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The Best Homemade Pistachio Cheesecake Recipe — 318 Comments

  1. This looks delicious. I am not planning a cheesecake for a few weeks but this would be an excellent choice. Thanks for linking this to Bake With Bizzy. This is the featured recipe, this week. It will be up, later today.

        • Hi Megan, Yes this cheesecake is a generous size. Mine rose above the pan too but once it cools it will settle down back to the pan.

          • IM MAKING THIS RIGHT NOW AND ITS BEEN IN THE OVEN FOR 1 HOUR AND 15 MINUTES AND IT STILL SEEMS WOBBLY, EVEN THOUGH THE COLOR LOOKS LIKE YOURS IN PIC!

          • Hi Sandy, When a cheesecake is removed from the oven it’s supposed to have some movement, not stiff like a baked cake.

        • Hi Chantal, I don’t see why not. I recommend using a smaller springform pan. Did you know that this cheesecake can be frozen? After you bake the cheesecake and it has cooled completely (preferably the next day), slice it up, add pieces of wax or parchment paper between the slices, add to a container with a tight fitting lid and place in the freezer. The cheesecake will stay fresh for at least 3 months. So….have some now and then the rest later. This way you don’t have to worry about reducing the recipe. ♥

    • I have made this pistachio cheesecake twice and everyone absolutely loves it. Two things –
      Both times I did get a brown layer on the top and both times I peeled it off. The second time I then added a sour cream layer to cover the top. Any ideas why the brown layer and suggestions to not end up with a brown layer? Also, I’d like to make this as a key lime cheesecake, but they don’t make (or I can’t find) key lime pudding mix. Any suggestions? (By the way – I am also going to try a lemon cheesecake using lemon pudding mix) Love this cheesecake recipe!

      • Hi Sharon, To protect your cheesecake (if the baking is creating a brown top layer) I would cover the cheesecake with foil for some of the baking time. As far as creating a key lime cheesecake, I would search for another recipe this recipe is based off of using a pudding mix. I have a great coconut lime cheesecake recipe that uses lime curd. Click here for the recipe→ COCONUT LIME CHEESECAKE

  2. Can I substitute the fluor and the ground almonds for almond fluor or almond meal and make the crust using it with the butter?

  3. Do I need to make the pudding first or just add the pudding powder to the mixture? I can’t find instant pudding, is it okay to use regular pudding mix?

  4. What would you suggest for crust if someone has a nut allergy? Believe it or not, pistachios don’t cause a reaction.

  5. This sounds absolutely heavenly. I’m tempted to try a Vanilla Wafer crust with this with maybe some almond flavoring added to the crust. If/when I do, I’ll report back how it turns out. Thanks for sharing this recipe.

      • Hi Sheryl, I make cheesecakes alot…this looks absolutely stunning. Can’t wait to try it. I am sure it will taste as great also. Thanks so much for sharing. On a side note, barring any allergies, I just wish people would stop trying to change everything. There is a reason why this looks so fabulous…it’s called the “recipe”. I do tweek recipes sometimes after I have made them and want to try another variation but this looks so enticing because it was made per the recipe. Anything this beautiful takes time but is well worth the effort. Thanks for letting me vent!

          • I’ve been celiac since 2003.. Life is much easier now being celiac.. So many options. All you have to do is buy gluten free flour. The rest of it is already gluten free.
            Annette

        • Some people have allergies or as I do celiac disease, if I tweak the crust I could make it gluten free. It is a very hard diet to follow especially when it comes to desserts and the holidays. Not everyone can eat everything like you. We aren’t trying to change the recipe just trying to be able to make a dessert that I can eat. Don’t take for granted that you can eat whatever you like.

        • Gosh, I so agree with you, Marilyn. If it’s too much or too many calories, why are you even reviewing such a recipe!!!! Sheesh. My goodness, this recipe does look amazing, though!!!!!!

  6. Can this be frozen after it’s baked? I would freeze it in smaller portions to enjoy little by little. I can’t wait to make this!

