Classic pistachio macarons filled with Ladurée pistachio cream filling. Simply the best!
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!!!
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.
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! Place about 80g of raw, unsalted 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.
- 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 macs:
Making pistachio macaron shells is basically the same process as basic macarons.
- Sift the dry ingredients three times.
- Make French meringue with stiff peaks. (Watch my Meringue 101 video for more in-depth information.)
- Add dry ingredients into the meringue and fold the batter until lava-like consistency. (Watch my real-time Macaronage video for better visual cues.)
- 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.)
- 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!)
- 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.
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
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.
Cook: 18 minutes
Total : 1 hour 20 minutes
Ingredients
For Pistachio Macaron Shells:
- 60 g fine almond flour Note 1
- 40 g fine pistachio flour Note 2
- 75 g powdered sugar Note 3
- 70 g egg whites
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar Note 4
- 75 g caster sugar Note 5
- 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
Note: I test all my recipes with both measurements for the most precise and accurate result!
Instructions
To make pistachio macaron shells:
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or teflon sheet. (TIP: For even air circulation, flip the baking sheets upside down.)
- 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, beat the egg whites on medium low speed until foamy. (I set it to speed 2 or 4 on my KitchenAid stand mixer.)
- When egg whites are foamy, add cream of tartar and salt and continue to whisk.
- Then slowly add sugar one tablespoon at a time, while mixer is still running. Allow the sugar to dissolve after each addition.
- 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. (Watch my Meringue 101 video for more tips.)
- 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 sit out on the counter for at least 15-30 minutes, maybe up to couple hours, depending on humidity. When you lightly touch the macarons and the batter does not stick to your finger, then it’s ready to go into the oven.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). (Note: Make sure to preheat your oven for at least 30 minutes. I don't use convection settings. I set my oven to heat from top and bottom.)
- 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.
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 Facts:
Serving: 1macaron Calories: 103kcal (5%) Carbohydrates: 12g (4%) Protein: 2g (4%) Fat: 6g (9%) Saturated Fat: 2g (13%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g Monounsaturated Fat: 2g Trans Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 25mg (8%) Sodium: 7mg Potassium: 45mg (1%) Fiber: 1g (4%) Sugar: 11g (12%) Vitamin A: 102IU (2%) Vitamin C: 1mg (1%) Calcium: 13mg (1%) Iron: 1mg (6%)
* Disclaimer: All nutrition information are estimates only. Read full disclosure here.
Did you make this?Show me your creation! Tag me @shineshka and hashtag it #sweetandsavorybyshinee!
This recipe was originally published on March 6th, 2015.
You may also find this post helpful:
8 Tools You Need to Make Perfect Macarons
ale says
hello, I made the pistachio paste and the pistachio filling, both are the best ones I have tried. Delicious. My question is what variation should I use bc the filling is too soft to travel. I want the filling to be with a more firm consistency. Should I add an extra yolk? or less butter? I tried to add the butter when the temperature is below 100, and is still too soft. Any ideas?
Hanne Palmans says
Hi,
thank you for this, I’m goin to try it.
can you tell me where you buy the beautiful box to put the macarons inside?
thanx
Shinee says
Hi, Hanne! I got that box when I bought a box of macarons at Laduree shop (French pastry shop) in Paris. I just saved it from our trip. 🙂 Hope you’ll love your pistachio macarons. Let us know how they turn out.
Romy says
I had a world of trouble with the pistachio filling! Immediately after it reached 250 degrees I poured the hot sugar into the egg yolks, which were in a stand mixer, but it immediately crystallized and stuck to the sides of the mixer, clumped up in the egg yolks, and was unusable. What did I do wrong? Is it because the bowl of the stand mixer is too large for just two yolks? Also, does the hot sugar cook the yolks enough to make them safe for consumption?
Shinee says
Hi, Romy. I’m sorry to hear your troubles. But I appreciate your feedback. It most likely the syrup was poured into the eggs too quickly. It’s really important to pour it slowly and in a very thin stream. What brand and size stand mixer do you use? I used my KitchenAid 5qt and have no problems. And lastly, yes, hot syrup cooks the yolks and it’s totally safe to eat.
