A Hawaii Spin on Something Classic
Baklava is one of those pastries that people recognize immediately. Layers of thin, flaky phyllo dough, a nut filling, and a sticky sweet syrup poured over the top while everything is still warm. It has been made in kitchens across the Middle East, Greece, and the Mediterranean for centuries, and every region has its own version. We decided to make our own.
This recipe is not traditional. We are not claiming it is authentic. What we are saying is that when you have access to 100% Hawaii-grown macadamia nuts, some locally made lilikoi syrup, and a jar of hazelnut spread, the temptation to put your own spin on a classic is hard to resist. So we did, and it turned out exactly the way we hoped.
The video for this recipe features our customer Hawaiian Macadamia Nut Company, a Hawaii-based company dedicated to supporting local farmers and keeping macadamia nut agriculture thriving across the islands. Their Baker's Pack is what we used for this recipe, and it is worth talking about both the nuts inside and the bag they come in.
About Hawaiian Macadamia Nut Company
Hawaiian Macadamia Nut Company grows all of their macadamia nuts in Hawaii's volcanic soil on mountain slopes across the islands. Their mission is straightforward: support local farmers, create agricultural jobs, and make sure the money spent on Hawaii-grown products stays in Hawaii. Every bag carries the "100% Hawaii Grown" label because that is exactly what it is.
Their Baker's Pack contains dry roasted macadamia nuts in a 20 oz resealable stand-up pouch, which is exactly the right amount for a full baklava recipe with a little extra left over for topping. The bag itself is a well-designed piece of
food packaging built to hold up to the demands of a baking kitchen, with a resealable zipper at the top and a clean white label design that lets the product speak for itself.
The company is also Non-GMO Project Verified, which is printed clearly on the front of the bag. For home bakers and food businesses alike, that certification matters. It is not just a marketing sticker. It reflects a sourcing commitment that runs through everything they do.
Why Mac Nuts and Baklava Work
Traditional baklava is made with walnuts, pistachios, or a combination of both. The nuts get ground or roughly chopped, layered between buttered sheets of phyllo, and then soaked in syrup. The texture of the nut matters a lot because it needs to hold together under the weight of all those pastry layers while still giving way when you bite into it.
Macadamia nuts are a natural fit. They are rich and buttery on their own, with a mild sweetness that does not compete with the syrup. When you blend them into a crumble, they hold their texture well, staying slightly chunky rather than turning into a paste. That contrast of crispy phyllo, creamy mac nut crumble, and sticky syrup is what makes this version work.
The lilikoi, which is passion fruit, is the Hawaii element that really makes this recipe unique. It brings a sharp, tropical brightness to the syrup that cuts through the richness of the butter and hazelnut spread. It is not overwhelming. It just lifts the whole thing. If you cannot find lilikoi syrup locally, passion fruit juice or even a good squeeze of lemon on its own will do the job.
We added the hazelnut spread because we love the combination of chocolate and macadamia nuts. That layer goes between the first stack of phyllo and the mac nut crumble. It is absolutely optional. The baklava is delicious without it. But if you are the kind of person who reaches for the jar of hazelnut spread when nobody is watching, this is your moment.
What You Need
The ingredients break down into three simple categories: the pastry, the topping, and the syrup. Here is what you will need to make one full pan.
Baklava Pastry:
- 32 oz phyllo dough pastry sheets
- 1 cup butter
Topping:
- 500g dry roasted macadamia nuts (Hawaiian Macadamia Nut Company Baker's Pack)
- Hazelnut spread (optional but recommended)
- Cinnamon powder
Syrup:
- 1 lemon
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 cup sugar
- Lilikoi syrup, to taste
How to Make It
The process is more forgiving than it looks. Phyllo dough has a reputation for being delicate, but once you get the hang of working quickly and keeping the sheets covered with a damp towel so they do not dry out, it comes together smoothly.
Start by blending 500g of macadamia nuts in a food processor until they reach a crumbly texture. You want some variation in the crumble, not a uniform powder, so pulse rather than run it continuously. Set the blended nuts aside in a bowl. Next, melt one cup of butter in the microwave until fully liquid and set it aside with a pastry brush.
Before you start layering, measure your phyllo dough against the pan you are using and trim it to fit. A 9x13 glass baking dish works well. Save the extra dough scraps for other pastries. Now butter the bottom and sides of the pan thoroughly. This is what gives the bottom layer its golden, crispy finish.
Layering is the core of the technique. Lay down one sheet of phyllo, brush it with melted butter, and repeat. The pattern we used was 11 buttered sheets, a spread of hazelnut across the surface, and a generous layer of mac nut crumble. Then 11 more buttered phyllo sheets, another layer of mac nut crumble, and then the remaining phyllo sheets on top, each one buttered. Before baking, cut the baklava into diamond shapes all the way through. This is important because once it is baked and soaked in syrup, cutting it is much harder.
Bake at 355 degrees for 40 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
While the baklava bakes, make the syrup. Combine 3/4 cup water, 1/4 cup honey, and 1 cup sugar in a saucepan over high heat. Add lilikoi syrup and lemon juice to taste. Stir constantly as it comes to a boil and begins to thicken. Once you see it reduce and take on a syrupy consistency, pull it off the heat and let it cool slightly while the baklava finishes in the oven.
When the baklava comes out of the oven, pour the cooled syrup evenly over the entire surface. The contrast between the hot pastry and the slightly cooled syrup is what creates that signature soaked texture without making the phyllo soggy. Finish with extra mac nut crumble on top and a dusting of cinnamon, and you are done.
The Bag Behind the Recipe
One of the things we notice about well-made food products is that the packaging tells you something about the brand before you even open it. The Hawaiian Macadamia Nut Company Baker's Pack does this well. The white stand-up pouch is clean and easy to read. The Non-GMO Project Verified seal, the "100% Hawaii Grown Macadamia Nuts" callout, and the handwritten-style "bake now, seal for later" tagline across the top all communicate a product that knows its audience.
The resealable zipper at the top is practical for a baker's pack specifically because you are rarely going to use all 20 oz of nuts in a single sitting, even with a recipe this size. Being able to seal the bag and come back to it later without losing freshness is the kind of detail that makes a difference in a working kitchen.
The
custom printed bags that brands like Hawaiian Macadamia Nut Company use are built around exactly this kind of thinking. The design needs to work at retail, communicate the product clearly, and hold up to the environment where the customer actually uses it. A baker's kitchen has butter, flour, and water on the counter. The bag needs to survive that.
For food brands looking at how to package their own products, this is a good example to study. The structure is functional, the reseal works, the information hierarchy is clear, and the overall look is premium without being fussy. That combination is harder to achieve than it sounds, and it is what separates packaging that moves product from packaging that just holds it.
You can find Hawaiian Macadamia Nut Company at
hawaiianmacadamianut.com. Their nuts are available online with shipping available, and they offer bulk inquiry options for food businesses looking to source Hawaii-grown mac nuts at scale. If you are in Hawaii, they offer free inter-island shipping.
The Only Baklava That Tastes Like the Islands
There is nothing wrong with a classic walnut baklava. But once you have made it with dry roasted macadamia nuts grown in Hawaii's volcanic soil, finished with lilikoi syrup and a layer of hazelnut spread, the classic version feels like a starting point rather than the destination. This recipe is our Savor Brands twist on something we love, made possible by a customer whose product is genuinely excellent. Hawaiian Macadamia Nut Company puts real care into what goes into their bags, and that care shows up in every bite of this baklava.
