Tahini and Pistachio Cinnamon Rolls

Make these delicious sweet Tahini and Pistachio Cinnamon Rolls and impress your family and friends with a different take on the classic cinnamon roll.

These sweet Tahini and Pistachio Cinnamon Rolls make a special breakfast, brunch or dessert treat that will quickly become a favourite!

Tender, fluffy and flavourful with cinnamon and cardamom, these pistachio cinnamon rolls are a family favourite. They are lightly sweetened and can be enjoyed with or without the glaze. However, if you like your baked goods on the sweeter side, you'll want to make the glaze and drizzle a bit over these heavenly pistachio buns.

These Tahini and Pistachio Cinnamon Rolls came about when I had the urge to combine tahini, brown sugar, spices and pistachios into a baked treat. Delicious rolls seemed like the perfect choice.

Tahini, cardamom and pistachios make these buns stand out from regular cinnamon rolls and are definitely worth the little active time that it takes to make them.

How to Make Pistachio Cinnamon Rolls

Here is an overview of the ingredients needed to make them. Ingredient amounts and instructions on how to make these pistachio rolls are available in the recipe card at the end of this post.

Ingredients Overview:

For the Dough

• All-purpose flour 
• Granulated sugar
• Salt
• Instant yeast 
• Ground cardamom
• Water
• Milk 
• Unsalted butter
• Egg

For the Filling:

• Tahini: Can be substituted with pistachio paste for even more pistachio flavor. If you don't have either, softened unsalted butter will do.
• Brown sugar: You can use either dark or light brown sugar.
• Pistachios: Shelled and unsalted.
• Ground cinnamon and cardamom

Tip: Though it's not necessary, toasting the pistachios will make their flavour come out. To toast the shelled pistachios, place them in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet and roast them in a preheated oven (350F) for 4 minutes, stir them and toast for another 3 to 4 minutes. Remove them from oven and let cool on baking sheet before proceeding with the recipe.

For the Icing:

• Icing sugar: Also know as confectioner's sugar.
• Milk
• Pure vanilla extract
• Orange or lemon juice: Freshly squeezed for the best flavor.
• Salt
• Pistachios: Extra chopped pistachios for sprinkling on top of buns (optional).

Steps Overview:

To make the dough:

• After measuring the flour (for the dough) remove 1/2 cup and reserve for use if necessary, you may only need a portion of the 1/2 cup of flour.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, stir together flour, sugar, salt, yeast and cardamom.
• Combine the water, milk and butter in a glass measuring cup. Heat in the microwave on high for about 30 seconds until butter melts and mixture is warm (approx. 115°F or 46°C).
• Add the liquid to the flour, and combine with the flour mixture.
• Add the egg and knead for 3 minutes. Add more flour (use the flour you put aside earlier), only add a little at a time to create a smooth, and slightly sticky dough.
• Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl and let it rest for 10 minutes.

To prepare the filling:

• Finely chop the shelled pistachios.
• In a small bowl mix the brown sugar, cinnamon and cardamom.
• To roll the dough, lightly flour your surface and rolling pin. Roll dough to a 1/4 inch thickness. Adding a little more flour if the dough is too sticky.
• Roll the dough into a 14-inches long and 8-inches tall rectangle.
• Spread tahini onto dough (leaving a 1/2 inch border on all sides), sprinkle with brown sugar and spices, and top with the finely chopped pistachios.
• Start rolling the dough from the long end into a tight log. Lightly pinch the seam.
• Place the log with the seam side down, and using a sharp knife cut dough crosswise into approximately 12 even slices.
• Arrange the pieces cut side up into a greased pie dish and cover loosely with greased aluminum foil.
• Let dough rise in a warm draft free spot approximately 60 to 90 min. If you're in a hurry, you could heat your oven to 200°F, once heated turn the oven off and place the rolls in the oven. Doing it this way takes the rolls about 45 min to double in size.
• Once the rolls have doubled in size, remove them from the oven (if that's where you had let them rise).
• Position a rack in the center and preheat your oven to 375°F.
• Bake rolls until tops are golden, about 20 to 25 minutes, you may want to cover your rolls (with aluminum foil) half way through baking to avoid over browning.
• Remove rolls from the oven and let cool 10 to 15 minutes.

To make the glaze:

• Combine the icing sugar, milk, vanilla extract, freshly squeezed orange or lemon juice and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Whisk until there are no lumps.
• Drizzle the still warm pistachio buns with glaze and sprinkle with additional chopped pistachios if desired.

Serving Suggestions

Enjoy these pistachio cinnamon rolls while still warm with a cup of coffee or tea.

Storage Instructions

There's nothing like the scent of fresh cinnamon rolls baking in the oven. If you happen to have leftovers, you can wrap them up individually in foil, and store them in a freezer bag in the freezer for up to three months.

