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A piece of Pistachio Ice Cream Dessert on a white square plate, with more pistachio ice cream dessert in the background.
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Chocolate Pistachio Ice Cream Dessert recipe

This Pistachio Ice Cream Dessert is a refreshing layered frozen dessert featuring creamy pistachio pudding, a rich chocolate crumb crust, and a crunchy chocolate pistachio topping. This vintage favorite has been updated with real whipped cream for a perfectly balanced finish. The ultimate treat for summer parties!
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American, Canadian, North American
Keyword dessert, ice cream, pistachio
Special Diet Vegetarian
Prep Time 20 minutes
Freezing Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 20 minutes
Servings 16 servings
Calories 467kcal
Author Terri Gilson

Equipment

Ingredients

Crust

  • 2 cups Chocolate baking crumbs crushed
  • ½ cup salted butter melted

Filling

  • 2 3¾ ounce pkgs. of instant pistachio pudding
  • 1½ cups milk I use 1%
  • 1 qt vanilla ice cream softened
  • 1 cup Plain Greek yogurt * I use non-fat 0%
  • 2 cups real whipping cream/heavy cream 33-36 % fat
  • 2 tablespoon icing sugar/powdered sugar

Toppings

  • 2 Jersey milk chocolate bars or Hershey milk chocolate bars, finely chopped * I bought the bigger size
  • ⅓ cup chopped pistachios ( I use raw, unsalted)
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Spray a 9x13 pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Crust

  • Combine the chocolate baking crumbs and butter. Press into 9X13 pan and bake at 350 degree F/ 176 degrees C for 10 minutes. Let cool completely.
    2 cups Chocolate baking crumbs, ½ cup salted butter

Filling

  • Whisk the pudding powder and the 1½ cups of milk in a large bowl for about 1 minute. It will be very thick (since you're using half the usual milk).
    2 3¾ ounce pkgs. of instant pistachio pudding, 1½ cups milk
  • Immediately add the softened ice cream while the pudding is still in its "liquid" phase before it fully sets.
    Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until smooth and uniform
    1 qt vanilla ice cream
  • Stir in Greek yogurt.
    1 cup Plain Greek yogurt

Topping

  • Beat 2 cups of whipping cream to soft peaks, then add 2 tbsps of powdered sugar.
    2 cups real whipping cream/heavy cream, 2 tbsp icing sugar/powdered sugar
  • Beat whipping cream to stiff peaks.
  • Spread over pudding mixture.
  • Sprinkle with finely chopped chocolate bar.
    2 Jersey milk chocolate bars or Hershey milk chocolate bars, finely chopped
  • Freeze for at least 8 hours. Sprinkle on pistachios before serving.
    ⅓ cup chopped pistachios ( I use raw, unsalted)

Notes

*Note:  In my ingredients photo,  you'll see Dream Whip being used. However, for the best flavor, I have updated the recipe to use real whipped cream.
 
Expert Recipe Tips: 
  • The "Hot Knife" Trick: For professional, clean layers, dip your knife in a tall glass of hot water and wipe it dry between every single cut.
  • The Overnight Cure: This dessert is actually better if made 24 hours in advance. It gives the chocolate crust time to "bond" with the filling for a perfect slice.
  • Cool the Crust: Make sure your baked chocolate crust is completely cold (pop it in the freezer for 10 minutes!) before adding the ice cream layer to prevent melting.
WW Points
  1. Indulgent Version (As written with heavy cream & full sugar):
    • 21 WW Points
    • The Math: The points come heavily from the 2 cups of heavy cream (82 pts), ½ cup butter (41 pts), and full-sugar ice cream/pudding.
  2.  The Lightened Version:
    • 9 WW Points
    • The Fix: To hit this number, you must use Light Butter, Sugar-Free Pistachio Pudding, Light Vanilla Ice Cream (like Breyers Delights), and Light Whipped Topping (like Cool Whip Lite) instead of heavy cream.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 467kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 258mg | Potassium: 253mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 872IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 116mg | Iron: 1mg
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