Pistachio Macarons

4.63 from 51 votes

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Classic pistachio macarons filled with Ladurée pistachio cream filling. Simply the best!

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A few years ago, my husband and I went to Paris. It was a dream of mine for many years.

And I was ecstatic when we walked into the famous Ladurée shop on Champs-Ellyses. Long lines didn’t bother me at all, I was in awe of their beautiful desserts and treats. One of my most favorite flavors of Ladurée macarons was pistachio macarons. Pure heaven!

As soon as we came back home, I went straight to my Laduree Macarons book and searched for their pistachio macaron recipe. And I found it on page 40!!!

pistachio macarons on a serving plate

Why you’ll love this recipe:

These pistachio macs are pistachio lovers dream!!

  • You’ll get unmistakable pistachio flavor in every bite!
  • Silky smooth and delicate pistachio cream filling is a dream!
  • As always, super detailed and easy to follow directions to walk you through the entire process.
pistachio macarons in a box

Key Ingredients:

  • Almond flour – Use super fine almond flour to ensure smooth tops. Weigh the dry ingredients before sifting.
  • Pistachio flour – It’s easy to make pistachio flour at home! I have a whole tutorial on how to make homemade pistachio flour. In a nutshell, blanch raw pistachios and remove the brown skin. Then light roast them and pulse in a food processor.
  • Powdered sugar – I highly recommend using a store-bought powdered sugar over homemade one, because commercial powdered sugar has cornstarch in it. And it helps with texture of the cookies.
  • Granulated sugar – Superfine sugar or caster sugar works best for making a stable meringue, as it dissolves quicker.
  • Cream of tartar is optional and can be omitted. However, it helps to stabilize egg whites and create sturdier meringue. It’s just an extra insurance!
  • Pistachio paste – No need to purchase expensive pistachio paste, especially since there’re so many hit-or-miss brands. Here’s my video tutorial on how to make homemade pistachio paste. But if you’re shopping for one, pay attention for ingredient list. I like to use pure pistachio paste with no added sugars.

How to make pistachio macarons:

Making pistachio macaron shells is basically the same process as basic macarons.

  1. Sift the dry ingredients three times.
  2. Make French meringue with stiff peaks. (Watch my Meringue 101 video for more in-depth information.)
  3. Add dry ingredients into the meringue and fold the batter until lava-like consistency. (Watch my real-time Macaronage video for better visual cues.)
  4. Pipe the batter into 1.5-inch rounds on baking sheets lined with parchment paper, or teflon mat. (Watch my video on Proper Piping Technique.)
  5. Tap the macarons on the counter to burst the bubbles, then let the macarons dry for about 30 minutes (in humid climate, this could take up to 2 hours!)
  6. Bake the shells at 300°F for about 18 minutes. Since every oven is different, I recommend finding the sweet spot for your oven. Watch this tutorial on key points to keep in mind.
open pistachio shells with a dollop of pistachio cream filling

How to make Laduree’s pistachio cream filling:

I have a separate post on pistachio cream filling recipe with step by step photos, lots of tips for success and troubleshooting common issues.

If you prefer to make a simple pistachio filling, you may also make my easy pistachio buttercream recipe.

Hope you’ll enjoy your very own pistachio macarons soon. And if you make this recipe, please leave a review below. Thank you!!!

Video Tutorial

Pistachio Macarons in a box
4.63 from 51 votes

Pistachio Macarons

We made these pistachio macarons with homemade pistachio flour and pistachio paste. Keep in mind, pistachio cream filling is naturally softer filling, but carefully follow the directions to achieve perfectly creamy and thick filling.
Prep: 1 hour
Cook: 18 minutes
Total: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 20 filled macarons

Ingredients

For Pistachio Macaron Shells:

  • 60 g fine almond flour Note 1
  • 40 g fine pistachio flour Note 2
  • 65 g powdered sugar Note 3
  • 70 g egg whites at room temperature
  • 75 g fine granulated sugar Note 4
  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar Note 5
  • ¼ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon green gel food coloring

For Laduree Pistachio Creme Filling:

  • 65 g granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 55 g unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 20 g pure pistachio paste Note 6

Instructions 

To make pistachio macaron shells:

  • Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, or teflon sheet, or silicone mat.
  • To prepare the dry ingredients, sift together almond flour, pistachio flour and powdered sugar twice. (TIP: If you have up to 1 tablespoon of chunky dry ingredients left in the sifter, you don't have to replace it. Simply discard those chunky bits.)
  • To make the meringue, in a clean mixing bowl with a whisk attachment, combine egg whites, granulated sugar, cream of tartar and salt and beat the mixture on medium speed until soft peaks form. (I set it to speed 4 on my KitchenAid stand mixer. It takes 30-40 minutes to whip the meringue, but it's well worth it for nice and full shells.)
  • When the meringue reaches soft peaks, add a drop of green gel food coloring. (I used Wilton Leaf Green or Americolor Green.)
  • Continue beating the egg whites on the same medium low speed until hard peaks form. Visual cues: Meringue should ball up inside the whisk, and when you lift the whisk, the meringue should hold a pointy end and have sharp ribs.
  • To make the batter, sift the dry ingredients again into the meringue. And using a silicone spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the meringue until fully incorporated. Then continue to fold the batter until it’s runny enough to draw a figure eight.
  • To test the batter, take a small amount of batter and drop it into the bowl. If the small peaks dissolve into the batter on its own in about 10 seconds, the batter is ready. If not, fold couple more times and test again. Be careful not to over-fold the batter. (TIP: Making french macarons is all about the technique. This is one of the most crucial steps. Let me try to describe the folding motion as best as I can: run the spatula clockwise from the bottom, up around the sides and cut the batter in half. If you’re beginner macaron-baker, I suggest to count every fold. It takes roughly about 50 folds to reach the proper consistency. After 50 folds, start testing the batter, and continue testing after every couple folds. Watch my real-time macaronage video.)
  • To pipe macaron shells, transfer the macaron batter into a pastry bag, fitted with a round tip. (I used this Wilton 2A tip.)
  • Hold the pastry bag at straight 90° angle and pipe about 1.5-inch rounds about an inch apart on prepared baking sheets. (TIP: I made a perfect macaron template for you. Simply pipe the batter to fill inner circle.)
  • Tap the baking sheets firmly on the counter (or using your hand) a few times to get rid of any air bubbles. You can also use a toothpick to burst some large air bubbles. This step ensures smooth tops.
  • Let the macarons rest on the counter for 15 minutes before baking.
  • To bake, working one baking sheet at a time, place one tray with macarons on the middle rack. (TIP: To prevent browning, place an empty baking sheet on top rack to shield the heat.) Bake for about 15-18 minutes. It’ll take longer for larger macarons.
  • To test for doneness, touch one macaron lightly and try to move it. If it slides and wobbles, bake a minute or so longer. The cooked macarons should be firm to touch and the base shouldn’t move. (TIP: It’s always better to slightly over-bake macarons than under-bake them!)
  • Cool the macarons completely on the baking mats before peeling them off.

To make Laduree pistachio creme filling:

  • In a small saucepan, combine sugar and water. Bring it to a boil over medium heat, stirring it constantly until sugar is completely dissolved. Then continue to cook until the syrup reaches 250°F (120°C), about 5 minutes.
  • Simultaneously, start beating egg yolks in a mixing bowl with whisk attachment until it's doubled in size and becomes pale in color, about 2 minutes.
  • While the mixer is running on low speed, slowly pour the hot syrup into the egg yolks. Pour the syrup into the side of the bowl, instead of the whisk, so that it doesn't splatter.
  • Increase the speed to medium high, and beat the mixture until it cools down to 104°F (40°C). The mixture will become smooth and white.
  • Stir in butter, pistachio paste and food coloring, if desired. Continue to beat the cream until nice and smooth. Then transfer the buttercream into a pastry bag with round tip.

To assemble macarons:

  • Pair the macaron shells by size and arrange them on a wire rack.  Line them up so that bottom shells are upside down.
  • Pipe a dollop of filling on bottom shells. Place the top shell over the filling and press lightly so the filling spreads till the edges.
  • Store the filled macarons in an airtight container in the fridge for at least 24 hours to mature, which allows the filling to soften and flavor the shells.
  • To serve, bring the macarons out about 30 minutes prior to serving.

Tips & Notes

Note 1: It’s best to use super fine almond flour to ensure smooth tops. Weigh the ingredients before sifting.
Note 2: I use homemade pistachio flour. To make pistachio flour, place about 80g of pistachios in a food processor and pulse until fine. Once the pistachios are broken into small pieces, sift through a sieve to remove fine pistachio flour. Then place the chunkier pieces back into the food processor and pulse again.
Note 3: I don’t recommend making your own powdered sugar, because commercial powdered sugar has cornstarch in it. And it helps with texture of the cookies.
Note 4: It’s important to use fine granulated sugar for meringue, as it dissolves quicker. You can also use caster sugar, aka baker’s sugar.
Note 5: Cream of tartar is optional and can be omitted. However, it helps to stabilize egg whites and create sturdier meringue. It’s just an extra insurance!
Note 6: Here’s full tutorial on how to make homemade pistachio paste.
GOT MACARON TROUBLE? Check out my macaron troubleshooting guide.
STORING INSTRUCTIONS:
Store the filled macarons in airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze the filled macarons after maturing them in the fridge for 24 hours. The filled macarons can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Servings: 1 macaron
Calories: 103kcal
Carbohydrates: 12g
Protein: 2g
Fat: 6g
Sugar: 11g
Sodium: 7mg
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: French

This recipe was originally published on March 6th, 2015

Hi, I’m Shinee!

Welcome! I’m so happy you’re here! I believe anyone can cook restaurant-quality food at home! And my goal is to help you to become a confident cook with my easy-to-follow recipes with lots of tips and step-by-step photos.

