Hello, hi. Do you spend your mornings staring at your cup of coffee or tea or water (if you are better than all of us) and wonder, “What if there was a perfect little slice of tender, sweet-but-not-too-sweet pistachio loaf just laying there in the palm of my hand?” Well, yes, obviously us too.
Pistachios are already just so special and to sweeten them up and get them ready for your breakfast or brunch or afternoon snack feels like such a treat. Beautifully golden nuttiness and just the right amount of chew. This loaf also somehow feels springy and light, but that could just be our winter-weary hope talking.
Maybe you didn’t know that you needed pistachio loaf…or cake…or something in between in your life until this very moment, but we’re here to tell you that you do! And that once you have it, it will take up residence in a tiny little nook of your heart and you will not charge it rent because you will just be so happy it’s there.
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Ingredients You’ll Need For This Pistachio Loaf
Working from a truly wonderful gluten-free recipe of Amanda’s at Heartbeet Kitchen, this version swaps a few things like coconut flour instead of teff, and cornstarch instead of tapioca. Amanda paints hers with a light swath of pillowy cream cheese frosting and though we didn’t do that here due to using more sugar in the cake itself, we absolutely would not stop you should you make that excellent choice as well.
Is it a sweet bread? Dessert bar? Snack cake? Jury’s still out. But what it IS, is a deliciously dense, sweet, nutty, gluten-free little treat for your morning and here’s what you need to make it happen:
- roasted salted pistachios
- sugar
- sea salt
- butter
- eggs
- milk (oat milk, whole milk, whatever)
- vanilla
- baking powder
- coconut flour
- all-purpose flour
- cornstarch
Let’s Make a Pistachio Loaf
Really once you have your food processor on hand, it’s just a bunch of add-pulse-add-pulse steps and you’re done. Voila! Then you get to pop that beauty in the oven and enjoy the warm house-smells and shoulder bop in anticipation.
- Pistachios. Pulse the pistachios and sugar in a food processor until it makes a fine powder.
- Pulse. First add the butter in chunks to the food processor and get that incorporated. Then add the eggs, milk, and vanilla. Once those are in, pulse in the baking powder, coconut flour and cornstarch.
- Bake. Transfer to a loaf pan lined with parchment paper and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes until the top is firm and golden brown.
Then see if you can resist eating the whole nutty, surprising, exquisitely textured dream. If you manage to not eat it all at once, you can pop it in the fridge for extra clean slices. You know, if that’s what you’re into.
Why This Pistachio Loaf Is Extra Delicious
If we were to just fill this section with little crying emojis…would you understand what we mean? Would it make sense that your eyes *might* well with tiny hot tears when you bite into this bread/dessert/tiny rectangular pillow of hope?
It’s not overly sweet even though it IS sweet and definitely feels like a treat. We love that it’s denser than a typical sweet bread or cake, an almost blondie-like feel, especially in those middle slices. The subtle crisp on the outside is so deeply pleasing, you might actually fight for the end pieces and really, when does that ever happen?
It keeps so well in the fridge and stays delicious to the very last slice. When you close your eyes and bite into it, you’ll be able to taste the ever so slight hint of coconut from the flour and that feels somehow springy, too, with promises of warm sunshine ahead.
So yeah, in short: here for it. And we hope that you are too.
Pistachio Loaf: Frequently Asked Questions
We tried this with all-purpose flour, but it was a completely different taste and texture – somewhat drier, a different flavor, and less sweet. Coconut flour is really what makes this one special. So if regular flour is the plan, I might just recommend using this recipe from Deb at Smitten Kitchen rather than trying to convert this one, since ours specifically formulated for the coconut flour.
It sure can! Just reference the original recipe where we found inspiration. Or if you want to make it this way with the coconut flour (10/10 recommend!), use gluten-free all purpose in place of the all-purpose flour, or just use a total of 3/4 cup coconut flour – it’ll be a denser loaf, but it’s been done here many times and it’s very delicious.
This recipe was just tested with pistachios and the beautiful golden nutiness from the pistachio is essential for this loaf. For another equally delicious springy bread recipe, try our Lemon Poppyseed Zucchini Bread!
Keep the loaf covered at room temperature, in the fridge, or freeze leftover slices.
Pistachio Loaf
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Yield: 8–10 thick slices 1x
Description
It’s nearly springtime and we’re making this beautiful Pistachio Loaf! Grab your baking essentials – like butter, eggs, and sugar – plus a few extras, like pistachios and coconut flour, and get baking!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
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- 1 cup roasted salted shelled pistachios (I buy these ones)
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 cup milk (oat milk, whole milk, whatever)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 cup coconut flour (I use this)
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
- Pulse the pistachios and sugar in a food processor until it makes a fine powder.
- Add the butter; pulse until incorporated.
- Add the eggs, milk, and vanilla; pulse until incorporated.
- Add the baking powder, coconut flour, all-purpose flour, salt, and cornstarch; pulse until incorporated.
- Transfer to a standard size loaf pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 1 hour, although sometimes it needs 1 hour and 10 minutes – you’ll know it’s done when the top / center no longer feels jiggly when you touch it.
- Remove from the oven, gently remove from the pan, and allow to cool. The loaf will rise but it will be flat on top, looking a lot like a big brick – that’s exactly how it should be. Eat it warm (so good) or, for clean slices, pop it in the fridge! (I usually store mine in the fridge for 3-4 days, if it lasts that long.)
Notes
And if it’s been sitting in the fridge overnight, let it come back to room temp for about 30 minutes for best texture.
The texture will be dense, nutty, and moist, almost like a cross between a quick bread and a dessert bar.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: pistachio bread, pistachio cake, pistachio dessert
More Springy Desserts
- Springy Blueberry Lemon Bread (loaded with juicy lemon and blueberries)
- Raw Vegan Carrot Cake Bites (easy to prep a bunch and toss in the freezer)
- Blender Lemon Pie (that’s right! a whole pie right in the blender)