Abstract Cerium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG:Ce) powder was synthesized by the Pechini method with aluminum nitride, yttrium nitride, citric acid and ethylene glycol as the starting materials. Structure, morphology and luminescence spectra were investigated by using X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy measurements. The pure YAG phase was formed after heat treatment at 800 °C for 3 h and no intermediate phase was observed. The average size of the particles was about 70 nm. The photoluminescence spectrum of the crystalline YAG:Ce phosphors showed the green-yellow emission with 5d → 4f transition as the most prominent group. The increase of the ethylene glycol:citric acid molar ratio, resulted in a powder with smaller particle size and better luminescence properties.