Pre-heat oven to 350. Unroll the phyllo dough and place a moist kitchen towel over the sheets. Do NOT let the dough dry out.

Generously butter your choice of baking pan. If the phyllo dough is a lot larger trim the dough with kitchen scissors. You will always be using 2 phyllo sheets at a time.

Melt butter (1 1/2 sticks)

Mix nuts and cinnamon in a bowl. Set aside

Pick up 2 phyllo sheets and place into the buttered baking dish

Using a basting brush, brush melted butter onto the phyllo sheets you placed in the baking dish

Repeat steps 5 & 6 three more times

Sprinkle nuts on top of the buttered phyllo. (A single layer that covers the dough)

Pick up 2 phyllo sheets and place on top the nuts, butter, add nuts

Repeat until you run out of nuts (approx 4 more times)

Now begin layering and buttering just the phyllo dough like in steps 5 & 6. Repeat 4-5x

Using a sharp knife, cut into squares and then into a diamond pattern. Place in the oven for 30-40 min or when the baklava is a deep golden brown.

In a saucepan melt 1 stick of butter, water, sugar, honey, vanilla, whiskey (optional). Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15-20 minutes

Remove baklava from the oven and slowly pour 1/2 the sauce over the golden baklava. Once absorbed, pour the remaining sauce.

Allow the baklava to cool uncovered for serval hours. It tastes better with time. Note: It can get soggy if covered.