to become nut-free!

Will affect the flavor If I use Olive Oil instead of Butter?

If you use mild olive oil, it won't affect the taste much. However, it will affect the texture! It will produce more delicate baklava, not sealing the layers together and consequently, making the layers fall apart when slicing.

What is Phyllo Dough?

Phyllo dough is super thin unleavened dough, often used to make pastries in Middle Eastern and Balkan countries. It must be handled gently or will break apart easily.

How to Store Vegan Baklava

Store leftovers, uncovered, in the fridge for up to 10-15 days. If you cover it, it will become soggy. It will become a little chewy and harder.

Or you can store it at room temperature for up to 5-7 days, preserving the crispness.

How to Freeze and Thaw

To freeze, wrap the pan of baklava tightly in a double layer of plastic wrap and then a double layer of foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. It will protect it from freezer burn.

Thaw in the fridge, uncovered.

Other vegan desserts

• Vegan chocolate pot de creme (no bake)
• Greek walnut cake
• Vegan kunafa
• Vegan Lebanese milk pudding
• Turkish delight cake (vegan and nut-free)

PIN & ENJOY!

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5 from 4 votes

Vegan Baklava Recipe (Nut-Free)

Vegan Baklava Recipe that can be easily made nut-free with phyllo dough, dried apricots, dates or figs, and golden raisins. Walnut and coconut are optional. It is sweet, crispy, and super delish!

Course:Dessert

Cuisine:Greek

Keywords:baklava, nut-free, vegan

Prep Time 50 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Servings 16 pieces

Calories220 kcal

Author Denise Browning

Cost $ 0.75 per piece

Equipment

• 1 oven
• 1 Baking pan
• 1 brush
• 1 Food processor
• 1 saucepan

Ingredients

For the Baklava:

• ½ cup sweetened shredded coconut For a nut-free baklava version of Lauren's recipe, replace the coconut with finely chopped dried dates (same amount).
• ½ cup walnuts For a nut-free baklava recipe, replace the walnuts with finely chopped dried figs (same amount). If you prefer, use other nuts such as pistachios, almonds, hazelnuts, or pecans!
• ¾ cup dried apricots
• ¾ cup golden raisins or currants
• ¼ cup caster sugar granulated sugar would work too! For our vegan version, I used beet powdered sugar!
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 16 sheets of phyllo dough pastry (a 16-oz package) thawed in the refrigerator (Please do not thaw it over the counter; otherwise, your dough will become chewy instead of crispy).
• 8 tablespoon dairy-free unsalted butter melted (or use melted coconut oil, or melted regular unsalted butter for a non-vegan version that is also nut-free)

For the Syrup:

• 1 tablespoon agave nectar other options are pure maple syrup, golden syrup, or honey if you are not vegan
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon finely grated orange
• 1 cup granulated sugar I used beet granulated sugar for our vegan baklava but you can use others

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C). Grease a 10 x 7-inch glass pan (double recipe for a 13 x 9-inch).
• Make the vegan baklava filling: Place coconut and walnuts (or dried dates and dried figs), apricots, and raisins in a food processor. Add sugar and cinnamon. Process until finely chopped. The mixture will be clumpy.
• Assemble: Place the phyllo sheets on a clean work surface. Cover with a damp towel to prevent it from drying out—brush 1 sheet of the pastry with melted butter. Fold in half, pressing into the pan. Trim excess dough from the edges to fit the side of the pan. Sprinkle ½ cup dried fruit mixture evenly on top of the pastry.
• Brush another sheet of pastry with melted butter and fold it in half. Press into the baking dish on top of the first layer. Sprinkle with 2 Tablespoons of the fried fruit mixture. Then repeat the process with the remaining pastry sheets, butter, and 2 Tablespoons of the dried fruit mixture per layer, trimming edges as you go to fit the side of the pan.
• End layering with a pastry sheet buttered and folded in half. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut the stacked phyllo layers of pastry into thirds lengthwise. Then cut crosswise diagonally to make 16 diamond-pattern pieces.
• Bake for 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees F (163 degrees C) for about 10-15 more minutes or until golden brown. NOTE: The fruit mixture will darken faster than the pastry!
• Make the syrup: While the baklava is baking, make the syrup. Place the agave syrup, cinnamon, orange rind, sugar, and ⅔ cup cold water in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Bring it to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium. Simmer for 5 minutes or until the syrup is slightly thickened. Pour the hot syrup over the hot baked baklava.
• Serve: Let the vegan baklava cool in the pan and serve!

Recipe Notes

Some vegan baklava recipes use light olive oil to brush the phyllo dough, but I don't recommend it. It won't alter the flavor a lot! However, it will not help the baklava hold its shape when slicing it.

 

How to Store Vegan Baklava

Store leftovers, uncovered, in the fridge for up to 10-15 days. If you cover it, it will become soggy. It will become a little chewy and harder.

Or you can store it at room temperature for up to 5-7 days, preserving the crispness.

How to Freeze and Thaw

To freeze, wrap the pan of baklava tightly in a double layer of plastic wrap and then a double layer of foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. It will protect it from freezer burn.

Thaw in the fridge, uncovered.

Nutrition

Calories: 220kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 3.2g | Fat: 10.8g | Saturated Fat: 5.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2.7g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 15.1mg | Sodium: 146.7mg | Potassium: 170.5mg | Fiber: 1.7g | Sugar: 11.4g | Vitamin A: 396.2IU | Vitamin C: 0.7mg | Calcium: 17.2mg | Iron: 1.4mg

** Nutrition labels on easyanddelish.com are for educational purposes only. This info is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate, since the nutrition content of recipes can vary based on ingredient brand or source, portion sizes, recipe changes/variations, and other factors. We suggest making your own calculations using your preferred calculator, based on which ingredients you use, or consulting with a registered dietitian to determine nutritional values more precisely.

Please note that health-focused and diet information provided on easyanddelish.com is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Consult with your doctor or other qualified health professional prior to initiating any significant change in your diet or exercise regimen, or for any other issue necessitating medical advice.

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Post first published on October 17, 2017.