This super moist Pistachio Bread recipe is made with one bowl, no mixer required, and is sooo easy! This Pistachio Bread is made with pistachio pudding mix, yellow cake mix, and ribbons of cinnamon-sugar for an ultra delicious bread or coffee cake! A family favorite that my Grandma’s been making for DECADES!
*This Pistachio Bread recipe was updated 11/13/16 with some newer, prettier pics! I hope they are prettier. 🙂
I am so disconnected from the world. I am back in Pennsylvania visiting my family this week for the holidays. I’m staying mostly at my Grandma’s house, and she doesn’t have internet. I mean, of course, because there aren’t that many 89-year-olds that really need internet! Totally understandable, but as a result, I am pretty MIA on the blog this week! My apologies. You deserve a break from my chatter anyway, so I’ll spare you any small talk and we’ll get more or less straight to the good stuff….
FOOD. Food with SUGAR in it. Lots of sugar. That’s what we’re all here for.
Let’s face it, we’re all swimming in last minute holiday preparations anyway, and you probably have all sorts of fun activities and family stuff going on this week! Since I’m home visiting family, staying at my Grandma’s, and since we often make this Pistachio Bread together for the holidays (though we make it year-round too), it seems fitting to share her Pistachio Bread recipe! I grew up on this stuff.
It’s absurdly easy and only requires a handful of ingredients. You can mix this Pistachio Bread altogether in one single bowl – no mixer is needed! It’s easy prep and easy clean up! When you’re mixing it, the pistachio pudding kinda makes it look like something out of Ghostbusters, but it definitely bakes up much more pretty.
We call it a bread, yes, but it’s pretty cake-like! This Pistachio Bread is moist and sweet, and has a thick ribbon of cinnamon and sugar both through the middle and on top. In the middle, it gets deliciously gooey and sticky, and it forms a perfect crustiness on top! Pistachio Bread is a fabulous snack or dessert, but warm from the oven with a pat of butter, this bread is perfect as a coffee cake for breakfast or brunch too. We love it and it’s been a family favorite for YEARS.
No one has to know how simple it is to make. That part stays a secret. K?

Grandma's Pistachio Bread {VIDEO!}
Ingredients
- 1 box golden butter or yellow cake mix
- 4 eggs
- 1 c. sour cream reduced-fat is fine
- 1/4 c. vegetable oil
- 1 - 3 oz. box instant pistachio pudding mix
- 1/2 c. cinnamon-sugar
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir together cake mix, eggs, sour cream, oil, and pudding mix. Mixture will be thick.
- Spread half of it into a lightly greased tube pan.
- Sprinkle with half the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Swirl lightly with a knife.
- Add remaining batter to tube pan, and knife in remaining cinnamon-sugar.
- Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes, or until edges are golden, and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
- Cool for 10-15 minutes before inverting onto a serving platter.
If you love pistachio things, you might want to try these Pistachio Sugar Cookie Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting. They are so well-loved! I also adore this Amaretto Pistachio Cheesecake – the flavor combo is out-of-this-world. And this Coconut Pistachio Bundt Cake is INSANE. I am OBSESSED with it!
I hope you have a great time in Pennsylvania, Sarah! I’m sure it must be strange to not have the internet! I’m loving this pistachio bread. It looks so gorgeous! I love the cinnamon sugar topping, too. Sounds like this would make the perfect Christmas morning breakfast!
YES, I’m dying without internet! How sad is that though? I’m blogging from one of Erie’s 2 Starbucks right now. Haha! Wait… maybe they have 3 Starbucks in this city now. Haha! 🙂
What a great bread!!
Thanks, girl! Happy Holidays to you! 🙂
This pistachio bread looks amazing, I love any kind of coffee cake, but especially with lots of cinnamon sugar. That ribbon of cinnamon sugar in the middle is the best! Have a great week visiting family! I’ll be MIA next week for the same reason, away from internet! Might be kind of nice though, unplugging for a few days! Haven’t done that in a while! Merry Christmas! 🙂
It’s definitely nice unplugging, especially for the holidays, but it’s HARD! How sad is that? I’m reaaaally struggling without feeling connected to things, but I’m trying to savor it too! I hope you have wonderful holidays Stacey! Merry Christmas to you and your family! 🙂
Love grandmas pistachio bread, it looks incredible! Have a wonderful time in PA and Merry Christmas!
