No Bake Pistachio Cheesecake (Printable)
Creamy pistachio cheesecake on a buttery biscuit base, no oven required. A rich, nutty chilled dessert.
# What you'll need:
→ For the Base
01 - 7 oz digestive biscuits (or graham crackers)
02 - 2.8 oz unsalted butter, melted
→ For the Pistachio Cheesecake Filling
03 - 10.6 oz cream cheese, softened
04 - 0.85 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
05 - 3.5 oz pistachio paste
06 - 2.8 oz powdered sugar
07 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
→ For the Topping
08 - 1.4 oz shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
09 - Optional: white chocolate shavings or additional pistachio paste
# How to make it:
01 - Crush the digestive biscuits into fine crumbs using a food processor or by placing them in a sealed bag and rolling over with a rolling pin. Combine the crumbs with melted butter, stirring until evenly coated and the mixture resembles wet sand.
02 - Press the buttery crumb mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan. Refrigerate for 20 minutes to allow the base to firm up.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese, pistachio paste, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until completely smooth and creamy with no lumps remaining.
04 - In a separate chilled bowl, whip the cold heavy cream using an electric mixer or whisk until stiff peaks form, being careful not to overwhip.
05 - Gently fold the whipped cream into the pistachio cream cheese mixture using a spatula, using light sweeping motions to preserve as much air and volume as possible.
06 - Spoon the airy pistachio filling over the chilled biscuit base, spreading it out evenly and smoothing the surface with a spatula.
07 - Cover the springform pan and refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, until the filling is firm and fully set.
08 - Just before serving, scatter the roughly chopped pistachios over the top of the cheesecake along with any optional toppings. Release from the springform pan, slice into wedges, and serve chilled.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The pistachio flavor runs through every single layer, not just sprinkled on top as an afterthought.
- No oven means you can make this on the hottest day of summer without breaking a sweat.
- The make ahead nature of it frees you up entirely when guests arrive.
02 -
- Under chilling is the number one reason this cheesecake collapses when sliced, so give it the full four hours at minimum.
- Folding the whipped cream too aggressively deflates it and leaves you with a dense, heavy filling instead of the cloudlike texture you want.
03 -
- Run your knife under hot water and wipe it clean between each slice for those perfectly clean, bakery worthy edges.
- A tiny splash of rosewater in the filling elevates the pistachio flavor in a way that surprises everyone who tries it.