Pistachio Croissant

🥐 From Leftovers to Luxury: My Homemade Pistachio Croissants

If there’s one thing I’ve learned as a home baker, it’s that nothing in the kitchen should go to waste — especially not a good croissant.

This week, I found myself with a few plain croissants left over — still perfectly soft, buttery, and flaky, but past their first-day glow. Rather than let them sit another day, I decided to give them a little glow-up... and thus, my pistachio croissants were born.

Let me tell you — this might be my new favourite way to “recycle” pastries.

Why Pistachio?

There’s something about pistachios that instantly feels fancy, right? Their sweet, nutty flavor pairs beautifully with buttery pastry, and when turned into a creamy filling and a crunchy topping… magic happens.

How I Make Them

I start by slicing the croissants in half and brushing them with a simple syrup — this helps soften them slightly and adds just the right amount of moisture.

Next comes the pistachio filling: a rich, nutty mixture made with ground pistachios, a touch of butter, sugar and an egg. I generously fill and spread this inside the croissants, then slather a bit more on top for good measure.

Into the oven they go, just long enough to crisp up and caramelize the edges — and when they come out, I give them a good dusting of powdered sugar.

They’re crispy on the outside, soft and creamy on the inside, and bursting with flavour in every bite.

Ingredients:

• 4 store bought croissants 
• 1 cup whole shelled pistachios, plus a little more for garnish
• 1/2 cup brown sugar 
• 2 tbsp cornstarch 
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 large egg 
• 2 tbsp sugar 
• 2 tbsp hot water 

Instructions:

1. In a food processor, finely grind pistachios in a blender. 
2. Transfer to a bowl and mix with brown sugar and cornstarch. 
3. Add in the butter and cream together then mix in the egg. 
4. Cut the croissants in half lengthwise and brush with simple syrup. 
5. Spread about 3-4 tablespoons of filling. Add about 1 tablespoon of filling on the top of the croissant and roll in ground pistachios. 
6. Bake in the oven at 175C or 350F for about 10-12 minutes. Dust with icing sugar once out of the oven and allow to cool. 

A Little Luxury, Anytime

These pistachio croissants feel like something you’d find in a fancy bakery in Paris — but they’re made with leftovers, right in my own kitchen. And that’s the beauty of home baking: turning the everyday into something a little extraordinary.

If you’ve got some plain croissants lying around (or even if you don’t — it’s worth grabbing a few just for this), try giving them the pistachio treatment. You might never look at “leftovers” the same way again.