This baklava cheesecake is made with a baklava crust, filled with a creamy and lemony filling, topped with honey syrup and pistachios.
This baklava cheesecake is an incredibly delicious dessert that combines two beloved treats: cheesecake, and baklava.
The crust is crafted using thin, flaky phyllo dough, which is carefully layered with melted butter and a tasty nut mixture, typically including walnuts or pistachios.
This creates a base that's both crispy and rich in flavor. On top of this crust sits a creamy cheesecake filling, offering a smooth contrast to the crunchy bottom layer.
To complete the dessert and pay homage to traditional baklava, a sweet honey syrup is drizzled over the cheesecake after baking.
This syrup adds a final touch of sweetness and helps to blend the flavors of the phyllo crust and cheesecake filling.
For more delicious cheesecake recipes, check out my creamy vanilla cheesecake, pistachio cheesecake, cinnamon roll cheesecake.
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Why this recipe works
- Texture- this cheesecake has a unique texture of flakey layers of phyllo pastry and crunchy nuts, with a creamy and melt in your mouth cheesecake filling.
- Flavor- this incredible dessert combines the tangy freshness of lemon cheesecake with the sweet, nutty crunch of a baklava crust, creating a perfect balance of flavors in every bite.
- Baklava crust- the crust of this cheesecake is what makes it special, it is made with layers of phyllo sheets brushed with butter and filled with a mixture of pistachios, walnuts, and cinnamon.
- Honey syrup drizzle- the cheesecake is finally topped with a honey syrup drizzle which I used in my classic baklava recipe which makes this cheesecake taste like a baklava!
Ingredients
Before you start to make this recipe, measure and prepare your ingredients so the cooking process will go smoothly and easily.
Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
For the baklava crust
Pistachios and walnuts- you will need to ground the pistachios and walnuts until fine crumbs form. I used a blender, you can use a food processor as well.
Butter- use unsalted butter for this. Melt it in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Cinnamon– You will need 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon for the filling.
Phyllo dough- use your favorite brand of phyllo dough for this recipe. You will need 500 grams of phyllo dough for this.
For the cheesecake batter
Cream cheese- the most important ingredient in this recipe, is cream cheese.
Make sure that you are using full-fat cream cheese, for a cheesecake with no cracks, it's important that you use full-fat cream cheese and make sure that it’s at room temperature.
Granulated sugar- you will need one cup of granulated sugar for this recipe. The cheesecake will be sweet, but not too sweet. One cup of sugar is the perfect balance of sweetness for this recipe.
Eggs- you will need 3 large eggs for this recipe. 2 eggs and one egg yolk. To get a perfect classic cheesecake, make sure that the eggs are at room temperature.
Cornstarch- we used cornstarch, you can use flour instead.
Vanilla extract- vanilla extract adds extra flavor. For extra vanilla flavor, use vanilla bean extract or an actual vanilla bean!
Sour cream- we suggest using full-fat sour cream for this recipe. The sour cream makes the cheesecake batter creamier and lighter.
Lemon zest- I recommend zesting the lemon first and then juicing it.
Lemon juice- use fresh lemon juice for this recipe. Fresh lemon will give you the best result. We don't recommend using store-bought lemon juice. This will make the flavor pop!
For the honey syrup
Honey- use your favorite brand of honey for this. Make sure you use high-quality honey for the best flavor.
Instructions
Prepare a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper, and preheat an oven to 180c (350f).
In a small mixing bowl, add the chopped pistachios, walnuts, sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon, and mix until well combined.
Brush the bottom of the parchment paper lined pan with a thin layer of melted butter.
Layer 5 sheets of phyllo sheets into the pan allowing the sides to hang over the edges. Brush the dough generously with melted butter.
Sprinkle about two tablespoons of the nut mixture on the dough evenly.
Top the nuts with another 3 layers of phyllo sheets, brush it with butter, and repeat, do this 3 more times, and finally top it with another 4 sheets of phyllo sheets, and brush them with butter.
In a large mixing bowl, add the softened cream cheese, lemon zest vanilla extract, sugar, lemon juice, sour cream and mix with an electric hand mixer until is creamy.
Whisk the eggs in a small bowl add them to the cheesecake mixture and mix until the mixture is smooth.
Sift the cornstarch into the mixture and mix until combined and there are no lumps of cornstarch showing. Do not overmix the batter.
