• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Food Meanderings
  • Start HERE
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Recipes
    • Courses
      • Breakfast and Brunch
        • Pancakes, Waffles & French Toast
        • Breakfast Potluck Ideas
      • Lunch
        • Sandwiches and Burgers
        • Salads
        • Soups, Stew & Chili Recipes
      • Dinner
        • Main dish
        • Pork Recipes
        • Pasta & Pizza Recipes
        • Casseroles
        • Chicken Recipes
        • Beef
        • Beef Recipes
        • Fish & Seafood
      • Desserts
        • Baked Goods
        • Bars and Squares
        • Cake
        • Cookies
        • Cupcakes
        • Frosting and Icing Recipes
        • Frozen Dessert Recipes
        • Healthy Dessert Recipes
        • No Bake Desserts
        • Pie and Pastry Recipes
        • Sweets
    • Cuisine
      • Asian Recipes
      • Italian Recipes
      • Mediterranean Recipes
      • Mexican Recipes
      • Southern Recipes
    • Dish Type
      • Appetizers
        • Dip Recipes
      • Breads
        • Bread Machine Recipes
        • Muffins
      • Side Dishes
        • Vegetables
      • Snacks
      • Sauces, Spreads and Condiments
      • Drinks
        • Smoothies
        • Mocktails
      • One-Pot and One-Pan meals
    • Cooking Style
      • Dinner Party Recipes
      • BBQ & Grilling
      • Healthy Recipes
      • Seasonal Cooking
      • Slow Cooker Recipes
      • Vegetarian
    • Special Diet
      • Gluten-free Recipes
      • Vegan Recipes
      • Vegetarian
      • Weight Watchers Friendly Recipes
    • Holidays
      • Canada Day
      • Christmas Recipes
      • Easter Recipes
      • Earth Day Recipes
      • Father's Day Recipes
      • Cinco de Mayo Recipes
      • 4th of July Recipes
      • Halloween Recipes
      • Mother's Day Recipes
      • New Year's Eve Recipes
      • St. Patrick's Day Recipes
      • Stampede Recipes
      • Thanksgiving Recipes
      • Birthday Recipes
      • Valentine's Day Recipes
      • Game Day Recipes
    • Ingredient
      • Meat
        • Pork
        • Poultry
      • Pasta
      • Beans
      • Potatoes
      • Fruit
      • Rice
      • Egg Recipes
      • Chocolate
  • Meanderings
    • Articles
      • My Weight Watchers (WW) Journey
      • Weight Watchers Tips & Tricks
      • Comfort & Baked Expectations
      • Gingerbread: The Art of Food
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Start HERE
  • Recipes
  • About Me
  • Contact Me
×

Home » Recipes » Courses » Desserts

Pistachio Dessert

Published: Feb 10, 2017 by Terri Gilson · Modified: Aug 13, 2022 · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links · 31 Comments

Sharing is caring!

1500 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Reddit
  • Yummly
  • Mix
Jump to Recipe
St. Patrick's Day Pistachio Dessert with green sprinkles on top, on a plate with fork
Green Easy Pistachio Dessert Recipe on plate

This Pistachio Dessert is one of those tried and true, go-to potluck desserts because it's out of this world delicious, easy and you can make it ahead. It's a simple and delicious green dessert layered with whipped cream, cream cheese, pistachio pudding on a nutty shortbread crust!

pistachio-dessert-recipe

This pistachio pudding dessert recipe is great anytime of the year for potlucks or family gatherings, but it's also perfect dessert when you need a green dessert for a holiday like St. Patrick's day!

Jump to:
  • 🥘 Ingredients
  • 👪Serving size
  • 📖 Variations & Substitutions
  • 🍽Equipment
  • 🌡️Storage
  • 🍀St. Patrick's Day Green Desserts
  • ⭐ Reviews
  • 📋 Pistachio Dessert Recipe
  • 📋More Pistachio Recipes

I have a love-hate relationship with potlucks. I love the social part of course, sampling new and interesting dishes, not having to cook that day and deciding on what I'm going to bring. Yet I hate deciding on what I'm going to bring. It's hard, so I often just fall back on the tried and true - this pistachio pudding recipe!