    • Hi Ellen, Yes you can freeze this cheesecake. I do it all the time for my husband so he can have it for lunch at work a little at a time. 🙂

  7. I’d like to try halving this recipe and making tarts in jumbo muffin tins. Should I lower the temp of the oven, or shorten the baking time?

  8. I just made this cheesecake, it is sitting on the counter cooling as I type…. Very easy and very heavy!!! (5 pounds!)Can’t wait to taste it tomorrow!

    • Hi Suzz, You can substitute a graham cracker crust for the almond crust but you will need to use a springform pan not a pie shell. This is a very tall and impressive cheesecake. 🙂

    • You can certainly try Cathy. You’ll probably have to change the baking time. I would think less baking time since the cheesecake won’t be as high as it would be in a 9-inch pan.

    • Hi Taylor, You’ve got me on this one. I have no idea why your crust would be hard. There isn’t even any sugar in it. I guess you could lessen the baking time a bit for the crust portion. 🙂

      • You have me confused. You said there is no sugar in it but the instructions call for sugar in the crust. I am getting ready to attempt to make this and would like my crust to not be hard also. Can you please let me know if I should or should not put the sugar in the crust?

  9. I read earlier to not use a pre made graham cracker crust because of how much it makes “tall and impressive” (the spring foam pan). Does that also mean that the miniature pre made graham cracker crusts would not work either?

  10. Have never made a REAL cheesecake…when it says to lower the oven temp, do you put the cheesecake in the oven right away while it is decreasing in temp., or wait til it gets down to 350 and then put it in?

    • Don’t worry Mikki, I took out the higher temp and decided it would be fine baking the crust at the same temp as the cheesecake.

  11. I wasn’t to sure on using flour for the crust. I always use graham crackers. Will it still taste great with the graham crackers and ground up almonds in it

  12. As Marilyn said,
    If your going to make all these alterations on this
    cheesecake, why not just go make something
    else?? I am going to make this for Christmas
    just as it says… It looks and sounds fabulous !!

  13. I burned up my mixer because I didn’t leave the cream cheese out to soften. I recovered by purchasing a new mixer but I am truly looking forward to seeing how this comes out.

    • Hi Dezire, I don’t know but if I had to guess (which I am doing…HA!) I would set it out the day before, let it defrost and then store it in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

  14. Just made this today (never made a cheesecake)…my husband likes pistachios so I thought I’d try it…well it was a HUGE success. I think I may have over baked it a little but it was still so creamy and he loved it. It does come out tall so it’s not a skimpy recipe. But it is worth a try at it.

    • Hi Heather, You can try it…as far as how to bake….that would be a guess on my part. Maybe start baking for 40 minutes but I would keep a close watch.

  15. Hello Wendy, I am just wondering what size cheesecake pan do you use I have two and the one I would want to use is 2 3/4″ deep and 9 1/2 round will that be big enough to hold all that?? Or will it just rise above and be ok??? I want to make this so bad..

      • Thank you so much I have to make this ….. I make a Jalapeno Cheesecake which when I worked with the fire Dept I had to make two of them at time.. Firefighters love food ahhahahahahahahahahha

    • Hi Pat, You can try…I don’t know how thick it will be. That’s a lot more surface area then a 9-inch springform pan. Don’t forget to adjust the baking time. 🙂

    • Hi Michelle, I don’t know the volume is so different (a lot more in the regular pudding). You can try it, I know the flavor will be good.

  16. hello made this cheesecake yesterday came out deilish!! great recipe it was so big i had to share with my friends and they loved too!!! thanks!

  17. Fantastic cheesecake! I made this last night and it was my first try at making a cheesecake. I thought it was a good idea to practice because I am planning on making it for Christmas Eve. When mixing the ingredients it was very thick which worried me a bit and when baking it rose a considerable amount… above the rim of the springform pan…similar to a soufflé so I was very concerned. It settled when I removed it from the oven. I refrigerated it overnight and my boyfriend (who found this recipe and asked me to make it), absolutely loved it!! Also, I used a Nilla Wafer crust. A box of Crushed Nilla Wafers, a melted stick of butter and some sugar and vanilla mixed together and baked in the pan for 10 min at 325. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!

