The Pistachio Pudding Dessert You NEED For The Holidays!

Hello everyone! In this post I’m going to tell you all a quick, simple, yet so delicious recipe you’re gonna want to put on your dinner table. The holidays are around the corner, and everybody’s looking for that perfect side dish or dessert. This is a must for the holidays!

It’s a pistachio pudding dessert that we have every year. Seriously, you have to try this. It’s absolutely amazing, and I love the color! Especially when it’s Christmastime or St. Patrick’s Day, this beautiful green is just gorgeous.

If you’re as pistachio‑obsessed as I am, you’ll also love my Matcha and White Chocolate Brownies and Creamy Strawberry Pistachio Overnight Oats That Taste Like Dessert!.

Make sure your hands are clean, and let’s make a delicious holiday dessert!

Why You’ll Love This

• It’s a “Pillowy Cloud”: The texture is like a fluffy, pillowy cloud dessert. It’s light, creamy, and just delicious.
• Yin and Yang Flavors: This is like a yin and yang dessert because the flavors just bounce off your taste buds. You get the sweet pudding and the tangy pineapple.
• Super Fast: This dessert goes so quick. As soon as it’s on the table, it’s gone!
• Kid-Friendly: Definitely bring those kids in the kitchen with you so they can learn how to make this. They can build memories making this for their holidays and share it with their kids when they get older.

And if you want a savory pistachio dish to go with this sweet, fluffy dessert, check out my Restaurant-Quality Pistachio Salmon & Sweet Potato Mash.

What You’ll Need

Special Equipment:

• Large mixing bowl
• Handheld electric mixer (optional—a wooden spoon works just fine!)
• Fine mesh strainer (crucial for draining pineapple)
• 9×13 casserole dish or large serving bowl

The Ingredients:

• 2 boxes (3.4 oz each) instant pistachio pudding mix
• 4 cups cold milk (2% is recommended)
• 1 can (15 oz) crushed pineapple
• 1 container (8 oz) whipped topping (like Cool Whip), thawed
• 3 cups mini marshmallows (a nice amount to make it fluffy)

Let’s Get Mixing!

1. Drain the Pineapple (Crucial Step!)

First, you have to make sure you drain your crushed pineapple very well. Place the crushed pineapple into a strainer over a bowl. Press down to drain it. You literally need to drain it as much as you can because your pineapples cannot be really watery for this recipe. Set that aside.

2. Make the Pudding

Start with the star of the show: the instant pistachio pudding. Use two boxes, and you are going to mix that up with the 4 cups of cold milk (I use 2% milk).

Use a handheld mixer or a wooden spoon to blend everything until smooth.

3. Let it Set

Let the pudding sit for about 5 minutes. You want it to start to set and thicken up before adding the heavy stuff.

4. Fold in the Goodies

Once the pudding is thickening up, toss in the drained pineapple and the whole 8‑ounce container of whipped topping. Stir until combined.

Then, pour in the mini marshmallows. Use a nice amount to make it like a pillowy cloud! Gently fold them in. It’s fun to have fun in the kitchen!

5. Chill & Serve

Pour the mixture into your serving dish or casserole pan. You can eat it immediately, but it thickens up even more if chilled for at least an hour in the fridge.

This is definitely one recipe you and your household will love. So be sure to make a nice pan because everybody’s gonna beg you to make it the next holiday!

If you like this recipe Explore more recipes

FAQs

Save

Quick, Simple, Yet So Delicious Pistachio Pudding Dessert

Recipe by Sana ReiCourse: Dessert, SidesCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

12

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Chill time (optional but recommended)

1

hour 

Calories per serving (estimate)

230

kcal

Total time

1

hour 

10

minutes

A creamy, fluffy, no‑bake pistachio pudding dessert with crushed pineapple, mini marshmallows, and whipped topping. A festive “green stuff” salad that disappears faster than cake!

Ingredients

• Equipment Needed:

• Hand mixer or spoon

• mixing bowl

• strainer

• 9×13 dish

• Ingredients

• 2 packages (3.4 oz each) instant pistachio pudding mix

• 4 cups (960 ml) cold 2% milk

• 1 can (15 oz / 425 g) crushed pineapple, drained thoroughly

• 1 tub (8 oz / 225 g) whipped topping, thawed

• 3 cups (about 150 g) mini marshmallows (white)

Directions

• Drain Pineapple: Pour the 15 oz can of crushed pineapple into a mesh strainer set over a bowl. Press down with a spoon to remove as much liquid as possible. Discard juice or save for another use.
• Whisk Pudding: In a large bowl, combine the 2 boxes of pistachio pudding mix with 4 cups of cold milk. Beat with a handheld mixer or stir vigorously with a wooden spoon for about 2 minutes until smooth.
• Rest: Let the pudding stand for about 5 minutes to soft‑set and thicken.
• Fold: Add the well‑drained pineapple and the 8 oz tub of whipped topping to the pudding. Fold together until the color is uniform and creamy.
• Add Marshmallows: Stir in the mini marshmallows until evenly distributed.
• Transfer: Pour the mixture into a 9×13 casserole dish or a pretty glass serving bowl, smoothing the top.
• Chill & Serve: Chill for at least 1 hour for the best texture, then scoop and serve cold.

Notes

• Storage: Keep this covered and refrigerated. For best quality, enjoy within about 3–5 days; over time, it may release a little liquid—just give it a gentle stir before serving again.
• Texture Tip: Make sure the pineapple is drained really well, or the dessert will be too soupy.
• Color: Stick to white mini marshmallows for the prettiest contrast with the green pudding.
• Serving: You can eat this right away, but letting it chill in the fridge for an hour or two makes it even better and easier to scoop.