These pistachio cinnamon rolls are made with a soft, fluffy brioche dough and filled with cinnamon sugar and finely ground pistachios. They’re baked with a drizzle of Irish cream and finished with a rich cream cheese pistachio frosting infused with even more Irish cream.
In a small microwave-safe bowl, heat the milk for 40-45 seconds until it reaches about 105-115°F. It should feel like warm bath water (warm, but not HOT). Sprinkle the yeast evenly over the top.
240 grams milk, 2 ¼ 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.
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 1-1½ 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 ½ tablespoon ground cinnamon
Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin. Roll the dough into a 14x9-inch rectangle about ¼-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 1½ 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 350°F.
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.
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.