This pistachio bread is soft, moist and simple with yellow cake mix, pistachio pudding mix and a nutty glaze. We love this pistachio quick bread for a sweet breakfast or dessert!

Looking for more easy quick breads? Try my cranberry orange bread, cinnamon roll banana bread or pumpkin chocolate chip bread. Perfect for holiday baking and sharing!

Sliced pistachio bread.

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Key Takeaways: Pistachio Bread Recipe

  • Easy cake mix shortcut: Yellow cake mix and instant pistachio pudding make this soft, moist pistachio quick bread with just 5 minutes of prep.
  • Perfect for the holidays: The pretty green color makes it a fun addition to Christmas breakfast, holiday gifting or St. Patrick’s Day. My kids call it “Grinch bread”!
  • Sweet finishing touch: A simple powdered sugar glaze and chopped pistachios add extra flavor and crunch. You can even make mini loaves for gifting!

Why I Love This Recipe

Just like my cake mix banana bread, this pistachio bread is one of those easy quick bread recipes that always gets smiles. Serve it with pistachio and chocolate leprechaun cookies for St. Patrick’s Day or alongside watergate salad for a festive holiday spread!

I’ve always had a soft spot for pistachio treats! There’s something so nostalgic about that classic pistachio flavor, whether it’s in this bread, my pistachio cookies or creamy pistachio dessert. It’s a recipe my family never gets tired of!

XO - Jamielyn

Ingredient Notes

Pistachio bread ingredients.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

  • Yellow cake mix: This is the base of the pistachio bread and provides structure and sweetness. It’s a versatile ingredient that pairs well with the pistachio flavor.
  • Instant pistachio pudding mix: This is key for giving pistachio flavor and color to the bread. It also adds moisture, ensuring a soft texture.
  • Wet ingredients: Use melted butter to add richness or use vegetable oil for a lighter texture. You’ll also need water and eggs.
  • Sour cream: Plain yogurt is a good substitute if sour cream is unavailable.
  • Powdered sugar glaze (optional): Powdered sugar, heavy cream or milk, salted butter, vanilla extract, and some chopped pistachios for sprinkling on top. For an almond glaze, use almond extract.
  • Cinnamon sugar: Adds a sweet and spicy crust to the bread. If you don’t have pre-mixed cinnamon sugar, it’s easy to make your own by mixing 1 tablespoon of sugar with 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. You can also omit this if you’d like.

How to Make Pistachio Bread

Preheat your oven, grease a loaf pan, and sprinkle the bottom with cinnamon sugar if desired. This adds a delightful sugary crust to the bread.

Making pistachio bread batter with cake mix and pudding.

Mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl until combined, being careful not to overmix to ensure light and fluffy bread.

Baked pistachio quick bread in a loaf pan.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If it starts to brown on tops, tent with aluminum foil.

Whisking together a glaze for pistachio bread.

Allow pistachio bread recipe to cool completely. For the glaze, whisk together the ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled bread and sprinkle with chopped pistachios.

Tips and Variations

  • Green food coloring: For a more vibrant green, add a few drops of green food coloring.
  • Decorative toppings: Top the glazed bread with chopped pistachios, cinnamon sugar, festive Christmas sprinkles or mini chocolate chips.
  • Muffins or mini loaves: Make muffins or mini loaves of pistachio bread for easy holiday gifting. Just adjust the baking time.
  • Vegetable oil: Substitute vegetable oil for the melted butter for a soft, moist texture.
  • Cranberries: Stir in dried cranberries for a festive twist that’s perfect for your favorite Christmas recipes.
  • Mix-ins: Add chocolate chips for extra sweetness or chopped pistachios for a little crunch.
Pistachio bread in a loaf pan.

Pistachio Bread FAQs

Do I need to prepare the pistachio pudding first?

No, add the dry instant pistachio pudding mix directly to the batter. There’s no need to prepare it with milk first. Be sure to use instant pudding, not cook-and-serve.

Why did my pistachio bread sink in the middle?

This usually happens when the center is underbaked. Use the correct pan size and check that a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean before removing it from the oven. If the top browns too quickly, loosely tent it with foil.

Can I use a different cake mix?

Yes! White cake mix works in place of yellow cake mix, or you can use pistachio cake mix for more flavor. Just make sure you’re using a 15-ounce box, as some brands have reduced their package sizes, which can affect the bread’s texture and baking time.

Is this pistachio bread like the Starbucks pistachio loaf?

Both are moist, pistachio-flavored quick breads, but the Starbucks version has a chocolate swirl. This easy pistachio bread is made with cake mix and pistachio pudding, then finished with a sweet glaze and chopped pistachios.

Pistachio bread with glaze and chopped pistachios on top.

More quick bread recipes include banana cranberry bread, pumpkin chocolate chip bread and banana nut bread!

More Quick Bread Recipes

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Sliced pistachio bread.

Pistachio Bread Recipe

5 from 26 votes
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 12 (1 loaf)
This pistachio bread is soft, moist and simple with yellow cake mix, pistachio pudding mix and a nutty glaze. We love this pistachio quick bread for a sweet breakfast or dessert!
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Video

Equipment

Ingredients 

Pistachio Bread

  • 15 ounce box of yellow cake mix
  • 3.4 ounce box instant pistachio pudding mix
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup water
  • ½ cup melted butter , or vegetable oil
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • 1 Tablespoon cinnamon sugar , (optional) see notes
  • green food coloring , optional

Glaze (optional):

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2-3 Tablespoons heavy cream or milk , more as needed
  • 1 Tablespoon salted butter , melted
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla or almond extract , more to taste
  • ½ cup chopped pistachios

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan (or 2 8×4 pans for smaller loaves). Sprinkle the bottom with cinnamon sugar if desired and set aside.
  • In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, pudding mix (dry), 3 eggs, 1 cup water, 1/2 cup melted butter or oil and 1/4 cup sour cream. If you want it a brighter green, add in a few drops of food coloring.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
  • Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Baking times may vary, so start checking for doneness around 40 minutes and adjust accordingly. If it's browning too fast, place a piece of foil over the top.
  • Allow the bread to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then remove it from the pan and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • For the glaze, whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar, 2-3 Tablespoons heavy cream, 1 Tablespoon butter and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in a small bowl. Add more milk if needed to thin.
  • Once bread has cooled, drizzle the glaze over top. Then sprinkle pistachios over top. Slice it into 12 servings and enjoy!

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

Cinnamon sugar: You can leave this step out if prefered. It’s easy to make your own as well. Simply mix 1 Tablespoon sugar + 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. 
Muffins: You can also make these in a muffin pan. It will make about 12 muffins. Line a muffin pan, fill 3/4 the way full and bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick comes clean. 
Storage: Store pistachio bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Freezing: Wrap the bread tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature and add the glaze before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 318kcal, Carbohydrates: 44g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 30mg, Sodium: 279mg, Potassium: 105mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 27g, Vitamin A: 84IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 102mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.