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This Peanut Butter Baklava is inspired by a classic baklava, but made with peanut butter! It’s gooey, sticky, sweet, crunchy and is full of peanut butter chocolate flavor. Love that combo – you’ll love this recipe!
Peanut Butter Baklava with Peanuts
When I was a kid, my family used to always take RV trips up to Washington. We would visit such fun places! One place I remember specifically was the Bayfront Bakery (now closed). They sold all kinds of baklava. All I really remember was always getting a sampler box and devouring the peanut butter and chocolate one first. It’s been about 30 years, but I still remember how good it was!
Since I don’t live near them, and they’re now closed, I had to make my own. This recipe has peanut butter, of course, but it also adds chocolate chips. You can even add chopped peanuts if you want. Overall this recipe is delicious and takes me back–I think you will like it just as much as we do!
Ingredients Needed
- Phyllo Dough: The main ingredient in baklava! Find this in the freezer section of the grocery store. Pay attention to the box size and be sure to read the recipe notes.
- Unsalted Butter: Melted butter is what helps the phyllo become nice and crunchy during baking.
- Peanut Butter: Gives the fun spin on a classic baklava recipe. Use a no-stir peanut butter.
- Chocolate Chips: You can use mini or regular size chocolate chips.
- Honey: This is the classic sweetener in baklava sauce.
How to make Chocolate Baklava
- Assemble your ingredients before you start. Place melted butter in a bowl and have a pastry brush for brushing it on the phyllo. Place peanut butter in a bowl and heat in the microwave until it is liquid.
- Unwrap your roll of phyllo dough onto a cutting board and cut it in half, so it will fit in your pan. Cover the phyllo dough with a layer of plastic wrap and place a damp kitchen towel over the top.
- Brush the top sheet of phyllo with melted butter. Grab it and the sheet below it (so you have two sheets) and place them, butter side down, in the pan. Repeat two more times, so you have 6 sheets of phyllo in the pan.
- Pour about 2-3 tablespoons of peanut butter over the top and spread. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Continue layering until you are out of peanut butter and chocolate.
- Butter another phyllo sheet and grab the one below it (so you have two sheets) and place them, butter side down, on top the peanut butter layer. Repeat this two times, so you have 6 layers on top of your last peanut butter layer. Butter the top of the baklava.
- Using a sharp knife, cut your baklava into squares, being sure to cut all the way though all the layers. You can cut squares or diamonds, whatever you like.
- Bake about 45 minutes, until the baklava is golden brown. While the baklava is baking, heat the water, sugar, honey, and vanilla in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to lowest setting until the baklava comes out of the oven.
- When the baklava comes out of the oven, pour the honey mixture over the top, being sure to get it in all the cuts.
Expert Tips
- Cover the phyllo with plastic and a wet towel in between every layer because phyllo dries out very quickly.
- If you add any extra add ins, like nuts, you will need about 1 cup finely chopped peanuts.
- Do not use natural peanut butter that separates. Stick with a no-stir peanut butter. We love Skippy or Jif Naturals, which is a more natural peanut butter but doesn’t separate.
FAQs
Does baklava need to be refrigerated?
It doesn’t need to. The crispiness will better stay intact in a room temperature environment. Just make sure it’s in an airtight container.
Why did my phyllo dry and crack?
It will dry out if you don’t keep it covered. It’s very brittle – keep it covered with plastic and a wet kitchen towel to keep it moist and workable.
Peanut Butter Baklava Recipe
A new flavor of baklava with peanuts and chocolate
Recipe Video
Total Time 3 hours
Ingredients
- 12 ounces (approx 340g) Phyllo Dough (defrosted, see note)
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter , melted
- 1 cup (268g) peanut butter
- 1½ cups (255g) chocolate chips
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (237ml) water
- ½ cup (186g) honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Assemble your ingredients before you start. Place melted butter in a bowl and have a pastry brush for brushing it on the phyllo. Place peanut butter in a bowl and heat in the microwave about 30 seconds – 1 minute, until it is liquid. Open your bag of chocolate chips and place some in a bowl near your work surface (mix them with the nuts, if you are using nuts).
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Thoroughly butter a 9×9” pan. Unwrap your roll of phyllo dough onto a cutting board and cut it in half, so it will fit in your pan. Cover the phyllo dough with a layer of plastic wrap and place a damp kitchen towel over the top.
