Pistachio Cream Croissants (Printable)

Buttery croissants stuffed with pistachio cream and topped with crispy phyllo layers.

# What You'll Need:

→ Croissants

01 - 8 all-butter croissants, preferably day-old

→ Pistachio Cream

02 - 1 cup unsalted shelled pistachios
03 - 6 tbsp granulated sugar
04 - 7 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 large egg
06 - 2 tbsp heavy cream
07 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
08 - Pinch of salt

→ Phyllo Crunch

09 - 4 sheets phyllo dough, thawed
10 - 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
11 - 2 tbsp granulated sugar
12 - 1/4 cup chopped pistachios, for garnish

→ Syrup

13 - 1/3 cup water
14 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
15 - 1 tsp orange blossom water (optional)

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, add orange blossom water if desired, and allow to cool completely.
03 - In a food processor, blend pistachios and sugar until finely ground. Add softened butter, egg, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt, then process until smooth and creamy.
04 - Slice each croissant horizontally, keeping a hinge intact. Lightly brush the interior with the cooled syrup.
05 - Spread a generous amount of pistachio cream inside each croissant, then close and arrange on the prepared baking sheet.
06 - Layer phyllo sheets on a flat surface, brushing each with melted butter and sprinkling with sugar. Roll the layered sheets into a loose log and slice thinly to form shreds.
07 - Top each stuffed croissant with a nest of phyllo shreds and sprinkle with chopped pistachios.
08 - Bake croissants for 15 to 18 minutes until phyllo is golden and croissants are crisp and heated through.
09 - Allow croissants to cool slightly before serving.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • They taste like something from a fancy bakery but use store-bought croissants as your secret shortcut.
  • The pistachio cream is silky and luxurious without any fussing—a food processor does most of the work.
  • That crispy phyllo layer makes people think you've spent hours in the kitchen when it's really just thirty minutes.
02 -
  • If your phyllo dries out or cracks while you're working, brush it gently with butter and it will soften just enough to become pliable again.
  • The pistachio cream can be made a day ahead and kept covered in the fridge, which actually makes assembly day much easier and less stressful.
  • Don't skip the cooling step for the syrup—I learned this the hard way when a batch of beautiful croissants turned into limp sadness five minutes in the oven.
03 -
  • Make the pistachio cream up to a day ahead; this removes stress from assembly morning and actually improves the flavor as it sits.
  • If you find the phyllo shreds are too fragile, you can brush the baked croissants with a light sugar syrup right out of the oven for an extra caramelized touch.
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