Do I wish I was bringing you real keto baklava today, with a flaky phyllo dough crust that I somehow had magically been able to strip of carbs? Of course I do. Because that would be downright miraculous.
Sadly, that kind of flaky, multi-layered dough simply isn’t possible with keto ingredients. However, these Keto Baklava Bars are anything but disappointing! They are sweet and tender, and have that distinct nutty sweet baklava favor. With only a fraction of the carbs!
If you love cookie bars, you will also love Keto Tagalong Bars and the ever-popular Keto Magic Cookie Bars. Yum!
I haven’t had real baklava in about 10 years, as it’s not exactly a low carb dessert. This classic Middle Eastern dessert has multiple layers of flaky phyllo dough and sugary chopped nuts, with copious amounts of honey syrup drizzled over.
It’s also quite a time-consuming process, layering the phyllo sheets and brushing with butter, over and over again. I applaud anyone who has made the real thing! But when I spotted some cookie bars made with the same flavors, I thought it was perfect for a low carb makeover.
What readers are saying
“Just made these, they are insanely good and will definitely be making again. Thank you so much for the recipe!!” — Danielle
Why You Will Love Them
- Nutty, sweet flavor: Just like traditional baklava, these bars have toasted nuts and a slightly sticky “honey” syrup.
- Easy to make: They take less than an hour to make!
- Tender shortbread: That tasty almond flour crust holds up to the toppings!
- Keto-friendly: Made with naturally low-carb, gluten-free ingredients, each bar has only 3.8 grams of carbs!
Ingredient Notes
- Almond flour: Almond flour works best for this crust, for both texture and flavor. Other nut and seed flours will work but may be a bit more crumbly. You cannot use coconut flour for this recipe.
- Sweetener: You will need several different sweeteners to get the right consistency for this recipe. Please see the Tips for Success for a more detailed discussion.
- Xanthan gum: This helps make the crust less crumbly so I recommend using it. You can also use glucomannan.
- Nuts: You can use just one variety or a mixture of walnuts, pecans, almonds and/or pistachios.
- Orange zest: This adds a touch of unique flavor to the bars.
- Allulose honey: A keto syrup like this adds a touch of stickiness as well as flavor. But I know that not everyone has access to this so I’ve given you options in the Tips section!
- Kitchen staples: Butter, vanilla extract, cinnamon and salt.
How to Make Keto Baklava Bars
- Prepare the crust. Pulse the almond flour, sweetener, salt, and xanthan gum in a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Bake the crust: Press into the bottom of a square baking pan. Bake until the edges are golden brown.
- Make the nut topping: Whisk together the nuts, sweetener, cinnamon, and orange zest. Stir in the melted butter until well combined.
- Bake again: Spread the nut topping over the cooled crust. Bake for another 20 minutes, then let the bars cool in the pan.
- Make the “honey” syrup: Heat the water, BochaSweet, and keto friendly syrup and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened. Whisk in the vanilla extract.
- Finish the bars. Drizzle the syrup over the cooled bars. Lift the bars out and cut into squares or triangles using a sharp knife.
Tips for Success
Line the pan properly. If you want to cut the bars into nice squares or triangles, I recommend lining your pan with parchment. Allow an extra inch or two on the sides so you can remove the baklava bars in one large pieces.
If you don’t have a food processor for the crust, you can cut them in with a pastry cutter or two sharp knives. Make sure to get it nice and fine, so it resembles coarse crumbs.
Make sure the nuts are finely chopped but not ground, so that you get plenty of texture but the filling isn’t too crumbly. And really press that filling down onto the crust before baking.
One of the hallmarks of authentic baklava is the honey syrup that makes it both extra sweet and a bit sticky. I created my own sugar free drizzle with water and allulose. I also added a touch of allulose “honey” for more authentic flavor.
Sweetener Options
As you may be aware, I am a stickler for getting the right consistency with my keto desserts. So this recipe includes a number of different sweeteners to achieve that. However, I know not everyone has access to all of them so I will do my best to offer alternatives.
For the crust, it is imperative to use an erythritol based sweetener for it to crisp up properly. Any amount of allulose will make it soft. If you don’t have a powdered version, granular is fine.
I like to use my homemade brown sugar substitute for the filling, for a richer flavor. I recommend that the filling be mostly erythritol as well, as allulose will soak into the crust and soften it.
The syrup should be sticky and not harden as it cools, which means not using erythritol sweeteners. In this case, your best choices are allulose or xylitol. If you can’t find the allulose honey, you can simply add an additional tablespoon of the granular to your mixture.
