Experience the ultimate fusion with Baklava Rolls and Karanji—two traditional desserts merged into one delectable vegan festive treat! These Baklava Roll-Ups are filled with authentic Maharashtrian Karanji stuffing, making them the easiest and most delicious holiday dessert! It's a crowd-pleaser for sure! Make it in one hour!
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What is Baklava
Baklava is an extremely popular baked Middle Eastern (Turkish, Persian, and Greek) dessert. Here, the Phyllo dough or filo pastry sheets are layered with butter and a mixture of sweetened chopped nuts like pecans, walnuts, almonds, and pistachios in between. Once it's baked, sugar syrup, orange blossom water, or honey is drizzled all over it. It's then garnished with chopped pistachios before serving.
This phyllo dessert comes in many different shapes, layered, rolled (Saragli), and squares, and the choice of nuts used differs in every cuisine. It's one of the easiest bite-sized pastry desserts you will make! Traditional baklava is not naturally vegan because it's made with butter, honey, and sometimes egg. This rich dessert is served during festivals and happy occasions. I have a Carrot Halwa Baklava recipe on the blog where I have cut them in rhombus shape and today I am sharing the recipe for Baklava Rolls also known as Saragli.
What is Karanji
Karanji is a delicious fried (sometimes baked) dessert from Maharashtrian cuisine. It's a moon-shaped pastry (similar to empanadas) where the outer coating is crisp and flaky, and the stuffing is soft and chewy, made with coconut, cardamom, spices, jaggery, semolina, and dry fruits. It's normally prepared during festivals like Diwali/Deepawali, Ganesh Chaturthi (along with Modak), and Holi (along with Thandai). It's similar to Gujiya which I have given a fun twist to as well!
Karanji is also known as Gughara, Pedakiya, Ghughra, Kajjikayalu, Somas, Karachika, Nevari, and Karjikay in other Indian cuisines. They are all similar to look at but the stuffings may vary. Maharashtrian Karanji is not traditionally dairy-free because it's made with desi ghee and milk, and sometimes the stuffing contains khoya/mawa. The outer covering is made from flour dough. Getting the dough, the final flaky texture, and the shape of karanji right requires some practice and is time-consuming which is why I have the perfect hack for you!
Vegan Fusion Dessert Recipe
Both Karanji and Baklava are holiday treats and very similar in terms of ingredients, flavors, and textures. That's why I decided to fuse them together to make sweet Karanji Baklava Rolls! The filo sheets are crunchy and crispy while the coconut stuffing is soft and chewy. Saragli is the perfect quick, and easy holiday dessert recipe that will stun your guests! The flavors here are authentic, but it's presented with a twist! This flaky pastry stuffed with sweet coconut filling is delectable, irresistible, and vegan!
Easy Baklava Rolls
Decadent baklava rolls or cigars (Saragli) are similar to the regular baklava but just presented differently. In this Indian-style karanji baklava recipe, you don't need to prepare the outer covering. Use phyllo dough instead. It's a quick hack to make the easiest coconut karanji recipe. Also, the stuffing (known as puran or saran) doesn't contain any mawa or khoya. Instead, the karanji stuffing is prepared with fresh or dry coconut, dry fruits, and seeds.
Since this is a dairy-free rolled baklava recipe, the phyllo dough used is vegan, and the recipe does not call for honey or butter. You can also make these vegan sweet baklavas nut-free. Give these perfectly crunchy, rich, nutty flavor Karanji Baklavas a try this festive season! BTW, if you too love creating fusion recipes, then here are some savory recipes to check out - Bharwa Mirch Meets Jalapeno Poppers, Dabeli Pizza, Mexican Pani Puri, French Loaf Vada Pav, Indian Curry Pasta, Matar Kachori Puffs, and Puff Pastry Samosa!
Why make this
- A delicious Indian fusion dessert
- Perfect for a crowd
- Made with basic pantry ingredients
- Is eggless and vegan
- Quick and easy to make
- Make-ahead filo pastry dessert recipe
- It's baked not fried
Ingredients needed 🧾
Coconut - Traditionally, the stuffing for Karanji is made with fresh coconut. But I also make it using desiccated coconut, sweetened or unsweetened dry coconut flakes, or shreds because they have a longer shelf life. You can use either to make these Karanji Baklava Roll-Ups. I have used sweetened coconut flakes in this recipe.
