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5 from 2 votes
A plate of colorful kaju pista rolls on a gold doily laid out on a wooden table.
Print Recipe
Kaju Pista (Cashew Pistachio) Rolls
Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
 

These Kaju Pista (Cashew Pistachio) Rolls are a traditional Indian sweets recipe enjoyed for festivals like Diwali and are packed with sweet, nutty flavor!

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 30 rolls
Author: Ami Shukla
Ingredients
Cashew dough
  • 2 cups (8oz/22g) cashew flour, finely sifted
  • 2 tablespoons dry milk powder
  • 1 cup (8oz/225g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (4floz/120ml) water
  • 2 teaspoons ghee
  • 1 teaspoon rosewater
Pistachio dough
  • 1½ cups (6oz/170g) pistachio flour, finely sifted
  • ½ cup (2oz/57g) powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons milk powder
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 2-3 teaspoons water
  • A few drops green food coloring (optional)
Instructions
Make the Cashew Dough

  1. In a small bowl, combine the cashew flour, and dry milk powder.

  2. In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the sugar and water.
  3. Watch carefully - just as soon as the sugar has melted and the surface of the water is covered in bubbles, reduce the heat to low and stir in the cashew mixture.
  4. Stir until the mixture comes together and leaves the sides of the pan, and then add the ghee and rosewater. Stir to combine until the dough holds together but is still a bit sticky.
  5. Turn the dough onto a large piece of parchment paper and let it cool while you make the pistachio dough.
To Make the Pistachio Dough

  1. In a bowl combine the pistachio flour, powdered sugar, milk powder, and ground cardamom.

  2. Add 2 teaspoons of water and green food coloring, if using, and knead the mixture into a dough. If the mixture is too dry, add the third teaspoon of water. Divide the dough in half and set aside.
  3. When the cashew mixture has cooled (it should be firmer and easier to handle – if not, let it cool for a bit longer), divide the dough in half and pat or roll each half out on the parchment to about a 4x6 inch (10x15cm) rectangle.
  4. Pat or roll the pistachio dough halves to the same size as the cashew dough.
Making the Rolls
  1. Working with one half of each dough at a time, place the pistachio rectangle on top of the cashew rectangle.
  2. Place a piece of parchment paper on top of the pistachio dough and roll out both doughs together until the dough is roughly an 8x10 inch (20x25cm) rectangle and about 1/8 inch (3mm) thick.
  3. Remove the top piece of parchment and, starting with a longer end, tightly roll up the dough.
  4. Once the dough is rolled up, keep rolling the dough and patting the ends towards the center to form an even log shape, about 1 ½ inches (4cm) thick. If the dough is sticky, you can use the parchment paper to help you handle and roll the dough.
  5. Repeat the rolling and shaping the dough with the remaining halves of dough.
  6. At this point you can cut the dough right away, or, for easier slicing, wrap the rolls well in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few hours (or up to a few days).
  7. When you are ready to slice, use a sharp knife to cut ½ inch (1 ½ cm) thick slices and serve!
  8. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days or in the refrigerator for several weeks. These can also be frozen for up to two months. Defrost at room temperature for 1-2 hours.