Elegant French Pistachio Macarons With Rich Nutty Centers

The filling is ground pistachio folded into buttercream, and I keep the shells pale so the green comes only from the nuts themselves. Too much food color hides the flavor I actually want.

Making macarons requires precision and attention to detail, but the result is a beautiful and delicious treat. You can customize the flavors of the filling by incorporating different nuts or chocolate.

Delicious Pistachio Macarons Recipe

These macarons feature a crunchy exterior with a soft, chewy interior, filled with a decadent pistachio buttercream. The recipe yields around 25 macarons and takes approximately 1 hour to prepare plus additional time for cooling.

Ingredients

1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup almond flour
1/4 cup pistachio flour
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pistachio extract (optional)
Green food coloring (optional)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar (for filling)
1/4 cup pistachio paste or finely ground pistachios
Pinch of salt

Instructions

Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C) and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, sift together powdered sugar, almond flour, and pistachio flour until combined.
Whip Egg Whites: In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually add the granulated sugar and continue whisking until stiff peaks form. Stir in vanilla extract, pistachio extract, and food coloring if desired.

Combine Mixtures: Gently fold the dry ingredients into the egg white mixture in three parts, being careful not to deflate the meringue. The batter should flow like lava.
Pipe the Macarons: Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe small circles (about 1.5 inches) onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving space between each.
Let Them Rest: Allow the piped macarons to sit at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes or until they form a skin.

Bake: Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes. You can turn the trays halfway through baking for even cooking. Let the macarons cool completely on the sheets before trying to remove them.
Prepare the Filling: In a bowl, beat the softened butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, pistachio paste, and a pinch of salt, mixing until creamy.
Assemble the Macarons: Pair the cooled macaron shells and pipe or spread filling onto the flat side of half of them. Top with the remaining shells to create sandwiches.