Baklava Cinnamon Rolls

For the past two months, I’ve been wanting to make baklava. But because I want to do justice to the Middle Eastern dessert and give credit where it is due, somehow, I’ve never gotten around to it. Then the kids started making noises about cinnamon rolls during the weekend. So, I thought, why not marry the two and make baklava cinnamon rolls.

In another lifetime, when the US was home, I visited (embarrassingly often) a fabulous Middle Eastern bakery - Shatila. They had the yummiest Baklava I’ve had the pleasure of relishing. So many years have passed, but I can still taste them!

The inspiration for these sticky rolls that borrow the essence of baklava comes from those memories. One of these days, I will make authentic baklava. Till then, I’ll have to make do with treats reminiscent of its flavors.

How to make baklava cinnamon rolls?

Pillowy soft dough intertwined with nuts kissed with floral notes of honey and rose water, the dough for these sticky cinnamon rolls is one I’ve used for ages.

The original recipe for the dough is by The Pioneer Woman and it is a keeper. Trust me. Save it, bookmark it, print it, and use it repeatedly.

I constantly tweak it and bake variations like braided pesto bread, vegan apple braided bread, pumpkin bread rolls, or strawberry star bread. And I did it again for these baklava cinnamon rolls.

• Begin by warming up milk, oil, and sugar just enough that the sugar dissolves. You don’t want the mixture to come to a boil. 
• Let it cool a bit. When it’s lukewarm, add yeast. 
• Once the yeast is bubbling, whisk in your flour till everything is well combined. 
• Cover the dough and place it in a draft-free corner of your kitchen. 
• When the dough has doubled in volume, sprinkle some more flour along with salt, baking soda, and baking powder and mix. 

You can now start making the rolls, but I prefer to chill the dough for half an hour. A cooled dough is much more joyful to work with!

Baking the baklava cinnamon rolls

• While the oven preheats, roll out the dough on a well-floured surface. 
• Make a large-ish and thin rectangle, and brush it with olive oil. 
• Sprinkle brown sugar followed by a thick layer of chopped pistachios, walnuts, and almonds.
• Top with a liberal amount of cinnamon and a hint of nutmeg for that extra spice and aroma.

• Now slowly roll the dough, starting with the long side that is away from you. Make sure the line is straight, and the roll is tight. 
• Pinch the seam to close and then cut the rolls. I like to keep them about an inch and a half thick. 

• Place them on a well-greased tray with some breathing room in between them and allow them to rise once again. 
• After 15 to 20 minutes, slide them in the oven and bake till golden brown. 

Quick note:

Use a sharp knife to chop the nuts finely. If you rely on a food processor, keep checking so you don’t churn them into nut butter. 

Garnishing the baklava cinnamon roll

I was gunning for that rich, complex yet delicate taste of baklava. So, the sticky rolls got doused in a honey glaze. 

• Mix honey with a tiny amount of warm water to get the right consistency. 
• Add a teaspoon or two of rose water. 
• Pour the glaze as soon as the rolls come out of the oven. 
• Garnish with more nuts and dried fruits and serve!

It may seem like the cinnamon rolls are drowning in the glaze, but don’t worry. The rolls will soak it up. Plus, the notes of both honey and rose water are too subtle. They do not make them overly sweet.

Substitutes for ingredients

• Olive oil: butter will work perfectly fine here. It is, after all, the typical choice for cinnamon rolls.  
• Milk: regular milk, almond milk, coconut milk, or any milk you prefer is a good choice. 
• Flavors: orange zest or lemon zest will bring more dimension to the flavor profile – something I highly recommend. 
• Glaze: make the baklava rolls more fragrant by increasing the amount of cinnamon powder.
• Nuts: You can stick to just one type of nut or try a combination, as I did. Pander to your palate. Pecans, hazelnut, pine nuts - any nut of your choice will do. 

The only rule here is to chop the nuts finely. You want a mouthful of soft fluffy cinnamon-embraced bread with ribbons of delicious nuts running through. Eating baklava cinnamon rolls should not be an exercise for the jaws. It should be a melt-in-your-mouth experience that makes you go, ‘oh my god!’

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