If you love the warm comfort of apple pie and the nutty, flaky layers of baklava, this Baklava Apple Pie is the best of both worlds! Made with buttery phyllo pastry, crisp apples, crunchy walnuts, and warm spices, it’s a Middle Eastern twist that you’ll love. The flaky layers bake up golden and crisp, perfectly complementing the tender, spiced apples inside. This is a fun and unique take on apple pie that’s perfect for a gathering!

baklava apple pie served in a dark blue plate, cut into a few slices and being served. It is on a light blue backdrop alongside a cup of Turkish coffee.

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Apple Pie Meets Baklava!

I am a self proclaimed baklava expert. I think I deserve that title because I’ve been making my better-than-store-bought baklava for years and met with rave feedback from friends and family. But when fall comes around and I take my kids apple picking per our annual tradition, I’m always itching to try something new with them.

I’ve tested an apple baklava situation for several years. One of my attempts was more baklava like and less like apple pie; I just threw in diced apples into my baklava. It was great! The flavours really worked, which showed me there’s potential.

But I ultimately arrived at this recipe. A baklava apple pie that is served much like a traditional apple pie: big triangular slices with lots of apple filling in the centre.

A side view of a slice of baklava apple pie, on a white plate, that is placed on a blue surface. Another white plate is in the background, blurred, along with the blue serving plate.

The phyllo pastry is actually surprisingly easy to use. I’m a huge phyllo advocate because I feel like most people are intimidated but don’t actually know that it’s extremely forgiving and easy to manipulate (and perfect for savoury applications too like in my spinach borek recipe or my meat goulash recipe!)

The bottom of the pie will get many layers of phyllo with lots of butter in between, the walnut and apple filling goes in the centre with walnuts sandwich the apples. The walnuts help “shield” the phyllo from the moisture in the apples. The top is fun to make: scrunched up phyllo with pistachios. The final touch is a drizzle of honey.

Let’s Make This Fusion Dessert

I prefer using granny smith apples for apple pie because of their tartness. You’ll of course also need phyllo pastry which you can find in the freezer aisle of your grocery store. Leave it to thaw on the counter for a few hours before you start using it.

ingredients required for baklava apple pie, which includes granny smith applies, cinnamon, cardamom, brown sugar, butter, vanilla, chopped walnuts, cornstarch and phyllo pastry.

Start by preparing the apple filling.

sliced granny smith applies in a large steel bowl with cinnamon, brown sugar and salt on top
In a large bowl, add the apples, spices, and brown sugar. Mix to combine.
sliced granny smith applies mixed in with brown sugar and cinnamon, in a large steel bowl
Let the apples sit for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, you can also work on the walnut baklava filling.

chopped walnuts mixed with granulated sugar in a clear glass bowl placed on a marble surface
Mix the chopped walnuts with the sugar and spices.
sliced granny smith applies mixed in with brown sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon, in a large steel bowl
Remove excess liquid from the apples, then add the cornstarch and toss to combine.

Now its time to assemble the pie and work on the phyllo pastry.

Its best to use a spring form pan so you can easily remove the pie once baked. But if you don’t have one, use a 9-inch tin cake pan and simply flip the pie out of the pan once it has cooled. Then flip it back onto a serving plate.

A springform pan on a marble surface with one sheet of phyllo pastry placed on top and sides overhanging
Place 2 layers on the bottom of a spring form pan with overhanging sides.
A springform pan on a marble surface with one sheet of phyllo pastry placed on top and sides overhanging, with a pastry brush inside, brushing the bottom with butter
Brush with butter every two layers, and rotate the layers as you go.

Make sure you have phyllo pastry overhanging on all sides by rotating slightly every time you place two more layers. The overhang will be folded over the top.

A springform pan on a marble surface with one sheet of phyllo pastry placed on top and sides overhanging
Keep going until you use up at least 8 sheets or all but 2 of your phyllo sheets
A springform pan on a marble surface with one sheet of phyllo pastry placed on top and sides overhanging, with a pastry brush inside, brushing the bottom with butter
Generously brush the last sheets with butter.

Next, add the filling.

A springform pan on a marble surface with one sheet of phyllo pastry placed on top and sides overhanging, with a layer of chopped walnuts on the base of the pie
Half the walnut mixture goes in.
a spring form pan with phyllo pastry inside and overhanging on the edges. The bottom of the pan is filled with sliced apples and cinnamon
Then the apple filling.
a spring form pan with phyllo pastry inside and overhanging on the edges. The bottom of the pan is filled with sliced apples and cinnamon, topped with chopped walnuts and sugar
Then the rest of the walnut mixture.

