Baklawa Croissants

Baklawa meet croissant! Croissant meet Baklawa! This might quite possibly be the best dessert fusion you’ll ever have. Imagine a crispy flakey croissant filled with spiced pistachio filling and orange blossom syrup, and then finished off with crushed pistachios and rose petals!

Since the chocolate almond croissants were a HUGE HIT, I figured we had to make a pistachio version inspired by baklawa! The best part about this recipe is how easy it is! I know what you’re thinking – how could croissants be easy to make? The hack is using store-bought croissants that are 2 to 3 days old. This is exactly how bakeries make them by the way so if you’re hesitant, don’t be. Almond croissants are thought to have originated in an attempt to reuse waste to turn an old croissant into something new. Hence why sometimes filled croissants are labeled as “twice-baked” in bakeries. Anyways let’s get to baking!

The Pistachio Filling

The most important part of this recipe that puts the pistachio in these pistachio croissants is the filling! Originally, I was going to do a pistachio raspberry croissant because I’ve had one from a bakery before and it was too good. But then I figured since this recipe would be a part of the Ramadan Recipe Series, why not make it Baklawa-inspired?

HERE ARE THE INGREDIENTS YOU NEED:

• pistachio flour
• granulated white sugar
• cornstarch
• salt
• unsalted butter, room temp
• vanilla extract
• cinnamon
• large eggs
• heavy cream

Add all the ingredients to a mixing bowl and beat together using a hand mixer. You can also use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment if you have one. The final consistency should be fluffy, creamy, and thick! If it appears too runny, pop it in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up a bit.

NOTE: If you’d like a brighter green color, you can opt to add green food coloring but that is completely not necessary! Keep in mind using roasted pistachios, will give you a deeper green color with a brown tint while raw pistachios will have a brighter green color. However, roasted pistachios have a more nutty taste.

The Simple Syrup

Since these are old croissants, we got to rehydrate them and make them soft on the inside. The simple syrup does just that while adding a Baklawa-inspired flavor profile to the croissants.

HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED:

• water
• granulated white sugar
• orange blossom water

To a small pan or pot over medium heat, add the water, sugar, and orange blossom water. Bring to a boil so all the sugar is dissolved and then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool to room temperature so it thickens up.

NOTE: I prefer the taste of orange blossom water in my Middle Eastern desserts but if you love rose water, use that instead or a combination of both.

Assembling and Baking

Once the pistachio filling and syrup are prepared, it’s time to assemble and bake.

Start by preheating the oven to 350°F. Slice the croissants in half to open them up like a book. Soak both sides in the simple syrup. Be generous with it. You can use a pastry brush or just dunk them in the syrup very quickly.

Add the pistachio filling across the whole inside. Depending on how rich you want the taste to be, you can add as little or as much filling as you like. Now, fold the croissant shut to close it again. Add a line of pistachio filling across the top and sprinkle on chopped pistachios. Repeat with the rest of the croissants.

Bake in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes until crispy all around. Allow the croissants to cool for 15 minutes. Finish off with a dusting of powdered sugar to enjoy!

Watch How to Make It

Craving More Pastries? Try These Recipes!

• Chocolate Almond Croissants
• Strawberry Croissants
• Cheese Danishes
• Mini Apple Pies

If you tried this recipe and loved it, drop by down below and let me know how you liked it with a rating and comment! Feel free to also leave a question there about this recipe and I’ll get right back to it.

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