From TikTok to the Table: Pistachio’s Holiday Takeover
- Cheyenne Cagey
- Dec 6, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: Dec 6, 2025
Food trends move fast, but every so often a flavor or dish takes hold and refuses to let go. This year, that flavor is pistachio. Once quietly associated with gelato and middle eastern sweets, pistachio has since broken out of it’s niche and has risen in popularity. Initially gaining traction earlier this year, pistachio’s rich and nutty taste has crept it’s way into holiday desserts. From puff pastry to cookies, the internet surged with pistachio recipes. More than a culinary fad, pistachio’s rise is a great example of how social media aesthetics and global influence can turn an overlooked ingredient into a holiday icon.
The Rise of Pistachio
Pistachio initially gained traction earlier this year when TikTok creators began posting pistachio filled chocolates. The viral “Dubai pistachio chocolate bar” became a turning point, sparking global curiosity about pistachio’s potential. This previously neglected nut has since been trending across feeds for both its taste and aesthetic appeal. By spring, a plethora of pistachio filled treats were flooding the internet, everyone excited to share their take on the new fad. Major brands quickly followed suit showcasing their new pistachio flavored products. Haagen-Dazs expanded their pistachio ice cream line, Trader Joe's has now released pistachio cookies and nut butters, and Starbucks is expected to have several more pistachio flavored drinks in their seasonal lineup this upcoming year. Even small businesses have jumped on the pistachio craze, from bakeries offering pistachio croissants to local cafes experimenting with pistachio lattes.
A Holiday Icon
By the time winter rolled around, pistachio had solidified it’s place as the flavor of 2025. It’s light green hue made it perfect for festive treats, offering a more aesthetically appealing alternative to the traditional bright greens and reds of the season. Since the spark in popularity, countless recipes for cookies, pastries, and pies have appeared across social media, showing the versatility of pistachio. This flavor has transformed the holiday treat scene, providing fresh profiles and exciting new twists to classic traditions. Pistachio puff pastry Christmas trees, chocolate bark sprinkled with crushed pistachio, and pistachio cranberry cookies have become seasonal favorites. These deserts have taken over the season, turning a once overlooked ingredient into a festive staple, redefining what holiday indulgence looks like in the age of TikTok.
As the holiday season approaches, baking takes on a special role–friends and family gather together to share desserts, dishes, and celebration. Pistachio has quickly joined the holiday lineup, reinventing many traditional deserts with a new addition. Social media has amplified this transformation, showing pistachio’s versatility and aesthetic look. From pastries to cookies, these exciting new creations have shown how one flavor can completely change holiday baking. Pistachio’s rise reflects not only evolving tastes but also that way digital culture influences seasonal traditions. In keeping with this spirit, one easy yet delicious recipe stands out as perfect additions to any holiday dessert table.
Pistachio Linzer Cookies:
Ingredients:
I cup shelled unsalted pistachios
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp salt
½ cup light brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
¾ cup softened unsalted butter
½ cup raspberry jam
Powdered sugar: Optional for dusting, but makes them extra festive.
Directions:
Grind pistachios in a food processor and blend until fine. Transfer to a bowl, salt and flour, and whisk to combine.
In a separate bowl, mix wet ingredients. Combine sugar, butter, and vanilla until smooth.
Combine dry ingredients with wet ingredients and stir until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Chill dough for 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Gently flour your work surface and roll out the dough to ¼ inch thick. Using a 2 inch round cookie cutter, cut the dough into circles. Then, cut a smaller circle in the center of half of the cookies. You can use either a smaller, round cookie cutter, or linzer cookie cutout.
Arrange your cookies on both baking sheets, ensuring that the cookies with the cut out and the ones without are on separate baking sheets. Bake the cookies with the cutouts for 7 minutes and the whole cookies for 8 minutes.
Dust the cutout cookies with powdered sugar and allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring.
Once completely cooled, spread 1 tbsp of raspberry jam on the whole cookies. Top each cookie with the cut out cookie to create a sandwich. Store at room temp for two days or for up to five days in the fridge. Enjoy!
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