Product knowledge
What's the Difference Between Baklava and Kunafa?
Baklava and kunafa are both syrup-soaked Levantine pastries, but they're built from different dough, different fillings and served at different temperatures. Baklava layers flat sheets of phyllo pastry with chopped nuts, baked until crisp and golden, then soaked in sugar syrup, and it's typically served at room temperature. Kunafa uses shredded, vermicelli-like pastry called kataifi (or a fine semolina version) layered over a cheese filling rather than nuts, baked, soaked in syrup and topped with crushed pistachio — and it's classically served warm, ideally straight from the oven, because the cheese layer is meant to be soft and slightly stretchy.
The two are easy to mix up at a glance since both are golden, syrup-soaked, nut-topped pastries, but the dough, the filling and the serving temperature all differ in ways that matter for a menu or a dessert case.
Flat phyllo vs shredded kataifi
Baklava is built from flat, paper-thin phyllo sheets, brushed with butter or ghee and stacked in many thin layers, which is what gives it a crisp, flaky, distinctly layered bite once baked. Kunafa uses kataifi — the same base dough as phyllo, but shredded into fine strands rather than rolled flat — or, in one regional variation, a fine semolina crumb instead of pastry strands at all. That shredded or crumbed texture is what gives kunafa its signature look: a golden, slightly crunchy top over a soft filling, rather than baklava's neat, layered cut squares or diamonds.
Nuts vs cheese as the defining filling
Nuts are baklava's core filling — pistachio, walnut or almond, depending on the region and the recipe, chopped and layered between the phyllo sheets. Kunafa's defining filling is cheese: traditionally a mild, stretchy white cheese, though cream or a semolina-based custard filling appear in some regional and modern variations. That cheese-versus-nut distinction is the single clearest way to tell the two apart even before considering shape or texture — a nut-filled pastry sliced into diamonds is baklava; a cheese-filled pastry with a shredded or crumb topping is kunafa.
Served hot vs served at room temperature
Kunafa is meant to be eaten warm, often reheated to order, because the cheese layer needs gentle heat to stay soft and pull slightly when cut — served cold, the cheese firms up and loses the texture the dish is built around. Baklava keeps its texture at room temperature and doesn't need reheating; in fact it's usually served that way, and its shelf life at room temperature is part of what makes it practical for a retail counter or a gift tray in a way kunafa, with its fresher, cheese-based filling, generally isn't.
What we carry
We stock Baklava Mix Sweets — an assorted box of traditional baklava-style pastries from Hamdan for Foods in Jordan, packed in 450 g or 700 g formats. See baklava mix for food service, explained for how the assorted-box format works for a dessert counter or catering tray. Kunafa isn't currently in our visible catalogue as a packaged line — given its fresh-cheese filling, it's more often a made-to-order kitchen item than a shelf-stable pantry product, though it can be sourced on request through our supplier network for a specific project.
Related questions
Can baklava be served warm too?
It can, and some people prefer it that way, but it isn't required the way kunafa's cheese filling requires warmth — baklava holds its texture and flavour well at room temperature, which is its more typical serving style.
Is kunafa always made with cheese?
The classic and most recognisable version uses a cheese filling, though cream and semolina-custard variations exist in different regional traditions.
Which nuts are traditional on baklava?
Pistachio and walnut are the most common, with almond also used in some regional recipes; the choice varies by country and by individual maker.