Vegan Baklava with a cozy pumpkin spice twist! Buttery sheets of phyllo layered with brown sugar cinnamon pumpkin filling, crunchy pecans and drizzled with a warm Orange Maple Glaze. The result is ooey-gooey, crunchy, chewy and oh so decadent!
I love making this around the holidays because it’s so unexpected. Pecan pie and pumpkin pie are staples for a reason, but this dessert combines those same comforting, familiar flavors in a whole new way.
And don’t worry, it’s easier to make than it looks and actually the process is very simple. It just takes a few minutes to assemble but sometimes it’s nice to get in the kitchen and lose yourself in a baking project. Plus the result is a truly special Autumnal dessert that pairs perfectly with a hot cup of tea or coffee!
Hope you enjoy!
Maple Pumpkin Pecan Vegan Baklava
Ingredients
- 1 package frozen phyllo dough, thawed check to make sure it's vegan (most are)
- 1/2 stick vegan butter, melted
Pumpkin Filling
- 1 can pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1.5 tsp grated fresh ginger or 1 tsp ground ginger (but fresh is best for this)
- 1/4 tsp salt
Nut Filling
- 1.5 cups pecans
- 1 cup walnuts
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp salt
Orange Maple Glaze
- 1 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 thick slices of orange with the rind
- 2 tbsp juice from the orange
Instructions
Prep
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Chop the pecans and walnuts and add to a bowl with the sugar, spices and salt and mix well. Set aside. In another bowl combine all of the pumpkin filling ingredients and mix well. Set aside. Unwrap the phyllo dough and place a 9×13 inch pan on top. Use a sharp knife to cut the dough in half to fit the pan. Stack both halves on top of eachother and then cut around the bottom of pan to create sheets that will fit nicely inside.Tip: See the notes below for a fun way to repurpose the scraps! Before you get started assmebling the baklava, cover the stack of phyllo sheets with a damp kitchen towl to prevent the dough from drying out.
Assmeble
- Generously grease the 9×13 pan with a layer of melted butter. Don't forget the corners and the sides! The add in a layer of phyllo and lightly dab on a thin layer of butter with a pastry brush. Repeat this process with 5 more sheets of phyllo. Then add a 1/3 of the pumpkin spice mixture and spread into a very thin, even layer. Sprinkle 1/3 of the nut mixture on top of that and top with another layer of phyllo. Dab with butter and repeat with another 5 sheets. Repeat this process 2 more times to use up the filling and then top with 6 layers of phyllo on top, dabbing lightly with butter in between each layer.
Score
- It's important to cut the phyllo before it bakes so use a sharpe knife to carefully cut into squares. It's easier to cut in up and down motions rather than dragging the knife across the pan. I cut 16 squares and then cut the each square in half diagonally to create triangles. You should have 32 in total.
Bake
- Bake for 45-50 minutes or until deeply golden brown.
Glaze
- Before removing the baklava from the oven, microwave the maple syrup with 2 orange slices for 1.5 minutes. If you're using a thicker syrup you may want to add 1 tbsp of water to thin it out a bit. Then remove the baklava from the oven and immediately pour 3/4 of the glaze on top. It will look like a lot at first but it will soak into the layers quickly. Wait a few minutes and then add more glaze as desired (I typically use all of it) focusing on the lines and edges while pouring.
Cool completely and serve when cool! Enjoy!
If you like this recipe please leave a comment and rate this post below! And if you’re on Instagram, tag me in a pic so I can see your recreation! @nikkivegan
For more free vegan recipes, don’t forget to check out my YouTube channel here.
Hey! I’m Nicole and I make practical vegan recipes for REAL life. I cook with simple, easy to find ingredients and I’m passionate about creating delicious plant-based meals that everyone will love!
I hope you enjoy my recipes and videos :) Happy Cooking!
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Just finished making this recipe. It turned out amazing! Highly recommend.
Author
Yay! That’s so nice to hear! Thanks for taking the time to let me know Laurilee! I’m thrilled that you enjoyed it 🙂
Hi, I stumbled upon your site and wanted to try this delicious looking recipe of yours. Could you pls share how big the pumpkin puree can is .I have a 796 ml can by E.D.Smith.Thank you.
Author
Hi! The cans I have say 15oz or 425g 🙂