Pistachio Cheesecake With Pistachio Topping

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This pistachio cheesecake is luxurious, rich, creamy, made with plenty of real pistachios, and made without a water bath!

Slice of pistachio cheesecake on a plate.

This cheesecake is topped with the most delicious pistachio topping that is made with white chocolate, pistachio paste, and chopped pistachios for an added crunch.

Pistachio cheesecake is a delightful dessert that combines the creamy richness of cheesecake with the distinct flavor of pistachios.

Made with a buttery graham cracker crust and a smooth, velvety filling, this dessert is a treat for both the eyes and the taste buds.

The nutty undertones of the pistachios add a unique twist to the classic cheesecake, making it a favorite among dessert enthusiasts.

Whether enjoyed on its own or topped with whipped cream or crushed pistachios, pistachio cheesecake is sure to satisfy any sweet tooth.

If you are a pistachio lover, this dessert is made for you!

If you like pistachio desserts, check out our pistachio cake, pistachio baklava, chewy pistachio cookies, and pistachio muffins with pistachio crumble.

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Why this recipe works
Ingredients
Instructions
Expert Tips
Faq's
Storing
Freezing
Substitutions
Variations
Serving tips
Equipment
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Why this recipe works

Pistachio flavor- This cheesecake is made with real pistachios and pistachio paste and has a strong pistachio flavor that is added naturally without artificial flavoring!
Texture- this cheesecake has a velvety smooth texture that has a gooey and slightly crunchy topping of the pistachio topping.
No water bath cheesecake- this recipe is made without a water bath. It is baked at a low temperature for a long time which gives you the most perfect cheesecake.
Pistachio topping- This cheesecake is topped with the most delicious pistachio and white chocolate topping.

Ingredients

Before you start to make this recipe, measure and prepare your ingredients so the cooking process will go smoothly and efficiently.

Full measurements are in the recipe card below.

For the crust

Graham crackers- you will need about 1 ½ cups of graham crackers. If you don’t have graham crackers, you can use tea biscuits, vanilla wafers, and digestive biscuits.

Granulated sugar- the sugar will add sweetness to the crust.

Melted butter- melt the butter in the microwave for 30 seconds pulses, to make sure that the butter doesn’t boil up and explode in the microwave (been there done that), or melt it on the stovetop.

Pistachios- we added pistachios to the crust. You will need to ground the pistachios until fine crumbs form. I used a blender, you can use a food processor as well.

For the filling

Cream cheese- the most important ingredient in this recipe, is cream cheese. Make sure that you are using full-fat cream cheese, for a cheesecake with no cracks, it's important that you use full-fat cream cheese and make sure that it’s at room temperature.

Granulated sugar- you will need one cup of granulated sugar for this recipe. The cheesecake will be sweet, but not too sweet. One cup of sugar is the perfect balance of sweetness for this recipe.

Eggs- you will need 2 large eggs for this recipe. To get a perfect classic cheesecake, make sure that the eggs are at room temperature.

Heavy cream- use full-fat heavy cream for this recipe. Make sure that it's at room temperature.

Cornstarch- we used cornstarch, you can use flour instead.

Vanilla extract- vanilla extract adds extra flavor.

Sour cream- we suggest using full-fat sour cream for this recipe. The sour cream makes the cheesecake batter creamier and lighter.

Pistachios- use unsalted pistachios for this recipe. Salted pistachios have a strong salty flavor that will make your cheesecake very salty. I like toasting pistachios to release their delicious flavor and release their natural oils.

Pistachio paste- you can use store-bought pistachio paste for the filling or make homemade pistachio paste!

Pistachio topping

White chocolate- use the best quality white chocolate for the best flavor and texture!

Pistachio paste- you will need 40 g of pistachio paste. We used pure pistachio paste, but you can make your own pistachio paste at home just like you make almond butter!

Pistachios- chop your unsalted toasted pistachios with a sharp knife to your preferred size. You can make the pistachio chunks larger or smaller.

Heavy cream- heavy cream will make the topping creamier and easier to spread.

Instructions

Into a small to medium mixing bowl, add the graham crackers crumbs, granulated sugar, and chopped pistachios. Mix with a spoon until well combined.

Add the melted butter and mix until the crumbs are coated with butter.

Transfer the crumbs into a prepared 9-inch cake pan, pressing evenly and firmly into the pan.

Bake the crust in a 180c (350f) preheated oven for 5-8 minutes. Keep an eye on the crust and make sure it doesn’t burn. Take the crust out of the oven and let it cool to room temperature.

Lower the temperature to 140c (280f). In a big mixing bowl, add the room-temperature cream cheese, granulated sugar, sour cream, heavy cream, kosher salt, vanilla extract, and mix with an electric hand mixer until the cream cheese is creamy.

Add the pistachio paste and mix until creamy and combined.

Sift the cornstarch into the mixture and mix until combined and there are no lumps of cornstarch showing.

Whisk the eggs with a fork, add them to the cream cheese batter, and mix until the mixture is creamy and smooth.

Pour the cheesecake batter over the crust, and carefully release air bubbles by gently tapping the pan onto a flat surface.

Bake the cheesecake in a 140c (280f) preheated oven for about an hour or until the edges of the cheesecake are set, but the middle is a bit jiggly.

