14 Things You Need To Know About Rosanna Pansino

It's safe to say that Rosanna Pansino is one of the world's most recognizable bakers. With over 12 million subscribers on YouTube, her own bakeware line, and two best-selling cookbooks, the star is the perfect example of someone who started with nothing but a cheap camera and a hobby and went on to build a YouTube empire. If you're into either baking or YouTube, chances are you've come across her channel where the star whips up stunning (and usually adorable) baked creations inspired by her "nerdy" interests. 

Like many YouTube stars, much of Pansino's life is broadcast online. It's easy to find out plenty of information about her home, her family, her dogs, and her personal life by diving into her YouTube channel or Instagram. Nevertheless, there are a few things about Pansino that even the biggest baking fans might not know. Ready to be surprised? Here are 14 things you need to know about Rosanna Pansino.

Many fans know that Rosanna Pansino's channel proudly features her "Nerdy Nummies" recipes. However, looking at her YouTube channel or at Pansino's Instagram account, you wouldn't immediately think of the star as a stereotypical "nerd." In fact, with tumbling blonde hair, flawless complexion, and bubblegum aesthetic, it's hard to imagine the star ever being anything close to a nerd.

Nevertheless, as Pansino confessed to HuffPost, there was a time when she actually fit the description a little better. She clarified that she would never have called herself a nerd, "but it's what other people called me." She went on to explain that her interests were considered "nerdy" when she was young. "I loved reading, science, video games, math, and took AP Calculus in high school," she confessed. She added, "I also had braces, if this helps to paint a picture." It's clear that the YouTube star has come a long, long way since her nerdy days. We have to admit, it's pretty cool that she's embraced what used to be a negative term!

Before she became famous for her YouTube channel, Rosanna Pansino had very different career ambitions. As she explained to HuffPost, her dream had always been to make it in Hollywood as an actor. "I fell in love with and have always been fascinated by the entertainment industry," she said. Apparently, she had been involved in drama and theater throughout her childhood. At the time, she was super dedicated. She even told her alma mater Pacific Lutheran University, "I don't care if I'm 90 by the time I get that feature role in a film. I plan to rock the crap out of it."

One of her biggest early acting jobs was a full-time gig on the show Glee as one of the background Cheerio cheerleaders. As she revealed on Twitter, she actually used to do gymnastics and cheerleading, so it's no wonder she landed the role. However, Pansino soon found the role a little dull. "While I was on set I was grateful for the experience but I didn't have any sort of outlet for creating content," she explained. Soon enough, she found the outlet she'd been looking for — YouTube. 

With her millions upon millions of subscribers and over a billion views on YouTube, it comes as no surprise that Rosanna Pansino does get recognized from time to time. In fact, as she explained to Cosmopolitan, she comes across fans when she's out and about roughly 30 percent of the time. Funnily enough, it's not just kids that spot her. "It's usually a whole family unit," the star said. It's so sweet to think that families all sit down to watch her videos together!

Of course, running into fans can still be a little weird for Pansino. She recalled the first time it happened, saying, "It caught me off guard." Apparently, she had been eating a burrito at Chipotle at the time. "Somebody over my shoulder was filming. They said, 'Hey, it's the girl from Nerdy Nummies!'" she said. As she recalled, she proceeded to greet them with a "mouth full of burrito." Yikes, sounds like Pansino had a lot of adjusting to do when it came to being in the spotlight! 

Some of the world's most successful people tend to rise extremely early (via CNBC). Apparently, Rosanna Pansino is no exception to the rule. In an interview with Cosmopolitan, the YouTuber revealed, "I usually get up at 6 a.m." Wow, that is a seriously early start to the day for someone who can actually work on their own schedule!

She continued, "I do a quick workout for an hour or go on a jog with the dog." The rest of her day is spent filming, planning, and discussing her upcoming content. And believe us, she spends a lot of time preparing her content. "I would say I spend 70 hours in the kitchen a week, just prep-baking and test-baking," she confessed. That's the equivalent of almost two full-time jobs! No wonder this go-getter has to get up at the crack of dawn — she's seriously busy.

