10-Minute Baklava Ice Cream Sundae Recipe | The Mediterranean Dish (2024)

This Baklava Ice Cream Sundae has all the flavors of fresh homemade baklava, but comes together in a fraction of the time. Layer crispy, flaky phyllo, with vanilla ice cream then top it with cinnamon-scented pistachios and walnuts. A good drizzle of warm honey gives this sundae the final touch!

10-Minute Baklava Ice Cream Sundae Recipe | The Mediterranean Dish (1)

I recently tried ice cream with baklava at a Greek festival in downtown Atlanta. The minute I tried it I knew I had to create my own Baklava Ice Cream Sundae at home. Like my baklava cheesecake or pumpkin pie, it has all the things I love about baklava —cinnamon, walnuts, pistachios, crispy phyllo and honey, but without the time commitment.

My husband loves this recipe and it’s definitely a new favorite dessert of mine. I’d put it right up there with Baklava Cheesecake. When my daughter has friends over, it’s so easy to make a sundae bar. I just set out the ingredients and let the kids build their own Baklava Ice Cream Sundae. This ice cream dessert looks special, tastes delicious, and is so fun to make (and eat)!

This sundae recipe only calls for 4 to 6 sheets of phyllo dough, so you will have leftover phyllo. You can pop the leftover phyllo back in the freezer or use it to make dinner. Try a savory pie, like Spanakopita or Pastilla Skillet Chicken Pie.Looks like you have both dinner and dessert covered!

Table of Contents
  1. What is Baklava?
  2. What You’ll Need to Make Baklava Ice Cream Sundaes
  3. Tips for Making Baklava Ice Cream Sundae
  4. How to Make Baklava Ice Cream Sundae
  5. What To Serve With This Baklava Ice Cream Sundae Recipe
  6. Other Desserts We Love
  7. Try our High Quality Greek Honey!
  8. Baklava Ice Cream Sundae Recipe

What is Baklava?

Baklava is a sweet and decadent pastry with layers of delicate, flaky phyllo pastry, generously filled with aromatic pistachios or walnuts, and drenched in a luscious honey syrup.

Originating in the 15th century, Baklava has today become a symbol of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. You can find variations throughout Egypt, Greece, Turkey, Armenia, Iran, and Lebanon, just to name a few.

Considering the iconic Ice Cream Sundae dates to 19th century America, this Baklava Ice Cream Sundae is a meeting of two beautiful food cultures, hundreds of years in the making!

10-Minute Baklava Ice Cream Sundae Recipe | The Mediterranean Dish (2)

What You’ll Need to Make Baklava Ice Cream Sundaes

The ingredients for this Baklava Ice Cream Sundae are just as easy to buy at the grocery store as your run-of-the-mill ice cream sundae! Though the traditional flavors of baklava are quite distinct, I do offer a few substitutions wherever possible to give you plenty of options:

  • Extra-virgin olive oil: As you may already know, I use EVOO for just about everything. I like to use our Koroneiki olive oil from Greece for this recipe because it has a light fruity finish. There is some confusion about frying in olive oil, but their shouldn't be. To learn more about frying with olive oil ready my Guide to Cooking with Olive Oil.
  • Phyllo dough: You can find phyllo dough, which is sometimes spelled filo or fillo, in the frozen section of most grocery stores near the pie crust.
  • Walnuts & shelled pistachios: I like to use a combination of walnuts and pistachios. They’re the most traditional nuts for baklava, but lightly roasted crushed hazelnuts would also work.
  • Ground cinnamon & brown sugar: Used to sweeten and flavor the nuts. I like brown sugar’s caramel flavor, but you can substitute with any granulated sugar you have on hand. If you don’t have cinnamon, you can leave it out, or substitute with a pinch of ground cloves.
  • Vanilla ice cream: Vanilla ice cream lets the baklava flavor shine without competition, but you can experiment with other ice cream flavors you love.
  • Honey: The warm drizzle of honey is one of the best parts of baklava. Use a high quality wildflower honey, like our Alfa Honey from the Greek island of Crete.

Tips for Making Baklava Ice Cream Sundae

This dessert recipe is very easy, the only cooking involved is frying the phyllo dough. Here are my tips to set you up for ice cream sundae success:

  • Thaw your phyllo: Transfer the phyllo from the freezer to the fridge the night before you want to use it. This way it will thaw before frying and yield evenly crisp phyllo.
  • Keep the nuts somewhat intact: Crush the walnuts and pistachios until all of them are broken down to a few different sizes. Think gravel not sand.

How to Make Baklava Ice Cream Sundae

This Baklava Sundae is ready to go in just three steps. Scoop, drizzle, and serve yourself, or set it up like an ice cream sundae bar and let everyone serve themselves.

