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Pistachio Bread

A delightful, healthy loaf with a nutty aroma and comforting texture, perfect for brunch or as a homemade gift.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 10 slices
Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 210
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the bread
  • 3/4 cup shelled pistachios, divided (about 4–5 oz) — roasted and lightly salted or unsalted
  • 1 cup shelled pistachios, finely ground optional substitute: 1/2 cup pistachio paste + 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt for extra tang and moisture
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled or use neutral oil like avocado for dairy-free
  • 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar or 3/4–1 cup for a less-sweet loaf; see low-sugar tip
  • 1/4 cup whole milk or plant milk for dairy-free
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • Zest of 1 lemon optional — brightens the nutty flavor
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground cardamom or 1 tsp ground cinnamon optional — warm spice note
  • 1/4 cup chopped pistachios for topping
Optional quick glaze
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1–2 tbsp lemon juice or milk adjust to desired drizzle consistency

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
  2. Chop half of the pistachios roughly and set aside for folding into the batter; reserve the rest for topping.
  3. Pulse whole pistachios in a food processor until you have a coarse meal (about 1 cup after pulsing).
Mixing the batter
  1. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar until pale and slightly thickened (about 1–2 minutes by hand, 30–45 seconds with a mixer).
  2. Mix in sour cream, melted butter, milk, vanilla, and lemon zest until smooth.
  3. In another bowl, whisk together flour, ground pistachios (if using), baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cardamom or cinnamon.
  4. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined — do not overmix (a few streaks are okay).
  5. Fold in the chopped pistachios reserved earlier for texture. If the batter seems very thick, add 1–2 tbsp more milk.
Baking
  1. Transfer the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top.
  2. Sprinkle the remaining chopped pistachios evenly over the top.
  3. Bake for 55–65 minutes, or until the center is set and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  4. If the top browns too fast, tent loosely with foil after 35–40 minutes.
  5. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully transfer the loaf to a wire rack to cool completely.
  6. If using glaze, whisk powdered sugar with lemon juice (or milk) until smooth and drizzle over the cooled loaf. Sprinkle a few extra crushed pistachios on top, slice and serve.

Notes

For a vivid green loaf, use a tablespoon of high-quality pistachio paste or a few drops of natural green food coloring. To achieve a coarser texture, simply fold in 1 cup chopped pistachios into the batter instead of ground pistachios.