From-Scratch Pistachio Pudding

Real deal Homemade Pistachio Pudding is one of the most simple, delicious, and underrated desserts out there. This from-scratch pudding has a nutty and creamy taste and can be utilized in many ways, including digging in with a spoon!

Have you ever had Pistachio Pudding? As in, the real deal pistachio pudding; the stuff from the little package doesn't hold a candle to homemade! It's so creamy, with a uniquely nutty and earthy flavor. I'm definitely a pro-pudding kind of girl (see: Dark Chocolate Pudding, Homemade Butterscotch Pudding and Homemade Vanilla Pudding) and I'm nuts about pistachios (pun intended), but up until recently, I had never made pistachio pudding from scratch.

I feel like this is the point I must confess I used to love pistachio pudding mix from a box when I was a kid, and similarly loved any dessert made with it. But my adult taste buds can't handle all that artificial flavor. However, that nostalgic craving for that flavor I remember through rose-colored glasses still gets me every once in a while. So this recipe really was just a long time coming.

Like my other pistachio recipes (Pistachio Cream Pie, Pistachio Shortbread Cookies and Pistachio Ice Cream, this recipe uses a ton of real pistachios along with milk, eggs, and a touch of almond extract to get that characteristic "pistachio" flavor. The recipe is easy to make, with the most time-intensive part making the pistachio butter.

Here is a brief overview of the ingredients needed. The recipe card lists the full recipe with quantities and detailed instructions (located below this article).

• shelled raw unsalted pistachios (don't use roasted or salted because it will dull the color, change the flavor, and upset the balance of salt)
• unsalted butter
• granulated sugar
• whole milk (because of the added fat in the form of pistachios, I tried to keep this lighter by just using just whole milk instead of a combination of milk and cream that is more typical for pudding, but if you want a more "rich" pudding feel free to substitute some of the whole milk for heavy cream...I would recommend about ½ cup)
• cornstarch
• kosher salt
• eggs
• almond extract (this is technically optional, but it adds an essential flavor component for that quintessential pistachio flavor we all recognize)

How to Get the Most Pistachio Flavor

Going in, I knew this recipe required smooth ground pistachios, also known as pistachio butter. During the development of this recipe, I did some preliminary research about whether it made the most sense to buy pistachio butter or make it at home, knowing that it would likely be the most cost-effective option. Plus, it's always nice to start a dessert off with a whole raw product, such as whole raw pistachios. While raw pistachios can be pricey, real pistachio butter and paste can be even pricier. So it is definitely more economical to make it at home.

The best pudding recipe resulted from making pistachio butter in a food processor using just shelled raw pistachios. This produced the smoothest pudding with a lovely light green color.

However, it is a small time investment to turn nuts into "butter". It takes about 10 minutes or so. Sometimes less if you have a high-speed food processor or sometimes more if you don't.

It's a relatively straightforward process to turn the pistachios into a butter, and I have a Pistachio Butter Tutorial dedicated to it if you've never made a nut butter before, so please check that out if you are looking for an overview, or some troubleshooting tips.

The only issue that comes up is the number of pistachios needed for this recipe. This pudding only needs 1 cup of pistachios. If you have a small food processor or a high-speed blender like a Vitamix, this likely won't be an issue and you can make the pistachio butter. But if you only have a large capacity food processor it may be tricky to be able to grind only 1 cup of pistachios.

If this is the case, I'd recommend increasing the number of pistachios used to make the butter. Yes, that means you'll have more pistachio butter than you need, but it can be used in other cooking and baking projects in your kitchen. Use any excess as you would any other nut butter.

I found that I could easily grind 2 cups of pistachios in my large-capacity food processor. This produced the best-tasting, smoothest pistachio butter for the pudding. Just be sure to use only half of the butter produced for the pudding.

Could you buy pistachio butter and use that? Yep! So long as it's just raw pistachios and salt in the ingredients.

Step-By-Step Recipe Overview

Once the pistachio butter is made, it's a breeze to put together the pudding. The pudding is made in one pot and doesn’t require the tempering of the eggs.

Here is a quick visual overview of the steps needed to make this recipe. This is not the actual recipe, which is located at the end of this article and has much greater details to ensure success.

After the Pudding is Made

The pudding needs about 3 hours to chill and finish setting up. Though if you want to eat it warm, go for it!

Know that this pudding is on the thinner side. If you want to use it to make a pie, add an additional tablespoon of cornstarch to the recipe. Or, follow this recipe for a full guide on making Pistachio Pudding Pie.

If you aren't making a pie, you have a few choices for what to do with the pudding, depending on what you want. The pudding can be placed into individual serving dishes to chill or left in on larger container.

Also note, to avoid the "skin" that forms on top of the pudding, lay a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of the pudding while it's still warm to prevent it.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this pudding warm or chilled. Do note: pudding tastes sweeter when it's served warm.

Go ahead and put the biggest dollop of whipped cream on it. You won't regret it. I also like to add a bit of texture to this with additional chopped pistachios or crumbled cookies on top. I bet Italian Amaretti cookies would be delicious with this.

More Pudding Recipes:

• Homemade Butterscotch Pudding
• Homemade Chocolate Pudding
• Homemade Vanilla Pudding
• Strawberry Pretzel Dessert Jars (this dessert has a Fresh Strawberry Pudding)

I am so honored when you make a recipe from my site! If you make this Pistachio Pudding recipe, please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating with your experience! If you have any questions about this recipe, feel free to comment here, and tag me on Instagram!