My love for different cheesecake flavor variations continues. This easy pistachio cheesecake recipe with pudding is absolutely delicious, with its bright beautiful colors and creamy texture. The flavors of pistachio and almond in the creamy cheesecake layer make your tastebuds do a happy dance, mixed with the tart but sweet layer of the sour cream frosting on top.
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When my sister asked me to make a pistachio cheesecake one time, I set out to bake one I found a recipe for on Pinterest. While it was good, it didn’t have a lot of pistachio flavor. I realized that using actual ground pistachios to make a pistachio butter might be a better-for-you option, but it doesn’t yield enough of a flavor for me. So when I wanted to make a pistachio cheesecake again for Easter, I used my plain cheesecake recipe, adjusted a few things and added a box of Jell-O pistachio pudding. It had such a beautiful green color, and it tasted AMAZING.
Another option to enhance the pistachio flavor would be to use pistachio extract, but most of them are artificially flavored too, and the natural ones that I found are super expensive. So I went the pudding route, and I was very pleased with the result.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Unique Flavor Combination: The combination of pistachio and cheesecake is unique and offers a delightful blend of nuttiness and creaminess, especially for pistachio lovers. The addition of sour cream icing adds a tangy contrast, enhancing the overall flavor profile.
- Rich and Creamy Texture: Cheesecake is known for its rich and creamy texture, and when combined with pistachio flavor, it becomes even more indulgent. The smoothness of the cheesecake filling pairs perfectly with the crunchy texture of pistachio nuts.
- Nutritional Benefits: Pistachios are not only delicious but also nutritious. They are a good source of protein, healthy fats, fiber, and various vitamins and minerals. Incorporating pistachios into a cheesecake adds nutritional value to the dessert.
Ingredients for Pistachio Cheesecake:
- 32 oz cream cheese
- 1 box Jell-o Pistachio pudding mix, 3.4 oz
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup sour cream
- 4 eggs
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 2 cups crushed graham crackers
- 6 tbls butter
- 4 tbls sugar
- 1/2 cup chopped pistachios (for decor)
Ingredients for Sour Cream Icing:
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, chilled
- 1/2 cup sour cream, chilled
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
How to Make this cheesecake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In your food processor, crush the graham crackers until they are fine crumbs. Add 6 tbls melted butter to the crumbs, and 4 tbls sugar. Mix well.
- Press into a spring form pan, use a flat bottomed glass to help press crumb mixture into the bottom and about 1/2 inch up the sides of the pan.
- Bake for 8 minutes, then remove from oven.
- Fill a roasting pan, or any larger pan with an inch of water, and set it on the middle rack of the oven.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 300.
- Wrap the spring form pan with aluminum foil, making sure the edges of the foil fold up most of the way up the spring form pan. If there is a place for water to seep in, it will. Then your cheesecake crust will be soggy. I like to use extra wide foil and do 2 layers in case 1 pierces.
- In your mixer, beat the cream cheese until its smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice with a rubber spatula.
- Add the sugar, sour cream, extracts, and salt.
- Next add in the pistachio pudding mix.
- Then add your eggs and beat on low speed only until you see they are thoroughly mixed in.
- Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared spring form pan.
- Bake cheesecake for 1 hour and 15 minutes at 300.
- The center should still be a bit jiggly at this point, but turn the oven off, and leave the cheesecake in there to rest.
- After half an hour you can crack the oven door.
- Leave it for another hour then lift it gently out of the water onto the counter, where it will rest for another hour.
- Move it into the fridge over night.
How to make the sour cream frosting:
Whisk 1/2 cup cream until it has stiff peaks. Mix in 1/2 cup sour cream and 1/4 cup powdered sugar. Whisk until combined.
How to Assemble:
- After the cheesecake has had a good nights sleep in the fridge, take it out.
- Run a thin knife under hot water, and then around the edge of the cheesecake.
- Release the spring form.
- Scoop the icing onto the center and spread it out evenly on top of the cheesecake. Stay just a hair away from the edge.
- Return to fridge where the icing will set just a bit.
Adding pistachios to top:
I chose to do so because it’s actually the only real pistachios this cheesecake has. Read the section in this post titled “how to get bright green pistachios” to learn how to get those bright beautiful green pistachios. Wait to add the chopped pistachios to the top until just before serving, they will absorb some of the moisture if left to sit for too long.
Other topping options:
- Homemade Pistachio Paste
- Swirls of whipped cream
- Ganache with milk or white chocolate
- Raspberry Sauce
Cheesecake Do’s and Don’ts:
- Do bring your ingredients to room temperature. This ensures that they will all mix easily, and not cause the cream cheese to solidify and make the batter lumpy. Even if your cream cheese is room temp but your eggs are cold, this can still happen.
