The beautiful nutty flavor of this White Chocolate Cheesecake with Pistachios will become a family favorite with the first bite. A gorgeous dessert, this creamy cheesecake is layered over a chocolate cookie crust and finished with the perfect shine.
Why You’ll Love This Pistachio White Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe
- Easy. Some cheesecake recipes get very complicated. This one is very straightforward, and the directions are easy to follow.
- Delicious, unique flavor. A pistachio cheesecake made with white chocolate is not the everyday cheesecake all bakers bake. It’s unique, has an amazing texture, and finishes beautifully with a little sour cream on top.
Equipment Needed To Make Baked White Chocolate Cheesecake
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Ingredients For Your White Chocolate Cheesecake
Ingredients for the Chocolate Cookie Crust
- Shelled Pistachios.
- Chocolate Wafer Cookies. Or chocolate graham crackers.
- Sugar. White granulated sugar.
- Salt. Intensifies the flavor of the chocolate.
- Unsalted Butter. Melted. If you don’t have unsalted butter leave out the salt.
White Chocolate Pistachio Cheesecake Filling Ingredients
- Shelled Pistachios. Shelling pistachios is something your kids might enjoy helping with.
- Cream Cheese. Full-fat cream cheese only.
- Sugar. White granulated sugar.
- Flour. All-Purpose. Bleached or unbleached.
- Eggs. Large.
- Egg Yolk. Enhances the creamy texture.
- Heavy Cream. It adds smoothness and richness.
- White Chocolate. This needs to be melted and cooled, so allow time for that.
- Sour Cream. To add shine to the top.
Please note, that the printable recipe card has the full list of ingredients, quantities, complete instructions, and nutritional information. The following is a quick overview of the recipe.
How To Make A White Chocolate Cheesecake
Making the Chocolate Cookie Crust
Step 1: Preheat the oven.
Prepare your pan by greasing it or spraying it with non-stick cooking spray. Wrap the bottom and up the sides of the pan with foil.
Step 2: Mix the ingredients in a food processor.
Add the cookie wafers, pistachios, and sugar and blend until ground. With the food processor running, drizzle in the melted butter.
Step 3: Press the mixture into the pan.
Try to get a smooth, even surface. I press it evenly with the bottom of a measuring cup along the bottom and up the sides.
Step 4: Bake the Crust. Remove from oven.
Bake it just until set. Do not overbake.
How to Make the White Chocolate Cheesecake Filling
Step 1: Increase the oven temperature.
It will need to come up to 500ºF.
Step 2: Pulse the pistachios in the food processor.
You want a very fine consistency. Think of sand.
Step 3: Beat the cream cheese with the sugar and flour in a stand mixer.
Add an egg into the mixture completely blending before adding the next egg. Once combined add the pistachios and cream.
Step 4: Fold in the Melted White Chocolate.
Pour the batter into a large bowl. Fold in the melted white chocolate. Stir until just incorporated.
Step 5: Pour the batter onto the crust.
Pour the batter into the center of the crust and let it naturally spread out. That will keep the sides clean. Spread it smooth with a spoon.
Step 6: Bake the cheesecake.
Place the cheesecake in a pan large enough to hold the cheesecake pan and fill it with 1-inch of water. Bake as instructed.
Add sour cream during the last five minutes as it cools in the oven. This is optional but the shiny surface that you get is worth it.
Step 7: Cool the cheesecake.
The cheesecake is cooled slowly in the oven with the door ajar which helps to prevent it from cracking. I usually just crack it open with a wooden spoon.
Step 8: Chill for at least eight hours.
Remove the Pistachio Cheesecake from the water bath. Place it in the refrigerator loosely covered with plastic wrap for at least 8 hours. Overnight is even better. The flavor and texture of a cheesecake improve as it chills.
Popular Substitutions & Additions
- Replace the pistachios with the nut of your choice. Pecans or walnuts would be great choices.
- Add toffee chips to the filling.
- Add crushed chocolate cookies over the top.
- Stir in and top with mini chocolate chips.
How To Reheat & Store White chocolate cheesecake
Best Way To Store Pistachio White Chocolate Cheesecake Leftover
Cheesecake should be kept in the refrigerator loosely covered in plastic wrap, it will last for about 5 days. If you have too much leftover to consume before it goes bad, consider freezing individual slices.
Can I Freeze Cheesecake with White Chocolate
Yes! You can freeze the whole cheesecake or cut it into portions. Wrap in plastic wrap and
then foil for up to 2 months.
