Classic pistachio macarons filled with Ladurée pistachio cream filling. Simply the best! Step-by-step photos and video tutorial included.
Table of Contents
- Why you’ll love this macaron recipe:
- Key Ingredient Notes
- How to make pistachio macarons:
- 1. Sift dry ingredients
- 2. Make french meringue
- 3. Make macaron batter (macaronage)
- 4. Pipe macaron shells
- 5. REST AND BAKE
- 6. Make Laduree’s pistachio creme filling
- 7. ASSEMBLE THE MACARONS
- 7. MATURE THE MACARONS
- Macaron Storing Tips:
- Video Tutorial
- Pistachio Macarons Recipe
Pin this now to find it later
Pin ItA 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 macaron 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 Ingredient Notes
- 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 the same process as basic macarons.
1. Sift dry ingredients
- Sift almond flour, pistachio flour and powdered sugar three times.
2. Make french meringue
- Combine egg whites, granulated sugar, salt and cream of tartar, if using, in a large bowl.
- Beat the egg whites on a consistent medium speed until soft peaks form. (On KitchenAid stand mixer, I beat the meringue on speed 4.)
- Add green gel food coloring.
- Continue whipping the meringue on medium speed until stiff peaks form.
Visual Cues: Your meringue should be super thick and ball up inside the whisk. When you lift the whisk, the meringue should hold a pointy end and have sharp ribs.
2023 UPDATE: In the last year, I’ve changed my French meringue technique to combining the egg whites, sugar, salt and cream of tartar from the start instead of adding sugar slowly into lightly whipped egg whites. I found this meringue method works better for macarons.
3. Make macaron batter (macaronage)
- Add sifted 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 macaron shells
- Transfer the macaron batter into a piping bag with a round tip. And line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, or teflon sheets.
- Pipe the batter into 1.5-inch rounds on the prepared baking sheets.
- Tap the baking sheet from the bottom a few times to smooth out the shells and pop any air bubbles trapped in the shells. If needed, use a toothpick to pop stubborn bubbles.
WATCH MY PIPING TECHNIQUE VIDEO
Free Macaron Template
I made a perfect template for you. Subscribe to my e-mail list and download this custom macaron template for FREE. (This template is perfect for my recipe and super easy to use!)
5. REST AND BAKE
- Preheat the oven to 300°F for at least 30 minutes. Check the accuracy of oven temperature with an oven thermometer for best result.
- Rest macaron shells before baking for 15 minutes.
- Bake, one baking sheet at a time, for 15-18 minutes. I don’t use convection settings for baking macarons. My oven is set to heat from top and bottom.
how to check if macarons are done
Touch a 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. It’s always better to slightly over-bake macarons than under-bake them!
6. Make Laduree’s pistachio creme 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.
7. ASSEMBLE THE MACARONS
- Remove the macaron shells from the baking surface once they are cooled completely. If the shells are stuck to the baking surface, the shells are either underbaked, or you need to let them cool completely.
- Pair the shells by size and arrange them on a baking sheet, or wire rack, placing one shell bottom side up.
- Pipe a dollop of filling on the bottom shells, place the top shell over the filling, and press lightly so the filling spreads to the edges.
7. MATURE THE MACARONS
- Place the filled macarons in an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or preferably for 24 hours. This process is called maturing, which allows the filling to soften and flavor the shells.
- Bring the macarons to room temperature (about 30 minutes on the counter) before serving.
Check out the visual Macaron Troubleshooting Guide for tips and tricks to fix or prevent common macaron issues!
Macaron Storing Tips:
Unfilled macaron shells:
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Filled macarons:
- Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days, depending on the filling.
- Freeze the assembled macarons in an airtight container for up to 1 month. To thaw, place the frozen macarons in the fridge and let them thaw slowly for at least 1 hour.
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.
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 I used Wilton Kelly green
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.
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
Did you make this?Share a comment or a review below!
This recipe was originally published on March 6th, 2015
If I lift a shell off baking sheet the shell lifts up but the inside stays stuck to parchment. Help!
Hi, Katherine. It sounds like your macarons are a bit under-baked. Try baking 1-2 minutes longer, and hope that helps. Let me know.
I think I first checked them at 18 minutes. Then 20. I ended up baking them for 24 minutes. After they completely cooled I carefully pealed the parchment paper from the back of each shell and thankfully they held together. I used an oven thermometer and temp was 324. In the end they looked great and had that wonderful macaron texture that when you bite into it you just say Aaaahhhhhh. Such a treat for the senses.
Can’t wait to make more!
i made a mistake in my previous comment. I did bake the shells at 300. I was remembering when I was drying the pistachios. Those I did at 325 and my oven thermometer measured 324. So I think my oven is fairly accurate. But I do notice that in general I have to bake things longer in my oven. Maybe it doesn’t heat evenly.
