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A pan of freshly baked pistachio rolls topped with creamy pistachio frosting and sprinkled with chopped pistachios.
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Pistachio Rolls

Soft, pillowy rolls swirled with a rich pistachio filling and topped with creamy pistachio frosting—these Pistachio Rolls are a nutty twist on the classic cinnamon roll. Perfectly sweet, fluffy, and finished with a sprinkle of chopped pistachios, they’re an irresistible treat for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword pistachio rolls
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Rest Time 3 hours
Total Time 4 hours
Servings 12 rolls
Calories 420kcal
Author Camila Hurst

Ingredients

Dough

  • 1¼ cup whole milk 300 ml
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar divided 66 grams
  • 1½ tbsp active yeast 14 grams
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter room temperature 84 grams
  • 2 large eggs whisked
  • 5½ cups all-purpose flour 701 grams
  • ½ tsp salt

Pistachio Filling

  • ¼ cup unsalted butter room temp (56g)
  • ⅓ cup pistachio paste or cream
  • ⅓ cup sugar 66g
  • ¾ cup pistachios chopped (90g)

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 1 cup cream cheese room temperature 256 grams
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter room temperature 56 grams
  • ½ cup pistachio paste or cream
  • 1¾ cup powdered sugar 218 grams
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Dough

  • Start by warming the milk to 110ºF. Pour it into a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer. Add 2 tablespoons of sugar, and yeast to the milk. Mix to combine. Let the mixture sit for 5 to 10 minutes, until it becomes foamy.
  • Add the rest of the sugar to the bowl, along with the butter and whisked eggs. Mix for about 30 seconds with the paddle attachment of the mixer, or use a spatula or wooden spoon to mix the ingredients.
  • The mixture won’t look incorporated, but that's normal. Add 5 cups of flour, and the salt, and continue to mix with the paddle attachment, until the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients are combined into a shaggy dough.
  • Switch to the dough hook and knead the dough on low speed for 8 to 10 minutes. Alternatively, turn the dough into a floured surface, and knead by hand for about 10 minutes.
  • Add the remaining ½ cup of flour to the dough if necessary, if the dough is sticking to the sides of the bowl, or too sticky to knead by hand. You should knead the dough until it is barely sticking to the sides of the bowl. It can be sticking on the bottom of the bowl, but should come off the sides. The dough should be soft and smooth, tacky but not sticky.
  • Shape it into a smooth ball. Place the dough in a large bowl greased with oil. Turn the dough over in the bowl to grease all around. Cover with plastic wrap, or aluminum foil, or a clean kitchen towel.
  • First rise: Let the dough rise at room temperature (around 72ºF) for about 2 hours. You could also place the dough in the fridge overnight, covered by plastic wrap.

Pistachio Filling

  • Place the butter and the pistachio paste in a bowl. Use a spoon to incorporate until they come together. Add the sugar and mix to combine. Set aside.

Assemble The Rolls

  • Grease a 9×13” pan with oil spray, or by brushing oil on the bottom and sides of the pan. Set it aside.
  • Check to see if the dough is ready. Gently poke the dough, it should form a small indentation, that slowly springs back, but not fully. If the dough springs back too quickly, it needs more proofing time. And if the dough doesn’t spring back at all, and a deep indentation forms when you poke it, it’s been over proofed.
  • Turn the dough onto a floured surface. Sprinkle a very small amount of flour over the dough. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a rectangle ½” thick, and the rectangle should measure about 20×12”. While rolling the dough, lift it off the counter gently a few times, to give it a chance to spring back and settle, which will ensure the dough is being properly rolled out.
  • If the dough keeps shrinking, let it sit on the counter for 5 to 10 minutes to relax the gluten.
  • Once the dough is in an even rectangle, spread the pistachio filling all over the surface of the dough, on an even layer. Sprinkle the chopped pistachios on top.
  • Roll the dough on the long end tightly, making an 20” dough log. Cut the ends off the dough to create smooth edges.
  • Divide the dough into 12 equal parts. I like to cut the rolls by placing a piece of floss underneath the dough and crossing it at the top, which makes a neat cut. If you use a knife to slice the rolls, it can squish them, and makes them pointy at the edges.
  • Place each roll in the greased baking sheet, in three rows of four rolls each. Cover the tray with plastic wrap.
  • Second rise: Let the dough rise for about 1 hour, until puffed up. While the dough rises, pre-heat the oven to 350ºF.
  • Transfer the rolls to the oven and bake for about 25 minutes. It can take even up to 30 minutes, depending on the oven.
  • When done, the rolls should be browned around the edges and slightly browned in the center. Make sure the dough in the center is fully baked. If not, cover the rolls with foil and bake for another 3 to 5 minutes. Then check again, and repeat until they are baked through. If using a thermometer, the center should be about 190ºF.
  • Once baked, let the rolls cool for 20 minutes.

Pistachio Cream Cheese Frosting

  • Beat the cream cheese and butter together for one minute. Add the pistachio paste, beat to combine.
  • Add the powdered sugar, mix on low until incorporated. Add the vanilla.
  • When the rolls are cool, spread the frosting on top of the rolls. Sprinkle more chopped pistachios on top and serve.
  • The rolls are best served fresh, but you can keep them in the fridge once frosted. Let them sit at room temperature before serving. You can also keep them in the fridge without the frosting, and re-heat in the toaster or in the 350ºF oven for 5-10 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1roll | Calories: 420kcal