Pistachio Cheesecake Bars

Heaps of pistachio butter and chopped pistachios lend a rich, nutty flavor to these pistachio cheesecake bars. The recipe starts with a homemade graham cracker crust, which is then covered with an ultra-rich, absurdly decadent pistachio cheesecake filling. The top is dotted with real bits of pistachio for a little crunch and a pretty garnish.

An entire pistachio cheesecake is such an impressive dessert, but between the cheesecake water bath, long bake time and overnight chill, it’s pretty fussy too. Pistachio cheesecake bars are the easier alternative: no water bath, baked in 35 minutes and chilled thoroughly in just two hours. I also love that they’re a hand-held dessert—so much better for casual eating and easy mingling!

Ingredients for Pistachio Cheesecake Bars

• Graham cracker crumbs: Pulse graham crackers in a food processor or crush them in a zip-top bag with a rolling pin to make graham cracker crumbs.
• Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon’s warmth creates depth and coziness in the graham cracker crust. It’s optional, but it’s a lovely addition.
• Cream cheese: Soften the cream cheese to room temperature beforehand. It’s much easier to smooth out cream cheese when it’s room temperature so there aren’t any lumps in the filling.
• Pistachio butter: You can purchase pistachio butter from specialty food stores or online retailers. Or, make your own pistachio butter by pulsing toasted pistachios in a food processor until they become a pourable liquid.
• Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the crust and cheesecake filling. Make sure you have enough for both measurements.
• Sour cream: In my opinion, all the best cheesecake recipes have sour cream. Here, it adds a pleasant tang, breaking up the heavy richness of the cheesecake and pistachio butter.
• Lemons: Like sour cream, fresh lemon juice and zest brighten up the flavor with a little sourness. When you zest a lemon, make sure not to grate too deeply or you’ll reach the bitter white pith.
• Eggs: Baking with room-temperature eggs yields a better emulsion in your cheesecake batter. Lightly beat them together beforehand, too, so you don’t mix them too much while in the filling, which can cause the cheesecake to expand, deflate and crack after baking.
• Pistachios: We’ll add chopped pistachios to the filling for more pistachio flavor and a pleasant crunch.

Directions

Step 1: Create the crust

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment, letting the ends extend up the sides, then set the pan aside.

In a small bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, melted butter and, if desired, cinnamon. Using your fingers or the bottom of a measuring cup, press the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake the crust until it’s lightly browned, eight to nine minutes. Remove the crust from the oven and, keeping it in the pan, place it on a wire rack to cool to room temperature.

Editor’s Tip: Try not to pack the crust too hard or it will be very difficult to cut through later on.

Step 2: Make the cheesecake filling

In another bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the cream cheese until it’s smooth, three to four minutes. Beat in the pistachio butter, sugar, sour cream, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla extract until smooth, two to three minutes.

Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat on low speed just until combined.

Editor’s Tip: Mix as little as possible once you add the eggs. Overmixing the eggs in the cheesecake batter can cause the filling to take in a lot of air, making the cheesecake puff during baking and then promptly deflate and crack as it cools.

Step 3: Add the pistachios

Switch to a rubber spatula and fold in 1/2 cup chopped pistachios.

Pour the filling over the graham cracker crust, then sprinkle the top with the remaining pistachios.

Editor’s Tip: We add the pistachios in two parts so there’s crunchy pistachios in every bite of the filling, plus some on top for a pretty garnish.

Step 4: Bake

Bake the cheesecake until the filling is just set, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool the cheesecake bars completely to room temperature, then refrigerate them until they’re cold, about two hours.

Step 5: Cut and serve

Remove the cheesecake from the pan by lifting it out with the parchment, then cut it into nine bars. Enjoy!

Recipe Variations

• Change the crust: Not a fan of graham crackers? There are plenty of other crumb crust ingredients that would pair well here. Feel free to use shortbread, lemon cookies, Biscoff cookies or chocolate wafers instead.
• Finish with a fruity topping: Once the cheesecake bars have chilled, top them with a fruity jam, fresh berries (like raspberries or blackberries), or lemon curd for a little flavor complexity.
• Include chocolate: Anyone who was a fan of the Dubai chocolate phenomenon will love a touch of chocolate in these pistachio cheesecake bars. Fold chocolate chips into the cheesecake filling, or finish the cooled cheesecake bars with chocolate ganache. Or, make our Dubai chocolate cheesecake bars, complete with the kataifi filling!

How to Store Pistachio Cheesecake Bars

Store pistachio cheesecake bars in the fridge for up to four days. It’s important to keep them covered in an airtight container so they stay fresh and don’t absorb any lingering fridge smells, which will throw off their lovely pistachio flavor.

Can you freeze pistachio cheesecake bars?

Yes, you can freeze pistachio cheesecake bars. Allow them to cool to room temperature, then cover their pan tightly with two layers of storage wrap to prevent freezer burn. You could also stack them in an airtight container; just make sure to place parchment in between the layers to prevent them from sticking to one another. Freeze for up to two months, then thaw overnight in the fridge.

Pistachio Cheesecake Bar Tips

What’s the difference between pistachio butter and pistachio cream?

The difference between pistachio butter and pistachio cream is their ingredients. Pistachio butter is simply ground pistachios (and sometimes salt), while pistachio cream is a mixture of ground pistachios, butter, sugar, milk and sometimes white chocolate.

Can you make pistachio cheesecake bars gluten-free?

Yes, you can make pistachio cheesecake bars gluten-free. Instead of regular graham crackers, use gluten-free graham crackers. There are no other gluten-containing ingredients in our recipe, but for anyone particularly sensitive, make sure all packaged goods are certified gluten-free.

How do you cut clean, neat slices of pistachio cheesecake bars?

To cut clean, neat slices of pistachio cheesecake bars, run a sharp chef’s knife under very warm water. Carefully wipe it dry, then make the first cut. Run the knife under the warm water again to wash away any food debris, wipe it dry, then make the second cut. Repeat these steps until all the cheesecake bars are sliced. This certainly isn’t a necessary step, but it makes the bars look neat, precise and picture-perfect!