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    Home » Recipes » Greek

    Greek Baklava Rolls (Saragli) - Refined Sugar Free

    Published: Nov 11, 2019 · Modified: Jan 2, 2022 by Voula with 3 Comments

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    Greek Baklava Rolls Saragli are similar to baklava, but rolled rather than layered. This recipe is refined sugar free, buttery, flaky, crunchy, and just sweet enough to satisfy your sweet tooth!

    two Greek baklava rolls on a plate, covered with ground pistachios

    What is Saragli?

    Saragli (​pronounced sa-ra-GLI) ​is a popular dessert in Greece which is similar to baklava. The main difference is that it is rolled with three different kinds of nuts. Each region in Greece has its own variation, though. There are even some places that make Saragli ​without ​any filling whatsoever, just rolled phyllo dough in syrup!

    Is it complicated to make?

    Most people I know feel intimidated by the thought of making Saragli because it ​looks​ complicated. Well, have no fear! THIS Saragli recipe is ​simple​ and it is the best Saragli recipe you’ll ever make! If you want to impress your guests at your next dinner party, this recipe is worth the extra effort!

    What kind of sweetener is used instead of refined sugar?

    I made a honey syrup for this recipe. Most traditional Greek recipes call for a lot of sugar in the syrup. I decided to make this syrup refined sugar free because I believe it tastes A LOT BETTER with just honey. Keep in mind that the quality of honey you use will determine the overall taste, so choose a honey you like.

    I highly recommend Greek honey 

    Good quality Greek honey, preferably organic, will make an enormous​ difference in this recipe. Greece has one of the richest flora in the Mediterranean, that’s why Greek honey is so rich, aromatic and considered to be one of the finest in the world. It’s also denser, which makes it perfect for this recipe. If you can get organic Greek honey, please do! You won’t regret it! You will definitely notice the difference.

    INGREDIENTS FOR GREEK BAKLAVA ROLLS SARAGLI

    Phyllo dough: ​I use 1 package (14-15 sheets).

    Butter: ​I always use unsalted butter.

    Nuts: ​Walnuts, almonds, and pistachios.

    Spices: ​Ground cinnamon, freshly grated nutmeg, cinnamon sticks, and whole cloves.   

    Greek honey, lemon peel and lemon juice: ​I used Greek wildflower honey, some lemon peel and lemon juice for the syrup.       

    Baking pan: ​I used a 9 x 9 inch (23.5 x 23.5 cm) baking pan.

    A Stick: ​You’ll need a stick or a thin rod that’s a bit longer than the width of your phyllo sheet. I used a wooden souvlaki skewer,  but you could use a meat skewer, 2 chopsticks, or even a thin cake dowel.

    pan of saragli baklava rolls on wooden surface with nuts, cinnamon and bowl of grated pistachios

    HOW TO MAKE GREEK BAKLAVA ROLLS SARAGLI

    STEP 1 

    First, you prepare the filling. In a bowl, mix the nuts, cinnamon and a tiny pinch of ground nutmeg. Set aside.

    saragli baklava nut mixture in a bowl on a white countertop

    STEPS 2

    After that, you melt the butter and set it aside.

    STEP 3

    Now, it's time to butter the dough! Take a sheet of phyllo dough and place it on your work surface with the short edge facing you (the width). Drizzle the sheet with the melted butter and then place another sheet of phyllo dough on top, drizzling that as well.

    two sheets of phyllo dough drizzled with melted butter

    STEP 4

    Now, fold the dough by starting from the bottom. You need to fold the sheets over, about 4 inches (10 cm).

    two sheets of phyllo dough buttered and bottom folded over

    STEP 5

    Then you add the nut mixture on top. Sprinkle about 2 1⁄2 - 3 tablespoons of the nut mixture, leaving a space of about 2 inches (5 cm) from the top of your dough so as to seal the sheets when you roll them. Place the stick a little bit above the folded sheets.

    two sheets of phyllo dough buttered, sprinkled with nut mixture and a wooden skewer at the bottom

    STEP 6

    Now, start rolling the dough gently with the stick. You start from the folded bottom, slowly moving upwards. Don't roll it too tightly, though.

    how to roll saragli baklava rolls starting from bottom

    STEP 7

    When you’re done rolling, pinch the ends and carefully move both hands towards the middle, while gently squishing the dough.

    squeezing each end of a baklava saragli roll

    STEP 8

    Remove the stick and place the roll in a baking pan. Butter immediately​ so it doesn’t dry out. Repeat with the remaining sheets and filling. Cut into rolls, about 2 inches each (5 cm) and bake.

    buttering a saragli baklava roll in a pan and then cutting them into small rolls

    STEP 9

    Now, it's time to make the honey syrup. Put all the ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat. Allow it to simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the spices and the lemon peel. When the Baklava rolls (Saragli) are done and still piping hot, slowly add the syrup, but NOT all at once. Add the syrup a little bit at a time. When some of the syrup is absorbed, add some more syrup. Repeat until all the syrup is used. Finally, add some grated pistachio nuts. Then, allow it to cool completely (about 2 hours) before serving.

    pouring hot honey syrup over baked baklava saragli rolls

    TIPS FOR SUCCESS

    Traditionally, most Greek recipes with syrup suggest having the dessert at room temperature and then adding the hot syrup or vice versa. Opinions are mixed among Greek chefs regarding this. I have tried both ways, but I found that in this recipe, pouring the hot​ syrup over the piping ​hot​ Saragli, allowed the dough to stay crunchier and flakier much longer. Also, adding the syrup a little bit at a time helps the Baklava Rolls stay crunchy, too.

    pan of saragli baklava rolls on wooden surface with nuts, cinnamon and bowl of grated pistachios in background

    MORE GREEK RECIPES!

