For my dad’s birthday, he requested something with pistachios. Normally, my mom makes him a delicious pistachio cake, but this year we decided to make him something a little different as well as something fairly healthy since my mom is on Weight Watchers. My sister, mom, and I decided to make him some pistachio chocolate bars. We found several different recipes online and took bits and pieces from each one. We wanted to make a bar that could be frozen with a graham cracker crumb base and pistachio pudding incorporated into it. This bar is delicious because it has 5 layers: a graham cracker crumb base, a layer of chocolate, a layer of pistachio pudding, a layer of Cool Whip, and a layer of fresh chopped pistachios. These bars are delicious and they’re pretty healthy too (we used low-fat pistachio pudding, low-fat graham crackers, and low-fat Cool Whip)!
Do you like pistachio-based desserts? What are your favorites?
Ingredients:
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted
- 2 cups milk, plus 2-3 tbsp
- 1 package instant pistachio pudding mix
- 1 container (8 oz) of Cool Whip
- 1/4 cup chopped pistachios
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 11 x 7-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
- In a bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs and sugar and stir in melted butter. Press crumb mixture onto bottom of pan and bake 8 minutes. Allow to cool.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate chips and add 2-3 tbsp milk until smooth. Spread over crust and refrigerate until hard, about 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine pistachio pudding mix with 2 cups milk and whisk until creamy and smooth, 2 minutes. Refrigerate pudding 10-15 minutes or until set.
- Once chocolate has hardened, spread pudding evenly over top of chocolate. Spread Cool Whip on top of pistachio pudding and sprinkle with crushed pistachio nuts.
- Freeze bars until hardened, about 2 hours.
I just read the title of this post out loud to LLoyd and I think he squealed. He LOVES ‘stachios. 🙂
HAHA! This comment made my night 🙂
Wow these look SO good Kara! I love that you used lower fat everything and it still looks so decadent and delicious!
I am loving this dessert!!! Pistachios are so yummy in desserts! I NEED to make this! 🙂
These look delicious! I love pistachios, but have never baked with them (aside from granola bars) before. They’re the best snack in my house…I need to start thinking outside that box now 🙂 Happy Birthday to your dad!
I am yet again jealous of the cool stuff you get over there. Pistachio pudding!! I love chocolate & pistachios and I love them in rice dishes for that surprise delicious crunch with a sweet raisin!
Pistachios in rice dishes sounds amazing! I’ll def have to keep that in mind next time I make rice pudding!
All layers look so nice together 🙂
My grandfather is in LOVE with pistachios and this would be great to make for his birthday. Thanks for a great recipe…I will let you know how mine turn out.
These bars sound amazing! I love the combination of chocolate & pistachio and that pistachio pudding layer looks so good, excellent!
Oh my my my! I love these bars… all those yummylicious ingredients in there. Chocolate and pistachios – yummy wow!
I’m totally making this for my sister-in-law, she loves pistachio! Great recipe, thanks for sharing!
I love how pistachio treats are always to green 🙂 These look yummy, hope your dad enjoyed them!
Delicious looking bars! Your dad is so lucky, I want one now:))
I can’t wait to make this! I grew up on something similar, but I think this one looks way better. Darn, I wish I had all the ingredients:(
This dessert looks so tasty. Thank you very much for sharing!!
I think it’s great you made something your Mom could enjoy as well. I like anything pistachio. My Mom makes a weight watchers dessert that uses pistachios and jello and whipped cream. It is really good and healthy! This sounds so good. I’ll definitely share it with her!
I am such a huge sucker for pistachio desserts! Pistachio macarons and ice cream are my favourite so far. 🙂 This sounds like everything a great frozen bar dessert should be.