This way whenever you feel like having a roll you can take one out and enjoy it with minimal effort.

You can thaw the cinnamon cardamom rolls overnight in the refrigerator or thaw them a bit on the counter and then warm the buns still wrapped in foil in a low oven. You can also unwrap it and heat it in the microwave.

Why go out to the bakery for your rolls when you can bake your own gorgeous, delicious and fluffy Tahini and Pistachio Cinnamon Rolls at home.

Enjoy!

More Baked Treats to Try

• Espresso Cardamom Shortbread Cookies
• Blackberry Scones
• Lemon Zucchini Loaf
• Date and Walnut Cake

Tahini and Pistachio Cinnamon Rolls

Author: Fida | Sweet and Savoury Pursuits, Dough portion adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction

These Tahini and Pistachio Cinnamon Rolls make a special breakfast, brunch or dessert treat that will quickly become a favourite!

5 from 4 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!

Prep Time 1 hr 15 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 1 hr 35 mins

Course Dessert/ snack

Cuisine American, European, Middle-Eastern

Servings 12 rolls

Calories 271 kcal

Ingredients

  

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For the Dough:

• 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour 345g.
• 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon package instant yeast 1 package contains 2 1/4 .
• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup milk I used 2 %
• 2 ½ Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 large egg

For the Filling:

• 4 Tablespoons tahini or unsalted butter (softened)
• ⅓ cup brown sugar
• 3 Tablespoons finely chopped pistachios
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¾ teaspoon ground cardamom

Icing:

• 1 ½ cups icing sugar
• 2 Tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed orange or lemon juice
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 Tablespoon finely chopped pistachios for sprinkling on top optional

Instructions

 

To Make the Dough

• After measuring the flour (for the dough) remove 1/2 cup and reserve for use if necessary, you may only need a portion of the 1/2 cup of flour.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, stir together flour, sugar, salt, yeast and cardamom.
• Combine the water, milk and butter in a glass measuring cup. Heat in the microwave on high for about 30 seconds until butter melts and mixture is warm (approx. 115°F or 46°C).
• Add the liquid to the flour, and combine with the flour mixture.
• Add the egg and knead on the dough hook for 3 minutes. Add more flour (from the 1/2 cup you reserved earlier) as necessary to create a smooth, and slightly sticky dough.
• You could also remove the dough from the bowl and on a lightly floured surface, knead the dough by hand for about 3 minutes.
• Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl and let it rest for 10 minutes.

To prepare the filling:

• Finely chop the pistachios.
• In a small bowl mix the brown sugar, cinnamon and cardamom.
• To roll the dough, start by lightly flouring your surface and the rolling pin, roll dough to a 1/4 inch thickness. Adding a little more flour if the dough is too sticky.
• Roll the dough into a 14-inches long and 8-inches tall rectangle.
• Spread tahini onto dough (leaving a 1/2 inch border on all sides), sprinkle with brown sugar and spices, and top with the finely chopped pistachios.
• Start rolling the dough from the long end into a tight log. Lightly pinch the seam.
• Place the log with the seam side down, and using a sharp knife cut dough crosswise into approximately 12 even slices.
• Arrange the pieces cut side up into a greased pie dish and cover loosely with greased aluminum foil.
• Let dough rise in a warm draft free spot approximately 60 to 90 min. You could turn your oven on and heat to 200°F, once heated turn the oven off and place rolls in oven. Doing it this way took the rolls about 45 min to double in size.
• Once the rolls have doubled in size, remove them from the oven (if that's where you had let them rise).
• Position a rack in the center and preheat your oven to 375°F.
• Bake rolls until tops are golden, about 20 to 25 minutes, you may want to cover your rolls (with aluminum foil) half way through baking to avoid over browning.
• Remove rolls from the oven and let cool 10 - 15 minutes.

To make the glaze:

• Combine the icing sugar, milk, vanilla extract, freshly squeezed orange or lemon juice and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Whisk until there are no lumps.
• Drizzle the still warm rolls with glaze and sprinkle with additional chopped pistachios if desired.
• These rolls should be served and enjoyed while still warm.

Notes

1. Tahini used in the filling can be substituted with an equal amount of pistachio paste or softened unsalted butter.
2. To toast shelled pistachios, preheat oven to 350°F. Place pistachios in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast for 4 minutes, stir them and toast for another 3 to 4 minutes. Remove pistachios from the oven and let cool on baking sheet before proceeding with the recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 271kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 6gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 21mgSodium: 172mgPotassium: 125mgFiber: 2gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 115IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 32mgIron: 2mg

Keyword Pistachio Cinnamon Rolls, Sweet Tahini and Pistachio Cinnamon Rolls, Tahini and Pistachio Cinnamon Rolls, Tahini Rolls

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