Kesar Pista Bars (Saffron Pistachio Cream Bars)

Luscious saffron, cardamom & pistachio cream layered over an almond crust! These gluten-free Kesar Pista bars secretly pack 7g protein. Perfect for Diwali or any other holiday meal! (soy-free, dairy-free, vegan)

Kesar means saffron, and pista means pistachio. These saffron pistachio bars are just so delicious. I just wasn’t ready for how decadent and luxurious they were going to turn out! They’re kind of like creamy lemon bars, but with nutty pistachio and floral saffron flavors in them. 

The saffron-pistachio combination is very popular in Indian desserts and also desserts from many other cuisines. These two flavors just work so amazingly well together, especially raw, fresh pistachios and floral saffron.

I’m using that today to make a fusion Indian dessert based on kesar burfi, kesar pista ladoo, or pedas, but I made them into these bars. We make this almond flour crust with some cardamom and then make the cream topping with cashews, coconut milk, saffron, and a little pistachio, and then top it with generous amounts of chopped pistachio. It all sets up and it becomes just amazing!

If you don’t have saffron, you can skip that flavor, and add extra cardamom, add a pinch of turmeric for color, and an extra splash of vanilla. That flavor profile pairs really well with the pistachios, as well.

Why You’ll Love Kesar Pista Bars

• rich, creamy, decadent bars with nutty pistachios and floral saffron and cardamom flavors
• quick almond flour crust
• easy to make with simple ingredients
• naturally gluten-free and soy-free with almond-free option

Ingredients

• almond flour – This is the base for the crust. For an almond-free version, use an all-purpose flour pie crust instead of the almond crust here.
• tapioca starch, baking soda, and salt – To condition the dough for the crust and help it hold together.
• cardamom and vanilla powder/extract – Adds flavor to the crust and to the saffron cream filling.
• refined coconut oil – Replaces the butter in the pie crust.
• maple syrup – Adds sweetness and moisture to the pie crust.
• saffron – Adds even more flavor and color to the filling. If you don’t have saffron, you can skip that flavor, add some more cardamom, and add a pinch of turmeric for color, if you want. Add some vanilla for extra flavor, and that’ll be a great flavor profile along with the pistachios, as well.
• coconut milk and full-fat coconut milk – This is the base for the saffron cream. You can use other non-dairy milk in place of the drinking coconut milk, but the full-fat coconut milk is important, because the fat helps the mixture thicken.
• cornstarch – Helps the mixture thicken even more.
• lemon juice – For tang.
• sugar – To sweeten the saffron cream.
• raw pistachios – We are blending some raw pistachios into the saffron cream, then folding chopped pistachios into the cream mixture after blending plus sprinkling even more chopped pistachios on top!

How to Make Saffron Pistachio Bars

Preheat the oven to 335° F (168° C). Line an 8 x 8” baking dish with parchment. In a bowl, add the almond flour, tapioca starch, salt, baking soda, vanilla powder (if using), and cardamom. Mix really well. Press and mix to break up any almond flour lumps.

Mix in the coconut oil and maple syrup. Use your hands to mix, so that you can check if the mixture is just starting to come together. When you press the mixture, it should kind of stay somewhat together and not be very crumbly. Combine it until it becomes a dough. If it is too crumbly, add in some more maple syrup until the mixture is a soft dough.

Press this dough into the lined baking dish, and keep pressing it with your hands to spread it around on the bottom. Use a fork to make some holes in the crust, and then bake it for about 11 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are golden.

Take the crust out of the oven.

Activate the saffron by crushing the saffron between your fingers and adding it to the warmed non-dairy milk. Mix it and let it sit. This will help the saffron release the flavor into the warm milk, because if we just add it to the thickening milk later, it won’t entirely release all that flavor. You can also just blend the saffron directly into the cream, if you don’t want to do this extra step.

Into a blender, add the soaked and drained cashews, coconut milk, cornstarch, lemon juice, salt, sugar, cardamom, the 2 tablespoons of whole pistachios, and the saffron milk. Blend for a minute. If the mixture is too thick, add in 1 to 2 tablespoons of non-dairy milk or water, and continue to blend. Blend for a minute, let that sit for 3 to 4 minutes, and then blend again for a minute. I usually blend it about 3 times, so the cashews are blended in really well and are absolutely smooth.

Then, add the saffron cream mixture to a skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for about a minute, and then stir after every few seconds. The mixture will start to bubble up, then it will start to get slightly lumpy around some edges, so just mix it really well. Once the mixture has thickened evenly, about 4 to 6 minutes or so, switch off the heat. 

Taste and adjust the flavor. If you want it sweeter, you can add some more sweetener at this point. Add more cardamom, if needed, as well, and mix it in. Swirl 2 tablespoons of the chopped pistachios into the mixture. Then, drop this mixture over the crust.

Spread the saffron cream mixture evenly with a spatula. Top it with the remaining 2 tablespoons chopped pistachios.

Chill the kesar pista bars for a couple of hours, so that the bars set, then slice and serve. I like to chill it in the freezer for about 1 hour, then shift it to the fridge. That just makes the process quicker. Then, you can slice the bars after they have sat in the fridge for another hour or so, and they’re perfectly nicely set.