🥘 Ingredients

This layered dessert is naturally green, so you don't need to add food coloring. For this pistachio dessert recipe you'll need:

  • instant pistachio pudding mix
  • butter * I use unsalted
  • ground pecans * you can use ground almonds as a substitute
  • flour
  • icing sugar - also known as 'powdered sugar' or 'confectioners sugar'
  • vanilla
  • cream cheese
  • white chocolate *Baker's white chocolate baking squares, NOT white chocolate chips
  • whipping cream * you can substitute whipped topping, but this will make it sweeter
  • milk
Pistachio dessert square

👪Serving size

This layered pistachio dessert recipe serves 18, but you can cut it in half (use a smaller pan) or double it (you'll need 2 pans). Simply click on the blue serving size in the recipe card, choose the number of servings you'd like, and the recipe amounts will adjust accordingly.

📖 Variations & Substitutions

  • Topping: You can change it up! (use shaved toasted almonds, finely chopped pistachio nuts, another chopped nut or chocolate shavings) and bring it to any potluck any time of year!
  • Make it gluten-free: use gluten-free flour!
  • White Chocolate: I add white chocolate because it gives it a really nice flavor that melds perfectly with pistachio. However, you can skip it if you don't have any or prefer not to use it.
  • Whipped Cream - you can substitute a layer of Cool Whip

🍽Equipment

You'll need a hand mixer and a 9X13 baking dish for this pistachio pudding dessert, as well as a food processor (affiliate links). I like to use a glass baking dish with a lid. (affiliate link). The glass allows you to see the layers, which looks appealing and you can throw the lid on for storing in the fridge or transport!

🌡️Storage

If you don't have a dish with a lid, cover in plastic wrap and store this green dessert for up to 4 days in the fridge in an airtight container. These ingredients don't stand up well to freezing.

🍀St. Patrick's Day Green Desserts

If this has ever happened to you, where it's the 11th hour and you're still not sure what you're bringing to the potluck, not to worry; I've got your six! If you are looking for St. Patrick's day green food, here is a beautiful and tasty creamy dessert, just in time for your potluck or dinner party. This retro potluck dish was a pretty popular one back 'in the day' - about 15 -20 years ago. I haven't seen it around for a while so I decided to resurrect it,  with a few changes.

Looking for more St. Patrick's Day Dessert Recipes? Give my Shamrock Irish Cream Dessert Shots a try! They can be made with or without alcohol:

Irish Cream Green Dessert Shooters - Foodmeanderings.com

If you're looking for additional easy green desserts try my Watergate salad !

⭐ Reviews

Did you make this recipe? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!

Here's what others are saying about this Pistachio Pudding Dessert:

"I made this for my ladies' group this week and it was a huge hit! I made it gluten free by using my home-made GF flour mix for the crust. Everyone had seconds. Will definitely make this again. Might try using some GF ginger cookies for the base for some extra zing!" ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Potlucking!

pistachio pudding dessert on a white plate with a fork, with a container of pistachio pudding dessert in the back
Food Meandering Logo

📋 Pistachio Dessert Recipe

This Pistachio Desert is an easy and delicious green dessert layered with whipped cream, cream cheese, pistachio pudding on a nutty shortbread crust. It's perfect for your St. Patrick's Day dinner or any potluck!
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: North American
Keyword: green, pistachio, pistachio pudding, St. Patrick's Day
Special Diet: Vegetarian
Servings: 18 servings
Calories: 312kcal
Author: Terri Gilson
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

Base:

  • ½ cup butter * I use unsalted
  • ⅓ cup ground pecans or can substitute ground almonds
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoon icing sugar *also known as 'powdered sugar' or 'confectioners sugar'

Layers:

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 250 g pkg cream cheese softened
  • 1 & ⅔ cup icing/powdered sugar
  • 3 oz melted white chocolate *Baker's white chocolate squares, NOT white chocolate chips
  • 3 cups whipping cream if you really want to, you can substitute Cool whip
  • 2 pkg. Pistachio Instant Pudding 4-serving size, 99 g each
  • 3 cups cold milk

Garnish:

  • green sparking sugar/sprinkles or toasted shaved almonds, ground pistachios or chocolate shavings
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • *Heads up: This recipe needs to be refrigerated for 3-4 hours or overnight
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 9X13 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
  • For base: In a food processor, add ground pecans with butter, flour and 2 Tblsp icing sugar and blend until it clings together; press onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake 12- 15 minutes or until lightly brown around edges; cool completely.
  • In a large bowl, beat pudding mixes and milk with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to medium speed for 2 minutes. Set aside and let stand until thickened for 5 minutes.
  • Beat cream cheese, vanilla and icing sugar in medium bowl with electric mixer until well blended. Spread cream cheese mixture gently over cooled crust.* If the crust cracks a little, don't worry it's not a big deal.
  • Pour pudding over the cream cheese layer.
  • Melt white chocolate in the microwave on ½ power for about 40 seconds or until melted. Put back in for 10 second intervals if not melted, stirring between.
  • Beat whipped cream to soft peaks, then add melted white chocolate and beat to stiff peaks.
  • Cover pudding layer with whipped cream by spreading gently, ensuring you keep the layers separate. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours or overnight.