  18. Regarding the pistachio cheesecake can I substitute 16 oz sour cream and cut back on the cream cheese by 2… I am wondering if the original recipe will be too dry
    Jean

  19. Hello. I made this the other day, I have a new convection oven and didn’t know how long to bake it for so I did it for 50 minutes. I think the middle was a little under cooked. How long should I bake this for in the convection oven? Also, how can I tell when its done? Even under-cooked a little this is Amazing!! Will be a hit for Christmas!

    • Hi Maria, I’m sorry I don’t have a convection oven. You’ll have to google the baking time difference. I’m glad you like the cheesecake! Merry Christmas. 🙂

  20. I decided I would try it but am not one to bake, instead of making the crust I bought 3 graham cracker pre-made crust and made 3 of them, one for me, one for the person’s house I went to and the first one I had to throw out I cooked it to long, it only took 20 minutes to cook (electric stove). Everyone LOVED it. Making them this week for Christmas. Thank you

  21. Hi a little confused about the cooling
    ool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer.
    Refrigerate overnight.
    Do you take it out of pan before you place in fridge??

  22. I am making this on Tuesday night but not serving until Friday. Could I leave the ring on while I keep it wrapped in the fridge in a cake container and then remove it before serving on Friday or will it take on a metallic taste. It is a newer nonstick coated pan. Thanks

  23. In one of the comments above, you mention roasting the almonds but the ingredients don’t specify roasted almonds. Do I need roast my raw almonds? How long and at what temperature?

    • Hi Ed. Yes, the measurements are correct. If you are having a problem with it then add enough butter or water to bring it all together.

  24. FIRST TIME EVER MAKING CHEESECAKE- My husband is baking this as I type…..my house smells wonderful!! It looks really good too. Very easy and simple recipe, Thank You Sherylfor sharing? We had to bake it an additional 10 minutes. We can’t wait to serve it up for our family Christmas dinner. Merry Christmas everyone.

  25. Hi Sheryl. I consider myself cheesecake Queen. This is the ifrst time I am stumped. I misread one of the ingredients and have only 3-1 oz packets of pistacho pudding!!!!!! Will it still work out??? I imagine the pudding is for the pist. taste, or is it going to change the texture/thickness? Can I go ahead or choose another cheesecake? I REALLY wanted to make this one.

  26. Everyone LOVES this very simple recipe. It was the first cheesecake I’d ever made. I used ready-made graham cracker crust and it makes two of those because they’re smaller than a spring-form pan. It leaves some left over also and I made cheesecake cupcakes using a cenimeter thick graham cracker crust (mixed with a little butter) on the bottom of the cupcake paper.

  27. I used glutinous free chocolate cookie to make the crust added some roasted almonds and pistachios to the crust also added some ground pistacjios to the batter turned out great

  28. I have a convection oven; in reading some online posts, it seems I will need to lower my oven temp by 50 degrees and use a water bath. Have you had any experience baking this cake in a convection oven? This is my first attempt at a cheesecake and can’t wait to give it a try!

    • Sorry Jill I haven’t baked a dessert with a convection oven only casseroles. I usually use the same temperature as a regular oven; it does bake a lot faster. I guess you could try the lower temp and if it doesn’t seem to be getting done when it should you can always adjust the temp. up.

