Pistachio Spread

Pistachio Spread is a quick and easy recipe with a cream cheese base. Use it to coat bagels as a cheese, dip, butter, paste or feature on an entertaining platter. With simple ingredients we layer focusing on textures and taste. If you have 5 mins, you have the time needed to make the recipe.

Recipes like my Honey Pecan Cream Cheese and Honey Walnut Cream Cheese take plain cream cheese to next level yum.

My Cranberry Jalapeno Dip, Thanksgiving Dip and Christmas Dip each feature nuts as a layer on the cheese.

🤍 Recipe Highlights

I have summarised the reasons why I think you will love this recipe in the points below. There are many positives and you might even find some reasons I haven't thought of 😁:

• Super easy.
• Super quick.
• Simple ingredients that are available at the local grocery store. Everywhere from Walmart to Safeway, Aldi, Woolies and Coles will stock what you need to make the recipe. You won't have to drive all over town to get anything special! (No ordering on Amazon either, although everything else you need, you can get from there ❤ ).
• Budget friendly: nuts are an expensive ingredient! If you went all out and tried to make a pistachio spread with a whole heap of nuts, that is going to hit your hip pocket. Whilst we use nuts in the recipe, we do so in a mindful, conservation way as to not blow the budget!
• Versatile: if you have a read through of my serving suggestions you will see that there is more than one way to both present and serve the recipe. Be it your desire to have it as a spread for bagels or a dip for crackers, these options each work and you use only a slight technique change to bring it together.
• No bake: some dips are best oven baked and some are best with a no bake approach. The no bake approach for this recipe saves times, energy and effort.
• Fuss free: whether you have people coming over last minute or you want to have the ingredients on hand so that you have it and can bring the combination together as needed, you have to admit that fuss free recipes are as appealing as 'ain't got time for much else, yes please!'. You will love the simple approach this recipe tastes to a delightful coming together of ingredients.

🥗 Ingredients

The photo below is to show you everything you need to make the recipe. Please refer to the printable recipe card for specific ingredient measurements.

As you can see, the recipe calls for:

• Cream cheese: we need an 8 oz, 250 gram block of this. Thick and creamy, it lends itself to sweet and savory recipes. You can use a tub if you really want or if it is just the 2 of you for date night. However, for parties, I think the block presents better and you have more surface area for the toppings. Everywhere sells this from Walmart to Tesco, Woolies and Coles, you will easily be able to get your hands on it.
• Honey: sweet and sticky, I love using this ingredient in the kitchen! For this recipe we drizzle it over the top of the cheese and it provides flavour and texture as well as allowing the other ingredients (chopped pecans and crushed nuts) to stick to it.
• Crushed nuts: I am referring to crushed peanuts here. They are sold in the cooking aisle with the dried fruits and might be labelled 'granulated nuts'. They offer great texture, convenience and are great as a topping for anything like chocolate to ice cream or using as a salad ingredient.
• Pistachios: I recommend either purchasing chopped ones (bits and pieces) or whole ones which you pop into a glass jug or mug and use kitchen scissors to roughly chop. (This is what I do).
• Crackers: I use robust round crackers. This is because we want to 'spread' the paste (butter) onto the crackers. Even these break if the portion of cream cheese is too thick. So anything thinner (water crackers) is not the best choice for pairing. They will work, but you will likely encounter many broken bits 😭.

Tasty tip: if you want to use this for bagels, stir the ingredients together, so it is more 'spreadable', like this photo. If you want to serve it as a dip however, present it like the cream cheese block with the layers for an easy effective 'yum' kind of look.

🍳 Instructions

Here are the step by step instructions to make the recipe. Start by getting the cream cheese out of the fridge, removing the packaging and placing in the centre of the serving board.

• Plate the cream cheese (Photo 1)
• Drizzle with honey (Photo 2)
• Add crushed nuts (Photo 3)
• Add chopped pistachio nuts (Photo 4)

👩‍🍳 How to Make Pistachio Spread

To make the recipe, start by placing the cream cheese into the centre of a serving board. Discard any packaging you unfold. Then use a teaspoon to drizzle the honey onto the surface of the cheese. Flip the teaspoon to the other side and spread the honey out so that it is in one layer.

Then sprinkle the crushed nuts on top of the honey to form their own layer. If you use a gentle approach when doing this, not much of the honey and nut combo will slide down the sides. A little of this happening is ok through as it adds to the presentation (ohhhs and ahhhs 😍).

