makes 4 servings | active time: 30 minutes | full time: 3 hours

you know that moment when you take a bite of something and immediately think, why haven’t i been eating this my whole life? that’s exactly the kind of experience these pistachio phyllo cake bars deliver. they’ve got that perfect contrast—crisp, flaky layers of golden phyllo stacked over a soft, just-sweet-enough pistachio cake base. it’s rich, but not heavy. elegant, but unfussy.

and the best part? they’re way easier to make than they look. this isn’t one of those recipes that leaves your kitchen looking like a war zone. it’s surprisingly straightforward, and the payoff is all kinds of impressive—like, dinner-party-dessert-that-someone-will-definitely-ask-you-for-the-recipe level. whether you’re already a pistachio fan or just here for the texture play, these bars hit that sweet spot between indulgent and approachable. trust—once you try them, they’re going straight into your regular dessert rotation.

cookie base ingredients:

• 1 ¼ cups (245 grams) dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
• 2 sticks (227 grams) unsalted butter, melted
• 2 eggs plus 1 yolk, at room temperature
• 1 tbsp (15g) vanilla extract
• 2 ¾ cups (350 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp (5g) baking soda
• 1 tsp (5g) baking powder
• 1 tsp (5g) cornstarch
• large pinch of salt (5g)

pistachio crunch filling:

• 1 ½ cups (200g) phyllo dough, toasted 
• 1/3 cup (50g) white chocolate, melted
• 3/4 cup (150g)  

  OG Creamy pistachio spread

• 2 tbsp (28g) butter

chocolate ganache topping:

• 8oz (225g) dark or milk chocolate (bar or chips)
• 8oz (225g) heavy cream

instructions:

• start on your cookie layer: combine all dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cornstarch) in a bowl and mix. set aside. whisk together the melted butter and sugars in a bowl until smooth. add the eggs + yolk and vanilla extract and mix. gently fold in half of the flour mixture, then add in the chocolate chips and rest of the flour. mix until a dough forms (don’t over mix).

• line a brownie pan with parchment paper and spread the cookie dough in the pan. bake at 350°F degrees for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown on top (underbaking is highly recommended for a gooey center). let cool completely.   

• for the pistachio crunch layer: finely chop your frozen phyllo dough into tiny pieces. add the butter to a pan on medium heat. once melted, add the phyllo shreds and fry until golden brown. melt your white chocolate in the microwave in 30 second intervals.  add the phyllo, pistachio spread, and melted white chocolate to the bowl and stir until combined. evenly spread the mixture over the cooled cookie and place in the fridge for 20 minutes.  

• finally, for the chocolate ganache topping: add your chocolate to a bowl. set aside. warm the heavy cream over medium heat until it starts to simmer. once simmering, turn off the heat and pour the hot cream over the chocolate. let sit for 2 minutes and then stir until smooth and shiny. pour the ganache over the cooled pistachio cookie and then place it in the fridge for 2 hours or until the ganache has firmed up. add more pistachio and white chocolate on top and swirl using a knife.  slice and enjoy!

recipe development by @sugarcubekitchen