Frozen or fresh Phyllo dough (super thin unleavened dough) or Filo pastry sheets - Check the packet to ensure it is vegan. If you are gluten-free, then get gluten-free phyllo dough. They're found in the freezer section of most supermarkets. The phyllo pastry has a very neutral flavor with a slight aroma when it's baked. You can also make it at home from scratch. Phyllo dough and puff pastry are not the same and cannot be substituted for each other in recipes.
Seeds - White sesame seeds and poppy seeds are traditionally used to make the Karanji Puran or stuffing. That's why I have used them in this rolled baklava recipe. They bring the nutty flavor, increase the shelf life, and absorb the excess moisture.
Nuts - I have used an assortment of unsalted nuts like almonds, pistachios, and cashews which I have chopped (not powdered) in this nuts chopper. Read the notes below to learn how to make Baklava bites nut-free.
Spices - Nutmeg, cardamom, and saffron are some aromatic spices needed in this vegan fusion dessert recipe.
Since this is a dairy-free rolled baklava recipe, I have used melted vegan unsalted butter. It gives these homemade baklava or Saragli cigars a beautiful golden color and flavor. It also prevents the phyllo dough from becoming dry. You can also use vegan ghee or olive oil. Melt the butter before you start making the baklava rolls.
Besides these ingredients, you will also need a skewer, chopstick, or a thin cake dowel that’s a bit longer than the width of your phyllo sheet.
To make the sugar syrup
Sugar - I have used regular white sugar here. Read the notes below to know the substitution for sugar syrup.
Lemon juice is added when making sugar syrup as it helps prevent the crystallization of sugar. It also increases the shelf life of the baklavas.
Cardamom powder is added to give the sugar syrup an aromatic flavor. Add a cardamom pod instead of powder if that's what you have.
How to make it 🔪
To make the Karanji puran
- Heat a tablespoon of vegan butter in a pan. Fry the chopped nuts for 30 seconds.
- Then add and fry the sesame seeds and poppy seeds for another 30 seconds.
- Now add the sweetened coconut flakes. Roast for 1-2 minutes on medium flame. Keep stirring to ensure even roasting. Be careful to not burn the coconut. Roasting brings out the nutty flavor.
- Take the pan off the flame. Mix in cardamom powder, nutmeg, and saffron. Taste and add powdered sugar to get the desired level of sweetness. Let it cool down a bit. Chef tip - This filling can be made ahead and stored in the fridge until ready to use.
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To make the Baklava rolls
- Thaw the phyllo sheets as mentioned in the packet. You will need a large clean area where you can work. Carefully place 1 filo sheet on a dry working board. Brush it with butter. Place another sheet on top. Press it lightly and brush it with butter. Chef tip - Work with one sheet at a time keeping the other sheets under a damp cloth to prevent them from drying out. Keep melted vegan butter ready before you begin.
- Generously sprinkle the Karanji mixture all over. You don't need to be very precise about how much goes into it. I just use a big spoon to sprinkle and eyeball it. Then use your hands to spread it out evenly.
- Fold both sheets together in half. Place a skewer (should be slightly longer than the length of your phyllo) or a dowel on one end. Then with the help of the skewer, roll the sheets as tightly and thinly as possible. Remove the skewer and keep it aside. They will look like cigar rolls. Using the skewer makes the rolling process easy.
- Once it’s rolled up, scrunch both ends of the rolled phyllo, and carefully push towards the center. Then place the roll in a 9" x 13" inch greased baking tray or oven-safe casserole. Prepare the remaining rolls in the same manner until no more phyllo sheets and karanji puran remain and fit them tightly in the baking tray. Cut off the ends on both sides of the rolls if they don't fit your baking dish. Brush each roll with melted butter.
- Cut them evenly using a sharp knife. Chef tip - Put the baklava rolls in the fridge for 10 minutes to get the butter hard and then it will be easier to cut them into smaller pieces. If you want to make mini baklava rolls, cut them accordingly.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and then bake these vegan Kanaji Baklava Rolls for 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden.
To prepare the sugar syrup
- While the Karanji Baklava is baking in the oven, prepare the sugar syrup. In a pan, add sugar, water, cardamom powder, and lemon juice.
