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Pistachio Pie has layers of sweetened cream cheese, pistachio pudding and whipped cream. It’s a beautiful, refreshing pie everyone will love!
This pistachio cream pie is simply delicious and fairly easy to whip up. Though you can make a homemade crust, you can use a graham cracker pie crust to make this a no bake dessert!
This recipe also just happens to be one of my favorite desserts for St Patrick’s Day! Between this pistachio pie, my pistachio poke cake, and Grasshopper Pie, I know I’ll have a delicious green dessert fit for the occasion!
Pistachio Pie Ingredients
- Pie Crust – You can make a homemade pistachio shortbread crust (flour, pistachios, powdered sugar and butter) or use a premade graham cracker, shortbread crust or Oreo crust instead
- Instant Pistachio Pudding Mix – The regular 3.4 ounce box
- Milk
- Cream Cheese
- Powdered Sugar
- Whipped Topping – You can make homemade whipped cream (using heavy cream) or use a tub of Cool Whip
- Chopped Pistachios – Optional, but I love adding some on top of the pie for a little extra crunch!
How to Make Pistachio Pie
First, make the crust. (If you choose to use a pre-made graham cracker crust or shortbread crust, skip this step)
Add pistachios and flour to a food processor and blend until the pistachios are chopped up. Add the powdered sugar and the softened butter and mix until just combined.
Press into the bottom and up the sides of a pie plate and crimp the edges of the pie if you’d like to add a little extra flair! Bake the crust for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool completely as you work on the fillings.
Make the Layers
There are three layers inside of the pie: a cream cheese layer, a pistachio pudding layer and the whipped cream topping.
For the cream cheese layer, you’ll mix the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl until smooth. I find that using an electric mixer helps make it extra smooth! Then you’ll fold in one cup of the whipped cream and set it aside.
TIP: Be sure to give the cream cheese time to soften, otherwise you’ll end up with lumps of cream cheese in the mixture. Set the cream cheese out at room temperature for 45-60 minutes and it’ll be easy to work with.
In another bowl, you’ll combine the instant pudding mix and 1 1/2 cups of cold milk. Note that this is less milk that what the box states. This is to make it a little thicker so you have nice pie slices that hold their shape. Once you’ve whisked it together, you’ll let it set for 5-10 minutes to let it thicken.
Assembling the Pie
Here’s the fun part! Start by spreading the cream cheese mixture over the cooled crust. Then, add the pistachio filling and spread it out to an even layer. Lastly, spread the remaining whipped topping over the pudding and sprinkle with sprinkles or chopped pistachios, if desired!
Other Delicious Pudding Desserts
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Pistachio Pie
Equipment
- One 9-inch pie plate
Ingredients
Pistachio Shortbread Crust
- 1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup pistachios
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2/3 cup unsalted butter softened
Cream Cheese Layer
- One 8 ounce package cream cheese softened
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup whipped topping (save the rest of the 8 ounce tub for the top layer)
Pudding and Whipped Topping Layers
- One 3.4 ounce box instant pistachio pudding mix
- 1 1/2 cups cold milk
- One 8 ounce tub whipped topping (will have 1 cup taken out of it from the cream cheese layer)
- Sprinkles and/or chopped pistachios for topping optional
Instructions
Make the Pistachio Shortbread Crust
- Note: Feel free to skip this step and use a pre-made graham cracker or shortbread crust instead.
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- To make the crust, add the flour and pistachios to a food processor and blend until the pistachios are finely chopped.1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, 1/3 cup pistachios
- Add the powdered sugar and butter and pulse until the mixture is combined.1/2 cup powdered sugar, 2/3 cup unsalted butter
- Press the crust into a pie plate (I use a 9-inch pie plate) and bake for 13-15 minutes or until golden brown.
- Let the pie crust cool completely.
Make the Cream Cheese Layer
- Add the cream cheese and powdered sugar to a large mixing bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer.One 8 ounce package cream cheese, 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- Mix until smooth and then fold in one cup of whipped topping; set aside.1 cup whipped topping (save the rest of the 8 ounce tub for the top layer)
Mix up the Pudding
- Whisk together the pudding mix and cold milk. Let it set for 5-10 minutes until the pudding is thickened.One 3.4 ounce box instant pistachio pudding mix, 1 1/2 cups cold milk
Assemble the Pie
- Spread the cream cheese mixture into the cooled pie crust.
- Add the pudding and spread over the cream cheese.
- Top with the remaining whipped topping and sprinkle with chopped pistachios, if desired.
- Let chill for at least an hour to set up before serving.
Thanks, Kelsey!!
Made this today. Add pecan and maraschino cherries to cream cheese layer then pudding layer. Whip cream layer and then placed whole pecan and maraschino cherries pattern
Just a lovely presentation.
So glad you enjoyed it!! Sounds like you made it a very beautiful pie! 🙂
Love this pie . Thank you for sharing !
What temperature is oven to bake pie crust?
Hi Heidi – I’m not sure why that wasn’t on the recipe card. I just added it – it should be 350! ~Kelsey
I agree, 4×6 would great
Love this Recipe my mom always made this dessert for us and now II make it and I’m so happy to have found the exact recipe that my mom used to make exception except for she would add coconut to the top of the the top layer. Delicious the best thank you for sharing
How far ahead of time can this pie be made?
You can make it a day in advance….I don’t recommend doing it too much before that as the crust would get a bit soggy. ~Kelsey
Outstanding. Easy to make and the taste is to die for..
My grandmother made this on our family farm when I was a child in the 80s. I lost my handwritten recipe and this is the first one I’ve found that had the “right” layers and ingredients!! Yay!! She made a crust with walnuts instead of pistachios, and sprinkled chopped walnuts on top. I’m going to sub walnuts where pistachios are and see how close I get to hers. Thanks for posting this!!!
Hey Kelsey!
Just wanted to say that this pie is amazingly delicious 😋. Very easy to make, anyone who loves pistachios will definitely love this pie. Thanks for sharing!
Aww thanks so much, Krista!! ~Kelsey