  • Fry the phyllo sheets: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add about ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil. When it’s shimmering and hot, add the torn phyllo dough piece in batches. Fry the pieces turning them over, until crispy and golden brown (about 1 to 2 minutes per side). Repeat until you’ve fried 4-6 sheets of phyllo dough, using tongs to transfer the crispy pieces to a large paper towel-lined plate. 10-Minute Baklava Ice Cream Sundae Recipe | The Mediterranean Dish (3)
  • Season the nuts: In a small bowl, mix together ½ cup crushed walnuts, ½ cup crushed pistachios, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1 tablespoon brown sugar until combined.
  • Assemble and serve: Add a bit of the crispy phyllo to the bottom of four small serving cups. Top with one scoop of ice cream, followed by a tablespoon of the nut mixture, and a drizzle of warmed honey. Add more of the crispy phyllo and repeat in the same pattern, adding a scoop of ice cream, more nuts, and a drizzle of honey to finish. Serve immediately.
10-Minute Baklava Ice Cream Sundae Recipe | The Mediterranean Dish (4)

What To Serve With This Baklava Ice Cream Sundae Recipe

This decadent Baklava Sundae is all the dessert you need! The sweet, rich flavors will satisfy even your most avid sweet tooth.

If you’re looking to build out a whole dinner party menu, serve this Baklava Ice Cream Sundae as a final course after lighter fare, like Roasted Branzino with a side of Lemony Rice and Traditional Greek Salad.

Other Desserts We Love

  • How to Make Baklava
  • Baklava Cheesecake
  • Cashew Filled Baklava Rolls
  • Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies

Try our High Quality Greek Honey!

A drizzle of this luscious honey adds the perfect finishing touch to your baklava ice cream sundae.

buy now

10-Minute Baklava Ice Cream Sundae Recipe | The Mediterranean Dish (9)

5 from 8 votes

Baklava Ice Cream Sundae

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10-Minute Baklava Ice Cream Sundae Recipe | The Mediterranean Dish (10)Suzy Karadsheh

10-Minute Baklava Ice Cream Sundae Recipe | The Mediterranean Dish (11)

This indulgent Baklava Ice Cream Sundae captures the traditional flavors of the iconic Middle Eastern pastry with absolutely no fuss required. Delight your guests, friends, and family with layers of crispy phyllo dough, store bought vanilla ice cream, aromatic spiced nuts, and warmed honey in just 10 minutes.

Prep – 5 minutes mins

Cook – 5 minutes mins

Total – 10 minutes mins

Cuisine:

Greek

Serves – 4

Course:

Dessert

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4-6 sheets phyllo dough, torn into pieces the size of a deck of cards
  • ½ cup crushed walnuts
  • ½ cup crushed pistachios
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 large tub (8 scoops) vanilla ice cream
  • ½ cup honey warmed

Instructions

  • Fry the phyllo sheets: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat about ¼ cup of oil until shimmering. Once the oil is hot, add the phyllo and fry, turning, until it’s crispy and golden brown on both sides (about 1 to 2 minutes per side). Use a pair of tongs to transfer the crispy phyllo to a large paper towel-lined plate lined to drain any excess oil.

  • Season the nuts: In a small bowl, combine the walnuts, pistachios, cinnamon, and brown sugar.

  • Assemble and serve: In four small serving cups, add a bit of the crispy phyllo to the bottom. Top with one scoop of the ice cream, followed by a tablespoon of the nut mixture, and a drizzle of warmed honey. Add more of the crispy phyllo and repeat in the same pattern, adding a scoop of ice cream, more nuts, and a drizzle of honey to finish. Serve immediately.

Video

Notes

  • To warm the honey: Set the honey in its glass jar (or transfer to a glass container with a lid) into a bowl filled with warmed water. Wait until the honey becomes loose enough for drizzling.
  • Alternative serving option: Set this up as an ice cream sundae bar. Fry the phyllo dough and prepare the nuts, honey, and ice cream and allow everyone to assemble themselves (this works especially well for serving a large crowd! Simply double, triple, or quadruple the recipe.
  • Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including olive oils, honey, jams and spices.

Nutrition

Calories: 772.3kcalCarbohydrates: 85.4gProtein: 11.5gFat: 45.7gSaturated Fat: 12.9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 11.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 19.3gCholesterol: 58.1mgSodium: 200.6mgPotassium: 526.1mgFiber: 4.1gSugar: 67.3gVitamin A: 623.2IUVitamin C: 2.1mgCalcium: 209.2mgIron: 2.1mg

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I'm Suzy; born and bred right on the shores of the Mediterranean. I'm all about easy, healthy recipes with big Mediterranean flavors. Three values guide my cooking: eat with the seasons; use whole foods; and above all, share! So happy you're here...
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10-Minute Baklava Ice Cream Sundae Recipe | The Mediterranean Dish (2024)

FAQs

What is Mediterranean baklava made of? ›

Baklava is a delicious Greek dessert made up of layers of crispy phyllo dough, honey and nuts that's sooo easy to make. A Greek friend showed me how to make this fabulous recipe. The Allrecipes Test Kitchen staff are a team of culinary pros who make and vet recipes using only equipment you'd find in a home kitchen.

