This pistachio bread is a moist quick bread made with instant pistachio pudding mix, flour, oil, buttermilk or whole milk, and ¾ cup of chopped roasted pistachios. It bakes in one 9×5 inch loaf pan at 350°F for 50 to 60 minutes and gives 8 to 10 slices.
You mix it by hand in two bowls, no mixer needed. The pudding mix is what makes it work: it keeps the crumb soft for days and gives the loaf its pale green color. A handful of extra pistachios on top bakes into a crunchy lid that stays crisp into the next day.
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- Dry: 1¾ cups (220g) all-purpose flour, one 3.4 oz box instant pistachio pudding mix, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Wet: ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar, 2 large eggs at room temperature, ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil, 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk or whole milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla, ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- Nuts: ¾ cup chopped roasted pistachios, plus a handful for the top
- Bake: 350°F (175°C) for 50 to 60 minutes, about 1 hour 10 minutes start to finish
The pale green comes from the pistachio pudding mix, which is colored, not from the nuts, so you do not need any extra coloring. The mix also brings starch and pistachio flavor, which is why the loaf stays tender without fruit puree or sour cream. Oil keeps it moist longer than butter would, because it stays soft at room temperature.
Use both extracts if you can. Half a teaspoon of almond extract makes the pistachio taste stronger without the loaf tasting of almond; more than that starts to taste like marzipan. It is the same pairing that works in my cranberry pistachio shortbread cookies.
Buttermilk or Whole Milk in Pistachio Bread?
Both work, cup for cup. Buttermilk is my pick. It is acidic, so it reacts with the ½ teaspoon of baking soda and gives a loaf that rises a little higher, with a more tender crumb and a light tang against the sweet pudding. Whole milk gives a slightly sweeter, plainer loaf that is still soft.
No buttermilk in the fridge? Use whole milk rather than skipping the bake. If you do buy a carton, the rest makes good pancakes the next morning.
Mixing the Batter by Hand
Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease the loaf pan and line it with parchment, leaving an overhang on the long sides so you can lift the loaf out later.
Whisk the flour, pudding mix, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl until the green powder disappears into the flour. In a second bowl, beat the eggs, then whisk in the sugar, oil, milk and both extracts until smooth.
Pour the wet mixture into the dry one and stir with a spatula only until you see no more dry flour. The batter is thick and a little lumpy, and that is right. Stirring longer builds gluten, and the loaf comes out tough with long tunnels inside. Fold in the chopped pistachios last.
How to Tell the Loaf Is Done
Spread the batter into the pan, smooth the top and scatter the extra pistachios over it. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes. I start checking at 50. The top should be domed, cracked down the middle and spring back when pressed, and a toothpick in the center should come out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.
Pudding loaves brown fast. If the top is already dark before about 45 minutes, lay a loose sheet of foil over it and keep baking. Cool the bread in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes, lift it out by the parchment, and let it cool completely on a rack before slicing. Warm, the crumb is fragile and gummy; cooled, it slices clean.
When a Pistachio Loaf Goes Wrong
- Sunken middle: underbaked, or the oven door opened early. Give it the full time and trust the toothpick, not the brown top.
- Tough, with tunnels: the batter was overmixed. Stop stirring as soon as the flour disappears.
- Dry edges, raw center: the oven runs hot. Tent with foil earlier and check your oven with a thermometer.
- Weak pistachio flavor: add the almond extract and use roasted pistachios, which taste stronger than raw.
Keeping Pistachio Bread Soft for Days
Wrap the cooled loaf or keep slices in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer, wrap single slices in parchment, put them in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Toast them straight from frozen in a toaster or a low oven.
Serve slices as they are, slightly warm, or toasted with butter. A thin layer of homemade pistachio butter or pistachio cream on a toasted slice makes it breakfast, and a pistachio latte on the side keeps the theme going. Day old cubes also work as the base of a pistachio bread pudding.
Pistachio Pudding Bread Questions
Do I have to use instant pudding mix?
Yes. This recipe is written for one small 3.4 oz box of instant pistachio pudding mix. Cook and serve pudding is made to thicken on the stove and is not what the amounts here are built around.
Can I make pistachio muffins with this batter?
Muffins bake much faster than a loaf, so use a recipe written for them, such as my easy pistachio muffins.
Should the pistachios be salted?
Unsalted roasted pistachios are the safest choice. Salted ones work but make the loaf taste noticeably saltier.
If you like baking with the pudding mix, it also goes into pistachio pudding cake and pistachio pudding cookies. Tell me in the comments whether you used buttermilk or milk.
Pistachio Bread Recipe
This pistachio bread is a moist quick bread made with instant pistachio pudding mix, flour, eggs, oil, buttermilk or whole milk, and chopped roasted pistachios. It bakes in one 9x5 inch loaf pan at 350°F for 50 to 60 minutes and makes 8 to 10 slices, with a soft pale green crumb and a crunchy pistachio top. The pudding mix keeps the loaf tender for days and gives it color, and you stir the batter by hand only until the flour disappears, so no mixer is needed. Serve this pistachio loaf for breakfast, with coffee, on a brunch table or as a holiday gift loaf, toasted with butter or pistachio cream. Buttermilk gives a slightly higher, more tender loaf; it keeps 3 days at room temperature.
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups (220g) all-purpose flour
- 1 package (3.4 oz) instant pistachio pudding mix
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil
- 1 cup (240ml) whole milk or buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- ¾ cup chopped roasted pistachios, plus more for topping
Instructions
- PREHEAT THE OVEN: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, allowing some overhang on the sides for easy removal after baking.
- MIX THE DRY INGREDIENTS: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, pistachio pudding mix, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
- COMBINE THE WET INGREDIENTS: In a separate bowl, beat the eggs. Add the sugar, vegetable oil, milk (or buttermilk), vanilla extract, and almond extract if using. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and uniform in texture.
- COMBINE WET AND DRY MIXTURES: Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Gently stir with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the bread tender.
- FOLD IN THE PISTACHIOS: Add the chopped roasted pistachios to the batter and fold them in gently until evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
- TRANSFER TO PAN: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Sprinkle a handful of additional chopped pistachios over the top for added texture and appearance.
- BAKE THE BREAD: Place the loaf pan in the preheated oven and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs attached.
- COOL AND SERVE: Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes. Then lift it out using the parchment overhang and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
Use instant pistachio pudding mix (one 3.4 oz box), not cook and serve. Buttermilk reacts with the baking soda for a slightly taller, more tender loaf with a light tang; whole milk works the same amount. The almond extract is optional but makes the pistachio flavor stronger. Stir only until no dry flour shows; overmixing makes the bread tough. If the top browns before about 45 minutes, tent loosely with foil. Cool completely before slicing. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or wrap slices and freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information
Yield
10Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 192Total Fat 7gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 40mgSodium 341mgCarbohydrates 25gFiber 2gSugar 5gProtein 7g