- Brush the top sheet of phyllo with melted butter. Grab it and the sheet below it (so you have two sheets) and place them, butter side down, in the pan. Repeat two more times, so you have 6 sheets of phyllo in the pan. Cover the phyllo with the plastic/damp towel.
- Pour about 2-3 tablespoons of peanut butter over the top and spread. Sprinkle with chocolate chips.
- Butter another phyllo sheet and grab the one below it (so you have two sheets) and place them, butter side down, on top the peanut butter layer. Pour about 2-3 tablespoons of peanut butter over the top and spread. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Repeat this about 4 more times, or until you are out of peanut butter.
- Butter another phyllo sheet and grab the one below it (so you have two sheets) and place them, butter side down, on top the peanut butter layer. Repeat this two times, so you have 6 layers on top of your last peanut butter layer. Butter the top of the baklava.
- Using a sharp knife, cut your baklava into squares, being sure to cut all the way though all the layers. You can cut squares or diamonds, whatever you like.
- Bake about 45 minutes, until the baklava is golden brown.
- While the baklava is baking, heat the water, sugar, honey, and vanilla in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to lowest setting until the baklava comes out of the oven.
- When the baklava comes out of the oven, pour the honey mixture over the top, being sure to get it in all the cuts. Let cool completely, uncovered, for several hours.
Recipe Notes
- Phyllo comes in different size packages. Some have 2 rolls per package, and in those you’ll use just 1 roll. Other packages come in 1 pound sizes, I used approximately 3/4 pound of phyllo.
- Make sure to keep your phyllo covered with plastic and a wet towel – it will dry out really quickly. Cover it in between every layer!
- Leave the phyllo in the refrigerator to thaw before using.
- Baklava will last approximately 4-5 days when stored in an airtight container. Or you can freeze leftovers, but it won’t thaw as crispy, so it’s best to make this and serve within a day or two.
- If you want to add finely chopped peanuts, you’ll need about 1 cup.
- I used Skippy Naturals peanut butter (this is a more natural no-stir peanut butter). Do not use natural peanut butter that separates (use a no-stir peanut butter).
Recipe Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 251kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 115mg | Potassium: 108mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 118IU | Vitamin C: 0.04mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
I could have sworn that I commented on this already. Maybe it was on FB or something… Anyway… I LOVE THIS! Pinned! I so want to make this. It looks wonderfully decadent! Thanks so much for sharing on Two Cup Tuesday at Pint Sized Baker. Please stop by tonight and link up again!
Thanks Karyn!!
OK so I really want to make this! However…the whole process with the damp towel is confusing the crap outta me!!! Could you please post pics of the process (if at all possible)???
I’m sorry it’s confusing! I am SO bad at process photos, which is why I rarely take them. If I ever make baklava again, I’ll have to have my husband help me do it. 🙂 So, for the plastic and damp towel, it’s to keep the phyllo from drying out. Place your phyllo on a cutting board next to where you are assembling your baklava. Cover it with a sheet of plastic wrap and then a damp kitchen towel on top. Then, when you are doing your layers, pull back the towel/wrap, butter your layer, place it on the baklava, and cover the rest of the phyllo back up. During the steps when you are doing lots of just phyllo (no peanut butter) at the beginning and the end, you don’t have to recover it. If you need photos for in process, The Pioneer Woman has some great ones! http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/12/baklava/ You can use my recipe but her method photos to get a yummy peanut butter baklava! 🙂
Growing up with Turkish people, I had lots of Baklava in my live, tho I have to admit, I have barely seen any that beautiful and mouthwatering!
Thank you so much for sharing this at Wednesday Extravaganza – hope to see you there again next week – and don’t forget the voting is today!
Thank you!
Hi Dorothy! Haha, one of my good friends is Lebanese and her father owns a restaurant… he makes his own (absolutely hands-down, amazing) baklava in a very traditional manner. I think he’d have a heart attack if I showed him your recipe!! But… despite that, your baklava looks delicious! I love anything with peanut butter and chocolate. I’ll definitely give them a try.
I’ve made Tiropitakia [cheese triangles made with phyllo dough, eggs, cheese and spices] quite a bit, and I use the butter flavored baking spray. Faster, easier and it adds NO calories to the dish… It can be used for Baklava too. Try it, you’ll like the ease of it… No one has EVER been able to tell I’ve used a butter spray instead of the real butter…
Oh my gosh, I think you just save me a bajillion calories! I’m SO trying that next time! 🙂
That’s great I hope you like it, especially how easy it is…. 😉
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