Unbelievably Vegan Chocolate Pistachio Sweet Rolls

These deliciously soft and plush chocolate pistachio swirls are a copycat of the Starbucks® version–and taste just as decadent! With a creamy chocolate cream cheese filling and toasted pistachios, these chocolate sweet rolls are naturally vegan, and dairy-free!

This recipe post is sponsored by Florida Crystals® Sugar. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting The Banana Diaries!

What are chocolate pistachio swirls?

If you’ve been to Starbucks® lately, then you’ve heard of the new holiday treat, chocolate pistachio swirls. They’re a brioche bun filled with a tangy chocolate cream and toasted pistachios, all swirled in one. 

Chocolate pistachio swirls are similar to cinnamon rolls in that they use a brioche dough. However, the fillings are quite different!

Absolutely decadent, and definitely not vegan (nor dairy-free!). However, like my Vegan Cranberry Bliss Bars and Vegan Pumpkin Bread, we’re going to completely veganize this new holiday classic!

What you need to make Vegan Chocolate Sweet Rolls:

• Flour: I recommend using bread flour here, but all-purpose flour will work. For gluten free, see my notes below!
• Dairy-free yogurt: This is our vegan egg replacement. 
• Vegan butter: Make sure that you bring this to room temperature for making the dough and the filling.
• Dairy-free milk: Any non-dairy milk will work here–soy milk, oat milk, almond milk, or coconut milk!
• Quick rise yeast: I like to use quick rise (or rapid rise) over dry active to speed up the process. 
• Florida Crystals® Organic Light Brown Raw Cane Sugar: This is my absolute favorite part of the recipe. We’re using my go-to sugar brand, Florida Crystals®, but instead of their Organic Raw Cane Sugar, we’re using the Organic Light Brown Raw Cane Sugar. This is because brown sugar contains molasses, and will add a more complex and rich flavor and texture to both the dough and filling. More on Florida Crystals® below, and why I love them!
• Vegan cream cheese: You can use a nut-free or nut-based cream cheese here. Either works!
• Cocoa powder: For the chocolate filling.
• Toasted pistachios: Make sure that you grab shelled pistachios. It will save you a ton of time!

Why choose Florida Crystals® Sugar when baking vegan:

If you’ve been a Banana reader for a while, then you’re familiar with me recommending Florida Crystals® Sugar of all kinds (and you might have seen some of our previous recipes we’ve done together, including these Vegan Strawberry Cupcakes, and these Vegan Owl Sugar Cookies!).

This is because Florida Crystals®️ is the only vegan-certified (which can be difficult to come by) sugar that comes from sustainably grown U.S sugarcane. Many sugars in America are actually processed with bone char to whiten them, making them not suitable for vegans. 

However, Florida Crystals® uses its own mills to yield minimally processed, unrefined sugars that are both organic-certified and vegan-certified.

Not only that, Florida Crystals® Sugar uses sugarcane fiber to self-sustain their mills, creating renewable energy. To me, being vegan is not just about the food, but about our way of life– if we’re vegan, then we’re also working with the planet. So seeing that Florida Crystals® really values sustainability is easily another reason why I can’t stop recommending them.

But of course, the quality and taste are as unmatched as their being the largest renewable energy facility in North America. Quality of ingredients always translates over to the final end result of the product, both in look and taste.

One bite of these Starbucks® Copycat Chocolate Pistachio Swirls (or any treat that you’re using Florida Crystals® in), and you can instantly tell that this is truly the best that these chocolate sweet rolls can taste.

Making chocolate sweet rolls:

Now back to the process of making these chocolate sweet rolls! Once you’ve gathered your ingredients, it’s time to begin. 🙂 

The full recipe can be found down below in the recipe card, but we’re going to go over a brief overview here. 

To start, you’ll make the dough. If you’ve made cinnamon rolls or pecan sweet rolls, then you know the process! If you haven’t, not to worry–it’s easy! You can use a stand mixer or a large bowl and wooden spoon–either will work.

Once your dough is prepped, you’ll let it rise until doubled in size. While it’s rising, you’ll prepare your chocolate cream cheese filling.

First, cream together the vegan butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Then add in the Florida Crystals® Light Brown Raw Cane Sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract. Mix again until everything is combined. Then set aside!

You’ll then toast the pistachios in the oven, and cool them once more We don’t want them to heat the chocolate filling before we roll them!

Next, you’ll roll out the dough to be 12×18” long. Spread your chocolate cream cheese frosting on top, along with a sprinkle of the pistachios. Then the easiest way to roll these is to slice the dough into 12 1.5” strips. Along the 18” side, make a slice every 1.5” to create 12 strips that are 12” long. Then roll each swirl individually.

Place the chocolate sweet rolls into the prepared casserole dish, and bake!

I personally love to add the optional glaze (that includes Florida Crystals® Organic Powdered Raw Cane Sugar!) for extra sweetness to complement the tang and richness of the filling. 

Can I make these chocolate pistachio swirls gluten free?

Absolutely! To make these Vegan Chocolate Pistachio Sweet Rolls gluten free, simply swap in my gluten free vegan cinnamon roll dough for the base, and use the chocolate pistachio filling instead!

Want to save this recipe for later? Add it to your favorite recipe board on Pinterest!

If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below. This helps others to find the recipes! As always, I absolutely love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there as well!

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