Awesome that you were able to find that perfect timing to bake your macs. Yeah, every oven works differently. As long as your macarons are not browning on top, you should be good. 🙂 Thank you for your feedback, Kathy!
This was my first go at making macarons and they came out alright for my first try but I’m very confused because you said you get 25 and I only got 7 so I’m confused as to what I did wrong. I followed the directions and used all the right measurements. Do you have any idea why this happened?
Hey, Kendra. So glad you tried these macarons. How big of macarons did you get? Mine are 1.5-inch small macarons.
I got 9. Lol! My shells are much too big. I didn’t know they would spread out so much. I have to work on my piping technique!
As you make more macarons, you’ll get better at piping small shells. Even now, I sometimes end up with larger and fewer macarons, which is fine by me. 🙂
What pistachios should I use for my pistachio flour and paste? I wasn’t to use the bag that already has them shelled but am worried they’ll be too salty since they are “roasted and salted.” Thanks!
Hi, Rochelle. I’ve used roasted and salted pistachios, and it was just fine.
Hello!
I am making the pistachio flour using a ninja blender. I have no problem making the paste for the filling, however I am stuck on the pistachio flour for the macaron, as just blending the pistachios gives me a thick almost past like mixture. I have tried sifting it but it won’t go thru the holes. any advice?
Joey, the key is to pulse the pistachios in the blender. If you just process it, it’ll make a paste, as you had described. With very light touches, pulse in quick bursts and check frequently. I did mine in a coffee grinder though, in short pulses. Hope this helps.
I looked online and baked my pistachios at 325 for 5 minutes. It dries them out so you will get a flour, not moist paste, which happened to me too.
Katherine, that’s a great tip! Thank you for sharing!
Hi! I love these macarons! They taste wonderful. I’ve made them twice now and I follow the recipe to the t! But both times, my filling has been really runny. Could you tell me why and what I can do to fix it? TIA! 🙂
Hi, Mej. So glad you’re loving the macarons! As for the filling, what is the consistency of the mixture after step 11? If it’s stiff to hold its shape, but becomes runny after you add butter, make sure to cool egg yolk mixture down to 104°F before adding the butter. Otherwise it melts your butter, making it runny. Hope this helps.
You need to double the butter or it won’t work
Hi, Rebecca. Thanks for your input. For me, it works just fine as written.
I made them and they’re wonderful. Only issue is I also have the problem with a little browning on top and bottom. Had the oven to 300 degrees as well. Added a little bit of almond extract paste too with the cream and it made it so yummy. Raw cane sugar can be finicky too but it’s all I use. Left some clumps in the syrup.
Thank you though so much for the recipe. I have been obsessed with pistachio and headed to France next month so it’s been so much fun to be baking French items. I’m gluten free as well so these are a delightful treat!
God Bless!
Hi, Megan! Thank you for your feedback! I’m so happy you loved the recipe. I love your almond extract addition, I’ll give it a try too. As for browning issue, try baking them at 275°F next time, every oven works differently, and yours might run a bit on hotter side. By the way, do you have an oven thermometer, it’s super helpful to check your oven temp just to be sure. I use this one (affiliate link).
And have fun in France. It’s a magical country!
can i use this filling as a tart filling? do you think it will work?
Hi, Farah. It’s similar to buttercream, but better. So if your tart pairs with that kind filling, I don’t see why you couldn’t.
These look delish and I believe will compliment the pistachio cake I am going to make as well. My mother was a professional cake maker, as a child there would be beautiful wedding cakes, In my house cake did not come from Betty Crocker. I love to bake for my 3 small children. I’ve never felt as home as I do in a kitchen, as cliche as it sounds. Baking has always been theurapituc and a joy for me. Thank you so much for the lovely recipe.
Aww, Rachel, thanks for sharing your beautiful memory. I too grew up eating homemade cakes, my mom is quite a home baker. 🙂 So glad you stopped by and I hope these macarons would compliment your pistachio cake, which sounds amazing! I love pistachio desserts.
I can’t imagine I could ever make something so perfect! Your Macaroons are amazing!! Wanted to pop by and thank you for sharing & let you know I’ll be featuring your cookies tomorrow on #FoodieFriDIY!
Thank you so much, Debra, for sharing, featuring my recipe and stopping by! 🙂
My mom and I were talking about making these just yesterday! I tried them once before but they did not look right at all lol, hopefully this recipe will turn out better! Thanks for sharing all the great tips 😉
Dropping by from the DIY Sunday Showcase
Thank you, Shehla! Hope you give it a try. 😉