Another week, another cashew-free raw cake option... Ok, maybe that sounds kind of weird, but hey some weeks that's my life -- trying to solve the world's cashew allergies, one cake at a time :)
Even though I get a lot of questions about cashew-free dessert alternatives, I normally love my cashews and work with them plenty. This pistachio cake didn't happen because I was trying to avoid cashews, but precisely because pistachios are one of the most satisfying (and prettiest) little nuts, and I wanted to highlight them in this dessert.
Which means, hey -- this cake is also cashew-free! Win-win :)
On the subject of pistachios, a few weeks ago a lovely lady I know from Instagram, Christine, shared that "The Chinese (Cantonese) name for pistachios "Hoi Sum Guo" translates as "Happy Nut" because they're all smiling!"
Wouldn't you say that that's true? :) Pistachios are so vibrant and beautifully adorned, and in turn beautifully adorn many-a-treat. That, and they're delicious, which helps a great deal. Yep, if you ever handed me a bag of pistachios, I'd definitely do a good happy dance.
This cake is really lovely -- very simple, but the flavor of the pistachios comes through nicely. And the color they lend to the filling is also very gentle and pretty in real life.
If you want this to look more cake-like, make it in a 5" springform pan. I made it in a little tupperware container instead because my cake pans were all already occupied by other desserts. #bakingproblems
But I sort of enjoyed it as a slice. I don't know if it's psychological, but cake feels a little more like a special occasion thing. A slice feels a lot more up to snuff when it comes to a mid-week treat, wouldn't you say?
Quick note: this recipe is for a smaller cake. See downloadable size guide below to help you size the recipe up if needed.
PrintRaw Pistachio Slice
Simple, cashew-free raw vegan cheesecake slice, made with mild sweet pistachios. Gluten-free, rich, delicious dessert with a gorgeous green color. No dairy.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Slice
- Method: Raw
- Cuisine: Dessert
Ingredients
Crust:
- ½ cup raw pistachios
- 1 soft medjool date, pitted
- ½ tbsp maple syrup
- ½ tbsp coconut oil
Filling:
- ½ cup raw pistachios (pre-soak and strain only if not using a power blender*)
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 tbsp almond milk
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ⅛ tsp salt
- ¼ cup more chopped raw pistachios
Optional Toppings:
- chopped pistachios, edible rose petals, edible heather flowers
Instructions
- Process all crust ingredients in a food processor into a sticky crumbly mixture. Transfer into a small parchment-lined tupperware container (I used one that's 3" x 5.5") or a 5" springform pan and press down into a flat even crust. Freeze while working on the next layer.
- Make sure all filling ingredients are at room temp. Blend everything, except the additional ¼ cup pistachios, in a high power blender into a smooth uniform consistency. Fold in the extra pistachios with a spoon. Transfer the mixture into the prepared crust.
- Sprinkle with desired toppings. Freeze for 5-6 hours or overnight to set. Slice and enjoy! Keep leftovers frozen.
Notes
Unlike many of my raw cake recipes, in this recipe I did not pre-soak the nuts as pistachios are quite soft naturally so they blend well if you have a powerful blender. But if you suspect your blender might struggle, follow the below soaking procedure. I recommend tasting the batter as well in that case before pouring into the mold and adjusting sweetness, as nuts tend to become less sweet when soaked.
To pre-soak nuts: place in a glass bowl, cover with water, and leave to soak for 4 hours (or overnight in the fridge). Then strain and discard the water.
For a quick pre-soak, cover with boiled water and soak for 15 mins, then strain and discard water. (Note: this technique doesn't preserve the nutrition of the recipe as well as the traditional soaking technique above).
Note: the purpose of soaking the nuts is to re-hydrate them and plump them up for blending into a smooth, cheesecake-like consistency. Proper soaking techniques also maximize nutrition and digestibility. If you're interested in learning more about nut soaking and other dessert prep tips and tricks, I delve into these subjects in detail in my book Unconventional Treats.
Note: the purpose of soaking the nuts is to re-hydrate them and plump them up for blending into a smooth, cheesecake-like consistency. Proper soaking techniques also maximize nutrition and digestibility. If you're interested in learning more about nut soaking and other dessert prep tips and tricks, I delve into these subjects in detail in my book Unconventional Treats.
Vicky says
Very creative. Love pistachios in general. But you found a tastier way for using them. Thanks for sharing.