  29. Hi Sheryl I made this tonight for my husband for Fathers Day tomorrow it cooling right now my husband loves pistachios it a surprise and I’m really looking forward to it. My advice is be careful using your hand mixer I burnt mine out it was so thick I kept going back looking at the recipe to make sure I didn’t miss anything next time I’ll use my kitchenAid. also thank you for the advice of the cookie sheet if I had not put it under my pan I would of had a mess I’m really looking forward to this dessert

    • Hi Theresa! What an awesome surprise! Sorry about the mixer. I only use my KitchenAid so I didn’t know it was too laboring for a hand mixer. Thanks for the heads up on that. Have a wonderful day tomorrow and thanks for sharing! 🙂

    • Hi Phizannah, I think turning this cheesecake into a no bake cheesecake is a great idea and adding whipped cream should do the trick. Good Luck! 🙂

  30. Made this for Christmas 2015, was a big hit. This was my first try at making a cheesecake from scratch. I did swap out the almonds for pistachios, to make it a true pistachio cheesecake.

  31. My daughter made this earlier this year but made a zwieback crust which I love and ate almost half of This! Excellent cheesecake

  32. Hi all! I follow Sheryl on FB and SO enjoy al of her posts and videos! While all of her recipes are fab… I must say THIS pistachio almond cheesecake is A-MA-ZING! If you don’t have any allergies… don’t change a thing as it is just SO delicious! I’ve made it three times now and it gets RAVE reviews!

  33. If you like pistachios this is the cheesecake for you. Made it for this past Thanksgiving. Big hit, didn’t last long. I did change one thing, I did not have any almonds, so I used more pistachios in its place.

  34. Im not sure if anyone has tried this but i wonder if using bannana pudding instead of pastachio with a vanilla cookie crust would be good.
    Thanks for sharing!

    • Hi Mike, If you’re having problems with cracking then yes a water bath would help. I personally have never had this cheesecake crack.

    • Hi Gayle, No…I don’t no how you would get the cheesecake out in one piece if you made it in a tube pan. You could try baking it in a 9×13-inch baking dish, like cheesecake bars. You would have to adjust the baking time. For cheesecake bars I usually bake at 325° for 45 to 50 minutes. Don’t rely on that though…this is just a guess. Start at 30 minutes and the check it every 5 minutes. You only want to bake it until the center is set. I hope this helps. Happy Baking! 🙂

      • Made this again!always comes out delish! I added pistachios instead of almonds then decorated with more pistachios and white chocolate!i have picture but dont know how to send?

        • That sounds delicious Laura. I don’t think you can add a picture to a comment. If you share it on Instagram and tag it #ladybehindthecurtain I will see it.

  35. Can I mix in some pistachios into the batter before baking so there will be nuts throughout or will they harden/ burn?

  36. I made this chess cake twice already, everyone loved it! I am making another tomorrow for Memorial Day Picnic. Excellent recipe! Thank you–Paula

  37. Made this recipe for a special birthday. It was great and quite the hit. I plan to make it again and again. We used ground pistachios in the crust, by the way. The only problem, and I haven’t read all the responses, it was way too much filling for our 9-inch springform pan. I had to put 1/4 to 1/3 in a ramekin and baking that as well. We called it a pistachio souffle.

    • So glad everyone enjoyed the cheesecake Bryan. The batter is a lot but it does fit in the pan. While baking it rises a lot (looks like it will spill over) but it settles down.

  38. Sheryl, the top of mine is brown, because it was still so jiggly after 55 minutes that I left it in another 15! I don’t care if it’s brown, because it is sure to taste like a little piece of heaven, but…does yours stay pretty jiggly until refrigerated??

    Maybe I’m the only one getting jiggly with it…

  39. Hi! The recipe doesn’t mention anything about pre baking the crust, but that seems odd as there is flour in the crust. Can you confirm that the crust doesn’t need to be pre baked?

    Can not wait to make this!!

  40. If I omitted the pistachio pudding, it would just be a regular flavor cheesecake correct? I’ve been looking for a cake this nice and tall just not flavored..TY

    • Hi Renee, You might loose some of the volume. Would using vanilla pudding work or is that too much flavor for what you need?

  41. I live in Australia and I can’t find pistachio pudding anywhere can I substitute vanilla pudding and add some ground pistachios instead. Thanks

  42. I made this! It was ridiculously YUM! Easy to make and texture was luxurious and creamy. This is going to be my go to recipe. I will also be tweaking it to make other flavors! Love it, thanks!

