Pistachio Honey Baklava Rolls

Buttery and flaky pistachio honey baklava rolls with honey syrup are really fun to make and so delicious.

My kids love baklava and they always order a pistachio version from our favorite Lebanese restaurant. I recently discovered a recipe for these pistachio honey baklava rolls on Tatyana’s Everyday Food that looked fairly easy to make and I knew my kids would be thrilled. I adapted the recipe by halving it because I only had one sheet of puff pastry. The rolls were fun to make and my kids both loved them.

How to Make Pistachio Honey Baklava Rolls

Defrost the sheet of frozen pastry dough by placing it in the refrigerator overnight, to allow the dough to soften.  Side Note: If you do a quick-thaw on the counter, make sure to re-refrigerate the thawed pastry for 1 hour before using again. The dough must be very cold. 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Make the filling by placing the pistachios and sugar in a food processor and pulse until finely diced and well combined.

Add the butter and cinnamon then pulse until a thick paste forms; set aside until needed.

Make the rolls by removing the pastry from the refrigerator, unwrap it, and lay it flat on a work surface. Use a rolling pin to flatten the dough further into a square. Cut the square in equal halves.

Spread the pistachio paste evenly on one of the halves of puff pastry, leaving a 1/2-inch border along the top and bottom. Next, drizzle the honey evenly over the pistachio paste.

Place the second half of the puff pastry over the top, then press the top and bottom borders together.

Using a long sharp knife, cut the dough in 1-inch strips lengthwise.

Shape the rolls by lifting a strip of the pastry then gently twist the strip of dough from both ends, creating a twisted rope. Side Note: If the dough sticks to the surface, slide a knife underneath to loosen it. 

Turn the twisted rope of pastry dough into a pinwheel or roll shape, and tuck the end underneath. Place on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them 2 inches apart. Brush the tops of each roll with egg wash.

Bake the rolls in the oven for 25-30 minutes, turning the tray halfway through baking, until they are golden brown and the puff pastry is cooked through. Side Note: The puff pastry should be super soft, fluffy, and spring back when pressed lightly.

Make the honey syrup while the rolls are baking by heating the honey and water in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, making sure it doesn’t boil over.

Remove the syrup from the heat then add the fresh lemon juice and stir well; set aside until needed.

Finish the rolls by removing them from the oven when baked and immediately brushing the warm honey syrup evenly over each roll, making 2 to 3 passes. Allow the syrup to really sink into the pastries.

Allow the rolls to stand for 5 minutes after adding the syrup then transfer to a cooling rack. Serve and enjoy.