As Ramadan unfolds across Türkiye, baklava shops and sweet stores are running at full throttle — with producers pulling up to 12-hour shifts to satisfy the surging demand for iftar-ending treats.
During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to sunset, breaking the fast each evening with iftar, a communal meal often shared with family and friends.
In Türkiye, these meals traditionally end with syrup-soaked desserts such as baklava and kadayıf, making the holy month the busiest season of the year for sweetmakers.
According to İlker Çiçek, a baklava producer based in the northwestern province of Yalova, Ramadan effectively doubles their workload.
“In Ramadan, we work nearly twice our normal hours,” Çiçek explains. “Our masters usually work seven to eight hours a day, but during this period they often work 10 to 12 hours to keep up with orders.”
According to Çiçek, his workshop produces around 100 trays of baklava per day during Ramadan.
Preparing a single tray takes roughly 20 minutes.
To maintain both speed and quality, five experienced baklava masters work side by side throughout the day.
Demand peaks especially after iftar, when many people crave something sweet following a day of fasting.
“After iftar, blood sugar levels rise and people tend to want dessert,” Çiçek says. “That’s when our sales increase the most. Still, we always recommend moderation.”
Baklava prices vary depending on ingredients and location, but Çiçek offers a general snapshot of the market.
Walnut baklava typically starts around 1,000 Turkish liras ($23) per tray, while pistachio baklava can reach approximately 1,500 liras ($34).
Ingredient quality, he emphasizes, is crucial.
Much of the pistachio used in premium baklava comes from southeastern Türkiye, particularly Gaziantep, a region internationally associated with the dessert.
Clarified butter, another key component, is often sourced from Şanlıurfa, where traditional methods are still used.
Baklava is only as good as its ingredients, according to Çiçek.
“Pistachio, butter and flour — these are the backbone of the dessert,” he says.
While the workdays are long, producers say Ramadan also brings a strong sense of purpose.
Many workshops pause briefly at sunset so staff can break their fast together before returning to work.
