baklava cookie bars
Baklava cookie bars are a scrumptious twist on traditional baklava, and far less time-consuming than layering temperamental phyllo dough. A soft cookie crust is baked until lightly golden, then layered with a spiced nut topping and baked once more until golden and fragrant. Once out of the oven, the bars are drizzled with honey-orange syrup, and then left to cool (obviously the most torturous part of the process!).
With warming spices, a hint of citrus, and that decadent honeyed nut topping, it’s easy to see why these golden baklava cookie bars are as utterly addictive as their namesake.
Baklava Cookie Bars
- Yield: 16 bars
Ingredients
Crust
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
Nut Topping
- 1/3 cup pecans, chopped
- 1/3 cup almonds, chopped
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp cloves
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Syrup
- 1/3 cup honey
- 3 Tbsp water
- 1 Tbsp fresh orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line an 8-inch square metal baking pan with parchment paper. Whisk together melted butter, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and orange zest until combined. Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl; add to butter mixture and fold in until incorporated. Press dough evenly into bottom of prepared pan and bake crust for 15 to 16 minutes, until lightly golden and set.
- While the crust bakes, make the nut topping. Combine pecans, almonds, brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in a small bowl; add melted butter and stir until incorporated. Spoon topping evenly over warm crust and return pan to oven. Continue baking another 10 to 12 minutes, until golden.
- While the bars finish baking, make the syrup. Combine honey, water, and orange juice in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let mixture simmer until syrupy, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
- Place baked bars on a wire rack and drizzle syrup over still-warm topping, tilting pan slightly to coat evenly. Cool bars completely in pan. Carefully lift parchment and place bars on a cutting board; cut into triangles with a sharp knife. If desired, serve with a drizzle of honey. Store leftover bars in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days, or freeze up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Calories: 194
- Carbohydrates: 25
Keywords: Baklava, Cookie Bars, Cinnamon, Honey
28 comments
Oh my Laura, baklava is a total favorite of mine! Love how you’ve turned it into a bar! These may need to make an appearance on the dessert table for the Super Bowl!
These bars look absolutely scrumptious! I love the honey orange drizzle on the top! These look perfect to me! yum! 🙂
These look amazing!! Your dessert cookie bars get me every time!! yummm!
You captured my interest with the word Baklava. These sound so good!
These look so outrageously delicious, and definitely WAAYYY easier to make than traditional baklava. Gotta try this recipe!
I HAVE to have these – they sound even better than traditional baklava!
I used to get baklava from the local bakery down the street from me – it was drenched in honey syrup and so amazingly awesome. Since, I’ve moved there has been a baklava shortage. That needs to change w/ these bars ASAP.
Another genius creation! I adore baklava, but making it is definitely tedious. These bars will be such an easy way to get my fix!!
Laura this is a genius idea! I love baklava and this looks delicious!
Another baklava fan here, but no way am I ever attempting an authentic recipe ~ these are brilliant!
Oh wow these look absolutely incredible! I’ve always wanted to try making baklava, but was weirdly intimidated. I really want to try this recipe now w/GF flour 🙂 Thanks for sharing, Laura!
WOW, these are incredible. Baklava is on of my favorites, so these bars have me so excited!
This is such a genius idea Laura! I love, love, love the look of these cookie bars!
Such a great idea! I love the flavours of baklava, but as you note, fiddly to make. So great to get those same great flavours in a cookie bar 🙂
These look absolutely amazing! I was obsessed with baklava when I lived in Turkey, specially the pistachio kind and I would love to try these bars, yum! 🙂
These cookie bars have all the flavor of Baklava without the over-the-top sweetness! A grand cookie!
You’re so right, they’re much less time consuming than a layered baklava but you get those lovely sweet flavours! Great idea Laura 😀
Not going to lie, I’m pretty jealous I didn’t make this up myself. This is utterly brilliant, Laura!!
Girl, these bars have my mouth watering! I LOVE baklava, so this is definitely being bookmarked for future reference! Love the fact that I don’t have to mess with phyllo dough too! Win-win!!
I love baklava, and I would love these cookie bars even more! Yum!
Laura! I’ve been craving baklava, how did you know? You are such a genius, I could kiss you!
You’ve got citrus interwoven throughout these scrumptious bars, Laura! And you’ve made sugar dough as the base… so smart and much simpler to pull together than a traditional baklava! Such a delicious sweet treat!
Omggg that nut topping! I NEED! <3
You know, I really love the flavors in baklava, but I’m not always crazy for the texture. So these cookies would be perfect for me! 🙂
I made this recipe and it was amazing! if your craving baklava, this is definitely hits the spot!
Thanks so much, Sal!
I just pulled these out of the oven and omggggggg! They are amazing. Super easy and very delicious. I cut the sugar slightly because I will be feeding them to my father … and they are still spectacular. Love the orange! I think next time I will make more nut
Topping- just personal preference
★★★★★
I’m so glad you tried these bars! 🙂