Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Gather the ingredients, and grease the sides and bottom of a 9 x 13-inch pan with butter.

Step 2

Chop the nuts and toss them with cinnamon. Put them aside for later.

Step 3

Unroll and flatten out the phyllo dough. Use a damp cloth to cover it so it doesn’t dry out.

Step 4

Transfer 2 sheets of phyllo dough to the greased pan, and generously coat the top with butter. Repeat, placing 2 sheets at a time and buttering until you’ve stacked 8 sheets in the pan.

Step 5

Retrieve the cinnamon-nut mixture and sprinkle approximately 2 to 3 tablespoons on top.

Step 6

Add 2 more sheets of phyllo dough, and butter them generously. Then, add another layer of the cinnamon-nut mixture. Repeat this process until you’ve layered 6 to 8 more pieces.

Step 7

Use a sharp knife to cut the unbaked baklava in half lengthwise. Then, cut each of the halves in half lengthwise again. (There should be four equal-sized rows at this point.) Finally, make diagonal slashes across the rows. These should slice the dough into approximately 28 to 32 pieces.

Step 8

Bake it in the preheated oven for approximately 50 minutes. The baklava will be crisp and golden when it’s ready.

Step 9

While the baklava is baking, combine the sugar and water in a small to medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil until the sugar melts completely.

Step 10

Add the vanilla and honey. Continue simmering for another 20 minutes.

Step 11

Once the baklava is ready, remove it from the oven. Immediately spoon the warm sauce over it. Then, leave it in the pan to cool.

Step 12

Remove the pieces from the pan and place them on a serving platter. Place the individual slices on cupcake papers or squares of wax paper to cut down on the mess. Enjoy!