- Don’t skip the resting periods. If you don’t want your cheesecake to crack, or sink in the center, it’s very necessary. Cheesecakes set after they’re finished baking, they are not set when the bake time is over. And any sudden movements or change of temperature will cause it to crack or fall back.
- Don’t skip the water bath. Water baths ensure that the batter is heated and cooked evenly from all sides. Because cheesecakes take so long to bake, the outside gets ready much sooner than the center. That results in brown edges and a curdled texture versus creamy. Another option would be these pans from Amazon, they have thick aluminum sides that dispense heat evenly, so the outside doesn’t get as well done.
- Do master slicing. When you are ready to serve your cheesecake on your special occasion, I have a tip for you. In order for your slices to come our perfectly smooth every time, run your knife under hot water before cutting, and wipe it dry. Not doing so will result in crumby looking slices. I eat with my eyes first, it’s my motto, so these things matter a great deal to me.
- Don’t overbake. I know the uncertainty of “is this too jiggly” all too well. But if your ovens temperature is accurate, and hour and 15 minutes should be perfect for an 8 or 9 inch pan. The outer ring will look slightly puffy and firm, while the center should be a little wobbly, not raw. If it looks like that, trust the resting process.
FAQ’s
How do I get bright green pistachios?
You can buy pistachios already fully peeled, but I did it myself. You simply boil them for a minute and then drain, and the brown skins come right off. Lay them on a sheet pan and bake for 10 minutes on 325 to freshen them up again.
Can I make this ahead of time?
You have to make cheesecakes in advance. You can make this a couple days in advance, including the icing. Just keep the pistachios off until a few hours before serving.
How do I store this cheesecake?
I never bother putting a cheesecake into a container when it’s whole, it does not dry out. But leftovers, I’ll store in an airtight container up to a week. They also freeze well.
Pistachio Cheesecake Recipe with Sour Cream Icing
Ingredients
Ingredients for Pistachio Cheesecake:
- 32 oz cream cheese
- 1 box Jell-o Pistachio pudding mix 3.4 oz
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup sour cream
- 4 eggs
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 2 cups crushed graham crackers
- 6 tbls butter
- 4 tbls sugar
- 1/2 cup chopped pistachios for decor
Ingredients for Sour Cream Icing:
- 1/2 cup heavy cream chilled
- 1/2 cup sour cream chilled
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In your food processor, crush the graham crackers until they are fine crumbs. Add 6 tbls melted butter to the crumbs, and 4 tbls sugar. Mix well.
- Press into a spring form pan, use a flat bottomed glass to help press crumb mixture into the bottom and about 1/2 inch up the sides of the pan.
- Bake for 8 minutes, then remove from oven.
- Fill a roasting pan, or any larger pan with an inch of water, and set it on the middle rack of the oven.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 300.
- Wrap the spring form pan with aluminum foil, making sure the edges of the foil fold up most of the way up the spring form pan. If there is a place for water to seep in, it will. Then your cheesecake crust will be soggy. I like to use extra wide foil and do 2 layers in case 1 pierces.
- In your mixer, beat the cream cheese until its smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice with a rubber spatula.
- Add the sugar, sour cream, extracts, and salt.
- Next add in the pistachio pudding mix.
- Then add your eggs and beat on low speed only until you see they are thoroughly mixed in.
- Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared spring form pan.
- Bake cheesecake for 1 hour and 15 minutes at 300.
- The center should still be a bit jiggly at this point, but turn the oven off, and leave the cheesecake in there to rest.
- After half an hour you can crack the oven door.
- Leave it for another hour then lift it gently out of the water onto the counter, where it will rest for another hour.
- Move it into the fridge then for over night.
- How to make the sour cream frosting:
- Whisk 1/2 cup cream until it has stiff peaks. Mix in 1/2 cup sour cream and 1/4 cup powdered sugar. Whisk until combined.
- How to Assemble:
- After the cheesecake has had a good nights sleep in the fridge, take it out.
- Run a thin knife under hot water, and then around the edge of the cheesecake.
- Release the spring form.
- Scoop the icing onto the center and spread it out evenly on top of the cheesecake. Stay just a hair away from the edge.
- Return to fridge where the icing will set just a bit.
- Adding pistachios to top: optional.
Notes
- Read the section in this post titled “how to get bright green pistachios” to learn how to get those bright beautiful green pistachios to top the cheesecake with. Wait to add the chopped pistachios to the top until just before serving, they will absorb some of the moisture if left to sit for too long.
- Since this has such a small amount of heavy cream, I don’t bother with using my KitchenAid mixer to whisk the heavy cream, the whisk attachment barely touches it. I have a smaller handheld blender with a whisk attachment I use, or maybe you have a frother with the whisk attachment.
Other Cheesecake Recipes you will enjoy:
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