- Cook uncovered till it is slightly thick and reduced. This could take 8-10 minutes. Keep the flame on medium. Let the syrup cool down a bit. Once you remove the baked baklava from the oven, immediately pour this aromatic sugar syrup straight from the pan evenly over the baklava rolls. It should sizzle. Sprinkle crushed nuts and saffron on top. You can also sprinkle dried rose petals or powdered sugar on top. Let it sit for 1-2 hours on the counter before serving so that the baked pastry can soak up all of the syrup. You can also leave it overnight. Store uncovered to keep the baklava rolls crispy.
Serving suggestions 🍽
Carefully remove the rolls and serve them warm or cold. I feel that Karanji Baklava Rolls (Saragli) taste even better the next day if you have the patience to wait. Some toppings like chocolate, vegan whipped cream, or vegan vanilla ice cream go well with crispy, flaky buttery Karanji Baklava Rolls. Pair it with your morning or evening tea/coffee. These dairy-free easy baklava rolls can also be served as a sweet dessert at the end of the meal.
You can make and serve these sweet bite-sized dairy-free Karanji Baklava Rolls on any festive occasion like Diwali, Holi, Thanksgiving, Eid, Ramadan, or Christmas. It's the perfect visually stunning filo pastry dessert for holiday gifting as well. Serve these sinfully delicious sweet treats at parties, brunches, birthdays, anniversaries, potlucks, events, baby showers, wedding parties, or get-togethers because it's a crowd-pleaser! Save some for your next date night! If you are specifically looking for Diwali sweets and savory recipes, then check out this roundup.
Top recipe tips 💭
You can also add 1-2 tablespoons of cocoa powder to the coconut mixture to make chocolate-flavored vegan Indian Karanji Baklava Rolls. Feel free to add more varieties of chopped nuts like chironji nuts, walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, or dry fruits. Jaggery powder, brown sugar, or stevia (if making it sugar-free) can be used instead of sugar when making the karanji puran or stuffing. Skip adding poppy seeds if you don't have them. The karanji filling can be made ahead and stored in the fridge until ready to use. Slice them before you bake them. Once they are baked, it will be difficult to slice them.
When making the sugar syrup, you can also add cinnamon, cloves, vanilla extract, citrus peel, orange blossom, or rose water to get different flavors. Do not place the baking dish too close to the top of the oven or heating element. This prevents the top layer from becoming too crispy. It's important to pour cold sugar syrup over hot baklava to make sure it sticks together. Instead of phyllo sheets, you can also use regular puff pastry sheets and make Coconut Karanji Puffs or Karanji Pinwheels with the same stuffing.
FAQs 📖
You can use freshly grated coconut, desiccated coconut, or coconut shreds as a substitute for dry coconut flakes. If you are not using sweetened coconut flakes, you will need to add half a cup of powdered sugar to get the desired sweetness. It's OK if the Karanji stuffing mixture is very sweet. Once it gets rolled into the phyllo sheets, the sweetness will balance out.
Put the packet of phyllo dough in the refrigerator to defrost, the night before you are going to make your baklava. Do not try to use frozen phyllo, it will crack. Open the packet only when you are going to make the baklavas. Work with one sheet at a time keeping the other sheets under a damp towel (not dripping wet) to prevent them from drying out. Be quick but also gentle when handling the sheets of phyllo. Keep them close to the baking dish for minimum movement. It's okay if it rips and tears a bit. I have used 2 sheets to make one roll.
It could be that you covered and stored it when it was still hot or warm. The other reason could be that the sugar syrup was not cold enough when you poured it over the hot baklava. Avoid making these mistakes to get crisp baklavas.
Store at room temp, by covering it with a hand towel for 1 to 2 weeks, making it perfect for entertaining. You can also keep it in the fridge. The crispness will last longer if stored at room temperature though. Cooked baklava rolls can also be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Wrap them tightly in a dish using several plastic wrap layers to protect it from freezer burn and then place them in the freezer. Thaw at room temperature and serve. It will be just as good as fresh and doesn’t take too long to thaw. You can also reheat them in the microwave. By the way, you can also freeze unbaked Saragli and then cook them from frozen when needed.
If you want to make Turkish baklava rolls nut-free, skip adding the nuts and make it with the other ingredients mentioned in the recipe. But if you want, you can also add raisins, cranberries, granola, rolled oats, rice cereal, breadcrumbs, chopped pretzels, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, dates, dried apricots, dried figs, Nutella, or chocolate chips instead.
