Pistachio Cream Croissants (Printable Version)

Buttery croissants filled with creamy pistachio filling and a golden crunchy phyllo topping.

# What You'll Need:

→ Croissants

01 - 8 all-butter croissants (preferably day-old)

→ Pistachio Cream

02 - 4.2 oz unsalted shelled pistachios
03 - 0.28 cups granulated sugar
04 - 0.44 cups unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 large egg
06 - 2 tablespoons heavy cream
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
08 - Pinch of salt

→ Phyllo Crunch

09 - 4 sheets phyllo dough, thawed
10 - 2.8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
11 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
12 - 1 oz chopped pistachios (for garnish)

→ Syrup

13 - 2.7 fl oz water
14 - 0.22 cups granulated sugar
15 - 1 teaspoon orange blossom water (optional)

# Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a small saucepan, combine water and sugar. Bring to a simmer while stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, stir in orange blossom water if using, and let cool.
03 - In a food processor, blend pistachios and sugar until finely ground. Add butter, egg, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt. Process until smooth and creamy.
04 - Slice each croissant horizontally, leaving a hinge so halves remain attached. Lightly brush the inside of each croissant with the cooled syrup.
05 - Spread a generous amount of pistachio cream inside each croissant. Close them and place on the prepared baking sheet.
06 - Lay one phyllo sheet, brush with melted butter, and sprinkle with sugar. Repeat layering with remaining sheets, buttering and sugaring each. Roll into a loose log and slice thinly to create shreds.
07 - Top each filled croissant with a nest of phyllo shreds. Sprinkle chopped pistachios over the top.
08 - Bake croissants for 15 to 18 minutes, until phyllo is golden and croissants are crisp and warmed through.
09 - Allow croissants to cool slightly before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They taste like you spent hours at a French patisserie, but the actual hands-on time is laughably short.
  • That contrast between the tender croissant, silky pistachio filling, and crispy phyllo shreds creates three different textures in every bite.
  • They're impressive enough to serve guests but easy enough that you won't stress about it.
02 -
  • Don't skip the cooling step for the syrup—brushing warm syrup on pistachio cream will cause it to melt and separate.
  • Phyllo dough tears easily, so handle it gently and keep unused sheets covered with a damp towel while you work.
  • If your pistachio cream looks grainy, your pistachios probably weren't fine enough; a food processor works better than a blender here.
03 -
  • Keep your phyllo dough covered with a barely damp kitchen towel while you work—it dries out fast and becomes impossible to handle without cracking.
  • Brush each phyllo sheet with melted butter immediately before layering the next one so they stick together and create that shattered texture instead of falling apart.
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