Pistachio Cheesecake

Pistachio Cheesecake with a pistachio crumb base, creamy baked pistachio cheesecake filling, and luxurious pistachio cream topping. 

As the self-proclaimed queen of pistachio desserts, I decided it was high time I developed a pistachio cheesecake recipe! I have recipes for everything from simple Pistachio Shortbread to showstopping Pistachio Dacquoise,

Pistachios are my all-time favorite ingredient to bake with so this perfect pistachio cheesecake fits right into the collection.

And I’d be doing you a disservice if I didn’t make it the best darn pistachio cheesecake you have ever tasted. This cheesecake has a perfect, creamy texture, similar to basque cheesecake recipes.

It is packed with punchy pistachio flavor from real pistachios, with the distinct flavor of pistachios in the base, the cheesecake, and the topping.

If you are a pistachio lover, this may be your new favorite cheesecake!

Ingredients

It is important to use high-quality ingredients for this pistachio cheesecake. Read the ingredient notes to make sure you get the right components.

• Graham Crackers – Or digestive biscuits, or butterkeks. 
• Pistachios – For the base, make it easier on yourself and buy them shelled! It doesn’t matter if they are roasted or raw. Salted or unsalted, according to your preference. 
• Sugar – Regular white sugar is great, it’s better if it’s superfine (caster sugar in the UK). 
• Butter – For the cheesecake base, it’s best to use unsalted butter so you can control the salt content. But you can use salted and leave out additional salt. 
• Cream Cheese – Make sure it is full fat cream cheese. Let it come to room temperature before beginning. 
• Cornstarch – This will help with the texture of the cheesecake (Known as cornflour in the UK). 
• Eggs – We’ll use two whole eggs and one egg yolk. Use large eggs, preferably free-range if possible. 
• Pistachio Paste – You can buy this online or make your own at home. Not to be confused with pistachio cream. Pistachio paste/pistachio butter is made of 100% pistachio nut. See my post about how to make your own pistachio paste. 
• Pistachio Cream – This is the sweet pistachio spread that goes on top of the cheesecake. You can get this online. It is optional, see the post below for alternative ideas on how to decorate the cheesecake. 
• Vanilla – Vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
• Almond Extract – The almond extract is optional. It does help to show off the natural flavor of the pistachios, but you can just leave it out if you prefer. 
• Heavy Cream – Make sure it is heavy cream, heavy whipping cream, or double cream. Anything less than 35% fat content won’t work. 

See the recipe card for full measurements and instructions. 

How to Make Pistachio Graham Cracker Crust

Prepare

Preheat your oven to 325°F / 170°C and prepare your cheesecake pan for a water bath.

See the section below for more details on how to do this. 

Chop Pistachios

Put the pistachios into a food processor and pulse until they are roughly chopped. 

Add Graham Crackers

Add the graham crackers, sugar, and salt to the ground pistachios and blitz until the crackers are fine crumbs. 

Melt Butter

Melt the butter in the microwave and add it to the mixture – pulse until it is combined and looks like wet sand. You might not need all of the butter so start with ¾ of it and add more if required.

When it’s ready, it should clump together when squeezed in your hands. 

Pour into Pan

Tip the mixture into a loose-bottomed cake pan and use your hand, or a glass, to push it down into a compact, level layer across the bottom of the pan and slightly up the sides of the pan. 

Bake

Bake the buttery graham cracker crust in a preheated oven at 350°F / 180°C for 10 minutes, just to set it.

Remove from the oven and let cool while you make the cheesecake. 

How to Make Pistachio Cheesecake

Cream

Cream together the room-temperature cream cheese, sugar, and cornstarch in a bowl until creamy and free from lumps.

You can use a stand mixer, electric mixer, or just do it by hand with a wooden spoon. 

Add Eggs

Add the eggs, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and almond extract, all at the same time, and beat them in.

Be careful not to overmix, we don’t want to incorporate air into the cheesecake batter. 

Add Pistachio Paste

Mix in the pistachio paste, make sure you scrape down the sides of the bowl so it is completely incorporated and the lovely green color is homogenous with no streaks of white. 

Add Cream

Slowly drizzle in the cream, a little at a time, and mix it in gradually. 

Fill Pan

Pour the pistachio cheesecake batter into your prepared pan and smooth it out so it is level. 

Make a Water Bath

Place the pan into a water bath in the oven. I find it easiest to place the pan and dish in the oven first, then pour the water in once it’s on the shelf – this stops the water from sloshing around. 

Bake

Bake the pistachio cheesecake for about 45 minutes or until it is baked. The outer 2-3 inches should be completely set and the middle should still have a slight jiggle. See the section below for more details. 

Cool

Once the cheesecake is baked, turn the oven off and crack the oven door. Let the cheesecake sit in there for an hour, then remove it from the oven and hot water, and let it cool completely on the countertop.

Then chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours before removing from the pan. 

​How to Decorate Pistachio Cheesecake

There are so many ways you can decorate your pistachio cheesecake. I kept it simple by spreading some pistachio cream on top, then using a palette knife to make a swirl pattern on top. Then I sprinkled some chopped pistachios around the outside. 

Here are a few ideas for alternative ways to decorate your cheesecake:

• Whipped Cream – You could add whipped cream instead of or on top of your pistachio paste, spread, or piped. Check out my delicious chantilly cream recipe. 
• Pistachio Whipped Cream – Try mixing a few tablespoons of pistachio paste into my chantilly cream recipe for a delicious pistachio-flavored cream. 
• White Chocolate – Melt some white chocolate in the microwave and drizzle it on top of the cheesecake. You could do lines or even just splash it Jackson Pollock style. 
• Pistachio Ganache – If you don’t have pistachio cream but would like a similar effect, try making the pistachio ganache topping from my Pistachio Brownie recipe.

How to Know When Cheesecake Is Baked

There is a definite knack for knowing when baked cheesecakes are done.  Every oven is different, which means the baking process will be slightly different for everyone and you can’t just rely on the timings given in a recipe card.

To consistently get the best cheesecakes, you need to learn how to tell if the cheesecake is baked by looking at it.  Here are my tips:

• The more jiggly the center is, the more soft and creamy your cheesecake will be. If you prefer a more firm cheesecake, keep going until the jiggle is very slight. If you want a soft, custardy cheesecake, you want more of a jiggle. The important thing is that it looks firm, and not like it is still liquid underneath. 
• ​Once the cheesecake is baked, the outer 2-3 inches should be completely set, but if you shake the pan the center of the cheesecake should still have a slight jiggle to it. The surface of the cheesecake should be dull, not wet. 
• By ‘slight jiggle’ I mean it moves a bit like jello, but all in one piece. if it looks like it is still liquid then it is not done!