Garnish

  • Add sprinkles or nuts to the top of the dessert.

Notes

*Please see post contents for important recipe information and tips!
Please SUBSCRIBE  (get my FREE E-cookbook) and be sure to FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST!
Nutrition Facts
📋 Pistachio Dessert Recipe
Amount Per Serving (1 piece)
Calories 312 Calories from Fat 207
% Daily Value*
Fat 23g35%
Saturated Fat 14g88%
Trans Fat 0.2g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 6g
Cholesterol 63mg21%
Sodium 76mg3%
Potassium 124mg4%
Carbohydrates 24g8%
Fiber 0.4g2%
Sugar 18g20%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 784IU16%
Vitamin C 0.4mg0%
Calcium 87mg9%
Iron 0.4mg2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition

Serving: 1piece | Calories: 312kcal (16%) | Carbohydrates: 24g (8%) | Protein: 4g (8%) | Fat: 23g (35%) | Saturated Fat: 14g (88%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 63mg (21%) | Sodium: 76mg (3%) | Potassium: 124mg (4%) | Fiber: 0.4g (2%) | Sugar: 18g (20%) | Vitamin A: 784IU (16%) | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 87mg (9%) | Iron: 0.4mg (2%)
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating and review below!
Rate this Recipe

📋More Pistachio Recipes

  • Pistachio Frappuccino (Starbucks Copycat) (with pistachio pudding)
  • Pistachio Fluff (with pistachio pudding)
  • Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti
  • White Chocolate Pistachio Cake with pistachio pudding filling

More Desserts

  • Dark Chocolate Hummus
  • Black Forest Yule Log Cake
  • White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies
  • Terry's Chocolate Orange Cookies

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sue Slaght

    February 12, 2017 at 7:32 am

    Oh the dreaded pot luck! Happy to be following your Pinterest board so the pressure is off!

    Reply
    • Food Meanderings

      February 12, 2017 at 8:25 am

      🙂 well, I hope that you find lots of easy and quick recipes there, Sue!

      Reply
  2. Food Meanderings

    February 12, 2017 at 8:25 am

    🙂 well, I hope that you find lots of easy and quick recipes there, Sue!

    Reply
  3. foodinbooks

    February 12, 2017 at 8:04 pm

    No doubt that would go down well with a large Guinness. Thank you for sharing. Yum!

    Reply
    • Food Meanderings

      February 12, 2017 at 8:10 pm

      totally agree! sounds like a perfect pairing 🙂

      Reply
  4. Food Meanderings

    February 12, 2017 at 8:10 pm

    totally agree! sounds like a perfect pairing 🙂

    Reply
  5. jo&sue.blogspot.com (@joandsue)

    February 15, 2017 at 6:54 am

    One of my all time favorites! Pinned and Tweeted! 🙂

    Reply
    • Food Meanderings

      February 15, 2017 at 7:20 am

      Thanks! Yes, it's and oldie but a goodie 🙂

      Reply
  6. Food Meanderings

    February 15, 2017 at 7:20 am

    Thanks! Yes, it's and oldie but a goodie 🙂

    Reply
  7. Ayngelina (@Ayngelina)

    February 15, 2017 at 8:44 am

    I think potlucks are made for fun dishes, especially retro dishes as everyone loves them.

    Reply
    • Food Meanderings

      February 15, 2017 at 8:51 am

      I agree!

      Reply
  8. Food Meanderings

    February 15, 2017 at 8:51 am

    I agree!

    Reply
  9. Pauline S.

    March 18, 2017 at 6:27 pm

    Whip the cream cheese before doing the pudding!

    Reply
    • Food Meanderings

      March 18, 2017 at 8:07 pm

      Sure-whatever works for you, Pauline!

      Reply
  10. Food Meanderings

    March 18, 2017 at 8:07 pm

    Sure-whatever works for you, Pauline!

    Reply
  11. Clara Ma

    March 19, 2017 at 3:31 am

    My whip cream layer flopped. I melted the white chocolate chips in microwave, it did not mix in with the whip cream at all. Thick and clumpy and parts were watery. Ended up melting more chocolate,then mixed that in with the cream cheese mixture. Went out to get more whipped cream and whipped it plain with powdered sugar and vanilla. Very disappointing!

