These pistachio cinnamon rolls have a fluffy brioche dough filled with cinnamon sugar and ground pistachios. They're baked with a drizzle of Irish cream and are topped with an incredible cream cheese pistachio cream frosting infused with more Irish cream!
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Brioche dough- Like my cherry cinnamon rolls, this dough is made with butter, eggs, and a little sugar to create a rich, buttery base with a chewy, soft crumb. It's flavored with a tiny bit of almond extract for a sweet, pistachio-like nuttiness.
- Gooey cinnamon sugar filling- I was torn about what to do for the filling here. Make a pistachio butter with ground pistachios, use pistachio cream? Ultimately, I don't think I could call these cinnamon rolls without that classic, irresistibly gooey cinnamon sugar filling we all know and love. Crushed pistachios are sprinkled on top of the sugar for crunch!
- Pistachio cream cheese frosting- These cinnamon rolls make a great St. Patrick's Day treat because the pistachio cream makes the cream cheese frosting green! It has a little Irish cream for an extra delicious kick.
Ingredient Notes
- Milk- You can use any kind of milk here; I usually reach for whole milk or 2%.
- Granulated sugar- Don't reduce the amount of sugar! We need it to sweeten the rolls and activate the yeast.
- Instant yeast- This is also called quick-rise yeast and it does just that! You can also use active dry yeast, but it will take the rolls longer to rise.
- Butter- I use unsalted butter in the dough, filling, and frosting but salted butter works just fine. It needs to be room temperature for all components.
- Eggs- You need 2 large eggs for the dough, and they need to be room temperature so they mix in evenly. Pull them out of the fridge about 2 hours before you start baking.
- Almond extract- There is just a hint of almond extract in the dough for more nuttiness. Almond extract is super strong, so you only need a tiny bit!
- Bread flour- This recipe is heavily inspired by Ambitious Kitchen's legendary cinnamon roll recipe, which seriously changed my life. Monique's recipe taught me that bread flour is a game changer for cinnamon rolls because it has more protein than all purpose flour. The extra protein creates an extra soft and chewy texture!
- Brown sugar- Light or dark brown sugar works for the filling, but I found that the pistachio flavor comes through more with light brown sugar.
- Pistachios- You can use roasted or raw pistachios. Just make sure they're shelled.
- Cream cheese- Make sure to use full-fat cream cheese for the best frosting flavor and texture. It has to be room temperature so the frosting doesn't turn out lumpy.
- Pistachio cream- This is a green paste made of pistachios, sugar, and milk. It's sweet and nutty and just delicious! I use Luscioux Pistachio Cream from World Market. Thanks to the Dubai chocolate trend, it's now pretty easy to find at most grocery stores.
- Irish cream- I like adding this to the frosting for a boozy twist, but you can substitute heavy cream if you prefer.
For the full list of ingredients and measurements, see the recipe card below.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Start by microwaving the milk in a small bowl for 40-45 seconds. It should reach 110ยฐF (if you have a thermometer) and feel like warm bath water. Sprinkle the yeast on top.
Step 2: Add the milk mixture, granulated sugar, eggs, melted butter, and almond extract to the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook. Whisk to combine.
Don't overheat the milk. It should be between 105-115ยฐF. If it's hotter, it will likely kill the yeast, so the pistachio cinnamon rolls won't rise. When you dip your finger in, it should feel like warm bath water. It shouldn't feel HOT hot. If it is, let it cool down for a couple of minutes before adding the yeast.
Step 3: Stir in the flour and salt with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until a sticky dough forms.
Step 4: Knead the dough on medium speed for 7-10 minutes until it turns into a slightly sticky ball that pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If the dough is still sticking after 10 minutes, add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time until it pulls away.
Use the windowpane test. Take a small piece of dough and gently stretch it between your fingers. If it stretches into a thin, almost see-through sheet without tearing, the gluten is properly developed. If it tears right away, keep kneading for a few more minutes and test again.
Step 5: Place the dough in a large greased bowl. Cover with a dish towel and let it rise for 1-1ยฝ hours.
Rise time can vary depending on your kitchen environment. In a warm, humid space, the dough will rise faster, while cooler or drier conditions can slow it down. Instead of watching the clock, focus on the dough. It's ready when it has doubled in size and looks puffy. If your kitchen is on the cooler side, you can place the dough in a slightly warm (but turned off) oven to help it rise more quickly. Placing a warm, damp kitchen towel on top of the bowl helps too!
Step 6: While the dough rises, make the filling by beating room temperature butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon together until smooth.
Step 7: Lightly dust your surface and rolling pin with flour (so the dough doesn't stick), and then roll the dough out into a 14x9-inch rectangle, about ยผ-inch thick. Spread the filling over the entire surface of the dough and sprinkle chopped pistachios on top.
Try to keep the dough as rectangular as possible! This will help make the rolls even when you cut them. I keep reshaping with a bench scraper throughout.
Step 8: Cut into 12 thick strips with a pizza cutter. They should be about 1ยฝ inches wide. You can measure and mark gently with your pizza cutter before cutting.
