Name: Pistachio Lush Dessert
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 225 min
Ingredients: 1 cup flour; 1/2 cup stick butter (cut into cubes); ¼ cup brown sugar (packed); 1 cup walnuts (chopped); 8 ounces cream cheese (softened); 1 cup powdered sugar; 1 cup whipped topping; 2 packages instant pistachio pudding; 3 cups milk; 2 cups whipped topping; 1/2 cup toasted almonds (sliced)

By: Jill Mills Posted: Jun 2, 2021 Updated: May 31, 2022

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Pistachio Lush Dessert is the perfect treat that will be the hit of the party, potluck, or to end dinner. A creamy layered dessert that begins with a sweet walnut crust, then a creamy layer followed by bright green pistachio pudding, finished with whipped topping and almonds–this will satisfy any sweet tooth.

Pistachio Lush Dessert

This is one of those desserts that is often requested by family and friends. There’s just something about those creamy layers of pistachio pudding, Cool Whip, and whipped cheesecake! This recipe takes a little time to make as it needs time to chill, but it’s very simple to make and totally worth the little bit of effort for the delicious result.

If you love this pistachio lush recipe, these will also be right up your alley: No Bake Lemon Lasagna | Strawberry Delight | Andes Mint Brownie Lush | The Best Banana Pudding Recipe

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make Pistachio Lush Dessert (the exact measurements and full recipe instructions are below in the easy to print recipe card):

Flour – we used all-purpose white flour.
Butter – regular salted butter is best for this recipe.
Brown sugar – you can use either light or dark brown sugar.
Walnuts – if you don’t like walnuts, try pecans.
Cream cheese – regular full-fat cream cheese has the best flavor for this recipe, but reduced fat is fine too.
Powdered sugar
Whipped topping – Cool Whip or any store brand you like will work nicely.
Instant pistachio pudding – you’ll find this in the baking aisle with all of the pudding and gelatin mixes.
Milk – we used whole milk, but skim, 1%, or 2% will work as well.
Toasted sliced almonds – these are optional, but make a pretty garnish for the top of the dessert. We used sliced almonds that are meant to be a salad topping, but you can also find them in the nut section of the baking aisle in your grocery store.

ingredients to make Pistachio Lush Dessert.

How to Make Pistachio Lush Dessert

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. In a large bowl, use a pastry blender or a fork to combine the flour, butter, and brown sugar until the butter in the mixture looks like small peas.

butter, flour, and brown sugar in a mixing bowl.

This is how it looked when I was almost done blending the ingredients together:

combining ingredients with a pastry blender.

Next, stir in the walnuts.

Press the mixture into a 9×13-inch pan.

Bake for 20 minutes, then set aside to cool completely to room temperature.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth, then fold in the 1 cup of whipped topping. Spread evenly over the cooled crust in the pan.

spreading sweet cream cheese over the crust.

In a large mixing bowl, prepare the pistachio pudding by whisking the pudding mix and milk together until thickened. Spread the pudding over the cream cheese layer.

spreading pistachio pudding over the cream cheese layer.

Gently spread the remaining 2 cups of whipped topping over top of the dessert and sprinkle with toasted almonds.

topping the dessert with Cool Whip and almonds.

Cover the pan and chill the dessert for 2-3 hours, then slice and serve.

slice removed from Pistachio Lush Dessert.

How to Store Leftovers

Keep the leftover pistachio lush tightly wrapped with plastic wrap and in the refrigerator for up to five days. This dessert does not freeze well because of the cream cheese layer.