Lucy says
I’ve also had the same issue! It crystallised as soon as it trickled out the pan and into the bowl so there were shards everywhere 😂
Menno says
Do you use convection oven or top and bottom heat?
Shinee says
Hi, Menno. I use top and bottom heat.
Debora says
This is my forst time trying one of your recipies. Before, I had succed on baking macarons only 1 time in a course I took many years ago. These turned out pretty good. But they turned brown very quick and I had to remove them from oven I am not sure if they are completely baked. I even put an oven termometer inside my oven to check the temp.
Now the filling didn’t work at all for me. The moment I put the butter on the meringe, it gets very liquid. I am about to open a can of dulce de leche to fill them and call it a day!
Shinee says
Hi, Debora. Thank you for trying my recipe and sharing your feedback. For browning issue, I recommend placing an empty baking sheet on top rack over the rack with the macarons. As for filling, here’s a detailed post about this pistachio french buttercream with troubleshooting guide. It’s important to cool down the meringue before adding the butter. I suspect the meringue was a bit too warm and it was melting the butter, making the buttercream too runny.
Karen says
Hi I want to make the recipe but am not sure what sugar to buy. After the powdered sugar the recipe lists uspecified sugar twice (¼ cup (50gr) sugar and 1/3 cup (65gr) sugar). Would those two also be powdered? or caster? Please let me know, thank you!
Shinee says
Hi, Karen. Unspecified sugars refer to regular granular sugar. I suggest superfine/caster sugar.
Tiffany says
Perfect recipe. This turns out great for pistachio macs. I also always use this as my base recipe for any macaron too. Just replace the pistachio flour with almond flour!
Shinee says
Fantastic, so happy you love the recipe. It was based on my basic macaron recipe. Thank you for your feedback, Tiffany.
Mercedes says
I was very nervous trying this recipe. I was worried the oil in the pistachio would come out and turn them into a failure (first time making pistachio macarons), but it didn’t, they turned out mostly great, my only issue is that the inside collapsed after I took them out of the oven and I baked them for almost 30 minutes! I don’t know if I’m under mixing the batter, leaving too much air in it, or what is it that I’m doing wrong.
As for the filling, the taste is great, but I ended up with a nice sweet pistachio sauce rather than macarons filling. The syrup reached the right temperature so I know that wasn’t the issue. I would try it again but this time I will do it by hand, since I believe the amount is not enough to do it properly in my mixer.
Shinee says
Hi, Mercedes. So glad you liked my pistachio macaron recipe. With hollow macarons, it could be number of things. Over-beating the meringue is one of the culprits. If you’re confident your oven heats right, then I’d be more careful when making the meringue. Hope your next batch comes out perfect!
Kat filiere says
This recipe looks amazing! I only have liquid food coloring. Can I substitute a lower amount of that over the gel or should I just omit it?
Shinee says
Hi, Kat. Sorry for delay in my response. Liquid food coloring is tricky. Depending on the humidity level, etc, even little bit of liquid could be an issue. If looks are not as important, I’d try without it first.
Elaina Abdallah says
Question- Why shelled pistachios to make the pistachio flour? Why not unshelled?
Shinee says
Hmm, not sure what you mean, Elaina. You wouldn’t want hard shells in your pistachio flour, right?
Mikaela says
How well would these work with just pistachio buttercream as the filling, rather than the recipe you have here? I’m keen to try these soon, but I don’t have a candy thermometer. (I might get one for future though)
I’ve been using a different recipe for macarons, with limited success, but I tried your basic macaron recipe today and the entire batch turned out perfect!! Filled them with lemon buttercream – heaven!
Sofia says
Hi Shinee! I made 200 of these for a graduation party and they turned out AMAZING! Thank you so much!
Shinee says
Wow, 200 macarons?! Impressive!!! Thank you for your feedback, Sofia!
Ip says
The taste is great, instructions clear but i got less than 20 single shells. Can’t figure out why
Ip says
And I was doing the size of a real macaron. Just there wasn’t enough batter
Shinee says
Hi, Ip. Glad you loved the macarons. As for count, what is the diameter of your macarons?