The walnut filling is used to sandwich the apple filling which helps to create a barrier so the phyllo pastry doesn’t get too much of the apple moisture.

Spring form pan on a marble surface with a phyllo pie inside. The top of the pie is brushed with butter
Fold the overhanging phyllo pastry over the filling.
A baklava apple pie made with phyllo baked in a spring form pan and garnished with chopped pistachios
Scrunch up the last few sheets and add them to the top. Bake until golden.

Garnish with crushed pistachios and a drizzle of honey. Leave the baklava apple pie to set on the counter for at least an hour to cool down before you slice into it, which will help the slices stay firm.

Important Serving and Storage Instructions

This dessert is best served the same day! When served after an hour of baking, you’ll get crunchy layers of phyllo, and perfectly soft and warming apple filling.

However, the next day, the phyllo will soften. I still enjoyed my slice the next day, but do know that it won’t be as crispy as on the same day.

Also, I do not suggest freezing it.

baklava apple pie served in a dark blue plate, cut into a few slices and being served. It is on a light blue backdrop alongside a cup of Turkish coffee and a small white plate with one slice on it.

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If you tried these recipes, please consider leaving a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page – I’d love to hear from you! You can also hop on over to Instagram and say hello!

Baklava apple pie served on a dark blue plate, garnished with chopped pistachios. The plate is on a light blue backdrop, along with one turkish coffee cup and a small white plate with one slice of the pie.
5 from 3 ratings

Baklava Apple Pie (With Phyllo Pastry)

Yield: 10 Servings
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 50 minutes
Total: 1 hour 5 minutes
Author: Amina Al-Saigh
Apple pie but baklava style is a middle eastern twist on an American classic! With a sweet apple filling and crunchy nutty layers, this recipe is what you expect from an apple pie in terms of flavour but it offers crunch and lots of texture.
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Ingredients
 

For the Apple Filling:

  • 4-5 large granny smith apples (or any other baking apple of choice), 750g, peeled and thinly sliced in half moons
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch salt
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch

For the Nut Filling:

  • 2 cups walnuts, chopped
  • 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cardamom

For the Phyllo Sheets:

  • 10-12 sheets phyllo pastry, 9×14 inches, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup butter, unsalted

For the Topping:

  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup chopped pistachios

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350F.
  • For the filling: In a large bowl, combine the 4-5 large granny smith apples (or any other baking apple of choice), 750g with 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and Pinch salt. Toss to cover the apples and let them sit for 15 minutes until the apples release their water. After 15 minutes, remove the water released from the apples and add the 1/4 cup cornstarch. Toss to combine.
  • Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the 2 cups walnuts with the 4 tablespoons granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons ground cardamom. Set aside.
  • To assemble: Melt the 1/2 cup butter and brush the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Lay 2 sheets of phyllo pastry on the bottom, leaving the sheets hanging over the sides. Brush with butter, then add another 2 sheets. Repeat these steps, rotating the sheets every turn to cover all the sides, and ending with 8 sheets in total placed. Note: visual steps in the blog post above.
  • Add half of the walnut filling to the bottom of the pan, then all the apples, then the remaining walnut mixture. Even out the apple layer. Fold the overhanging sheets to close the top, brushing with butter as you layer, to bind them.
  • Brush the remaining 2-4 sheets of phyllo with butter and crinkle and scrunch them up. Place them crinkled over the top to create volume to the top layer.
  • Bake in the oven for 40 to 50 minutes until golden brown and crispy on top. Once it's out of the oven, drizzle with 1/4 cup honey and garnish with 1/4 cup chopped pistachios on top while hot, then allow it to cool down for at least an hour before serving.

Notes

  • Roughly chop the walnuts, to provide crunch and work as an isolation layer between the crust and apples. This helps keep the bottom crispy.
  • Keep the baklava sheets covered with a damp towel while working on the layers to avoid drying out. 
  • The pie is best consumed on the same day. It will lose its crunch the next day (but will still be delicious), and it is not freezer friendly. 
Serving: 1Serving, Calories: 460kcal, Carbohydrates: 57g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 26g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.4g, Cholesterol: 24mg, Sodium: 172mg, Potassium: 248mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 38g, Vitamin A: 337IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 51mg, Iron: 2mg
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