Chocolate Pistachio Cream Pie

Childhood desserts imprint themselves so deeply on the taste buds that even decades later, the memory alone can make your mouth water. For my sister and me, the dessert that was Grandma Rose’s Pistachio Cream Pie will forever have our hearts. It was simple in the best way: a graham cracker crust, instant pistachio pudding whipped to pale green perfection, and a cloud of Dream Whip on top. If there were chopped pistachios hiding in there somewhere, they were few and far between. Honestly, though, we never cared. Served in her trusty 9"x13" glass dish, it was pure, uncomplicated joy. (BTW, I’ll forever remember noshing on tasty Nilla wafers during each visit to her home - 😋)

As the years have passed and our palates have grown up a bit, that nostalgic craving never left us. So, for our latest get‑together, I decided to honor Grandma Rose’s classic while giving it a little glow‑up. The spirit of her Pistachio Cream Pie is still here. It’s still comforting, still capable of sending us tumbling back into shared childhood memories. But now, it carries a touch of gourmet flair. A dessert that lets us reminisce and revel at the same time.

Let’s all enjoy!

Chocolate Pistachio Cream Pie

Crust:
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
8 Tbs. ice-cold butter, cubed
1 large egg
1 Tbs. apple cider vinegar
2-3 Tbs. ice water
½ cup chopped pistachios, roasted and salted

Crust Instructions:
Combine all ingredients, except for water and pistachios, in the bowl of a large food processor. 

 

Pulse until crumbly.

Drizzle in water, 1 Tbs. at a time, until the dough is beady.

 

Transfer to a large sheet of parchment paper and press into a disc.

Top with another sheet of parchment and roll out into an 11″ round-ish shape.

 

Transfer to a deep-dish pie plate. Fold under the excess dough at the edges, flute the edges, and refrigerate for several hours.

 

Press the pistachios into the bottom of the pie crust.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 

 

Fill the crust with pie weights and bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown. Chill for several hours.

 

Chocolate Ganache Layer:
1 cup 63% chocolate pieces
¼ - ½ cup heavy cream

 

Melt the chocolate over very low heat in a small pot. Add the cream and whisk continually, until smooth and silky.

 

Spread evenly over the bottom of the baked pie crust.

 

Chill, again, for several hours.

 

Pistachio Cream Layer:
8 oz. Pistachio Cream Butter (Italian is best)
8 oz. Mascarpone cheese
1 cup powdered sugar

Using a stand mixer, cream all ingredients together until super smooth.

 

Slather over the top of the chilled chocolate layer.

 

Chill again for at least 30 minutes.

 

Meanwhile, prepare the whipped cream topping.

 

Whipped Cream Topping:
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

 

½ cup roasted and salted pistachios

 

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processer.

Using the whisk attachment, beat for 8-10 minutes, until stiff peaks form.

 

Paddle the whipped cream over the top over the creamy pistachio layer of the pie, allowing for gorgeous peaks of cream.

 

Sprinkle with pistachios.

 

Chill again before slicing and serving.

 

Sprinkle with powdered cocoa, if desired.