IP says
1.5 in
Christine says
Hi Shinee-
I finally worked up the nerve to try these this weekend. I expected total failure on the shells but was pleasantly surprised when 2/3 of them turned out perfectly. The 1/3 that did not, I know that I didn’t properly remove the air bubbles before baking, so that’s fixable. The failure happened with the syrup. Because it’s such a shallow amount in the pot, it was really hard to fully immerse my candy thermometer to get an accurate reading. I think I never achieved 250 degrees and then I think I poured it into my yolks too quickly because the syrup solidified. Can you share the style of candy thermometer you use, or helpful hints on this step? Can you confirm whether my suspicions on why the syrup failed are accurate? Thanks, and I can’t wait to try it again (in the meantime, those shells sure are yummy on their own!)
Aaron says
Shinee, I made these with my son and nephew today and the shells turned out great, but the filling was runny. It did not turn smooth and white when I poured the hot syrup in it. I did use a thermometer and the syrup was at 250, but it just went into the foamy yolk and stayed runny. Little change with the butter, it became a sort of hollandaise like sauce. I thought it would thicken as it cooled the way hollandaise would, but no luck. Any idea what I should change to get the white fluffy result with the yolk and syrup?
Shinee says
Hi, Aaron. Sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner. So glad the shells turned out great. As for the filling, it’s a little tricky filling. It sounds like the syrup didn’t reach the right temp, but I know you said it was at 250°F. Any chance you had calibrated your thermometer? Also, did you beat the egg yolks until they were pale yellow, almost white?
JasVin says
Your recipe is just amazing but i am not having much luck in being successful with the execution to get the perfect or atleast close to perfect macaron. The first time around both the macaron and filling were a flop but they still vanished in no time. All my friends including myself loved the filling but it came out watery but the flavors were soooooooooo good. This made me go buy a candy thermometer and i am trying to prepare some for Christmas tomorrow and my sugar syrup has failed on me for three consecutive time. At 250 degrees it turns brown and crystal like.. I just think that 250 in my thermometer maybe a little too much.
Rhiannon says
I gave your recipe a shot today, and I had trouble with the batter- it was SO sticky and thick. No matter how much I folded it, it wouldn’t thin out. I had to add water to get the batter even close to the right consistency. Then, when I piped them out onto a silicon pre-marked sheet I only got half as many shells as you did, HELP!
Shinee says
Hi, Rhiannon. Sorry you had trouble with the recipe. Adding water won’t help. Hope you weighed all the ingredients, including the egg whites, for the correct ratio. And as for number of macarons, how big were your macarons? Mine are about 1.5-inch rounds.
Ann says
Hi Shinee,
How does this pistachio filling differ than your recipe for pistachio buttercream? The ingredients are different, so just wondering about the taste.
Shinee says
Hi, Ann. So the main difference between the two is method of making the filling. One is simple buttercream, and this one is a little bit more than just buttercream. I love this one better because it’s creamier and more luxurious.
Judith Valencia says
Hi, I’m having trouble with the filling I tried 3 times and failed. I just cannot get the egg yokes to fluff up. The flavor is amazing and I really want to make it work.
Shinee says
Hi, Judith. Thank you for your comment. Are you using candy thermometer when you make the sugar syrup? It’s very important to bring the syrup to the specified temperature.
Judith Valencia says
Thanks for your reply! I can only get it to about 220 -230 then the sugar syrup starts to turn brown. How long do you have to whip it for? Maybe I need to “calibrate” my thermometer to get an accurate reading.
Shinee says
Yeah, definitely calibrate your thermometer and try again. The syrup should reach 250°F (120°C), but shouldn’t turn brown. The temperature is very important. The whipping time may vary depending what kind of mixer you’re using. Hope your next batch turns out great.
Elaine magalhaes says
I did mine like I do with the swiss meringue buttercream ,is much easier,and the filling was nice and thick, like he’s.
Ness C says
These macarons were absolutley delicious!!! Made the pistachio paste from your recipe too! So easy and just full of flavour!! Recipe was easy to follow! Macarons turned out perfect!! Thank you!! 🙂
Shinee says
Yay, so happy you loved these macarons, Ness. These are my favorite! Thank you for your feedback!