Even though Rosanna Pansino was working steadily on Glee when she began her YouTube channel, it turns out that she was still struggling. In fact, as she revealed at VidCon 2016 during the #GirlLove panel, she didn't really have her own home. "I was sleeping in my car, working on sets for 16 hours a day, saving every penny to put into my channel," she recalled. Apparently, she even spent some time living on a friend's couch in order to save money. "It was a true struggle," the YouTuber confessed (via People).

In an interview with Cosmopolitan, Pansino revealed that her money troubles weren't due to poor spending habits. In fact, she had always saved ten percent of her paycheck since the age of 15 thanks to "good money management habits" inherited from her father. She had amassed $20,000 in savings — and in order to start her channel, she spent it all on equipment. Talk about taking a huge leap of faith!

One thing that may really shock you about Rosanna Pansino is her height — or rather, her lack of height! If you watch her on YouTube, you may not realize that the star is actually pretty tiny at only four foot ten — as she told Locale, her grandmother was the same height. In 2019, during a photoshoot for the magazine, she apparently joked about finding good poses for her short legs. It sounds like the star has come to terms with being relatively short and can even find the humor in it. 

Pansino opened up about her height in an interview with her university, Pacific Lutheran University. As she revealed, her height was sometimes a blessing in disguise. In fact, it sometimes helped her land roles as teens. Of course, sometimes, her petite height can be a little funny. In 2019, she posted a funny photo on Twitter with her boyfriend, writing, "Our height difference 6'2" VS 4'10"." We love how good-humored this tiny baker is about her height! 

You may be surprised to discover that Rosanna Pansino has a learning disability. In 2017, she told NPR that she was dyslexic. "And the best way that I learned was through visual content and clear communications that are very clear and direct," she explained. It's no wonder she found herself making highly visual baking tutorials on YouTube!

In another interview Pacific Lutheran University, her alma mater, Pansino opened up about how her learning disability had affected her when she was younger and in school. At university, she thrived in small classes and was able to overcome her dyslexia. However, one of her dreams was dashed due to the learning disability. Apparently, she had once hoped to become a television journalist. However, she soon realized that the teleprompter would be too quick for her. On her YouTube channel, Pansino can create content at her own pace. It seems that the star has found the perfect medium — and luckily, it doesn't involve reading to the camera!

Rosanna Pansino often credits her grandmother with introducing her to the world of baking. As she told New Media Rockstars, "My grandmother loved baking and because of her, baking has always been a hobby of mine." While she may have learned how to bake from her grandmother, it turns out, she learned how to perform from someone else.

In 2017, she revealed to NPR that the television cook Julia Child was a huge inspiration. "The only person I watched was Julia Child," she confessed. "She's fun. And she's fearless. She's not afraid to make mistakes," she went on. It's clear that Pansino has taken on Child's fearless approach to the kitchen. She certainly isn't afraid to make mistakes in front of the camera! In fact, she's even posted a blooper reel on her channel. As she put it, "Who cares? Try it out. Try everything." What a wonderful approach to cooking, especially for someone who inspires kids to feel comfortable in the kitchen.

One thing that might surprise a few Rosanna Pansino fans is the fact that the YouTube star can actually speak a little Chinese. In 2013, she posted on Instagram, "Just finished my Chinese lesson. Now it's study time." Maybe she is a bit of a nerd after all!

In an interview with Pacific Lutheran University, Pansino recalled how one of her professors found out that she could speak some Chinese and suggested she travel there for one term. "I hadn't thought about it before, so I decided, why not?" Pansino said.

In 2017, she also released her cookbook in Mandarin. She spoke about the book on Twitter, saying, "I actually took Mandarin Chinese for four years when I was in school, and even though I'm still not very good, I love the language," before saying something (we're not sure what!) in Mandarin. What a seriously cool, multi-talented woman!

