Easy Baklava Rolls

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These homemade baklava rolls are super crunchy, buttery, and easy to make. They are refined sugar-free and drenched in a thick, honey syrup!

Four rows of baklava rolls in a rectangular metal baking pan on a wooden surface with a green towel next to chopped nuts, a nutcracker, and three cinnamon sticks.

If you're a huge fan of rich, nutty, and syrup-soaked treats like me, you're going to fall in love with these baklava rolls (aka baklava fingers).

These aren't your average baklava squares or diamonds - they're rolled, filled with a variety of nuts, and made with a refined sugar-free honey syrup. The result? A golden-brown, buttery, flaky, crunchy, and perfectly sweet dessert!

Here in Greece, baklava rolls are called Saragli.

What is Saragli?

Saragli (pronounced sa-ra-GLI) is a traditional Greek dessert very similar to traditional baklava. While baklava is made by layering phyllo dough with nuts and spices, then baking and soaking in syrup, Saragli takes a different twist: the phyllo dough is rolled around the nut mixture, baked and then drenched in a sweet, fragrant syrup. If you love baklava, you will love Saragli, too.

Love Greek desserts? Try my Easy Baklava Triangles, my low sugar Galatopita (Greek milk pie), or these healthy sesame bars (pasteli), a popular ancient Greek treat!

Why you'll love these Greek baklava rolls

Healthier. Made with honey, no refined sugar!
Few Ingredients. Uses simple ingredients that aren't too complicated to find.
Super buttery and crunchy. The hot honey syrup keeps the rolls perfectly crunchy and the butter adds a ton of flavor.
Beginner-friendly. Even though it may look complicated, there are actually minimal steps and equipment that make this an easy rolled baklava recipe.
Customizable. You can mix and match the nuts, spices, and even add a other flavors to the syrup, like orange or lemon juice.

A close up of two baklava rolls on a plate on a white surface.

What you need to make this recipe

Ingredients for baklava rolls

Phyllo dough: I use 1 package that has 13-15 sheets. Each company is different and the number of sheets may vary.
Butter: I use unsalted butter.
Nuts: I use a combination of walnuts, almonds, and pistachios, which add a variety of textures and flavors.
Spices: Ground cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg give the filling a warm, aromatic kick, while cinnamon sticks and cloves enhance the syrup.
Greek honey: This is definitely the star of the show! It replaces refined sugar, making the syrup not only sweet but also healthier. I used Greek wildflower honey, but you could use any thick, honey.
Lemon peel: I use the peel from one lemon and cut it into several pieces. This balances out the sweetness of the syrup and it also prevents it from forming sugar crystals.

See the recipe card at the end of the post for quantities.

Top Tip

The quality of honey you use truly makes a difference! Greek honey, especially organic wildflower honey, is rich, aromatic, and denser than most. It's a perfect choice for Saragli, adding a real depth of flavor.

Equipment you'll need

pastry brush
a 9x13 inch (23x33cm) baking dish or a 9x9 inch (23x23cm) pan (for fewer rolls)
medium saucepan
food processor (to chop the nuts)

How to make baklava rolls - two ways

I have made this recipe using 2 different methods for rolling the phyllo dough using the same amount of ingredients.

Method 1 - Steps for a 9x9 inch pan that make about 35 rolls.

A spoon in a metal bowl filled with cinnamon, chopped walnuts and almonds for baklava filling.

1. In a bowl, mix the nuts and ground cinnamon.

A hand drizzling a sheet of phyllo dough with a silicone pastry brush on a white surface.

2. Place a sheet of phyllo dough on your work surface with the long edge facing you. Drizzle the sheet with the melted butter and then place another sheet on top, drizzling that as well.

Two hands folding over the bottom edge of buttered phyllo dough on a white surface.

3. Now, starting from the bottom, fold the sheets over, about 4 inches (10 cm).

A wooden skewer placed on the bottom edge of phyllo dough covered with chopped nuts.

4. Then sprinkle the nut mixture all over the top and place the stick a little bit above the bottom edge of the folded sheets.

Two hands rolling up phyllo dough that's covered with chopped nuts.

5. Now, start rolling the dough gently with the stick, starting from the folded bottom, slowly moving upwards and rolling it, but not too tightly, otherwise it will be difficult to remove the stick.

Two hands squishing each end of a large baklava roll on a white surface.

6. When you're done rolling, pinch the ends and gently squish the dough while pushing the ends towards the middle.

Buttering a large baklava roll in a small metal baking pan with a silicone pastry brush.

7. Place the roll in the pan and gently push the roll off to remove the stick. Butter it immediately so it doesn't dry out.

Slicing large baklava rolls in a small pan with a knife before baking.

8. Repeat the process with the remaining sheets and filling. Cut into rolls, about 2 inches each (5 cm) and bake.

Method 2 - Steps for a 9x13 inch pan that make about 48 rolls.

A sheet of phyllo dough on a wooden cutting board and drizzled with melted butter.