Thank you! You too!!! Happy Holidays to you and yours!
I love how simple this bread is! Have a great Christmas and enjoy your time with family!
Thanks so much, Ashley! You too!! Hope you have a Merry Christmas with your family! 🙂
This sounds delicious. It looks like a coffee cake that’s very easy to make. I will make it!
Yes! It’s ridiculously easy! And it’s so moist and delicious. Let me know if you try it! We love it! 🙂
Hello cute lady! I bet this little gem made a lot of people happy! Pinned and tweeted. Thank you for being a part of our party. I hope to see you tonight at 7 pm. We love to party with you! Lou Lou Girls
Thanks for the party! Happy New Year!
Is there no water or other liquid in this recipe? I don’t want to mess up!
Hi Linda! Correct – there is no other liquid! It’s very thick. Very thick and goopy, but it will bake perfectly! I hope that helps, let me know how it turns out! 🙂
This looks and sounds amazing – Pinning! I have a similar recipe from my grandmother that I was thinking of making the other day. Her recipe has a frosting made with the pistachio pudding mix and cream. Love the idea of the cinnamon and sugar topping. Thanks for sharing, Suzanne
Oh, that’s great! I’ve never heard of the variation with frosting, but I’m definitely on board with that!! Frosting is always a good thing! 🙂 Happy New Year!
My husband would love this!
Made this over the holidays; it was delicious and my family loved it! Very easy too! Just my kind of recipe!
Oh, great!! I’m so glad to hear that, Becky! I agree that it’s super easy and delicious. It’s been a family favorite of ours for a really long time! I’m so glad you liked it! 🙂
I love pistascio! This looks amazing! Thanks for linking it up at Monday Funday.
Thanks so much, Katie! 🙂
This sounds out of this world amazing! Thanks for linking up with What’s Cookin’ Wednesday!
Thank you!
Sarah I cannot wait to try this cake! Yum! Thanks so much for sharing this at the Project Parade! Hope to see you there again this week:)
Thank you so much, Shannon! 🙂
These look so delicious! I’m featuring them as on of my favorites over at Wednesday Whatsits.
Great – thanks so much! 🙂
Ha! Ghostbusters cake! i love it. It looks completely delicious. I LOVE pistachio pudding. Definitely trying this one out. 🙂
Doesn’t it look reminiscent of something out of Ghostbusters?? Lol! Tastes AMAZING though and is so moist! Let me know if you try it! Thanks, Trish! 🙂
I made this yesterday for Christmas morning. Huge hit! Just the right amount of sweet! Easy to make and just delicious!
Yay!! My Grandma would be so happy to hear that you like it. We love it and have made it for years! 🙂
Thinking for making this for st. Patrick’s day breakfast. Can I make it in a bundt pan?
Absolutely! That would work, for sure!
It maybe my phone, but I cannot see the recipe portion?
Sometimes on mobile, it prompts with a ‘read more’. Do you see where you ‘read more’ and the recipe is always at the bottom of the post! Just scroll down, or do ‘read more’. Thanks, Alexandra!
Can I substitute Greek yogurt for the sour scream?
Ty!
Yes! You can!
I was wondering what the ratio is of the cinnamon and sugar?
We always had cinnamon-sugar around in a jar, so it was sort of a fluid thing in my Gma’s house growing up! Lol. I would use 4 or 5 teaspoons in a half cup of sugar. At least a tablespoon, and then another teaspoon or two will be great.
Thank you . Ill let you know how it turns out
What is the proportion cinnamon to sugar for the pistachio bread?
Love the strawberry cake !!!! Can wait to try the pistachio bread.
2 TBSP for every 1/2 cup!