California Fig Phyllo Dough Honey Nests

The flavors of baklava come together in phyllo dough nests. Each phyllo dough dessert is full of toasted nuts and chewy figs. They’re far easier than actual baklava too.

Flavor Cues from Figs

Sun-Maid and Orchard Choice Golden Figs bring a delicate fig flavor that’s a little tangy, a little nutty, and our pick for pairing with honey—this type of fig is our first pick for the phyllo dough nests, though you can swap in Mission Figs contribute more of a robust familiar jammy fig flavor.

Chop the figs and then combine them with the walnuts, sugar, and cinnamon.

Single Serve the Famous Phyllo Dough Dessert

Just like you would if you were making baklava, the phyllo dough nests include a honey syrup and butter brushed layers. The execution of how they come to be plated is in prepping them rather than slicing them up.

Use room temperature sheets of phyllo as they are more pliable and won’t break as easily.

You’ll be working with one sheet of phyllo at a time, keeping the rest covered with a damp clean linen so they don’t dry out. Lightly brush a sheet of phyllo dough with melted butter, stacking with another sheet of phyllo dough to be brushed with butter. Repeat with the remaining sheets.

Cut the phyllo into 12 equal squares. Then, nestle the fig walnut filling into the center, gathering the edges of the phyllo and crimping to form a nest.

Bake them until the edges are lightly browned. Before serving them, drizzle on the honey syrup.

Ideas for How to Serve Them

You could bake them ahead of time and transport them to a cookout or potluck, drizzling on the honey syrup ahead of time so it soaks into the fig, walnut filling, or waiting to drizzle until ready to serve to keep the nests flakier.