Instead of sugar syrup, you can also do a thorough soak in simple syrup (with a hint of lemon) while they're still warm. The Indian Karanji Baklava rolls will stay light, and crispy. Thinned date syrup, maple syrup, or agave syrup can also be added. If you are not vegan, you can also just drizzle honey or a milk glaze.
Yes, you can air-fry the baklava fingers instead of baking it. Place the baklava rolls in an air-fryer tray, and brush them with butter. Cover the tray tightly with oven-safe foil. There is no need to poke holes into the foil. Add some baking beans on top of the foil to secure it down further. Air-fry at 375 degrees F for 20 minutes or until lightly golden. Take out the tray and pour the sugar syrup all over the baklavas.
More fusion desserts
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Recipe 📖
Vegan Baklava Rolls | Karanji Baklava
Equipment
- Oven
Ingredients
To make the Karanji Puran
- 4 oz vegan butter or vegan ghee
- 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
- ½ tablespoon sesame seeds
- ½ tablespoon poppy seeds
- ⅛ teaspoon cardamom powder
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ cup mixed nuts chopped, unsalted
- 1 teaspoon saffron
- 2 tablespoon powdered sugar optional
- 8 oz phyllo sheets
To make the sugar syrup
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup water
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ⅛ teaspoon cardamom powder
Instructions
To make the Karanji Puran
- Heat a tablespoon of vegan butter in a pan. Fry the chopped nuts for 30 seconds.
- Then add and fry the sesame seeds and poppy seeds for another 30 seconds.
- Now add the sweetened coconut flakes. Roast for 1-2 minutes on medium flame. Keep stirring to ensure even roasting. Be careful to not burn the coconut. Roasting brings out the nutty flavor.
- Take the pan off the flame. Mix in cardamom powder, nutmeg, and saffron. Taste and add powdered sugar to get the desired level of sweetness. Let it cool down a bit. Chef tip - This filling can be made ahead and stored in the fridge until ready to use.
To prepare the Baklava Rolls
- Thaw the phyllo sheets as mentioned in the packet. You will need a large clean area where you can work. Carefully place 1 filo sheet on a dry working board. Brush it with butter. Place another sheet on top. Press it lightly and brush it with butter. Chef tip - Work with one sheet at a time keeping the other sheets under a damp cloth to prevent them from drying out. Keep melted vegan butter ready before you begin.
- Generously sprinkle the Karanji mixture all over. You don't need to be very precise about how much goes into it. I just use a big spoon to sprinkle and eyeball it. Then use your hands to spread it out evenly.
- Fold both sheets together in half. Place a skewer (should be slightly longer than the length of your phyllo) or a dowel on one end. Then with the help of the skewer, roll the sheets as tightly and thinly as possible. Remove the skewer and keep it aside. They will look like cigar rolls. Using the skewer makes the rolling process easy.
- Once it’s rolled up, scrunch both ends of the rolled phyllo, and carefully push towards the center. Then place the roll in a 9" x 13" inch greased baking tray or oven-safe casserole. Prepare the remaining rolls in the same manner until no more phyllo sheets remain and fit them tightly in the baking tray. Cut off the ends on both sides of the rolls don't fit your baking dish. Brush each roll with melted butter.
- Cut them evenly using a sharp knife. Chef tip - Put the baklava rolls in the fridge for 10 minutes to get the butter hard and then it will be easier to cut them into smaller pieces. If you want to make mini baklava rolls, cut them accordingly.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and then bake these vegan Kanaji Baklava Rolls for 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden.
To make the sugar syrup
- While the Karanji Baklava is baking in the oven, prepare the sugar syrup. In a pan, add sugar, water, cardamom powder, and lemon juice.
- Cook uncovered till it is slightly thick and reduced. This could take 8-10 minutes. Keep the flame on medium. Let the syrup cool down a bit. Once you remove the baked baklava from the oven, immediately pour this aromatic sugar syrup straight from the pan evenly over the baklava rolls. It should sizzle. Sprinkle crushed nuts and saffron on top. You can also sprinkle dried rose petals or powdered sugar on top. Let it sit for 1-2 hours on the counter before serving so that the baked pastry can soak up all of the syrup. You can also leave it overnight. Store uncovered to keep the baklava rolls crispy. Carefully remove the rolls and serve them warm or cold.
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