Baklava cheesecake never fails to put a smile on everyone’s face. Made with cream cheese, walnuts, and buttery canned crescent roll dough, this delightful mashup of two dessert favorites is a quick and easy fix.
The result is a decadent dessert, intensely flavored and totally irresistible! The only thing better than classic baklava is when a cheesecake and crescent rolls are added to the mix!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Pillsbury. The opinions and text are all mine.
What Exactly is Baklava?
Baklava is a sticky, Turkish pastry that has become popular worldwide. It has a sweet layer of cinnamon-spiced walnuts sandwiched between two layers of stacked filo dough. The oblong sheets of tissue-paper thin filo are brushed with butter and stacked in multiple layers.
Before baking, the pan of baklava is pre-cut into small diamond shapes. Then the whole pan is drenched with syrup, which caramelizes as it bakes and holds the layers together. It’s challenging to work with filo, but you don’t have to when you make my no-fuss baklava cheesecake.
How to Make this Delicious Mashup
You’ll love how fast baklava cheesecake comes together. Especially when it’s simplified with Pillsbury™ Crescent Roll Dough Sheets.
- Mix walnuts, sugar, and cinnamon together in a bowl and set aside (per recipe below).
- Unroll a can of crescent roll dough and stretch and lightly press to cover the bottom of a baking pan.
- Beat softened cream cheese together with sugar and lemon peel and spread over the first layer of dough. Carefully top the cream cheese layer with the walnut mixture.
- Place the second can of dough on top, and spread with a mixture of honey and lemon juice.
Following the recipe below, bake, cool, and refrigerate for several hours.
To serve, cut into the pan on a diagonal, to make the traditional mini diamond shape of baklava pastry.
Can You Prepare Baklava Cheesecake in Advance?
The lemony nuttiness in this dessert will fully develop if you let it sit in the refrigerator overnight, so go ahead and make it in advance. It’s delicious served cold, or at room temperature.
How Long is it Good For?
Just like a regular cheesecake, you can freeze baklava cheesecake for up to four months. Store it in rigid plastic to prevent it crumbling, and thaw at room temperature before serving. Alternately, you can store baklava cheesecake, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to four days.
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Baklava Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 16 ounces refrigerated crescent rolls 2 x 8oz cans
- 16 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 cups finely chopped walnuts
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Unroll 1 can of crescent dough and place into an ungreased 9x13" pan.
- Beat beat cream cheese, 1 cup sugar and lemon peel on medium speed until fluffy. Spread over prepared dough and set aside.
- Combine walnuts, remaining ½ cup sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle over cream cheese.
- Place second crescent dough sheet over the first covering the filling.
- Combine lemon juice and honey. Brush over dough.
- Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 20 at least minutes.
- Refrigerate about 3 hours or overnight. Slice and serve.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dessert
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Original recipe from our partners at PILLSBURY. Get the FULL RECIPE for these yummy Baklava Cheesecake Bars!
Baklava Origin and History
Though the dessert is most often associated with Greek restaurants and delis, its exact origins can’t be pinpointed to one particular country. Modern baklava may have been invented in Turkey during the Ottoman Empire, then modified in Greece.
Thank you for sharing that, Theodora!
Baklava is not Greek btw. Its Turkish and also its a Turkish word witch is no meaning in Greek.
Thank you so much, Göksu! We appreciate your insight on this
I was not impressed, this is nothing like baklava. I made this afternoon and will not attempt again. I followed the recipe exactly and looked as picture on page. I can made treats that taste much better and with less trouble. I have not idea on how to make this taste better. I have enjoyed many recipes from this site, not this.
I’m sorry to hear that you didn’t enjoy this recipe Jill.
How fun! I lOVE baklava, in a cheesecake? Count me in;)
Baklava is my all time FAVORITE recipe but I had no idea is could be turned into a cheesecake type Baklava!! I love this concept! Def going to try this soon!
Ummm you’ve just combined two of my favorite desserts and all I can say is WOW! Can’t wait to give this recipe a try!
Oh my goodness this sounds wonderful! I would have never thought to combine the two. Pinned to make later this week.
Last time I had baklava must have been in the 90s before my neighbors moved away! That was a loss because I was really good friends with their kids and the parents were so sweet in general. The girls mum would always make baklava. I have some fond memories with this sweet, I wonder how your baklava cheesecake tastes!
I love baklava!! But I have never had it in a cheesecake. This is so fascinating!! I never heard of it. Must taste delish; creamy with all the texture from the nuts. v
The cheesecake bars look so good! I am a huge baklava fan and I make it during the holidays and I can’t wait to try your recipe. Thanks for sharing!
this is a great recipe for a potluck!