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–+ servings
puff pastry baklava cheesecake.
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5 from 3 votes

Puff Pastry Baklava Cheesecake (No Bake)

Puff pastry baklava cheesecake combines the flaky crispness of puff pastry with a sweet layer of pistachio cream, the nutty crunch of baklava, and the creamy indulgence of cheesecake. All in individual servings!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: brunch, Dessert
Cuisine: American, Middle Eastern
Servings: 12 Servings
Calories: 602kcal
Author: Hilda Sterner

Equipment

Ingredients

Cheesecake

  • 1 8-ounce Philadelphia cream cheese (cold)
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup heavy whipping cream (cold)

Syrup

Puff Pastry

  • 2 packages puff pastry shells (12 shells)

Nut Mixture

  • ½ cup walnuts, pistachios, almonds, etc.
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
  • ½ teaspoon cardamom powder

Pistachio Cream

Instructions

Prepare Cheesecake Filling

  • Add cold cream cheese, ⅓ cup sugar, and vanilla extract to the bowl of a stand mixer. Use the paddle attachment to blend the ingredients until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
  • Pour cold heavy whipping cream into the mixer, and using a whisk attachment, blend the ingredients for 5 minutes or until stiff peaks form. Transfer the cream cheese filling into a bowl, cover, and refrigerate.

Prepare Syrup

  • Add ⅔ cup sugar, lemon juice, rose water (optional), and cardamom pods to a small saucepan, then cover with ⅔ cup water. Stir to combine, then simmer over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes or until thickened. The syrup will thicken further once completely cooled.

Bake Puff Pastry Shells

  • Preheat Oven to 425°F
    Remove frozen puff pastry shells from packaging and snap to separate along perforated lines. Place the shells on an ungreased baking sheet, top-side up. Bake for 18-20 minutes until the shells have puffed up and are golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes, then use a small knife to remove the lid. Repeat steps with the second package.

Prepare Nut Mixture

  • Add nuts to a hot cast iron skillet and toast, stirring often, until fragrant, then cool, being careful not to burn. Add cooled nuts, 1 tablespoon sugar, cinnamon powder, and cardamom powder to a small food processor. Pulse to grind nuts until finely ground, but not powdered, and set aside.

Assembly Instructions

  • Use a small spoon to scrape the soft layers inside each pastry shell out to make room for the filling. Add 1-½ to 2 teaspoons of pistachio cream inside each pastry cup and level with a small spatula.
  • Next, divide the cheesecake filling between all the pastry shells, adding approximately 1-½ to 2 tablespoons per pastry shell, then level with the back of the spoon.
  • Finally, divide the nut mixture between the pastry shells as a final layer and drizzle with cooled syrup. Add lids and drizzle with a little more syrup. Store in the refrigerator, covered, for a few hours to set, then serve.

Notes

    • If you'd like, you can substitute Cool Whip for the heavy whipping cream. Just follow the steps in my berry cheesecake recipe.
    • Leave the cardamom pods in the syrup until you use the syrup so that they impart even more flavor.
    • Another option is to chill the syrup and the baklava cheesecake shells separately, then warm the syrup (so that it's easier to pour) and add it just before serving or serve it on the side.
    • I baked one package of frozen puff pastry shells straight from the freezer and another that had been thawed. The frozen ones rose nearly twice as high, so I recommend baking them without thawing for the best results.
    • Keep baklava cheesecake cups covered in the fridge until ready to serve.
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Nutrition

Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 602kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 40g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 209mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 19g
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