What is Lebanese baklava made of? ›

History and tradition make baklava a beloved part of the baking and dessert culture we love so much. All baklava has as its foundation two ingredients: nuts, phyllo dough, butter or oil ghee, and simple syrup. From there, the number of styles, shapes, and sizes are tremendous.

Can I prep baklava the night before? ›

This baklava recipe has two layers of mixed chopped nuts and spices layered in between butter-soaked sheets of phyllo pastry. After cooking the baklava is drizzled with a delicious spiced syrup. Prepare these the day before you want to eat them to ensure the syrup has properly soaked into the baklava.

What pairs well with baklava? ›

Mint Tea: For a refreshing and cooling pairing, mint tea is a good choice. The minty and herbal flavors can cleanse the palate and refresh the taste buds after each bite of the sweet and nutty baklava.

What's the difference between Greek and Mediterranean baklava? ›

Turkish baklava may be made using rose water to flavour the syrup, whereas Greek baklava tends more to lemon juice, although it is sometimes flavoured with orange blossom water. While not always true, Turkish baklava ordinarily uses a light neutral oil, while Greek baklava is typically made with melted butter.

Should baklava be refrigerated? ›

Baklava has a really lengthy shelf life, lasting about 2+ weeks. It should be stored in an airtight container, either in room temperature or in the fridge. Storing in room temperature will preserve the crispness. If you like your baklava chewy and a bit harder, store it in the refrigerator.

Is it better to use ghee or butter for baklava? ›

Clarified vs unclarified butter: You are welcome to use either for this recipe, but the advantage to using clarified butter (or ghee) is that it will be more evenly browned and will last a bit longer. You can purchase clarified butter or make it yourself.

Is baklava Turkish or Arab? ›

Baklava is originally from Turkey, Greece, and the Middle East, but it was brought to Hungary by Turkish invaders during the 16th century. Hungary revised it and made it part of their culture as the strudel. 2. It has strong religious roots.

What race is baklava from? ›

The three main proposals for the roots of baklava are the Greek placenta cake, the Medieval Arab/Persian lauzinaj, and the Central Asian Turkic tradition of layered breads. There are also claims attributing baklava to the Assyrians, according to which baklava was prepared by them in the 8th century BC.

Why is baklava so expensive? ›

Baklava is made out of sugar (şerbet), yufka (sort of a flat layered dough) and antep fıstığı (pistachio). These three ingridients are very expensive in Turkey due to the shortages of production and current currency crisis.

What is the correct way to eat baklava? ›

First of all, we recommend that you drink a sip of your water before eating baklava. Depending on your preference, turn the baklava upside down either by taking the slice of baklava in your hand or by inserting the fork into the front of the baklava. Take the bottom of the baklava to your mouth and start eating.

What makes baklava soggy? ›

Make sure that you either pour hot syrup over cold baklava, or cold syrup over hot baklava. This ensures that the baklava will absorb the syrup. If you pour hot syrup on hot baklava it will become soggy.

What ice cream to eat with baklava? ›

Vanilla ice cream: Vanilla ice cream lets the baklava flavor shine without competition, but you can experiment with other ice cream flavors you love. Honey: The warm drizzle of honey is one of the best parts of baklava.

What is baklava with milk called? ›

Sütlü Nuriye (Milky Nuriye) is a Turkish dessert similar to baklava, but instead of syrup it contains milk, which gives a whitish look to the dessert. The name means Nuriye (Turkish female name) with milk.

Is baklava good for stomach? ›

The phyllo pastry used to make baklava is a good source of dietary fibre. Fibre is essential for maintaining a healthy digestive system, as it helps to regulate bowel movements, reduce constipation, and improve overall gut health.

Is baklava healthy? ›

Baklava is a good source of essential vitamins and minerals

Nuts are an excellent source of heart-healthy fats, protein, fiber, and essential vitamins and minerals like magnesium, vitamin E, and selenium. This makes Baklava a dessert that contributes positively to your nutrient intake.

What is baklava dough made of? ›

Phyllo dough includes only flour, water, vinegar, and a little oil. The fine sheets of pastry dough result in a crispy, crackly effect when layered and baked. When brushed with butter and stacked, they form a flaky crust that is essential for Middle Eastern desserts like baklava and Greek dishes like spanakopita.

What is Egyptian baklava made of? ›

Each country has its own version again of this one. Some stuff the buttery layers of Fillo dough with pistachios, others with walnuts, others with cream or even plain. Baklava could be covered with honey, sugar syrup or sugar syrup with some rose water flavors.

What exactly is a baklava? ›

Baklava is a sweet, flaky pastry made with layers of phyllo dough, filled with chopped nuts and soaked in syrup or honey. Baklava is a popular and traditional dessert in in the Middle East and parts of the Mediterranean.

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