  43. Made it absolutely loved it!! Every thing went well with the recipe and the baking process. Six sticks of cream cheese seemed a lot but it was such a hit that I’m convinced to not alter the recipe the next to make it. Thank you for your recipe

    • That’s awesome Helen! Yes, I know that most cheesecake recipes don’t call for that much cream cheese but it works with this cheesecake! Happy New Year!

  44. Hi, Sheryl. I’d like to use MYTFINE BUTTERSCOTCH PUDDING for this recipe, however, it’s not instant pudding but Is the kind you need to cook on the stove unlike instant pudding. Can I use the MYTFINE regular pudding for this recipe or does it have to be instant pudding? Thank you. Rosemarie.

    • Hi Rosemarie, I think that’ll be fine as long as it gives good flavor. The recipe calls for 2 (3.4 ounce) boxes of pudding mix. I would at least match that amount of dry mix.

  45. Hello, I have a question. I am a little curious to know if I can substitute the pistachio pudding mix with natural pistachios ? I am looking for a recipe that doesn’t have the pudding mix, but there doesn’t seem to be one ☹️

    • Hi Andrea, For this recipe you would need to use the pudding mix. You could just make a regular cheesecake like a New York Style and add pistachios to it.

  46. Made this cheesecake for Mother’s Day and it was OUT OF THIS WORLD!! Very easy to make, foolproof recipe. No cracks! Next time, I’m going to use Pecan Sandies for the crust and will try this same recipe with instant lemon pudding and fresh squeezed lemon juice and also, another cheesecake with butterscotch pudding and top with homemade caramel sauce! I’ll let you know how they both turn out but this recipe is a KEEPER!!!!!!

  47. hi i have made this before and LOVE it. I am wonering if I make my own graham cracker crust do you think i would use the same baking time and steps as if i were to do your almond crust? I know you might not know this just wasn’t sure if anyone has tried. Not sure if graham cracker crust can be baked as long .

  48. I am making this tonight for a party tomorrow! I’m doing the graham cracker crust and just prepping it, putting it in the fridge, then pouring my batter in about a half hour later then baking the 55-60 minutes. Can’t wait to try it tomorrow!

  49. Thank you for this wonderful recipe. It has become a family favorite. After the first one I did switch to a “Fat Daddio’s” 10 x 3 inch aluminum springform and it works better for me. My family are gluten free and for the crust I use “Pamela’s” GF pecan shortbread cookies processed finely with no need for butter or sugar and just pressed into the bottom.(350 for 10 mins.and cooled before adding batter)

  50. Hi just made this cheesecake. Batter was real thick. Wondering if it is suppose to be??? Watching it bake not rising up too much??

  51. Hi! This recipe is like a dream come true for me, two of my fave things pistachios and cheesecake! However, where I live, pistachio pudding mix is a miracle to find. What can I substitute that with? ?

  52. I have used walnuts for this cheesecake crust and really like the flavor with the pistachio mixture. Although I have not written before this will be the 3rd time I am making your pistachio cheesecake recipe for Christmas Eve…always a hit! This year I am going to make a canoli filling and top it with that once it is cooled and prior to serving!

  53. I make this all the time and it always comes out great! I have been changing up the pudding mix I’ve used banana cream and devil’s food pudding with reese’s peanut butter cups comes out great!

  54. I made this cheesecake the other day. One of the easiest gourmet like cheesecakes I have made. Creamy, rich, and full of flavor! No water bath needed, and it didn’t crack 🙂

    • Hi Joanne, To optimize your success I would recommend using a springform pan. This is a very tall cheesecake and would overflow in a regular size cake pan. You could try splitting the batter up between two cake pans. I’ve never tried it so I don’t know if it works or how long you would bake the cheesecake.