Even though Rosanna Pansino started her channel using her own savings and her own ideas, these days, she has a little bit more help. As she explained to HuffPost, "When I first started YouTube I was a one-man production company." However, five years later, she had taken on eight full-time employees. Four of these employees are her family members. "My sister, mom, dad, and brother-in-law are all a part of the company," she said, adding, "We're a very small strong team."

According to Cosmopolitan, her parents are her office managers, while sister helps with filming and occasionally makes appearances on the show. Wow, talk about a family business! 

Luckily, they all seem to get along well. As Pansino said to HuffPost, "I find it's a huge benefit and asset to have people you know you can trust." And based on Pansino's Twitter and YouTube channel, this family really is super close, which must make working together a (literal) piece of cake. 

Anyone who knows Rosanna Pansino probably knows about her adorable pup Cookie. She introduced the dog to her fans in 2015, and since then, she's been a regular presence on the channel. As Pansino explained in Cookie's first video, "I am a huge animal lover and have wanted a dog for many years." However, as she wrote in the description, "I made the decision to wait until it was the right time, so I could give a dog the attention and love they deserve."

It's no surprise that Pansino knew to take puppy adoption seriously. In fact, she revealed that she even used to puppy-sit "a few years ago." In addition to her knowledge of dogs, Pansino's love for the animals is pretty evident. For Cookie's first birthday, the baker whipped up some human-friendly dog treats. And as of 2020, the baker has another pup in the family!

While Rosanna Pansino is primarily known for her baking, the YouTube star has also dabbled in music. In 2015, she released a song and music video. "Perfect Together" was released on iTunes, and her lavish music video saw her playing an eighteenth-century woman at a ball, showing off her comedic chops. While it's unclear what vocal training Pansino has had, it seems as though her musical experience dates back to high school, when she played Sandy in the musical Grease.

In 2019, she moved away from pop and into classical singing, posting a video of her singing an opera aria, "O Mio Babbino Caro." Then, in 2020, she released another very different musical video of her singing "Think of Me" from the musical Phantom of the Opera. We're super-impressed by the star's vocal chops! In the description of her latest singing video, she wrote, "What song should I sing next?" It sounds like Pansino is keen to keep creating and releasing music. Maybe we'll even be lucky enough to get a full album one day! One thing's for sure — this star is definitely multi-talented.

Rosanna Pansino's nerdy side definitely comes out in her obsession with video games. Through the years, the YouTuber has created some pretty impressive baked homages to her favorite games. For instance, in 2013, she created video game controller cookies, and in 2014, the star whipped up some Video Game High School cupcakes.

It turns out, the baker was actually a guest voice actor on the StreetPass Mii Plaza on Nintendo 3DS in 2014, according to her Twitter page. She reportedly told Nintendo News, "It is such an honor to be a gold pants character. It has been really exciting to see everyone's pictures of finding my Mini on their StreetPass" (via The List). And on her Tumblr page, Pansino wrote, "Life goal complete. I am a Gold Pants Mii! Come find my level 5 hero in StreetPass Mii plaza and adventures together." We have to say, it's seriously adorable how excited Pansino was to be featured on a Nintendo game!

Even though Rosanna Pansino is mostly known for her baking, it turns out, she's also a pretty good cook — especially when it comes to pizza! The star even wrote an entire essay about the food for Bustle. "I'm always making pizza with different toppings on it, and it's probably the one food I could eat every day and never get tired of," she began. She went on to describe how Margherita pizza was her ultimate favorite. "I eat it for dinner every night!" she said. Wow, that is a lot of pizza — she's not kidding about her obsession!

As the YouTuber explained, her relationship with pizza is all thanks to her father, or "Papa Pizza," as she calls him. "Most of my memories of growing up are of making pizza with my dad," she recalled. In fact, her dad's pizza obsession is actually what inspired her to make her YouTube channel. "When I was a kid, my dad would make a lot of themed pizzas with me," she explained. Apparently, this gave her the inspiration to start making themed baked goods. It's so cute to learn about how personal Pansino's pizza obsession really is!