Pistachio Bars

By Shelly J

Prep Time:

10m

Bake/Cook Time:

20m

Yield:

30 bars

If you love pistachios, you're in luck with these easy Pistachio Bars. Chewy, sugar cookie-style bars have a soft green tint and a smooth nutty flavor. Topped with cream cheese frosting and chopped pistachios, this quick and easy dessert makes it easy to be green.

Rate it yourself

Products Used

Extra Fine Granulated Pure Cane Sugar Bag

Confectioners Powdered Sugar Poly Bag

Ingredients

Pistachio Bars

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup Dixie Crystals Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
2 (3.4 oz) packages instant pistachio pudding
2 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 cups all-purpose flour*

Frosting

1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 1/2 cups Dixie Crystals Confectioners Powdered Sugar
1/3 cup chopped pistachios

*Spoon & Sweep method: Use a spoon to fill measuring cup with flour until required amount is obtained. Scooping measuring cup directly into flour bag will firmly pack flour resulting in too much flour required for recipe.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Coat with nonstick spray and set aside.
In bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix butter and sugar on medium speed until creamy.
Add dry pudding mix, eggs, almond extract, vanilla extract, salt, baking soda, and cornstarch and mix for 1 minute until combined, scraping sides of the bowl as necessary. Turn mixer to low speed and add flour, mixing until just combined.
Spread batter into prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes, or until lightly golden at edges. Place pan on a wire rack to cool completely.
For frosting, in bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix butter and cream cheese together on medium speed until creamy. Turn mixer to low and add almond extract and powdered sugar. Mix for 30 seconds to combine. Turn mixer up to medium and mix for 1 minute until creamy and smooth, scraping sides of bowl as necessary.
Spread frosting on top of cooled bars, and garnish with chopped pistachios.
Cut into bars when ready to serve.
Store airtight in refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Dixie Crystals Insight

Recipe developed for Dixie Crystals by Shelly Jaronsky @CookiesandCups.

Rate & Review

mrobs

Jul 01, 2022

These are eat a whole row good.. It took me a lot a longer than 10 min to prep that's for sure. Cheese & butter to room temp, the mixing bowl has to be cleaned between dough & frosting. Shelling and chopping pistachios (unsalted) all takes time. Next time I will trim out some of the sugar in the frosting, it's pretty heavy duty with the sugar taste and that's coming from someone who likes sweets.

Sweetalk member

May 17, 2021

Fabulous. Very difficult recipe to find. Google indexes so many bad ones first. This one is the best. I made it and seriously amazing. I did add less 1/2 of icing sugar as it was too sweet/overpowering and there is no way I wanna mask any pistachio taste!!

Sweetalk member

Mar 14, 2021

I am so excited to make these this week. Pistachios are one of my favorites. I have one question though. Do you top them with salted or unsalted pistachios? I only ask because I am having a hard time finding unsalted.