★★★★★
Audrey says
Thanks so much, Vicky! Enjoy the recipe :)
Angie says
This looks amazing !!!! I have one question ..are those purple colored pistachios ??? I've never seen any like that....do you mind telling me where you get yours ?? Or is this dried flowers ??? Hope to hear back from you soon...am anxious to make this lovely dessert 😊❤️
Audrey says
Hi Angie. They are just regular pistachios. Sometimes they come with purple / pink / green-ish hued inner chaff. Just luck of the draw. I don't buy any kind of special pistachios in particular :) They are super pretty though!
Karen says
Can I use toasted pistachios?
Audrey says
Hi Karen, yes roasted pistachios will work fine here too. I would pre-soak them first though to hydrate them a bit (see notes at the bottom of the recipe for how to do that). Enjoy! :)
Sheryl Melnichuk says
Hi I tried to make the pistachio slice today and my filling was next to nothing, it did not look at all like the picture
Help
Audrey says
Oh no :/
Can you describe more about what your filling turned out like? If it was chunky rather than smooth, it usually comes down to one of several things:
1. This recipe requires a power blender for best results (like a Vitamix, etc.). I find less powerful blenders are usually not capable of blending down nuts to a smooth and creamy consistency. What kind of blender did you use?
2. A blender with a big pitcher was used. This is kind of newer territory. I shared this recipe many years ago. A few years ago Vitamix released a new model which has a short and wide pitcher instead of the classic tall skinny pitcher (which is what I use and prefer). The blenders with wide pitchers at the bottom require a larger volume of ingredients in order to blend things down smoothly, otherwise things just slosh around, bits stick to the sides of the blender, and not much hits the blades, resulting in a chunky mixture. So if using a blender like that I'd recommend tripling small batch recipes like this one for best results.
3. Something in the ingredients was cold when placed in the blender, causing the mixture to firm up a bit prior to properly blending into a smooth and creamy consistency.
Do any of these issues resonate? I'd love to help figure out why it didn't work out for you, but without any info, it's hard to do from a distance. Hope those suggestions point you in the right direction.
Sheryl Melnichuk says
could I send a picture
Audrey says
Yeah, for sure. Can you email it to me and I'll add it to your comments here. Would be good to hear also if you think any of the issues I described above might have been at play, or if you made any changes to the recipe, type of blender you use, etc. to narrow down what might have gone wrong.
P.S. Not sure if you saw my reply to your comment to Leanne down below as well.
Sheryl Melnichuk says
Hi did you receive my email
Sheryl Melnichuk says
I used the ninja 1000w blender
Sheryl Melnichuk says
I sent you an email
Audrey says
Ok, I haven't received anything just yet (you sent it to audrey@unconventionalbaker.com , right?). I'll look out for it and get back to you as soon as I get it.
Audrey says
Hey, no, no email from you came through so far. I just checked again, including my spam folder and don't see anything there. Can you double check it was sent to the right address?
In the meantime, a Ninja, although a fine blender in itself, is not considered a power blender (it doesn't have the horse power that power blenders like Vitamix, Blendtec, Froothie, etc., do) so it would typically struggle to make a silky smooth filling out of a nutty mixture. Pre-soaking the pistachios helps a little with that. Did you do that with when you were making this cake?
Jen says
Hi, do you have the nutritional info for this recipe?
Audrey says
Hi Jen, no, I don't check nutritional info for recipes. However, you can easily find that info by using one of the many free online recipe calculators, which will give you whatever nutritional data you're looking for.
Nayer Mirza says
Hi Audrey,
Going to try the pistachio slice. Just want to make sure regarding the pistachios. they must be finely ground? yes? If i do not soak them and just grind them and sift them, will that be okay. i don't have a great blender. :(
Audrey says
Hi Nayer, I think having the ground into a flour should help your blender blend them a bit better. A power blender usually blends this mixture down into a smooth, "milky" / creamy consistency without any chunks or crumbs in the dough, so that's what you're aiming for with the filling consistency.
Leanne says
This is now my family’s favourite
★★★★★
Audrey says
That's awesome -- thanks for the great feedback, Leanne :) I'm so glad your family has been enjoying these!