Place a sheet of phyllo on your work surface or cutting board, with the long side facing you.

A sheet of phyllo dough on a wooden cutting board folded in half and drizzled with melted butter.

Drizzle with melted butter and then fold the sheet in half (from the left).

Chopped nuts on phyllo dough on a wooden cutting board with a wooden skewer on the bottom.

Place the stick on the bottom edge and then sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of filling all over the surface.

Chopped nuts on phyllo dough on a wooden cutting board with phyllo dough folded over a wooden skewer on the bottom.

From the bottom, roll the folded sheets up and over the stick.

Buttering a large rolled up baklava roll with a silicone pastry brush on a wooden cutting board.

Starting at the bottom, roll the phyllo dough quickly, but not too tightly. Then butter it.

Two hands squishing each end of a large baklava roll on a wooden cutting board.

Gently squish the ends, pushing them towards the center.

A large baklava roll in a rectangular metal baking pan.

7. Place it in the baking pan and gently push out the roll and remove the stick.

Twelve large baklava rolls in a rectangular metal baking pan.

8. Repeat with the remaining sheets.

A knife over a pan of sliced baklava rolls before baking.

9. Then turn the pan and make 3 vertical cuts, creating a total of 4 rows.

While baking the rolls, prepare the honey syrup.

Honey, water, whole cloves, two cinnamon sticks and lemon peels in a saucepan.

1. Put the honey, water, spices, and lemon peels in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes.

Removing lemon peels and spices with a slotted spoon from a metal saucepan filled with honey syrup.

2. Remove the peels and the spices with a slotted spoon.

Pouring honey syrup over hot baklava rolls in a metal baking pan.

3. When the baklava rolls come out of the oven, gradually pour the hot syrup over the hot rolls.

Then add some ground pistachios on top!

Four rows of baklava rolls in a rectangular metal baking pan on a wooden surface with a green towel and next to three cinnamon sticks.

Substitutions

I've never substituted any of the ingredients, but if you have, please let me know in the comment section below.

Storage tips & freezing instructions

You can store these baklava rolls at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a week. They actually get better after a day or two as the syrup soaks into the crunchy phyllo. Don't store them in the refrigerator because they'll get soft and will lose their crunchiness.

I have tried freezing baked baklava rolls, but THEY DO NOT FREEZE WELL. When I thawed them, they were mushy, so I don't recommend freezing them after they've been baked and soaked in syrup.

Variations

Walnut or pistachio baklava rolls. Add just walnuts or just pistachios in the filling, instead of a mixture of nuts.
Make mini baklava rolls. You could cut the rolls much smaller than I did and make them bite-sized.
Add flavor to the syrup. You could add half an orange to the syrup instead of the lemon peel for a sweeter, orange flavor. Or make a really aromatic syrup by adding orange blossom water.
Sweeter rolls. Here in Greece, you can find chocolate baklava rolls. For a sweeter dessert, drizzle some melted chocolate, Nutella, or even some homemade caramel sauce on top! Definitely decadent, but so good!

Tips for success

Use a food processor. A food processor is a real time-saver. It makes chopping the nuts for the filling so much easier.
Use the best phyllo dough you can. High-quality phyllo dough is best because it doesn't tear easily.
Work fast. You need to work as quickly as possible so that the phyllo dough doesn't dry out. Make sure the sheets are covered with a slightly damp kitchen towel while you're not using them.
No need to brush. You don't need to thoroughly brush each sheet, just drizzle with the butter and brush the edges, instead.
Phyllo dough varies. In Greece, some companies that make phyllo dough sheets don't always have the same number of sheets. Generally speaking, each box averages from 13-15 sheets, so, when you reach the last 3 sheets, divide the nut filling accordingly so that you have enough left over for all of them.
Use the right stick. Make sure your stick is slightly longer than the length of your phyllo. I use a long wooden skewer, but if you can't find one, you can use 2 chopsticks together or a cake dowel.
Use good quality honey. The flavor of your syrup depends on the honey, so try and get the best you can afford.
Pour the syrup gradually. Slowly adding the syrup ensures the phyllo stays crisp longer.
Hot syrup. Although opinions vary among Greek chefs on whether the syrup should be hot or cold, I found that pouring hot syrup over the hot baklava rolls results in a better texture that's crunchier and flakier.
Trim the edges for a clean look (and tasty snacks!). After pouring the syrup, you could cut off the pinched ends so that the rolls have nice, straight edges. I like to put them all in a small bowl. They're amazing to nibble on!

Frequently asked questions

How do I prevent the phyllo dough from drying out?

Cover the phyllo sheets with a damp kitchen towel while you work to prevent them from drying out. You also need to work as quickly as possible.

What's the best way to keep the rolls crunchy?

I have found that using hot syrup over hot rolls helps keep the phyllo dough crispy.

What's the best kind of honey to use?

To me, Greek honey is ideal, but you can use any high-quality, organic honey. Look for a rich, floral flavor.

More Greek recipes to try!

Recipe

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