Baklava Cigars

Baklava Cigars

Yes, the Baklava obsession continues!

I made these for a friend’s 30th birthday, and I just love how they turned out (luckily, he did too!). I’d researched several Baklava “rolls” recipes prior to making these, but none of the fillings really spoke to me. I ended up improvising and adapting the filling recipe from my Baklava Pull-Apart Bread. It has just the right amount of lemon zest and spice, and a little moisture added to the mix makes the ground nuts clump together. This makes it easier to roll them up into Filo cigars.

Baklava Cigars

Do I have to tell you how amazing these are with coffee? Do it! 


I’ll admit to being a little intimidated by the rolling process, but after the first two rolls I found the groove, and from then on it was smooth sailing. The video will help demonstrate the technique. It’s really not that difficult, and kind of like rolling up a burrito!

Baklava Cigars
Baklava Cigars

These cigars are hearty and definitely good party fare. They are doused with honey soaking syrup so the texture and flavors improve upon standing. They can be made ahead if you have time constraints.

These were so delicious! I decided to use the fancy honey I’d been saving for a special occasion to drizzle on top just before serving. The second batch I made was served with pieces of comb honey which makes a pretty presentation and it’s fun to squeeze the honey onto the cigars (and then lick honeyed fingers).

Baklava Cigars

Heather Baird
These cigars are hearty and definitely good party fare. Doused with honey soaking syrup, the texture and flavors improve upon standing. Make them ahead if you have time constraints.
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Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Greek, Turkish
Servings 26

Ingredients
 
 

Honey syrup:

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup honey
  • 1 cup water
  • Seeds of 1 vanilla bean
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Baklava cigars:

  • 12 ounces pistachios
  • 12 ounces walnuts
  • 6 ounces pecans
  • Zest of 1 large lemon about 1 tablespoon
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 package 1 lb. frozen Filo pastry, thawed
  • 1 cup unsalted butter melted
  • Comb honey or other runny honey

Instructions
 

  • Make the syrup: Combine the sugar, honey and water in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla bean seeds and cinnamon. Let cool completely.
  • Make the cigars:
  • In the bowl of a food processor combine the pistachios, walnuts, pecans, lemon zest, cinnamon and sea salt. Process until the nuts are ground fine. Add the vanilla extract and process until the mixture forms large moist clumps. Place about 1/4 cup of the ground nuts in a small bowl and set aside for garnish.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Butter a 13×9-inch baking dish.
  • Remove the phyllo from the package. Work with one roll at a time and keep the stack of dough sheets covered with a moist towel to prevent them from drying out. Take out 1 sheet and put it on a work surface. Gently brush with the melted butter. Add a second sheet; brush with butter. Top with a third sheet, brush with butter. Add about 3 tablespoons of nut filling toward the bottom of the short end of the pastry and roll up about half way; fold in the long edges of the pastry and roll up completely. Place the roll seam-side down in the buttered 13×9-inch baking dish. Repeat process with remaining phyllo sheets and filling. When the baking dish is full, cut the rolls down the center with a sharp knife. Brush the rolls lightly with melted butter.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 22 to 32 minutes. Keep a sharp eye on them so they don’t over-brown.
  • Remove the cigars from the oven and immediately drizzle the cooled syrup over the hot baklava. (This is important! The baklava must be hot and the syrup must be cool so that the phyllo retains its crispiness!) Garnish with the reserved ground nuts. Serve with comb honey or drizzle with honey before serving.

Notes

If you like Baklava extra spicy, try adding 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves to the nut filling and a pinch of red pepper flakes to the soaking syrup.
I added extra ground pistachios on top for a pretty green garnish.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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Anca
Anca
8 years ago

They look amazing. I love baklava too

Monica
Monica
8 years ago

You are amazing. The cigar rolls are a perfect idea and beautifully executed, of course! Have a great 4th!

Rosa's Yummy Yums
Rosa's Yummy Yums
8 years ago

Ooohhhh, one of my favorite treats! Those cigars look divine.

Cheers,

Rosa

La Table De Nana
La Table De Nana
8 years ago

My girls adore baklava..thank you..
they look splendid splendid splendid.

Beauty Follower
Beauty Follower
8 years ago

Mmmm delicious… one of my country's fave delish!

http://beautyfollower.blogspot.gr/

Colette (Coco)
Colette (Coco)
8 years ago

This is classic Middle Eastern dessert at its best.
The cigars are easy to hold and chomp.
I love that you stayed true to tradition with the syrup.
I recently bought some ready-made baklava and the baker cheated w simple syrup.

June Burns
June Burns
8 years ago

Wow that looks like a great baklava variation! Love the last picture, with the honey dripping on the rolls… 🙂

Siddhartha Joshi
Siddhartha Joshi
8 years ago

This is phenomenal post! Love the pics, the story…all of it 🙂

Yum!

Medeja- CranberryJam
Medeja- CranberryJam
8 years ago

Baklava.. Yum. one of the most sinfully delicious sweets!

Stefanie | Sarcastic Cooking
Stefanie | Sarcastic Cooking
8 years ago

Yes! Every holiday I make one of your glorious baklava recipes. For real! I can't wait to test this one on my fam next!

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
8 years ago

Oh my gosh Stefanie, thank you for trying my recipes!

Unknown
Unknown
8 years ago

Hi! So do you tuck in the edges, like rolling a burrito? Not sure what you meant by tuck in the long edges? Thanks!

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
8 years ago
Reply to  Unknown

Hi! There's a video embedded in this post that will show you how to roll up the cigars. If you can't view it here, follow this link! Hope this helps!

https://vimeo.com/132274213

-h

Anonymous
Anonymous
7 years ago

Im confused, I used a 1# box of fillo dough (twenty 13"x18" sheets) but only ended up with 14 rolls. Was I supposed to cut the sheets in half before buttering? The rolls are DELICIOUS but I have lots of syrup and nuts left over!