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This orange pistachio bread is super moist, full of bright citrus flavor, and it has just the right amount of crunch thanks to the addition of pistachios!
There are a lot of options when it comes to quick bread, from banana bread to pumpkin bread, but I’ve found that some of the best quick bread recipes I’ve made have sour cream or Greek yogurt added to the batter. It makes the loaves super moist without having to use a massive amount of oil. This orange pistachio bread recipe is no exception. It’s definitely one of my new favorites!
I used a combination of freshly squeezed orange juice and orange zest to really give it that bright citrus flavor, and the pistachios add just the right amount of crunch. The end result is a delicious, moist quick bread that’s perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert—basically, you can eat this orange pistachio bread all day long. (And you’ll totally want to.)
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
For the orange pistachio bread:
- All-purpose flour
- Sugar
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Orange juice – Use freshly-squeezed orange juice, not bottled.
- Vegetable or another neutral oil
- Eggs – Let these come to room temperature before you start the recipe.
- Greek yogurt – This should be room temperature, too.
- Vanilla extract
- Orange zest
- Pistachios – You’ll need some for the batter and some for sprinkling over the top.
For the glaze:
- Powdered sugar
- Orange zest
- Orange juice
What Does Greek Yogurt Do in Baking?
Greek yogurt helps create a moist, tender crumb without adding a lot of extra fat or liquid to the batter. You can use either full-fat or low-fat Greek yogurt in this orange pistachio bread recipe, but if you don’t have Greek yogurt on hand, you can also use sour cream.
How to Make Orange Pistachio Bread
If you’re familiar with the process of making other quick breads, this orange pistachio bread is pretty much the same! Here’s what you’ll need to do.
Prepare. Preheat your oven to 350ºF, then grease and line a 8×4-inch loaf pan with parchment paper and nonstick spray or butter.
Chop the pistachios. Add the pistachios to a food processor and pulse until they’re coarsely chopped.
Mix the wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the oil, yogurt, orange juice, eggs, zest, and vanilla extract. Once smooth, whisk in the sugar.
Mix the dry ingredients. In another mixing bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Finish the batter. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix gently until just combined. Fold in 1/2 cup of pistachios.
Bake. Pour the batter to the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the remaining pistachios over the top and bake at 350ºF for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Make the glaze. Whisk together the powdered sugar, orange zest, and orange juice, until smooth. Add more orange juice if needed; the glaze should be pourable.
Glaze the bread. Once the orange pistachio bread has cooled completely, drizzle the glaze over the top, then slice and serve.
Tips for Success
These tips will help you make the perfect loaf of orange pistachio bread.
- Zest the oranges before juicing them. It’s much easier to zest the oranges before they’re cut, and especially easier before you juice them.
- Let the eggs and yogurt come to room temperature. This will make it easier to mix the batter, and it will also help the batter hold more air.
- Mess-free glazing. Place the loaf of bread on a cooling rack, then place the cooling rack on a baking sheet lined with foil. Pour the glaze over the bread, let it solidify, and then you can discard the foil for easy clean up.
How to Store
This orange pistachio bread can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Can This Recipe Be Frozen?
You can freeze orange pistachio bread for up to 3 months. Wrap it in plastic wrap, then place it in a freezer-safe bag or container. When you’re ready to enjoy it, thaw it overnight at room temperature.
Orange Pistachio Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200 g) sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup (118 ml) orange juice
- ¼ cup (59 ml) vegetable or any neutral tasting oil
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup (100 g) Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- ½ cup (62 g) pistachios + 2 tablespoons pistachio for sprinkling on top
For the glaze:
- ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon (2 g) orange zest
- 2 tablespoons orange juice, more or less depending on the consistency of the glaze
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F (177 °C)
- Grease and line a 8×4 inch pan with parchment paper with nonstick spray or butter and set aside.
- Add the pistachios to a food processor and pulse until they are coarsely chopped. You don’t want to make a fine powder. Set aside.
- To a large mixing bowl, add the oil, Greek yogurt, orange juice, eggs, zest, vanilla extract and whisk until smooth and well combined.
- Add the sugar to this mixture and mix well.
- Add all the dry ingredients – flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt to another bowl and mix until everything is well combined.
- Now add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix gently until they are just combined.
- Gently fold in the ½ cup pistachios to the batter.
- Pour the batter to the lined baking tray.
- Sprinkle the rest of the pistachios on top and bake at 350 °F (177 °C) for 50 to 55 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted comes out clean.
- Cool completely before glazing.
For the glaze:
- Mix the powdered sugar, orange zest and orange juice until smooth.
- Adjust the consistency by adding more or less orange juice as desired. You don’t want a runny glaze.
- Drizzle the glaze on top of the cooled bread.
- Slice and serve.
Can this be made with a bread machine?
no, sorry