Pour the cheesecake filling over the phyllo crust.
Fold over the phyllo dough that is hanging out of the pan and brush it with the leftover melted butter.
Bake it in a 140c (280f) preheated oven for about an hour or until the edges of the cheesecake are set, but the middle is a bit jiggly and the phyllo dough is golden brown.
While the cheesecake is baking, make the honey syrup. In a medium saucepan, add the sugar, honey, water, vanilla extract, and lemon juice and cook over medium-high heat mixing constantly until the sugar melts.
Then reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for another 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it cool.
As soon as the cheesecake comes out of the oven, pour the honey syrup over the baked phyllo dough and let it chill in the fridge for at least 5 hours to allow the cheesecake to set.
Garnish with chopped pistachios and serve!
Expert Tips
- Make sure that you are using room-temperature cream cheese in this recipe, this step makes it easier to mix the cream cheese with no unnecessary lumps, we don’t want that.
- Let the phyllo dough defrost in the fridge overnight. This will make sure that your phyllo dough is fully defrosted.
- When you are buttering the phyllo dough sheets, make sure that you are super careful and gently butter it to prevent it from ripping.
- Use a springform tin. We use springform tins for all of our cheesecake recipes. This makes sure that your cake will be easy to release from the pan.
- Use high-fat cream cheese or the well-known Philadelphia cream cheese. Using full-fat cream cheese ensures that your cheesecake will be stable and will not crack.
- Let your cheesecake chill in the fridge for at least 5 hours. We know it’s very hard to resist eating this delicious cheesecake right away, but you have to let the cheesecake cool and set it in the pan. I like to let the cheesecake sit in the fridge overnight.
- For a smooth and creamy cheesecake, make sure that you are using room-temperature ingredients. Before you begin to make this cheesecake, make sure that your cream cheese is completely soft, and that your eggs are at room temperature.
- Don’t overbeat the mixture! It's really easy to overbeat the mixture, and that is one of the most common mistakes. To avoid overbeating your mixture, make sure that you lower the speed of the hand mixer and add each egg at a time.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl frequently to ensure that you have a homogeneous mixture that has no cream cheese lumps.
- Don't open the oven door before the cake is fully baked or about to be baked! Drastic changes in the temperature of the cake while baking can cause the cake to collapse or crack.
Faq's
This cheesecake is made with a baklava crust which is made with phyllo dough, melted butter, and a mixture of nuts and cinnamon, which is topped with a creamy cheesecake that is made with lemon zest.
Then the cheesecake is baked and topped with a honey syrup which is the same recipe I used in my pistachio baklava recipe.
Baklava filling typically consists of finely chopped nuts, such as walnuts, pistachios, or almonds, mixed with sugar and aromatic spices like cinnamon and cardamom.
A traditional Turkish baklava is made with phyllo pastry, finely crushed pistachios, melted butter, and simple syrup that is often made with honey.
Overbaking cheesecake is a common mistake that causes the cheesecake to crack or even burn.
You will know that your cheesecake is done baking when you see that the edges of the cheesecake are set, but the middle is a bit jiggly. The middle of the cake will be set in the cooling process.
Storing
Store this cheesecake in the fridge (since it contains dairy) covered tightly with plastic wrap for up to 4 days.
Freezing
To freeze this cheesecake, bake it according to the instructions, then allow it to set to room temperature and chill in the fridge according to the instructions.
When the cheesecake is completely cooled, you can freeze it covered in a few layers of plastic wrap or foil. This cheesecake will freeze for up to 3 months.
Substitutions
Gluten-free- you can make this cheesecake gluten-free by using gluten-free phyllo dough. Use your favorite brand that you know that has high-quality gluten-free phyllo sheets.
Variations
Nuts- you can swap the pistachios and walnuts with other of your favorite nuts like chopped pecans, and almonds.
Vanilla bean- add the inside of the vanilla bean and add it to the cheesecake mixture instead of the vanilla extract.
Citrus- you can swap the lemon zest with your favorite citrus like orange, or any of your favorite citrus.
Equipment
- You will need a 9-inch springform pan for this cheesecake. I love this set from Amazon.
- I recommend using an electric hand mixer to make sure your cheesecake mixture is smooth and perfect. You can also use a stand mixer for this with a balloon attachment.