    Reply
  12. Food Meanderings

    March 19, 2017 at 5:17 am

    Clara Ma: Sorry it didn't work out for you. I see you used "white chocolate chips" and those are different than the white chocolate that the recipe called for. White chocolate is tricky to begin with and if you don't melt it slow and low it tends to seize. But "white chocolate chips" don't cooperate at all when it comes to melting - they don't melt on a double boiler and seize in the microwave for some reason. That's why I only use them in things like cookies, where they don't need to melt.
    In the future, if you have any other questions re: ingredients, please don't hesitate to contact me! I would like to save you the trouble of making something that doesn't turn out - I know how frustrating that can be!

    Reply
  13. Julie @ Back To My Southern Roots

    February 23, 2018 at 7:39 am

    Saw this on The Country Cook! This looks so fun and delicious!

    Reply
    • Terri Gilson

      February 23, 2018 at 8:48 am

      Thanks, Julie! Hope you enjoy it 🙂

      Reply
  14. Mother of 3

    February 23, 2018 at 9:56 am

    My mom used to make a dessert just like this (though I think we used walnuts in the crust instead of pecans) and I just LOVED it. I haven't had it in year though. Pinning to try!

    Reply
    • Terri Gilson

      February 23, 2018 at 5:30 pm

      Hi Joanne. I hope that it is just like you remember! Enjoy... 🙂

      Reply
  15. Rae

    February 24, 2018 at 8:27 pm

    I have never seen pistachio pudding in shops in Australia

    Reply
    • Terri Gilson

      February 24, 2018 at 8:37 pm

      Oh that is too bad, Rae! If you can't find it online (if you click on the ingredient link for the pistachio pudding in my recipe it will lead you to amazon, where you can purchase) then alternatively, you could try vanilla pudding with some green food coloring and pistachio flavoring (if you can find the flavoring - I know you can buy that online too). Let me know how it turns out if you try that route!

      Reply
  16. Sandra

    March 16, 2018 at 11:52 pm

    Have my cake in rig for St.Patrick's Day dinner with my husbands family. I'm sure it will be a hit.

    Reply
    • Terri Gilson

      March 17, 2018 at 5:09 am

      Thanks, Sandra! I hope you all enjoy it!

      Reply
  17. Sandra Miller

    May 09, 2019 at 7:14 am

    I see the recipe calls for 3 c. whipping cream - is this the liquid before it is whipped or after it is whipped? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Terri Gilson

      May 09, 2019 at 7:43 am

      Hi Sandra,
      It's the liquid, prior to being whipped. You need to whip it to soft peaks, then add the melted white chocolate, then continue whipping to stiff peaks.
      Thanks! Terri

      Reply
      • Sandra Miller

        May 10, 2019 at 1:42 pm

        I made it! The baking chocolate got a bit lumpy but that is ok. I did add more powered sugar, salt (pinch) and vanilla to the whipping cream since I like it sweeter. While making it I was like a kid licking spoons, beaters - good thing no one was here to see me do it! Looks nice and I am sure it will be a hit. Am taking it to a funeral meal tomorrow. Thanks!

        Reply
        • Terri Gilson

          May 11, 2019 at 7:46 am

          Glad it worked for you, Sandra! Too bad about the chocolate getting lumpy- I've never had that happen 🙂

          Reply
  18. Colleen

    March 14, 2020 at 12:06 am

    I made this for my ladies' group this week and it was a huge hit! I made it gluten free by using my home-made GF flour mix for the crust. Everyone had seconds. Will definitely make this again. Might try using some GF ginger cookies for the base for some extra zing.

    Reply
    • Terri Gilson

      March 14, 2020 at 11:47 am

      Hi Colleen - that's great~! Glad you were able to make it gluten-free and you all enjoyed it!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

I'm Terri, a passionate home cook and baker, an award-winning recipe developer and a busy working mom that is trying to eat healthy and fit everything into not enough hours in a day! My mission is to share not only my recipes, cooking hacks and tips with you, but also my secrets to successful weight maintenance.

More about me →

Comfort Food Recipes

  • Easy Turkey Pot Pie (with cream of chicken soup)
  • 31 Healthy Fall Soup Recipes
  • Reuben Soup
  • Lentil and Sausage Stew (with spinach)

More Comfort Food Recipes->

Footer

Featured On:

Taste Of Home Logo Parade Logo MSN Logo Master Chef Canada Logo Huffpost Logo Good Housekeeping Logo

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy & Terms of Use
  • Accessibility Policy

Subscribe

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact
  • Work with me

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2023 Foodmeanderings.com

1500 shares