More Delicious Walnut Recipes
Keto Baklava Bars
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 1/2 cups (168 g) almond flour
- 1/4 cup (50 g) powdered erythritol sweetener
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp xanthan, optional
- 5 tbsp (71.01 g) butter, in small pieces (chilled)
Nut Topping
- 1 1/2 cup (175.5 g) finely chopped walnuts, (or pecans, almonds, pistachios, or a mix)
- 1/3 cup (66.67 g) brown sugar replacement
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp orange zest
- 3 tbsp (42.61 g) butter, melted
“Honey” Syrup
- 3 tbsp water
- 3 tbsp (40 g) allulose, (or xylitol)
- 1 tbsp allulose honey, or liquid allulose
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF and line an 8×8 inch metal baking pan with parchment paper, with overhanging sides for easy removal.
- In a food processor, combine the almond flour, sweetener, salt, and xanthan gum. Pulse a few times to combine. Scatter the butter pieces over and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Transfer to the prepared baking pan and press firmly into the bottom with a flat-bottomed glass or measuring cup. Bake 15 to 18 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. Remove and let cool completely.
Nut Topping
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the nuts, brown sugar substitute, cinnamon, and orange zest. Stir in the melted butter until well combined.
- Spread the nut topping over the cooled crust, pressing to adhere. Return to the 325ºF oven to bake another 20 minutes. Remove and let the bars cool in the pan.
"Honey" Syrup
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the water, sweetener, and keto friendly syrup. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook about 3 minutes, until slightly thickened. Whisk in the vanilla extract.
- Drizzle over the cooled bars. Lift the bars out by the overhanging parchment and place on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut the bars into 16 squares or triangles.
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Traditional baklava uses either pistachios or walnuts. You can use one or the other, or a mix of both. You can also use other nuts like almonds or hazelnuts. It’s rare to see pecans in baklava but it would be tasty!
This keto baklava bar recipe has 3.8g of carbs and 1.9g of fiber per serving. That comes to 1.9g net carbs per bar.
Because these keto bars don’t have any eggs or cream, they will be fine on the counter in a covered container for up to 5 or 6 days. Store in the fridge if you think they will be around longer than that.
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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At what point do you add the vanilla to the syrup? It’s not mentioned in the instructions.
Thanks for the catch, I fixed the recipe!
Just made these, they are insanely good and will definitely be making again. Thank you so much for the recipe!!
I made these bars yesterday, they are sooo good, I am making again today for church tomorrow!!!!
These look so good! Are they basically like pecan pie bars but with walnut instead of pecans, and a syrup?
pecan pie bars are a bit more gooey.
These are absolutely DELICIOUS. Everything about them is spot on.
When to add in the vanilla? Before or after boiling/simmering?
Wow- great recipe. Easy to make and a hit in my household with all the keto lovers!
These were so good to snack on, I loved the texture of them!
This looks heavenly and so yummy! My husband is going to be all over this recipe! So excited to give this a try!
As always, you’re a friggin’ genius! Made these last night- fantastic! I had about a handful of shelled pistachios that I chopped in with the walnuts! You would’ve thought that the whole baklava was a pistachio baklava! It was so good, Carolyn! You are my go-to for all keto deliciousness! Thanks again!
So glad you like them!
Delicious! Very reminiscent of baklava. The orange blossom water really kicked it up a notch. I used butter, all walnuts, several drops of orange essential oil instead of orange zest, Lakanto maple syrup, and all the optional ingredients including a pinch of ground cloves. I probably ground the walnuts a bit too fine in my food processor; next time I’d chop them by hand for more texture.
Just wanted to let you know these are absolutely delicious. I am Greek and missing my baklava. I substituted a pinch of ground cloves for the orange zest. I omitted the vanilla but added a small whole cinnamon stick and whole clove in the syrup. The taste was exactly like regular baklava. Thank you!
I am so happy to hear that!
Love your recipes, Carolyn. Thank you for the online access and your books. Can’t say which I use more!
I’m just now making the baklava and have a question about the vanilla extract for the syrup. I added it in with the rest of the syrup ingredients (water, allulose (granular) and my Choc Zero caramel). Is this correct? I didn’t see the extract mentioned in the instructions. Right now I’m patiently waiting for the bars to cool before drizzling. Can’t wait to dig in – smells so wonderful.
Oh my gosh! I love all your recipes, Carolyn, and I think I have all your cookbooks and use them a few times a week….but you have really outdone yourself with this recipe! I just made it and everyone in the family has been drooling at the smell. My husband and I just tried it, and we both just keep saying, “Oh my God!” Thank you for your hard work on all these amazing recipes!
YAY!!!
Hi Carolyn, I LOVE your recipes!!! Wondering if I can use Yacon syrup in place of the ChocZero’s keto caramel syrup? I also have Lakanto Maple syrup. Thanks
You can… but it won’t be like honey.
Those look amazing!
I rarely comment on a recipe but NEEDED to for this one. These are amazing!!! I used pecans for the topping and unfortunately did not have orange peel, but it wasn’t necessary given how awesome this recipe is. I was expecting good, but was blown away with how closely this mimicked the baklava flavors. Thank you, and well done!!!
So glad to hear that!!!