- Saucepan to cook the syrup
- Pastry brush
- Rubber spatula
- Mixing bowl (set of 3)
More Middle Eastern recipes
Pistachio Baklava- This super delicious pistachio baklava is buttery, sweet, flakey, nutty, gooey, and surprisingly easy to make!
Honey Cake- This honey cake is moist, rich in flavor, and full of spices that will make your house smell like autumn. We make this cake every Rosh Hashanah, it's our favorite time of the year.
Rolled Date Cookies- These rolled date cookies are made with buttery shortcrust pastry, filled with date paste, cinnamon, and chopped walnuts, and topped with powdered sugar that makes these cookies irresistible.
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If you liked this recipe
📖 Recipe
The BEST Baklava Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust
Cheesecake filling
- 19.7 oz Cream cheese room temp, full fat
- ½ cup Sour cream
- 2 teaspoon Lemon zest
- 2 tablespoon Lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1 cup Granulated sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 1 Egg yolk
- 2 tablespoon Cornstarch
Honey syrup
- ¼ cup Honey
- ⅓ cup Granulated sugar
- ½ cup Water
- 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
Instructions
- Prepare a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper, and preheat an oven to 180c (350f).
- In a small mixing bowl, add the chopped pistachios, walnuts, sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon, and mix until well combined.
- Brush the bottom of the parchment paper lined pan with a thin layer of melted butter.
- Layer 5 sheets of phyllo sheets into the pan allowing the sides to hang over the edges. Brush the dough generously with melted butter.
- Sprinkle about two tablespoons of the nut mixture on the dough evenly.
- Top the nuts with another 3 layers of phyllo sheets, brush it with butter, and repeat, do this 3 more times, and finally top it with another 4 sheets of phyllo sheets, and brush them with butter.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the softened cream cheese, lemon zest vanilla extract, sugar, lemon juice, sour cream and mix with an electric hand mixer until is creamy.
- Whisk the eggs in a small bowl add them to the cheesecake mixture and mix until the mixture is smooth.
- Sift the cornstarch into the mixture and mix until combined and there are no lumps of cornstarch showing. Do not overmix the batter.
- Pour the cheesecake filling over the phyllo crust.
- Fold over the phyllo dough that is hanging out of the pan and brush it with the leftover melted butter.
- Bake it in a 140c (280f) preheated oven for about an hour or until the edges of the cheesecake are set, but the middle is a bit jiggly and the phyllo dough is golden brown.
- While the cheesecake is baking, make the honey syrup. In a medium saucepan, add the sugar, honey, water, vanilla extract, and lemon juice and cook over medium-high heat mixing constantly until the sugar melts.
- Then reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for another 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it cool.
- As soon as the cheesecake comes out of the oven, pour the honey syrup over the baked phyllo dough and let it chill in the fridge for at least 5 hours to allow the cheesecake to set.
- Garnish with chopped pistachios and serve!
Notes
- Make sure that you are using room-temperature cream cheese in this recipe, this step makes it easier to mix the cream cheese with no unnecessary lumps, we don’t want that.
- Let the phyllo dough defrost in the fridge overnight. This will make sure that your phyllo dough is fully defrosted.
- When you are buttering the phyllo dough sheets, make sure that you are super careful and gently butter it to prevent it from ripping.
- Use a springform tin. We use springform tins for all of our cheesecake recipes. This makes sure that your cake will be easy to release from the pan.
- Use high-fat cream cheese or the well-known Philadelphia cream cheese. Using full-fat cream cheese ensures that your cheesecake will be stable and will not crack.
- Let your cheesecake chill in the fridge for at least 5 hours. We know it’s very hard to resist eating this delicious cheesecake right away, but you have to let the cheesecake cool and set it in the pan. I like to let the cheesecake sit in the fridge overnight.
- For a smooth and creamy cheesecake, make sure that you are using room-temperature ingredients. Before you begin to make this cheesecake, make sure that your cream cheese is completely soft, and that your eggs are at room temperature.
- Don’t overbeat the mixture! It's really easy to overbeat the mixture, and that is one of the most common mistakes. To avoid overbeating your mixture, make sure that you lower the speed of the hand mixer and add each egg at a time.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl frequently to ensure that you have a homogeneous mixture that has no cream cheese lumps.
- Don't open the oven door before the cake is fully baked or about to be baked! Drastic changes in the temperature of the cake while baking can cause the cake to collapse or crack.
Tamar
Loved this!