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254 Comments

  1. I tried the macaron recipe today and it turned out perfect! I also had trouble with light browning on top but I will try the tray above it next time. I made pale coloured green so that probably accentuated the light brown colouring. It is the fourth macaron recipe I have tried and it is by far the most successful in terms of flavour and texture! Thanks so much for your guidance & recipe. xxx

    1. Milena, I’m so glad to hear you loved my recipe! Yeah, next time try to put a tray above to minimize the browning. Thank you for leaving your feedback!!

  2. Your ratios for the pistachio cream are way off. That’s not a syrup, that’s slightly sugared water. I’m a baker who makes Italian meringue buttercream icing every day, which is pretty much this same idea just with egg whites instead of yolks. Against my better judgement I followed the directions, but obviously only ended up with a fluffy… mess. Definitely not cream at all. I’d revise your recipe. 

    1. Oh my god, Rozz, I just checked the recipe and I’ve no idea why I put that much water there! You’re so right, I put down way too much water. It should have been only 2 tablespoons. I feel so horrible, and I’m so sorry about the mistake. And thank you for leaving a feedback and letting me know. I corrected the recipe now.

  3. hello, i was looking at this recipe and the one for buttercream and the one for homemade pistachio paste doesn’t show the recipe.  i totally want to make all three.  Thanks!

    1. Rosalva, I added the pistachio buttercream recipe back in the post (for some reason, it got disappeared). As for pistachio paste, there is no recipe box, as I had described the process in the post itself. Hope this helps. Have fun baking these pistachio macarons.

  4. Thank you for this post. I am going to adapt my base macaron recipe for pistachio. Where did you find/buy the adorable macaron serving platter?

    1. You’ll love the pistachio macarons. It’s one of my faves. I got that dish from a thrift store. Isn’t it perfect for macarons?

  5. Hey! I followed your recipe today, shells came out alright, but the cream! I tried it twice… both times, the cream turned into a liquid after I added the butter (tablespoon by tablespoon). Then there was no way to thicken it after it turned into a liquid. No idea what I did wrong! My only thought it that the sugar and water mixture never could reach 120 celcius, max temp it would go was 101… Not sure what was happening there and why after boiling for minutes the temperature wouldnt go up! Guess I’ll have to try again next time…

    1. Hi, Jessie. Sorry you had trouble making the cream. I wonder if you added the butter while the egg mixture was too hot. If that’s the case, it’ll definitely melt the butter. If the syrup doesn’t reach 120°C, then I would suggest increasing the heat to high and let it boil longer. Hope next time, it will turn out fine.

  6. Your macarons look so good! I also love the fact that your recipe doesn’t use as much sugar as other macaron recipes I’ve tried. The only thing is that I’ve tried your recipe twice but for some reason, each time, they don’t come out like macarons but like soft cookies. When I fold the flour/sugar mixture with the egg whites it doesn’t come out smooth but the edges do disappear after 10 seconds and I’m only able to make 16-17 shells in total. I’m so confused, I follow your recipe step by step the only difference is that I use a hand mixer. Do you think that could be the reason why? I whip my egg whites to stiff peaks but it doesn’t look like there’s that much egg whites when I compare it with your picture. What could I be doing wrong? Please help.

    1. Hi, Chasity! Thank you for trying my recipe. And I’m sorry you didn’t get the perfect result.
      1. Soft cookie-like texture, could it be your oven is not hot enough? I’d recommend to check the oven temp with a oven thermometer just to make sure it’s at 325°F.
      2. When you say the batter doesn’t come out smooth, do you mean it’s kind of grainy from almond flour? What type of almond flour are you using? And are you thoroughly sifting the dry ingredients 3 times?
      3. Only 16-17 shells? That’s weird. I usually get about 50+ shells (about 1.5 inch rounds). Maybe you’re piping too big circles?
      4. The hand mixer shouldn’t be an issue, as I also used hand mixer on occasion. Do you, by chance, weigh the egg whites? Maybe you’re not using enough egg whites? That might be a pretty big thing. I usually use about 80gr egg whites, which is usually from 2 large eggs. Hope we can find a solution for your issue. 🙂

      Thanks for reaching out!

      1. Hi Shinee!
        I tried it a third time and it came out much better. This time I weighed out my egg whites and I needed 2.5 eggs. It browned a little on the top but overall came out really good. Now I just have to figure out the right baking time so they won’t brown on the top. Thank you for your help and great recipe! I’m so glad my macarons came out good.

        1. Yay!! So glad to hear you saw an improvement! Doesn’t it feel awesome to get the perfect macarons out of the oven?? 🙂 Here is a little trick you can try to prevent the macarons from browning too much: Place the second oven rack on the very top slot, then place an empty cookie sheet on it. This should block the heat from the top, preventing the browning issue. Hope this helps. Thank you, Chasity!

  7. These look gorgeous! i love pistachio macarons and would love to attempt making my own! PS; What pistachio flour did you use?

  8. Hi Shinee! These are beautiful!  I featured these glorious macaroons as one of my faves on #foodiefriDIY!  Check it out! And thank you for linking with us!