Roll each strip into a tight spiral and place them in a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Cover and let the rolls rise for 30-45 minutes until super puffy. Preheat the oven to 350ยฐF as they rise.
Step 9: Drizzle the rolls with Irish cream so they stay moist and fluffy. Bake them for 30-35 minutes until golden brown. Allow them to cool for about 10 minutes before frosting.
If the middles pop out while baking, just gently press them back in. This can happen if you roll them too tightly or if your pan is too small, but it doesn't affect the taste!
Step 10: For the frosting, beat the cream cheese and softened butter together on medium-high speed. Then mix in the powdered sugar, pistachio cream, and Irish cream on medium-low until smooth and creamy.
Step 11: Spoon the frosting onto each cinnamon roll and spread it on using the back of a spoon. Garnish with more crushed pistachios and enjoy warm!
How to Make Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
- Prepare the dough and let it complete its first rise until doubled in size.
- Roll out the dough, add the filling, and cut into rolls as directed.
- Arrange the rolls in your baking dish, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight (up to 18 hours).
- In the morning, remove the rolls from the fridge and bring them to room temperature, letting them rise for 45-60 minutes.
- Bake as directed, frost, and enjoy warm!
Storage
You can store the leftover frosted pistachio cinnamon rolls in the same baking dish tightly covered with plastic wrap in the fridge. They last for up to 1 week. They are delicious heated in the microwave for 30-60 seconds!
More Pistachio Recipes to Try
๐ Recipe
Pistachio Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
- 1 5-quart stand mixer with the dough hook
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 1 Pizza Cutter
Need Metric or US Customary Measurements?
Use the buttons below to toggle between grams and cups!
Ingredients
Dough
- 240 grams milk whole or 2%
- 2 ยผ teaspoon instant yeast 1 packet. See notes for active dry yeast option.
- 67 grams granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 113 grams unsalted butter melted
- ยผ teaspoon almond extract
- 480 grams bread flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
Filling
- 113 grams unsalted butter room temperature
- 156 grams light brown sugar
- 1 ยฝ tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 60 grams chopped pistachios
- 60 grams Irish cream
Pistachio Cream Cheese Frosting
- 113 grams full-fat cream cheese room temperature
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter room temperature
- 30 grams powdered sugar
- 30 grams pistachio cream
- 2 tablespoons Irish cream
Instructions
Dough
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, heat the milk for 40-45 seconds until it reaches about 105-115ยฐF. It should feel like warm bath water (warm, but not HOT). Sprinkle the yeast evenly over the top.240 grams milk, 2 ยผ teaspoon instant yeast
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, add the milk mixture, granulated sugar, eggs, melted butter, and almond extract. Mix on low speed until fully combined.67 grams granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, 113 grams unsalted butter, ยผ teaspoon almond extract
- Add the bread flour and salt. Mix on low speed or stir with a spatula until a shaggy, sticky dough forms and no dry streaks remain.480 grams bread flour, 1 teaspoon salt
- Increase to medium speed and knead the dough for 7-10 minutes, until it becomes smooth and slightly tacky and begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. If the dough is still very sticky after kneading, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time until it comes together.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for 1-1ยฝ hours, or until doubled in size and puffy.
Filling
- In a medium bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon together until smooth and spreadable.113 grams unsalted butter, 156 grams light brown sugar, 1 ยฝ tablespoon ground cinnamon
- Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin. Roll the dough into a 14x9-inch rectangle about ยผ-inch thick, keeping the edges as straight as possible. Spread the filling evenly over the dough, then sprinkle the ground or finely chopped pistachios on top.60 grams chopped pistachios
- Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the dough into 12 even strips (about 1ยฝ inches wide). Roll each strip up tightly into a spiral and place them in a greased 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Cover the rolls and let them rise for 30-45 minutes, or until noticeably puffy. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350ยฐF.
- Just before baking, drizzle the tops with Irish cream. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown. Let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before frosting.60 grams Irish cream
Pistachio Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, pistachio cream, and Irish cream, and mix on low speed until fully combined and creamy.113 grams full-fat cream cheese, 2 tablespoon unsalted butter, 30 grams powdered sugar, 30 grams pistachio cream, 2 tablespoons Irish cream
- Spread the frosting over the warm rolls and finish with a sprinkle of crushed pistachios. Serve warm.
Notes
- Active dry yeast: If you use active dry yeast instead of instant (or quick rise) yeast, you need to wait at least 10 minutes for it to get foamy in the hot milk before adding it to the rest of the ingredients. The rolls may take longer to rise with active dry yeast too.
- Measure flour correctly. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off. Too much flour can make the rolls dense and dry.
- Don't overmix the dough. Knead just until the dough is smooth and passes the windowpane test. Over-kneading can make the dough tough.
- Don't overbake. The rolls should be lightly golden on top. Overbaking will dry them out.
- Storage: Store leftover rolls covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Warm before serving.
- Freezing: Freeze unfrosted baked rolls in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and warm before frosting and serving.
Comments
No Comments