Sheryl Melnichuk says
Do you havr a picture of how it turned out
Audrey says
Hey Sheryl, Leanne's is an older comment and I doubt she'll be back to reply to you (just my experience running this blog over the years, people rarely come back to re-read their old comments). If it helps, here's a post I made on Instagram a few years ago featuring some of my favorite reader remakes of this recipe: https://www.instagram.com/p/BSbbi6SlCtD/ (you can scroll through the different photos) so you can get an idea of how it turns out for others.
Vanessa says
Hi,
I made this today, I had to double the recipe as I was using a larger sized slice pan.
Can you tell me why mine does not look a lovely shade of green like yours does??
I did not soak the pistachios.
Thank you
Audrey says
Hi Vanessa. I'm guessing it can come down to the color of the pistachios. I find some batches I buy are super bright and green, while others are more of a yellowish-gray. Also I'm not sure if you switched any of the ingredients at all, but sometimes using a darker liquid sweetener (like for example coconut nectar or date syrup) can result in a different shade of cake.
Mel says
Hi Audrey, can’t wait to try this recipe 😃 could I ask if this raw cake is served frozen or can be stored in the fridge? Thanks so much in advance
Audrey says
Hi Mel, it should be kept frozen. It can be thawed out for like 10 mins before serving, but on the whole treat it like you would ice cream (i.e. if you thaw it out too long or refrigerate it, it will melt). Enjoy! :)
Mary says
I loved the raw pistachio slice I made using your recipe. My whole family (4) said it was their new favourite! It was so rich and so delicious. We only ate half of it and saved the remainder.
I'm looking forward to finishing it off.
I imagine I can do lots of variations on this concept. Thanks very much for sharing.
Audrey says
Thanks for the lovely feedback, Mary. I'm so happy everyone enjoyed it :)
Stacey says
This looks amazing, thank you!
Have you ever tried using fresh Johnny Jump ups instead of the dried petals shown here?
Audrey says
Hi Stacey,
Yes, I have used those -- beautiful flowers. I use them when they're in bloom here in the summer sometimes, though they're not always easily accessible here in Canada. They would look beautiful on any cake though :)
Nicki says
Having never made a raw cake/dessert, I was wondering if this slice would be suitable for a high noon tea that will be out on display for 2-3 hours or even 4 hours? I wouldn't want it to 'collapse' and go runny on me. Especially when I am hoping to impress my skeptical friends with healthy alternative, vegan cuisine. I am aiming to included it as a 3cm 'petite four' serving size. I expect ambient temperature to be 20-22, degrees Celsius on the day.
Audrey says
Hi Nicki,
No, unfortunately it won't hold up long in that temperature. Typically raw cakes are served just slightly thawed out of the freezer. They can be thawed out for 10-20 mins at room temp and then it they slowly start to melt, as it's the frozen coconut oil / cacao butter that keeps it together. So I usually thaw for 10 mins, slice and serve. Doesn't sound like this would work for this situation -- something baked would be more suitable.
You could try this baked cheesecake. It holds up well at room temp and can be topped with fresh fruit and flowers for a "fancier" high noon tea look.
This chocolate cake is another option and is a favorite at parties.
This pistachio rose bundt cake could be another good option.
Nicki says
Thank you, Audrey! I am so pleased I asked! I am grateful for your response. I have checked out your other suggestions and look forward to trying them out!
Audrey says
You're welcome :) Hope the tea party goes well.
Sandra says
Hi Audrey! This recipe seems so yummy! I would like to try it! For the crust ingredients you wrote 1 medjool date but do you mean only 1 or 1 cup ? :-) I feel so bad to ask that but I wanna be sure :-) Thanks
Audrey says
Hi Sandra,
No worries -- I actually get that question a lot :) It's indeed just 1 date because it's a small cake. It's meant to help as a binder, add a nicer texture, and a bit of sweetness. If it's difficult to buy just one date, you can skip and just add an extra tbsp of maple syrup, but I like it better with the date personally :)
Maya says
This looks so good! But... I'm really craving hazelnuts. I noticed you mostly use cashew in raw cheesecakes, but would hazelnut work as well?
Thanks for your all of your amazing recipes!
Audrey says
Hi Maya. I have a hazelnut cheesecake I'll be sharing soon actually :)
I prefer cashews for several reasons:
-they have a very mild flavor that's most reminiscent of cheesecake in a recipe out of all the nuts.
-they blend into a very smooth texture, which not all nuts can do (some turn out a little "gritty")
-they have a natural sweetness which allows for less sweetener to be used.
