Cakes & Bakes

Can You Freeze Baklava?

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Baklava is a delicious dessert featuring layers of crisp filo pastry, chopped nuts and sticky sweet syrup or honey. This post takes a closer look at whether it’s possible to freeze Baklava ready to be eaten another day or to prevent it from ending up as waste if you don’t think it’ll get eaten before it goes stale.

How To Store Baklava (Before Freezing)

Baklava can be stored at room temperature for up to a week after it has been made. It should be stored in an airtight container.

Baklava is best eaten fresh on the day of baking. After this, the syrup will start to seep through the pastry making it less crisp and giving it a slightly softer texture. It is still delicious though!

Does Baklava Need To Be Refrigerated?

If the weather is particularly hot, it may be best to refrigerate the Baklava to prevent the butter used in the recipe from going off or turning rancid. But generally speaking, it’s fine to store Baklava at room temperature.

Baklava stored in the fridge may have a slightly chewier texture.

Baklava is best enjoyed at room temperature, so allow it to cool a little before eating if it’s just been baked or remove it from the fridge an hour or two before serving if it’s been kept cold.

Can You Freeze Baklava?

Yes, you can freeze Baklava. It can be frozen on the day it was baked or a couple of days after baking. The sooner it is frozen after baking, the longer it will keep once it has been defrosted.

Does Baklava Freeze Well?

While the freezing process does make the pastry a little bit softer, this would naturally happen after a day or two at room temperature anyway so there isn’t a huge amount of difference in the texture between freezing and not freezing.

If you’re worried about the pastry becoming soggy as the Baklava defrosts, try brushing off any ice crystals with a pastry brush or unwrap the cling film and sit the Baklava on a clean tea towel while thawing to help absorb extra moisture.

Can You Freeze Baklava After Baking?

Yes, you can freeze Baklava straight after baking if you want to. Just make sure it is completely cooled from cooking.

How To Freeze Baklava

It’s really easy to freeze Baklava using these simple steps.

Before freezing, the Baklava needs to be completely cold. It can be frozen in one big portion or cut into smaller pieces. Smaller pieces mean you can remove one or two from the freezer as and when needed which can help prevent food waste.
Double-wrap the Baklava in cling film and then place it into a plastic freezer container. This should help the Baklava avoid getting damaged in the freezer as even when frozen the filo pastry is still quite delicate.
Label and date the Baklava before placing it in the freezer.

How Long Does Baklava Keep In The Freezer?

The Baklava will keep in the freezer for around two months, so the sooner you can eat it after it’s been frozen the better.

While it will remain safe to eat after this time, the quality might not be the same (filo pastry can become quite crumbly if frozen for too long) and the Baklava might become more susceptible to freezer burn.