• Place crackers around the spread for serving (Photo 5)

🍽 Serving Suggestions

There are quite a few options that you have in terms of serving the spread. You can provide crackers, chips or your favourite spreadable ingredient.

Bagels work very well and the texture of the nuts takes the taste up a notch or 2 if you are used to using plain cream cheese as a spread instead.

The best thing about pairing with crackers is that people can smear their cracker with the spread and then use leftovers of the toppings (pop then in small bowls around the sides of the cheese) to fully load their cracker.

The combination of the crunchy firm cracker, soft cheese, sweet, sticky honey and robust nuts is one bite after the after irresistible. You may find yourself going back for another one, then another and so forth!

😉 Substitutions and Variations

Here are the sub ins and outs that you might like to try or have been thinking about when you have been reading the post.

• A spreadable tub (round) can be used if you want to make the combination into a spread, see this photo to fully get what I am saying.
• A cheese knife is essential if you want to serve it as a dip. This way the eaters can use the knife to cut into the dip, then spread their cracker.
• Opt for reduced fat cream cheese, instead of the full fat variety.
• Use walnuts nuts instead of the pistachios.
• As an alternative to crackers or chips, you can use this combination as a spread on bagels with smoked salmon.
• Use this combination and spread on thawed puff pastry to make pinwheels in a similar theme to my Pecan Pinwheels.
• Alternatively use this combination spread on toast in the mornings and pop some freshly sliced fruit on top!

👍 How to Guide

How to Guide

If you want to make this dip and store the leftovers, ensure you use an air tight container that can be sealed.

You can store leftovers to combine them as this will allow you to use them as a 'spread'. Use the spread for bagels, toast, crostini, sandwiches and wraps.

Freezing cream cheese can lead to mixed results, so it is not recommended for this recipe.

🛎 Tasty Tips

Here are my top tips and tricks that I want to share so that you get the recipe right from the get go:

• Don't worry if when peeling the foil layer off the cream cheese a little of it sticks to the foil. This will make the shape of the rectangle less 'perfect', but it tastes all the same and is no biggie 😉.
• You might be tempted to use a spreadable tub instead of block of cream cheese as 'same, same' but I urge you to use the block instead if serving to guests as a dip, it takes the presentation up several notches. However, if you are going to serve it like the 2nd idea as a 'spread' the quantity is the same across the 2, so be my guest.
• When layering the nuts onto the honey, some of the honey will naturally slide due to the weight of the nuts. This is totally fine. A gentle touch can reduce this, but the honey sliding down the sides of the cream cheese block also has a pretty delicious and 'yum' affect.
• Provide a cheese knife when serving if you are going to serve it like the block of cream cheese. This will allow the eaters to cut into it and keep things from getting too messy.

🤓 Frequently Asked Questions

What can you use pistachio spread for?

Pistachio spread is versatile and can be used for many serving ideas. Here are 5 ways to try it:

• As a dip.
• Spread on bagels.
• As a feature on a cheese board.
• Spread on toast.
• Served with crackers for an easy snack.

What does pistachio spread taste like?

Pistachio spread has a nutty taste from the use of the crushed nuts and pistachios. These blend very well with the soft, mild taste of the cream cheese and sweet flavoured honey.

Does pistachio cream need to be refrigerated?

Yes, it is necessary to store the pistachio spread in the fridge. This keeps the ingredients fresh and the cream cheese at its firm textural best.

How long does pistachio spread last?

The pistachio spread will last for a couple of days in the fridge. It is best stored in either an air tight container or with cling wrap pulled firmly over the top. It is not recommended to freeze this spread.

Do pistachios go stale?

Yes, pistachios do go stale over time. Store them in a sealed, air tight container to maximise their life span and retain their crunch factor.

😍 More Easy Dips and Spreads Recipes

If you love how easy cooking with cream cheese is and that you can use it so literally thousands of both sweet and savory recipes, then I am going to guess these recipes will inspire you:

• Gherkin Dip
• Corn Relish Dip
• Corn Dip with Cream Cheese
• Ham Dip
• Funfetti Dip
• Cream Cheese Spinach Dip
• Chive and Onion Cream Cheese
• Cream Cheese Onion Dip
• Cream Cheese Salsa Dip
• Easy Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Dip

If however, you are feeding a crowd, you might like to try my Grazing Platter.

Adrianne xx

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