Open the oven door halfway, and let the cheesecake cool to room temperature for 1-2 hours.

After the cheesecake is cooled, wrap the cheesecake with plastic wrap tightly, and place the cheesecake in the fridge to cool completely for at least 5 hours.

Make the pistachio topping

Into a medium mixing bowl, add the white chocolate (chopped), pistachio paste, and heavy cream.

Place the bowl in the microwave and microwave for 30-second pulses or in a bain Marie.

Mix between every microwave pulse, until you get a creamy mixture. Add the chopped pistachios and mix well.

Run a thin knife around the edges of the cake to loosen it from the pan. Carefully release the springform.

Top the cheesecake with the pistachio topping and spread it evenly using a spoon or an offset spatula. Serve and enjoy!

Expert Tips

To get a taller cheesecake, use an 8-inch springform pan instead the 9 inch one.
Make sure that you are using room-temperature cream cheese in this recipe, this step makes it easier to mix the cream cheese with no unnecessary lumps, we don’t want that.
Use a springform tin. We use springform tins for all of our cheesecake recipes. This makes sure that your cake will be easy to release from the pan.
Use high-fat cream cheese or the well-known Philadelphia cream cheese. Using full-fat cream cheese ensures that your cheesecake will be stable and will not crack.
Let your cheesecake cool in the fridge for at least 5 hours. We know it’s very hard to resist eating this delicious cheesecake right away, but you have to let the cheesecake cool and set it in the pan. We like to let the cheesecake sit in the fridge overnight.
For a smooth and creamy cheesecake, make sure that you are using room-temperature ingredients. Before you begin to make this cheesecake, make sure that your cream cheese is completely soft, and that your eggs are at room temperature.
Don’t overbeat the mixture! It's really easy to overbeat the mixture, and that is one of the most common mistakes. To avoid overbeating your mixture, make sure that you lower the speed of the hand mixer and add each egg at a time.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl frequently to ensure that you have a homogeneous mixture that has no cream cheese lumps.
Don't open the oven door before the cake is fully baked or about to be baked! Drastic changes in the temperature of the cake while baking can cause the cake to collapse or crack.

Slice of cheesecake pulled out from a cheesecake.

Faq's

How to tell if my cheesecake is done baking?

Overbaking cheesecake is a common mistake that causes the cheesecake to crack or even burn.

You will know that your cheesecake is done baking when you see that the edges of the cheesecake are set, but the middle is a bit jiggly. The middle of the cake will be set in the cooling process.

How to release the cheesecake from the pan?

To prevent the cheesecake from cracking, it is important to release it carefully from the pan. Use a butter knife or a thin knife and run it around the edges of the cake to release it from the pan.

Then release the spring from the edges.

Can I use another sized pan?

Yes. We used a 9-inch springform pan for this, but you can use an 8-inch pan as well.

Why did my cheesecake crack?

Overbaked, overmixed, or stuck to the sides of the pan, there are a lot of reasons for the cheesecake to crack. To prevent the cheesecake from cracking, follow out tips written in the notes.

Close up shot of a slice of cheesecake with a bite missing.

Storing

Store this cheesecake in the fridge (because it contains dairy) covered tightly with plastic wrap for up to 5 days.

Freezing

This cheesecake freezes great! to freeze this cheesecake, bake it according to the instructions, then cool it according to the instructions in the fridge.

When the cheesecake is completely cooled, you can freeze the cheesecake covered in a few layers of plastic wrap or foil. This cheesecake will freeze for up to 3 months.

To thaw, place the cheesecake in the fridge overnight.

Substitutions

Gluten-free- This recipe is really easy to turn gluten-free, simply replace the graham crackers with gluten-free graham crackers, or with gluten-free digestive biscuits. Also, replace the flour with cornstarch.

Digestive biscuits- People outside of America usually don’t have graham crackers. Don’t worry! You can use tea biscuits, vanilla wafers, and digestive biscuits.

Variations

Topping- you can skip the pistachio topping and instead, top the cheesecake with chocolate ganache, white chocolate ganache, or chopped and toasted pistachios.

Nuts- you can make this cheesecake with your favorite nut instead of pistachios like peanuts, almonds, or hazelnuts!

Pistachio crust- this crust is made with pistachios and graham crackers. If you want to skip the pistachios in the crust, simply skip it and swap them with more graham crackers.

Serving tips

Whipped cream- top every slice of cheesecake with a dollop of freshly made whipped cream.
Vanilla ice cream- this cake tastes amazing with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.

Equipment

You will need a 9-inch springform pan for this cheesecake. I love this set from Amazon.
You will also need a food processor to make the crust (if you are not using a store-bought crust).
I recommend using an electric hand mixer to make sure your cheesecake mixture is smooth and perfect. You can also use a stand mixer for this with a balloon attachment.

More cheesecake recipes

Vanilla cheesecake- This vanilla cheesecake is a creamy and easy cheesecake that is made without a water bath and can be topped with fresh berries, caramel sauce, or chocolate ganache.

No bake mini cheesecake- These no bake mini cheesecakes are creamy, easy to make, and perfect with berries on top. These are made with simple ingredients and take minutes to prep!

Oreo cheesecake- This oreo cheesecake is made without a water bath, made with a creamy oreo filling, and oreo crust, and topped with oreo whipped cream!

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