My homemade baklava focaccia muffins recipe combines crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside focaccia along with chopped nuts, warm cinnamon spice, and a thick simple syrup that gets soaked into each bite. This sweet focaccia recipe is perfect for sharing at gatherings during the holidays or all year round.

WHY I MADE THESE BAKLAVA FOCACCIA MUFFINS

You’ve probably seen my Baklava Focaccia recipe from a few years back and thought to yourself “That looks good, but what would I do with an entire pan of baklava focaccia?”

Well, the answer is clearly to turn them into focaccia muffins!

This baklava focaccia muffins recipe turns that classic baklava focaccia recipe into bite-sized pieces of bliss. The process for making these mini baklava muffins is the same as the original recipe, except this time we divide the dough into 12 individual pieces to create little focaccia muffins, which is perfect for sharing with a crowd.

What exactly are baklava focaccia muffins? Imagine single-serving sized pieces of focaccia that get covered in chopped nuts, and then a simple syrup sauce is poured all over the top while the muffins are still hot so that it gets soaked up inside of them.

Trust me, each bite is just as awesome and delicious as you think. So I hope you give this recipe a try this holiday season. If you do, be sure to leave me a comment and review so I can see how much you loved it!

Enjoy 🙂

MY BAKLAVA MUFFINS RECIPE

The full instructions on how to make baklava focaccia muffins is in the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post, but here’s a quick overview of how to make it.

Be sure to scroll down to the bottom to view the full recipe and get all of the measurements and instructions for these baklava focaccia muffins!

• Mix the yeast, honey, and water together in a large bowl.
• Add the flour and salt, and mix with a large spoon or spatula until a shaggy dough forms.
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge overnight, at least 8 hours.
• Grease a muffin pan with butter.
• Divide the dough into 12 pieces and transfer the dough to the baking pan.
• Allow the dough to rise, uncovered, for about 2 hours.
• Sprinkle the nuts and cinnamon topping on top of the dough.
• Poke deep holes all over the top of the focaccia. Don’t be shy!
• Bake in a 425 F oven for about 25 minutes, until the focaccia is golden brown.
• Drizzle the simple syrup on top.

BAKLAVA FOCACCIA MUFFINS KEY INGREDIENTS

The full ingredients list is in the recipe card below, so make sure to scroll all the way to the bottom to see what you need to make this recipe!

Here is a quick overview of what you need to make these baklava focaccia muffins at home:

• Active dry yeast : The leavening agent. Yeast is what makes the focaccia rise and creates its airy, open crumb.
• Honey: Feeds and activates the yeast.
• Flour: Provides the structure of the dough. I recommend bread flour but you can use all purpose flour as well.
• Chopped nuts: The signature baklava element! They add crunch, a toasty, nutty flavor, and richness that contrasts with the soft bread. I used a combination of walnuts, pecans, almonds, and pistachios, but you can use whatever nuts you have on hand.
• Cinnamon: Provides the warm, spiced flavor associated with baklava and complements the nuts and honey.

HOW LONG DO THESE BAKLAVA MUFFINS TAKE TO MAKE?

This baklava focaccia muffin recipe has a few different components to it, but they all come together relatively quickly and easily.

The full recipe is below, but here’s the gist of it:

• Prep time: 20 mins
• Bake time: 25 minutes

In total, this focaccia muffins will take about 55 minutes of active to make! That does not count the overnight bulk fermentation and room temperature rising time that’s needed for this recipe, so make sure to keep that in mind when you get started.

HOW TO STORE THESE FOCACCIA MUFFINS?

Store the baked and cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. The bread will harden over time, so it’s best to enjoy them while they’re fresh.

To freeze these muffins, place them in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months. Thaw the muffins at room temperature, then warm in a 375°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes to get them warm and crispy again.

BAKLAVA FOCACCIA MUFFINS FAQ

1. Can I make these baklava focaccia muffins all in one day?
Yes you can, though the overnight rest gives these focaccia muffins best flavor and texture.

To make this recipe all in one day, let the dough rise at room temperature for about 4 hours at room temperature until doubled, instead of doing the overnight rest.

Then, divide the dough into the muffin tins and let it rise 2 hours at room temperature. The flavor and texture of this recipe won’t be as complex, but it’ll still taste delicious!

2. What types of nuts work best for this recipe?
Traditional baklava uses a combination of walnuts and pistachios. Pecans, almonds, and hazelnuts also work well together if that’s what you have. Make sure to chop the nuts finely so that they aren’t any huge pieces on top of your dough.

3. Can I use instant yeast instead of active dry yeast?
Yes, you can swap instant yeast for for active dry yeast. Just mix the instant yeast with the flour during that step.

4. Why is my dough so sticky?
Focaccia dough is meant to be wet and pretty shaggy. That high hydration is what creates the airy, chewy crumb that focaccia is known for.

5. Why do I need to poke deep holes in the dough?
The dimples are a signature feature of focaccia. They keep the dough from puffing up too much and create little wells that catch the nuts and soak up the syrup. Make sure you press deep holes that reach all the way down to the bottom of the pan.

6. Can I make these in a different pan?
Absolutely! Instead of using muffin tins, you can simply transfer the dough to a 9×13 inch pan and make one large baklava focaccia instead.

Bake at 425°F for roughly 25 to 30 minutes, until golden and firm on top. Use the full amount of syrup and pour it over while the focaccia is still hot.

7. Can I make these vegan?
Yes, if you’re vegan you can use maple syrup in place of the honey in both the dough and the simple syrup, and be sure to grease the muffin tins with vegan butter or olive oil instead of butter.

8. Why do I pour the syrup over the focaccia right out of the oven?
Hot bread absorbs syrup much better than cooled bread. The syrup soaks into the holes and crumb, making these muffins sweet, sticky, and moist in the classic baklava style. It’s delicious!

9. How do I store leftovers?
Store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. The bread will harden over time, so these focaccia muffins are best enjoyed when they’re still fresh.

10. My dough didn’t rise! What happened?
Oh no! Check out my blog post 6 Reasons Why Your Dough Didn’t Rise to troubleshoot the issue.

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If you love this recipe be sure to leave a review! And feel free to reach out to me with any questions or comments via my Contact page. You’ll hear back from me soon!

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