Pistachio Tiramisu

Pro tip: Whenever you see a pistachio-flavored dessert at an Italian restaurant, order it. Italians do pistachio desserts very well. It’s why I always order pistachio gelato at a gelateria, spumoni at a ristorante or pistachio cannoli at a caffè. So, when this pistachio tiramisu recipe landed on our site, I knew it would be a worthy rival to classic tiramisu (just don’t tell Nonna I said so).

The usual fluffy filling looks a little different in our pistachio tiramisu recipe. First, it’s completely egg-free and requires no cooking, which I always found to be the most stressful part of making a tiramisu. Win! Second, it’s flavored with rich, nutty, luxurious pistachio cream. The pistachio filling is layered between the usual coffee-soaked ladyfingers and finished with cocoa powder and chopped pistachios. This is one of my absolute favorite tiramisu variations to date.

Ingredients for Pistachio Tiramisu

• Coffee and coffee liqueur: Each ladyfinger gets a quick soak in a mixture of strongly brewed coffee and coffee liqueur. If you don’t have a coffee maker or espresso machine, use a Moka pot or add an extra tablespoon of coffee grounds to the French press.
• Cream cheese: You’ll need 16 ounces (two 8-ounce packages) of cream cheese for this recipe. Soften the cream cheese to room temperature so you can easily smooth out the lumps.
• Sugar: The creamy pistachio filling is sweetened with granulated sugar. I wouldn’t use brown sugar here, or it’ll muddy the color of the filling.
• Sour cream: Tangy sour cream cuts some of the richness from the pistachio cream and cream cheese. Soften the sour cream to room temperature.
• Pistachio cream: Buy pistachio cream online or from specialty food stores. It’s not the same product as pistachio butter, so check those labels!
• Milk: Milk thins the filling, making it smooth and spreadable.
• Ladyfingers: Store-bought ladyfingers keep the tiramisu easy and straightforward. If you want to go the extra mile, though, try your hand at homemade ladyfingers.
• Baking cocoa: Like traditional tiramisu, this pistachio tiramisu is finished with cocoa powder. Chocolate and pistachio are an iconic pairing—it’s why Dubai chocolate became so popular!
• Chopped pistachios: Chopped pistachios give the tiramisu a pretty finish. You can just sprinkle a handful on, but I really like to pile it on the top, as if I dipped the tiramisu into a bed of chopped pistachios.

Directions

Step 1: Make the pistachio filling

In a small bowl, stir together the strongly brewed coffee and coffee liqueur. Set the mixture aside.

In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and granulated sugar together until completely smooth and free of lumps. Beat in the sour cream, pistachio cream, 2% milk and vanilla extract until everything is blended.

Editor’s Tip: Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to make beating the mixture easier. Take a moment to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl after mixing to make sure you got everything.

Step 2: Prep the ladyfingers

Layer one package of ladyfingers in an ungreased 9-inch square dish. Use a pastry brush to paint the ladyfingers with half of the coffee mixture. Don’t overdo it, or the ladyfingers will become soggy and fall apart.

Editor’s Tip: You can also very quickly dip the ladyfingers into the coffee mixture if you don’t own a pastry brush.

Step 3: Assemble the tiramisu

Top the coffee-soaked ladyfingers with half of the cream cheese mixture. Repeat the layers once more. Keep in mind, the dish will be very full.

Editor’s Tip: Use a mini offset spatula to spread it out evenly, making sure to get the corners.

Step 4: Refrigerate then garnish the tiramisu

Cover the pistachio tiramisu with storage wrap and refrigerate it for eight hours or overnight. Just before serving, remove the storage wrap and sprinkle the top with cocoa powder and chopped pistachios.

Pistachio Tiramisu Variations

• Add orange zest: Pistachio and orange is a beautiful pairing. Grate a little orange zest into the fluffy pistachio filling to brighten the tiramisu.
• Infuse it with almond extract: Deepen the tiramisu’s nuttiness by adding 1/4 teaspoon of almond extract to the filling along with the vanilla extract.
• Finish it with pistachio cream: Instead of cocoa powder, top the chilled pistachio tiramisu with pistachio cream. You may need to melt the pistachio cream a bit to make it spreadable, but don’t heat it up so much that it melts the fluffy filling.

How to Store Pistachio Tiramisu

Store leftover pistachio tiramisu covered tightly in the fridge. If there’s only a little bit left, transfer it to an airtight container. It can be kept in the fridge for three more days after its initial eight-hour or overnight chill.

Can you make pistachio tiramisu ahead of time?

Yes, you can make pistachio tiramisu ahead of time. In fact, you need to! The tiramisu has to sit in the fridge for eight hours so the ladyfingers can soften slightly. Prepare this tiramisu fully the night before. Just before serving, top it with the cocoa powder and chopped pistachios, then serve it and enjoy it!

Pistachio Tiramisu Tips

How do you serve pistachio tiramisu?

To serve pistachio tiramisu, remove it from the fridge 20 minutes before serving it to take the chill off. When a food is too cold or too hot, it’s hard to taste its real flavor. Serve tiramisu with coffee, Dubai chocolate lattes, tea or after-dinner drinks. A pistachio martini would be excellent here.

Can you make gluten-free pistachio tiramisu?

Yes, you can make gluten-free pistachio tiramisu. Purchase gluten-free ladyfingers (I’ve only been able to find them online), and make sure all the other packaged goods are certified gluten free, too. Everything else should be good to go.

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

The difference between pistachio butter and pistachio cream is that pistachio butter is made only from blended pistachios, and may contain oil and salt at most. Pistachio cream, however, is pistachio butter that’s blended with sugar, cream and other flavorings. They’re two very different products, so make sure you’re buying pistachio cream for this recipe.