In a mixing bowl, combine 1 ½ cups of vanilla wafer crumbs, ¼ cup of granulated sugar, and a pinch of salt. Pour in ½ cup of melted unsalted butter, mixing until evenly moistened. Transfer this mixture into an 8-inch cheesecake pan lined with parchment paper. Press the crumbs firmly across the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to set.

In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat 8 ounces of room temperature cream cheese until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add in the 3.4-ounce packet of instant pistachio pudding mix, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon of pistachio extract, and 1 cup of powdered sugar. Mix until well combined, then gradually pour in 1 cup of heavy cream and continue whipping until the mixture is light and fluffy, approximately 4-5 minutes.

Once the crust has chilled, remove it from the refrigerator. Spoon the luscious pistachio filling into the chilled vanilla wafer crust, spreading it out evenly. Smooth the top to create a pleasing surface, then cover the cheesecake with plastic wrap. Place it back in the refrigerator to chill for at least 6 hours or preferably overnight for the best flavor and firmness.

In a separate bowl, combine 1 cup of heavy cream, ¼ cup of powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Use a hand mixer to whip this mixture until stiff peaks form, about 3-4 minutes. The whipped cream should be fluffy and hold its shape well. Once the cheesecake has set, gently layer the whipped cream over the top of the pistachio filling, smoothing it out gracefully.

Finally, sprinkle the top of the cheesecake with ¼ cup of chopped pistachios. Slice the no bake pistachio cheesecake, and serve chilled. Enjoy the creamy texture and nutty flavor.