If you’re as obsessed with pistachio desserts as I am, you’re in for a treat. These Pistachio Crunch Ice Cream Bars are inspired by the luxurious flavours and textures of the viral Dubai Pistachio chocolate bar — but reimagined as a frozen summer dessert. Two layers of creamy pistachio ice cream sandwich a crunchy, buttery kataifi-pistachio filling, all enrobed in a thick shell of chocolate and topped with a white chocolate drizzle, toasted pistachios and gold sprinkles. They look extra (and taste like it), but they’re surprisingly easy to make — no churning required. Most of the time is hands-off while everything chills and sets. Trust me: this is the kind of dessert you’ll want to keep stashed in your freezer all summer long.
Watch me make them:
Keys to Success when making Pistachio Crunch Ice Cream Bars
- 1. Use store-bought ice cream — but let it soften first. You don’t need an ice cream maker for this recipe. Just use your favourite pistachio ice cream, but let it soften in the fridge for about 30 minutes before spreading. It’ll glide into the pan much more easily and create smooth, even layers.
- 2.Start with good quality ice cream. I bought Basking Robbins Pistachio- Almond ice cream.
- 3. Toast the kataifi gently. Kataifi is shredded phyllo and burns quickly. Keep the heat at medium and stir constantly until it’s evenly golden and crisp. You’re aiming for toasty, not smoky.
- 4. Press the filling firmly and evenly. After toasting the kataifi and mixing in the pistachio paste, spread it gently over the first ice cream layer and press it down. This helps the layers stay neat when slicing later. Use the back of a measuring cup to help get everything smooth.
- 5. Freeze in stages. Let each layer freeze before adding the next — this helps keep them distinct and prevents melting during assembly. The final freeze (at least 4 hours or overnight) is essential for clean slicing and smooth dipping.
- 6. Use a deep container for dipping. Pour your melted chocolate into a narrow, deep container (a 4.5” x 2.5” deli container works well). It gives you a clean, even dip and minimizes waste.
- 7. Work quickly when dipping. Keep your bars frozen until just before dipping. If they start to soften, pop them back in the freezer for 10–15 minutes before continuing.
- 8. Make it fancy. A drizzle of white chocolate, a sprinkle of pistachios (and maybe a touch of edible gold) elevates these from simple frozen treats to showstoppers.
- 9. Pistachio Paste vs. Pistachio Butter vs. Pistachio Cream.
This recipe calls for pistachio cream. Pistachio paste, pistachio butter, and pistachio cream may sound similar, but they’re quite different. Pistachio paste is made from finely ground pistachios, often roasted, with no added sugar—just pure, intense pistachio flavour. Pistachio butter is also made from ground pistachios but is usually raw or lightly roasted and may be slightly looser in texture; like other nut butters, it’s meant for spreading and eating on its own. Pistachio cream, on the other hand, is a sweet spread made with pistachios, sugar, and often milk or white chocolate. It has a smooth, dessert-like consistency—think of it as pistachio’s answer to Nutella.
Pistachio Crunch Ice Cream Bars
Equipment
- 1 8 inch square baking pan
- 1 disposable piping bag
- 1 digital thermometer
- 1 offset spatula
Ingredients
For Ice Cream Bars
- 2 pints pistachio ice cream
- 112 grams unsalted butter
- 140 grams kataifi if frozen, thaw overnight in fridge before starting recipe
- 224 grams pistachio cream
- 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher salt
For Dipping
- 100 grams milk chocolate, finely chopped
- 100 grams bittersweet or semi sweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 100 grams refined coconut oil
For Decorating (optional)
- 56 grams white chocolate, finely chopped
- 30 grams shelled pistachios, toasted and finely chopped toasted and coarsely chopped
- 10 grams gold sprinkles, optional
Instructions
For Ice Cream Bars
- Place 1 pint of pistachio ice cream in the fridge for 30 minutes to soften for easier scooping and spreading
- Line an 8-inch square baking pan with two 8×14-inch sheets of parchment, leaving excess on all sides to help lift the bars later. Avoid using wax paper or foil.
- Scoop the softened ice cream into the pan. Use an off-set spatula to start spreading it into an even layer. Cover with a square of parchment and use the back of a measuring cup to finish smoothing it into an even layer. Freeze until firm, about 1 hour.
- Finely chop thawed kataifi with a serrated knife. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add kataifi and cook, stirring frequently, for about 8 minutes, until golden and crisp. Avoid high heat—kataifi burns easily.
- Transfer kataifi to bowl and let cool for a few minutes. Stir in pistachio cream.
- Remove the pan from the freezer and spread kataifi mixture evenly over the ice cream. Press gently with a spatula. Return to freezer for 30 minutes. Place second pint of ice cream in fridge to soften.