Thaw the whole cheesecake for 8 to 12 hours in the refrigerator. It can be thawed for 4 to 5
hours at room temperature but the filling will become loose and be less creamy.
Individual slices will thaw much quicker than the entire cake. Ultimately, you can thaw individual portions in the microwave for 30 to 50 seconds at 15-second intervals.
Pistachio White Chocolate Cheesecake FAQs
No, you don’t. However, the purpose of the water bath is to create steam that will make your cheesecake creamy and allows it to finish baking. It also helps prevent your cheesecake from cracking.
The sour cream adds a shine to the top of the cheesecake. Don’t worry. It will not taste sour.
Yes, I definitely recommend it. Getting a cheesecake out of another type of baking dish wouldn’t be easy.
Tips to Make the Perfect White Chocolate Pistachio Cheesecake
- Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature.
- Never open the oven while the cheesecake bakes. You will lose the steam created by the water bath.
- Don’t overbake. You’ll know the white chocolate cheesecake is done when the edges are set but the very center is wiggly.
- Let the white chocolate pistachio cheesecake cool slowly in the oven. When the white chocolate cheesecake cools slowly, it helps to prevent cracking.
- What if my cheesecake cracks? Don’t stress; you can always serve your cheesecake topped with fresh fruit or pipe some whipped cream over the top.
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Don’t Forget To Come Back And Let Me Know How the White Chocolate Pistachio Cheesecake Turned Out!
White Chocolate Cheesecake with Pistachios
Equipment
Ingredients
Chocolate Cookie Crust
- 2 ½ oz shelled pistachios about 1/2 cup
- 12 oz chocolate wafer cookies or chocolate graham crackers
- 3 tbsp sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 6 oz unsalted butter
Cheesecake Filling
- 5 oz shelled pistachios about 1 cup
- 2 lbs cream cheese softened
- 1 ⅓ cups sugar
- 1 tbsp flour
- 4 eggs large
- 1 egg yolk large
- 3 tbsp heavy cream
- 4 oz white chocolate melted and cooled
- ½ cup sour cream
Instructions
Chocolate Cookie Crust
- Heat the oven to 325° F. Spray the bottom and the sides of a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Wrap the outside of the pan with foil.
- In a food processor, pulse together the pistachios, cookies, sugar, and salt until finely ground. Drizzle the melted butter over the crumbs and pulse until it has the consistency of wet sand.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and press it into the bottom and up the sides of the pan in an even layer using a flat-bottomed measuring cup.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until set. Let the crust cool on a wire rack while you prepare the filling.
White Chocolate Filling
- Increase the oven temperature to 500° F.
- In a food processor, pulse the pistachios until very finely ground, about 30 seconds. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese, sugar, and flour. Beat on medium-high speed until just combined, about 2-3 minutes. Add in the eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, combining well after each addition. Add the ground pistachios and cream, mixing until just incorporated.
- Pour the batter into a bowl and combine with the white chocolate, folding until combined. Pour over the chocolate crust in a smooth layer.
- In a large baking pan big enough to hold the spring-form pan, add water to about a depth of 1 inch.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Open the oven door for a few seconds to release some heat and lower the temperature to 350F. Bake for 45minutes to 1 hour or until cheesecake is set around the edges, but still loose in the center.
- Remove from the oven and spread the sour cream over the top. Return to the oven and cook until browned slightly about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and crack the oven door open with a wooden spoon. Let cool for 1 hour.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and place it in the refrigerator. Chill for 8 hours or overnight before serving.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.
madi
Monday 28th of November 2022
This was such a big hit, everyone raved about it and even asked for the recipe. SO YUM!
Julie Menghini
Monday 28th of November 2022
I'm so glad that you enjoyed it, Madi! Thank you.
Michaela Kenkel
Saturday 26th of November 2022
OH. My. WORD!! This cheesecake was SCRUMPTIOUS! There wasn't a morsel left yesterday!
Julie Menghini
Saturday 26th of November 2022
Thank you, Michaela!
Susannah
Wednesday 23rd of November 2022
Mmmm pistachios! This turned out so good!
Julie Menghini
Friday 25th of November 2022
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks, Susannah.
Megan
Wednesday 23rd of November 2022
This might be my new favorite cheesecake flavor! We used Nilla wafers for the crust because not everyone likes chocolate and it was great!
Julie Menghini
Friday 25th of November 2022
It is a great combo! Than you, Megan!
Lynn
Tuesday 22nd of November 2022
So good and so creamy! And I loved the texture the pistachios added.
Julie Menghini
Wednesday 23rd of November 2022
It's a great combo. Thank you!