No Bake Pistachio Bars

Easy no bake dessert! No Bake Pistachio Bars are a recipe that requires no baking and comes together quickly. Great for a crowd or as a special treat!As a kid, box mix anything was a luxury. My mom would take me grocery shopping with her, and I would spend the whole time asking her to buy brownie mix, cookies, and any other sugary treats we passed.

My mom's response was always the same – “No, we can make it better at home”. I was always so disappointed about that because everything that came in a box seemed so much cooler than what we could make at home.

Now, I find myself telling my kids the same thing – with a few exceptions. Pistachio pudding mix is one of my favorite box mix items. There's something about the green color and little bits of pistachio in it that I love.

And it makes a great, frosting-like filling in these No Bake Pistachio Bars! Even though there are quite a few steps, these bars come together quickly. These no bake bars are a great make-ahead option. They're also incredibly rich, and so a little goes a long way.

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No Bake Pistachio Bars

Servings 20

Ingredients

Crust

• 1 large egg lightly beaten
• 1/2 c . butter
• 1/4 c . unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 T . granulated sugar
• 1 tsp . vanilla extract
• 2 c . finely crushed chocolate graham crackers
• 1/2 c . finely chopped pistachios

Filling

• 1/4 c . butter softened
• 1/2 c . pistachio instant pudding and pie filling mix
• 1/2 c . milk
• 1 1/2 c . powdered sugar

Topping

• 6 oz . bittersweet chocolate chopped
• 1/4 c . butter
• 1/2 c . coarsely chopped pistachios

Instructions

1. Line a 9-inch baking pan with foil, allowing for an overhang at the edges. Lightly grease the foil
2. For the crust, cook egg, butter, cocoa powder, sugar, and vanilla together in a saucepan over medium-low heat just until it starts to bubble.
3. Remove from heat, and stir in graham cracker crumbs.
4. Stir in pistachios until combined.
5. Press mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking pan.
6. To make the filling, beat butter, pudding mix, and milk together until well-combined.
7. Add the powdered sugar, and beat in until combined.
8. Spread pudding mixture over crust.
9. Cover, and chill for about 1 hour, or until firm.
10. To make the topping, melt chocolate and butter together over low heat, stirring frequently.
11. Once mixture had melted and is combined, spread over pudding.
12. Sprinkle pistachios over chocolate.
13. Cover, and chill until firm, about 2 hours.
14. Cut into bars, and serve.

Adapted from Better Homes & Garden's 100 Best Cookies.