Our easy, no-bake pistachio pie recipe has a creamy pistachio filling in a delicious vanilla wafer pie crust. It’s perfect for a quick and delicious dessert. With simple steps and no baking required, this pie is a great go-to for any occasion.
Pistachio Pie Recipe
Our easy Pistachio Pie recipe takes a popular “viral on Pinterest” Watergate Salad and turns it into the most delicious pistachio cream pie you’ll ever taste. This no bake dessert combines the rich, nutty flavor of pistachios with a creamy pudding, cream cheese and Cool Whip filling and sets it inside a crunchy cookie crust.
Whether you’re craving the old-fashioned favorite dessert salad flavors or simply need a slice of nostalgia, pistachio pie recipes are the perfect solution!
Pistachio Pie Ingredients
- Vanilla wafers: Graham crackers are a great substitute, although you may want to add a bit more sugar for flavor. For convenience, you can use a store-bought graham cracker crust.
- Granulated white sugar
- Salted butter: You can use unsalted butter if you prefer, and then add a pinch of salt to balance the flavors.
- Cream cheese: Be sure to use room-temperature softened cream cheese in this recipe so that it smoothly combines with the other ingredients. Cold cream cheese is more likely to give you a lumpy pie filling.
- Pistachio pudding mix: I made my pie with Great Value brand pudding mix, but other brands will also work. Make sure to use instant pistachio pudding, not the cook-and-serve kind.
- Heavy cream: Half-and-half or whole milk can be substituted, but your pie may set up a little softer and not whip up quite as nicely.
- Almond extract: Almond extract complements the pistachio flavor beautifully, however vanilla extract is a good substitute when needed.
- Frozen whipped topping: Cool Whip or a homemade whipped topping can work as well, just be sure that it is well whipped with sugar to stabilize it before adding it to the mixture.
- Pistachios: This is an optional garnish, but I love sprinkling some chopped pistachios on top so that each slice has a little extra crunch.
- Maraschino cherries: These are optional, but they add a pretty pop of color to this pistachio pudding pie.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Pistachio Pie
- Create The Crust: Crush the vanilla wafers until crumbled. Add in the sugar and melted butter and pulse until the mixture resembles wet sand and holds together when pressed firmly. Press into the bottom and up the sides a deep dish pie pan.
- Chill: Cover the crust with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator.
- Form The Filling: Beat the cream cheese until soft and fluffy. Add in the pudding mix, heavy cream, and almond extract and beat on low for about 1 minute. Increase the speed for 2-4 minutes until the mixture is well whipped, then fold in the whipped topping.
- Cover The Crust: Spread the pie filling into the crust. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Decorate Your Dessert: Pipe the whipped topping around the edge of the pie, sprinkle pistachios on top and garnish with maraschino cherries.
- Serve: Slice and serve at room temperature. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
For best results, serve your pistachio creme pie at room temperature. Although the pie needs a few hours in the refrigerator to set up properly, I recommend taking it out, decorating and slicing it, and then letting it come to room temperature before serving it. About 30 minutes should be adequate for the pie to reach an ideal temperature.
Straight out of the refrigerator, the pie tends to have a slightly gluey texture; however, it becomes light and airy when slightly warmed. Do not heat this pie!
A cool slice is especially refreshing during the spring and summer seasons. Its vibrant green color also makes it a perfect sweet treat for St. Patrick’s Day and Christmas celebrations!
Tips & Variations
- Use Cold Cream: The heavy cream should be kept cold until you use it so that it can whip up well when beaten. Be sure to beat the cold cream with the pudding and almond extract quickly so that the pudding mixture doesn’t lump up.
- Create Your Crust: Use a flat-bottomed dry measuring cup to gently press and pack the cookie crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of the pie dish. This will create a uniform thickness for your chocolate cookie crust.
- Skip A Step: If preferred, you can substitute a premade, store-bought, 9-inch cookie crust. If using this shortcut, you will not need to chill the crust before adding the pie filling.
How To Soften Cream Cheese
To soften the cream cheese, remove the package from the foil and place it on a microwave-safe plate. Heat in the microwave for 20-30 seconds or until softened. You can also leave it on the kitchen counter for 1 to 2 hours to soften to room temperature. Don’t leave cream cheese at room temperature for longer than 2 hours or it could start to grow bacteria that could lead to food-borne illness.
Proper Storage
- To Store: Pistachio pie is best stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- To Freeze: It is not recommended to freeze this pie, as the flavor and consistency can change when it thaws.
More Pie Recipes
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Pistachio Pie
Ingredients
- 4 cups vanilla wafers
- 3 Tablespoons granulated white sugar
- ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter melted
- 8 ounces package cream cheese room temperature
- 6.8 ounces (2 3.4 ounce) boxes pistachio pudding mix
- 2½ cups heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 8 ounces tub whipped topping divided
- Rough chopped pistachios optional garnish
- Maraschino cherries optional garnish
Instructions
- Using a food processor, crush the vanilla wafers until well crumbled.4 cups vanilla wafers
- Add in the granulated sugar and melted butter and pulse until well combined. The mixture should resemble wet sand and hold together when pressed firmly.3 Tablespoons granulated white sugar, ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter
- Press the crust into the bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch, deep dish pie pan.
- Cover well with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill.
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand or stand mixture until soft and fluffy.8 ounces package cream cheese
- Add in the pudding mix, heavy cream and almond extract and beat on low for about 1 minute, until combined.6.8 ounces (2 3.4 ounce) boxes pistachio pudding mix, 2½ cups heavy cream, ½ teaspoon almond extract
- Gradually increase the beating speed for 2-4 minutes until the mixture is well whipped and combined. Use a spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. The mixture will be thick and slightly sticky.
- Gently fold in 2 cups of the whipped topping, using the beater on low if needed.8 ounces tub whipped topping
- Spread the completed pie mixture into your prepared pie crust.
- Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight
- When you are ready to serve, pipe the whipped topping around the outside edge of the pie, optional and sprinkle the pistachios, optional, all over the top.Rough chopped pistachios
- Garnish with maraschino cherries, optional, slice and serve at room temperature for best results.Maraschino cherries
Jenn’s Notes
- To Store: Pistachio pie is best stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- To Freeze: It is not recommended to freeze this pie as the flavor and consistency can change when thawed.
- Use Cold Cream: The heavy cream should be kept cold until you use it so that it can whip up well when beaten. Be sure to beat the cold cream with the pudding and almond extract quickly so that the pudding mixture doesn’t lump up.
- Create Your Crust: Use a flat-bottomed dry measuring cup to gently press and pack the cookie crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of the pie dish. This will create a uniform thickness for your chocolate cookie crust.
- Skip A Step: If preferred, you can substitute a premade, store-bought, 9-inch cookie crust. If using this shortcut, you will not need to chill the crust before adding the pie filling.