    • Greek Halva Cake (Step-by-step Tutorial + Variations)
    • Koulourakia – Greek Easter Cookies (Tips & Various Designs)
    • Rizogalo – Greek Rice Pudding (+Vegan Option)
    • How to Make Ancient Greek Sesame Bars (Pasteli) 
    • Portokalopita – Greek Orange Phyllo Cake
    • Greek Pumpkin Hand Pies - Kolokithopita (Vegan, No Mixer)

     

    Please let me know how these Greek Baklava Rolls Saragli turned out for you in the comments! I would love to hear from you!

    Recipe

    saragli greek baklava rolls
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    GREEK BAKLAVA ROLLS (Saragli) - REFINED SUGAR FREE

    This is an all-time Greek favorite. Saragli is similar to baklava, but it’s rolled rather than layered. This Saragli is refined sugar free, buttery, flaky, crunchy, and just sweet enough to satisfy your sweet tooth!
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine Greek
    Prep Time 20 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time 2 hours hours
    Servings 30 -35 rolls

    Ingredients

    • 1 package phyllo dough, thawed (450 gr / about 16 oz)
    • 1 ⅓ cup unsalted butter (300 g / 10.5 oz), melted
    • ¾ cup finely chopped walnuts (125 g / 4.4 oz)
    • ¾ cup finely chopped almonds (125 g / 4.4 oz)
    • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
    • a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

    For the Honey Syrup

    • 1 ⅓ cup good quality Greek honey (450 g /16 oz) good quality Greek honey
    • ½ cup water (125 ml / 4 oz)
    • lemon peel from a whole lemon
    • 2 cinnamon sticks
    • 6 whole cloves

    For the Topping

    • 20 - 30g (0.7 - 1 oz) unsalted pistachios, shelled and finely grated (about 30-50 pistachios)

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 160​°​ C / 320​°​ F.

    Prepare the filling

    • In a bowl, mix the nuts, cinnamon and a tiny pinch of ground nutmeg. Set aside.

    Make the Baklava Rolls

    • Take a sheet of phyllo dough and place it on your work surface with the short edge facing you (the width). Drizzle the sheet with butter and then place another sheet of phyllo dough on top, drizzling that as well.
    • Starting from the bottom, fold the sheets over, about 10 cm/4 inches.
    • Sprinkle about 2 1⁄2 - 3 tablespoons of the nut mixture, leaving a space of about 2 inches/5 cm from the top of your dough so as to seal the sheets when you roll them. Place the stick a little bit above the folded sheets. Gently start rolling from the folded bottom together with the stick. Slowly move upwards, but don’t roll too tightly.
    • Carefully move both hands towards the middle, while gently squishing the dough.
    • Remove the stick and place the roll in a baking pan. Butter immediately​ so it doesn’t dry out. Repeat with the remaining sheets and filling. Cut into bite-sized rolls, about 5 cm/2 inches and bake for about 1 – 1 1⁄2 hours on the lowest rack, until it’s golden brown.

    Prepare the honey syrup

    • Put all the ingredients for the honey syrup in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat. Allow it to simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the spices and the lemon peel using a slotted spoon.

    Add the honey syrup

    • When the Saragli is done and still piping hot, slowly add the syrup, but NOT all at once. Add the syrup a little bit at a time. When some of the syrup is absorbed, add some more syrup. Repeat until all the syrup is used.

    Add the topping

    • Top with grated pistachio nuts.
    • Allow to cool completely (about 2 hours) before serving.
    • Enjoy!

    Notes

    Picture Tutorial & Tips: I have a detailed picture tutorial in my post to help you out with each step of the recipe as well as lots of tips to ensure success.
    • Always thaw the phyllo dough in the refrigerator overnight in the package. Otherwise, if you defrost it too quickly, it may collect excess moisture from the condensation and become sticky and you won’t be able to work with it.
    • Phyllo dough dries out very quickly. Work one sheet at a time and always cover the remaining sheets with a damp kitchen towel or cloth so that they don’t dry out.
    • Use a very sharp knife to cut the Baklava Rolls (Saragli) before baking. If your knife is dull, the phyllo dough might drag and pull apart.
    • Baklava Rolls (Saragli) are best the next day. They will keep at room temperature for up to five days. They can also be refrigerated, however, each day that passes, the pastry will soften a bit because it absorbs moisture from the syrup.
    Baking Measurements: I have used weight measurements for all the recipes on this website. Even though I have also included American volume measurements for convenience, I highly recommend using a digital kitchen scale to weigh all ingredients for the most accurate measurements. Digital kitchen scales are more precise than cups, which is so important in baking, and they give the most accurate, consistent results. Happy baking!
     
    ©Pastry Wishes
    Vegan Chocolate Truffles (Easy + Tips) »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lori

      September 30, 2022 at 9:05 am

      5 stars
      OMG! These were SO good! Your tutorial was really easy to follow, too! Thanks for an amazing recipe!

      Reply
      • Voula

        September 30, 2022 at 9:08 am

        I'm so happy it was a success!

        Reply

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    I’m a self-taught baker, recipe developer and aspiring food photographer with a passion for baking. I believe making desserts from scratch doesn’t have to be intimidating or complicated. Learn more about me ...

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