That said, other nuts can definitely be used -- as you see in this recipe it's just pistachios. But the flavors and sweeteners need to be adjusted accordingly each time, depending on the nut used and the flavor desired.
Hazelnuts can work well, but need more sweetness usually, and also another good flavor to take off the strong "hazelnutty" edge.
Mary Mika says
Simply amazing! Thank you!!
★★★★★
Audrey says
So happy you liked it, Mary! Thank you for the feedback.
Lana says
Absolutely fabulous dessert! I loved how easy it was to make this great looking green goodness. It tasted amazing also. Thank you, Audrey!
★★★★★
Audrey says
Thank you so much, Lana! You are so sweet for sharing :) I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Stephanie says
This so gorgeous. It's National Pistachio Day in two weeks - a perfect dessert to make then!!!
Audrey says
Thank you! I think National Pistachio day should be every day :)
Natalia says
So cute and delicious looking, Audrey!
★★★★★
Audrey says
Thank you :)
Christina says
Your recipes look wonderful! I can't wait to make one. I look forward to doing so after the spring semester is over, but I have to ask... why do you use coconut oil so much? It's very high in saturated fat. There are other oils that are much healthier.
Audrey says
Hi Christina. I actually don't use it very much. My diet is almost entirely oil-free, with the exceptions of some raw desserts and the cacao butter used in chocolate. So in context, 2 tbsp coconut oil, divided by several slices in a dessert once in a while isn't much for me at all :)
I like using coconut oil specifically in some of my raw cakes because of its unique properties -- it solidifies very nicely when chilled and gives the cakes good stability and texture. Another oil that functions similarly would be cacao butter, but I reserve it for cakes where I want the cacao flavor to be present. Other than that, other types of oils just don't have the same functionality when it comes to raw desserts.
That said, I do make many raw cakes and raw treats without oils, which you can find under the oil-free section on the recipes page. I'm also working on adding a coconut-free section since many people have been asking for it.
For this cake in particular I made a suggestion in a reply below to Melanie on how to make it coconut-free. Hopefully that can help you enjoy some despite the coconut in the ingredients :)
Christina Jinez says
Thank you for that explanation! That does make sense to use it more for those reasons. I was thinking that it was used as a healthy alternative to other fats. Thanks!
Audrey says
No worries. Always happy to explain :)
I definitely don't think coconut oil is necessarily healthier than other oils -- I just use it more for its properties when I feel its needed. If it can be avoid it, I usually leave it out. I do love its versatility though, and in moderation it's an ingredient that can make many great treats possible.
Natalie | Feasting on Fruit says
Pistachios definitely beat cashews on the most naturally pretty nut, but I didn't know they could rival them on creamy cake-making ability too. And the whole chunks snuck into the filling looks so neat when you slice through them like that, adds to the pretty-ness factor even more! The slice vs round totally gives it a different, more casual vibe. The kind of vibe that would make me feel more okay about nonchalantly going back to the freezer for a second slice on I think :)
Audrey says
Yep, infinitely more snackable :)
Melanie says
This looks divine! I am going to make this for my father, who recently started a diet to eliminate inflammatory foods. Sadly, for him, this includes coconut and coconut products. What would you suggest as an alternative to the coconut oil in this recipe? Many thanks!
Audrey says
Hi Melanie. That's so sweet -- I'm sure he'll appreciate the treat :)
I'm thinking instead of trying to modify this recipe to be coconut-free, you might like this recipe better, which is very similar but naturally coconut-free:
https://www.unconventionalbaker.com/pistachio-orange-blossom-raw-avocado-cake/
Otherwise, if you still want to work with this recipe specifically, you can try taking out the coconut oil, add in half an avocado, and replace the almond milk with lemon juice (it helps to keep the avocado from browning). For the crust, you can just omit the coconut oil altogether and add an extra date or two and you're good to go.
Let me know how you go -- I'd love to hear what you ended up doing :)
Ari says
Can I forgo Lemon juice if I use avocado, I am planning to make this for my sister but she has to avoid coconut as well as all sour food,
Audrey says
Hi Ari,
So sorry I missed your question earlier. You can forgo the lemon juice, but the cake will need to be eaten in one sitting. The lemon juice prevents the avocado from browning too quickly (which happens when the cake thaws out). So long as you're planning on serving it in one go, I'd say you're good.