Pistachio Brownies!

Thick and chocolatey pistachio brownies studded with white chocolate chips and chopped pistachios, swirled with a homemade pistachio spread 

We all knew that a recipe for pistachio brownies was going to happen, because why would it not?! I posted my homemade pistachio spread recipe last week, and I baked these straight away using it – heaven in every bite. 

Pistachio bakes

We have all been aware of the insane pistachio craze that has basically taken over recently, and I am sorry in advance if you don’t like pistachio. I have wanted to post more pistachio recipes for a while, so I am glad I am finally getting them out there now. Yes, I am truly and utterly happy to be involved in the pistachio craze as I do adore it myself. 

When it has come to pistachio, I have posted a few recipes over the years, but definitely not enough. I adore baking the white chocolate pistachio cake for a celebration, and also the white chocolate pistachio cheesecake because it’s just luxurious and delicious. 

The good thing, typically, about a pistachio recipe – if you don’t like pistachios, or you just prefer another nut, you can switch them out super easily. You can use hazelnuts, almonds, peanuts, pecans etc – in the same way. A recipe like these are always customisable and perfect for different flavour palettes. 

Pistachio Spread

I posted my homemade pistachio spread last week, and you guys have loved it. It’s a simple recipe that really does level up your bake if you want to make it yourself. I use a mix of blanched pistachios, white chocolate and a little milk to create my spread – and then as soon as it’s made and ready to go, it can be used in this brownie recipe. 

If you don’t want to make your own pistachio spread, that is totally and utterly fine. It’s easy to buy a pistachio spread online, or in some supermarkets at the minute. The stock varies from season and shop so it’s worth searching your local shops if you aren’t too sure or having a browse online. The popularity of pistachio bakes has luckily made pistachio spread far more widespread. 

Brownie Bakes

When it comes to brownies, I have posted a fair few recipes now (is there such thing, as too many? I don’t think so) and I just love them. I think brownies are such an iconic bake across the world, it’s hard to get bored of them. It’s something that people classically love,  and might do the typical “Oh yeah, go on then… I’ll have a piece” as that is certainly what I do. 

My classic triple chocolate brownie recipe is just insanely popular – and often is the base to the rest of the brownie recipes I have published; including this one. A mix of 6 simple ingredients makes a thick, fudgy and glorious brownie that I will happily say is loved by thousands already. Dark chocolate, butter, eggs, sugar, flour and cocoa is the base of a brownie for me, no matter the flavourings that you add later on. 

Brownie Batter

So, when it comes to this particular pistachio brownies recipe, it’s super easy. It’s a mix of the classic brownie base, white chocolate chips and chopped pistachios, and then a swirl of my homemade pistachio spread, of course. 

• Chocolate – I will always say it, dark chocolate is important for the best bake. I use and recommend 70% cocoa content or higher
• Butter – you can use block unsalted butter, or a baking spread in brownies 
• Eggs – I use medium eggs, but you can use large. 4 medium or 3 large works for brownies. 
• Sugar – I like to use light brown soft sugar, or caster sugar, depending on flavour or even just what I have in the cupboard. On this occasion, I used light brown soft sugar 
• Flour – plain flour as always, guys.
• Cocoa – I use a really strong cocoa powder because I love how chocolatey it is.  

Making the brownies 

The brownies themselves are quite easy to make. I start by melting the dark chocolate and butter together until smooth. You can do this in the microwave (as I do), or you can add the ingredients to a bowl, and place it above a pan of simmering water and melting. Leave this to cool for 10 minutes or so, so that the heat doesn’t melt the other ingredients or scramble the eggs. 

Once the chocolate/butter mix has cooled, I add the eggs and sugar to a new bowl and whisk to a thick mousse like mixture – this often takes a few minutes whether by hand or electric mixer, but you want to create a large amount of air. The whisk typically leaves a trail in the mixture if you lift it out. 

Fold the chocolate mixture into the egg mix, then fold in the flour and cocoa powder, carefully. Add in the chocolate chips and chopped pistachios, and fold again. Pour into a lined 9″ square tin and then dollop in the pistachio spread and swirl. 

I bake in a preheated oven for 25 minutes, until there is a small wobble in the middle of the tin. I let the brownies cool, and then set the brownies in the fridge for a super fudgy and delicious texture of brownie. 

How to make this recipe Free-From

Gluten free – Swap the flour to gluten free plain flour (make sure all other ingredients are gluten free). For texture, you can add 1/4tsp xanthan gum per 150g of flour  if it doesn’t already contain it 

Dairy free – Make sure the base chocolate is dairy free (lots of dark chocolate’s are) and swap the butter to a dairy free butter, and make sure the chocolate is dairy free. The pistachio spread I make isn’t dairy free, but you may be able to buy one or skip this bit 

Vegan – use my vegan brownie recipe as a base, and add the pistachios to that 

Tips & Tricks 

It’s important to use the correct ingredients and size tin for a bake, especially brownies. Changing the tin size to a smaller tin will likely cause them to not bake properly for example, as volume differences can be more drastic than you may realise. 

• These brownies will last to 5-7+ days at room temp, or in the fridge (I personally choose the fridge)
• These brownies will freeze for 3+ months 
• You can use any flavour chocolate chip or chunk to add into the brownie, I just chose white chocolate
• The pistachios are optional, but delicious. 
• You can find my homemade pistachio spread here
• You can buy a delicious pistachio spread here if you don’t want to make your own

Pistachio Brownies!

Thick and chocolatey pistachio brownies studded with white chocolate chips and chopped pistachios, swirled with a homemade pistachio spread 

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Category: Traybakes

Type: Brownies

Keyword: Pistachio

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cooling + setting: 3 hours hours

Total Time: 3 hours hours 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 16 Brownies

Author: Jane's Patisserie

Ingredients

• 200 g dark chocolate
• 200 g unsalted butter
• 4 medium eggs (or 3 large)
• 275 g light brown soft sugar (or caster sugar)
• 100 g plain flour
• 50 g cocoa powder
• 50-200 g white chocolate chips/chunks
• 50-100 g pistachios (chopped)
• 100-200 g pistachio spread

Grams - Ounces

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 180ºc/160ºc fan, and line a 9x9" square tin with parchment paper. 
• Melt the dark chocolate with the butter and leave to cool slightly
• Whisk together the eggs and sugar until really thick and doubled in volume
• Fold the chocolate/butter mix into the eggs/sugar mix carefully
• Add in the plain flour and cocoa powder, and fold that in as well
• Add the white chocolate chips and chopped pistachios and fold through
• Pour the brownie mixture into the lined tin
• Dollop in the pistachio spread using a spoon, and swirl through the mix slightly with a cake skewer
• Bake the brownies in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until baked through
• Leave the brownies to cool fully in the tin, and then set in the fridge for 3+ hours if you can for the best brownie

Notes

• These brownies will last to 5-7+ days at room temp, or in the fridge (I personally choose the fridge)
• These brownies will freeze for 3+ months 
• You can use any flavour chocolate chip or chunk to add into the brownie, I just chose white chocolate
• The pistachios are optional, but delicious. 
• You can find my homemade pistachio spread here
• You can buy a delicious pistachio spread here if you don't want to make your own

Find my other recipes on my Recipes Page!

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