  55. Oh boy forgot to grease the pan…..cause i didn’t see it written anywhere now it is in the oven afraid it will stick…did I need to grease the pan helpppp!!!!

  56. This was one of the best cheesecakes I ever made! My friends beg me to bake another soon. Thank you for sharing!

  57. Were you able to make this one Keto or low carb? With sugar free pudding. I saw somewhere that you were going to try to figure out how to do it. Did it work?

  58. I’ve made this cheesecake several times,EVERYONE LOVED IT!!! I was going to make it again today but I noticed you mentioned that you “revamped” the recipe. The original recipe worked perfect for me. I never had any problems. Can you please give me the unvamped version of this recipe?

    • Hi Pat, If you use homemade whipped cream you can decorate the cheesecake the morning of your dinner. If you use store bought in a can, you should decorate right before serving.

  59. I recently just made this and I’ve been getting nothing but RAVING reviews on it. My family has all said it’s the best cheesecake they’ve EVER had. Did the recipe just like you said and it turned out amazing. I was taken aback at first with the 6 blocks of cream cheese and it did rise a little above the pan but it settled back down once it cooled. I’m planning on using a different flavor of pudding mix sometime soon and seeing how that comes out. Thank you for posting this recipe! I’m a hit with the family gatherings now. ;P

  60. Sounds good. Have you tried halving this recipe to make a smaller cheesecake: 3 packages of cream cheese, one package of pudding, half a can of sweetened condensed milk, three eggs?

  61. This is my go to recipe. My whole family loves it! It was just made a request for my mother in laws birthday cake! Just came out. About 60 mins and it was perfectly golden brown! It’s cooling in the fridge as we speak! Love it !

    • Hi Rebecca, I’m so glad to hear you, your family and friends love the recipe as much as my family and friends. Thank you for the kind comment.

  62. I made this and took it to a chef in training class and it was a HUGE HIT!!!! Delicious and creamy! I piped it with whipped cream, maraschino cherries and almond slivers. I definitely will make it again soon. Thank you for this recipe.

  63. I’ve become a bit of a celebrity with my cheesecake creations at parties. This one sent me over the top. People were blown away. re crust: instead of flour with almonds mixed in, I went with straight almond flour. My gluten free friends were so happy.

  64. I know this has been asked and I tried to find the answer here. I have whole almonds, can I grind them myself? How fine should they be? Should it be like almond flour? I have a food processor and a cooking blender that will make flour. Do the skins need to be removed from the almonds? Thanks

    • Hi Jan, No the skins do not need to be removed. Grind up the almonds to be fine, it doesn’t have to be as fine as almond flour. It’s nice to have a little texture and crunch.

  65. hi Sheryl
    I want to know if I divide the batter with two different flavor of pudding mix like: 1/2 pistachio and the other 1/2 with strawberry mix pudding, do you thinks the batter are going to be right or they going to mix when you add the second flavor? please let me know if I can do it that way or not

  66. I made according to the directions with one unintended exception. I accidentally purchased a tub of Philadelphia cream cheese “spread” instead of the bricks. It was late and I needed the cheesecake for a party the next day so I went for it and used the spread. Exact Same quantity in terms of Ounces. It turned out wonderful. I do want to try again with the brick cream cheese to gauge the difference if any. Excellent!

  67. I love this cheesecake and have made it several times. I made this year for Easter and added malted milk ball robins’ eggs candies on top. GREAT AND EASY!

  68. Hi I’ve made this several times and it always comes out wonderful. My family loves it with my raspberry sauce on it and extra crushed pistachios

  69. Hi – I’m making this but using premade graham cracker crust in the foil pan. So I would have to take the crust out of the foil pan and put in springform pan before I put batter in?

    • Hi Kim, You don’t have to transfer the crust, you can pour the batter into the store bought crust, the only problem is you will have more batter then will fit in a foil pan. 2 premade graham cracker crusts would work better. If you don’t have a second crust, the springform pan would work better. This is a high cheesecake and requires a lot of room.🎄

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