- Spread the remaining softened ice cream over the kataifi layer. Cover with a square of parchment and use the back of a measuring cup to finish smoothing it into an even layer. Cover with plastic wrap, and freeze until completely firm — at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
- Place a cutting board in the freezer to chill. Once the ice cream is frozen, line the chilled board with parchment. Use parchment flaps to lift the slab out of the pan. Invert onto cutting board, peel off parchment, and cut into 9 squares using a large, sharp knife. Wipe the blade clean between slices. Return bars to freezer, wrapped in plastic if freezing for more than 1 hour.
For Coating Ice Cream Bars
- Melt chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl at 50% power for 60 seconds. Stir, then continue in 30-second bursts at 50% power until smooth. Add coconut oil and stir to combine. If needed, rewarm briefly to smooth.
- Pour about two-thirds of the chocolate mixture into a bowl or container measuring approximately 4½" wide x 2½"deep, and let cool to 80°F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove ice cream bars from freezer. Working one at a time, loosen a bar with a spatula, dip in chocolate, let excess drip off, and place on the parchment.
- Continue until all bars are dipped, adding reserved chocolate as needed. Pause to return bars to freezer if they begin to soften.
- Freeze the bars until the chocolate coating has fully set, about 15 minutes.
Decorate Coated Bars
- Melt white chocolate in microwave safe container at 50% power for 1 minute. Stir well until smooth. Transfer to disposable piping bag.
- Drizzle frozen bars with white chocolate and sprinkle with chopped pistachios and gold sprinkles (if using). Return to freezer until firm. Wrap each bar in plastic and store in a zip-top freezer bag for longer storage.
Notes
Pistachio Paste vs. Pistachio Butter vs. Pistachio Cream.
This recipe calls for pistachio cream. Pistachio paste, pistachio butter, and pistachio cream may sound similar, but they’re quite different. Pistachio paste is made from finely ground pistachios, often roasted, with no added sugar—just pure, intense pistachio flavour. Pistachio butter is also made from ground pistachios but is usually raw or lightly roasted and may be slightly looser in texture; like other nut butters, it’s meant for spreading and eating on its own. Pistachio cream, on the other hand, is a sweet spread made with pistachios, sugar, and often milk or white chocolate. It has a smooth, dessert-like consistency—think of it as pistachio’s answer to Nutella. Frozen kataifi is the most affordable option. A 454g package is about $2.79 — thaw overnight in the fridge before using. Dried kataifi is available online (e.g., $24 for 500g on Amazon), but much pricier. The coating recipe and procedure were developed by Stella Parks over at Serious Eats.
This recipe calls for pistachio cream. Pistachio paste, pistachio butter, and pistachio cream may sound similar, but they’re quite different. Pistachio paste is made from finely ground pistachios, often roasted, with no added sugar—just pure, intense pistachio flavour. Pistachio butter is also made from ground pistachios but is usually raw or lightly roasted and may be slightly looser in texture; like other nut butters, it’s meant for spreading and eating on its own. Pistachio cream, on the other hand, is a sweet spread made with pistachios, sugar, and often milk or white chocolate. It has a smooth, dessert-like consistency—think of it as pistachio’s answer to Nutella. Frozen kataifi is the most affordable option. A 454g package is about $2.79 — thaw overnight in the fridge before using. Dried kataifi is available online (e.g., $24 for 500g on Amazon), but much pricier. The coating recipe and procedure were developed by Stella Parks over at Serious Eats.
Nutrition
Calories: 754kcalCarbohydrates: 62gProtein: 12gFat: 55gSaturated Fat: 30gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 64mgSodium: 230mgPotassium: 644mgFiber: 6gSugar: 43gVitamin A: 859IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 168mgIron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
These look delicious. Where can one buy pistachio paste in Ottawa. I would like it for another recipe.
Thanks,
Jackie @ No. 54
Hi Jackie, so nice to hear from you. Hope you’re doing well. Pistachio paste is different than pistachio cream. My recipe calls for pistachio cream. I bought my pistachio cream at Misto Fine Foods at Hampton Park Plaza. Not sure if they sell pistachio paste.
I have amended my blog post to clear up any confusion. Hope this helps.
Pistachio Paste vs. Pistachio Butter vs. Pistachio Cream.
This recipe calls for pistachio cream. Pistachio paste, pistachio butter, and pistachio cream may sound similar, but they’re quite different. Pistachio paste is made from finely ground pistachios, often roasted, with no added sugar—just pure, intense pistachio flavour. Pistachio butter is also made from ground pistachios but is usually raw or lightly roasted and may be slightly looser in texture; like other nut butters, it’s meant for spreading and eating on its own. Pistachio cream, on the other hand, is a sweet spread made with pistachios, sugar, and often milk or white chocolate. It has a smooth, dessert-like consistency—think of it as pistachio’s answer to Nutella.