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National Baklava Day

Food · November 17

A day for baklava, the layered pastry of thin phyllo, chopped nuts and butter, soaked in syrup or honey after baking.

National Baklava Day falls on Tuesday, November 17, 2026. That is 21 days away.

Baklava is a pastry built from many sheets of paper-thin phyllo dough, brushed with butter and layered with chopped nuts. After baking, it gets a pour of sugar syrup or honey that soaks down through every layer.

The result is crisp on top and sticky underneath. Walnuts and pistachios are the usual nuts, and cinnamon often turns up in the filling. Some cooks add lemon, orange blossom water or rose water to the syrup, so two trays from two kitchens can taste quite different. It is usually cut into diamonds or squares before it goes in the oven, because phyllo shatters if you try to slice it afterward.

Most people meet baklava at a bakery, a Greek or Middle Eastern restaurant, or a family gathering where someone brought a tray. Making it at home takes patience more than skill. Frozen phyllo dries out quickly, so bakers keep the stack covered with a damp towel while they work.

A common trick is to pair temperatures. Pour cool syrup over hot pastry, or warm syrup over cooled pastry, and the top stays crisp instead of going soggy. Then comes the hard part, which is waiting. Baklava tastes best after it rests for several hours and the syrup settles in.

A small piece goes a long way, which is why it pairs so well with a cup of strong coffee or tea.

Ways to celebrate

• Try a piece from a local Greek or Middle Eastern bakery.
• Bake a small pan at home with walnuts or pistachios.
• Compare a honey-soaked version with a sugar syrup version.
• Share a tray with neighbors or coworkers.
• Serve baklava with strong coffee or tea.

Dates

All national days on November 17

Also on November 17

• Homemade Bread Day
• National Take a Hike Day
• National Unfriend Day

Categories: Food days