Pistachio Macarons With White Chocolate Ganache

Make pistachio macarons at home with this recipe. Impress family and friends with decadent meringue cookies filled with white chocolate pistachio ganache!

You don’t need to fly to France to taste the delightful French macarons. This step-by-step tutorial will show you that you can make pistachio French macarons at home.

Known as one of the most difficult baked items to make, the dainty meringue-based French cookies only need some patience and attention to detail.

Do not worry if it’s your first time making macarons because they will always taste delightful, even if they don’t look perfect.

This recipe features timeless pistachio macarons, which offer a well-rounded flavor profile from the sweet gourmet macaron shells held together by whipped white chocolate pistachio ganache. 🤤

What Are Pistachio Macarons?

French macarons are meringue-based sandwich cookies filled with ganache, buttercream, or jam.

These dainty cookies will surely catch your eye with their ruffled edges, smooth tops, and pastel colors. I’m not surprised to see meringue towers replacing layered cakes as centerpieces at parties because they’re just too pretty. 🥰

Pistachio macarons are one of the most popular macaron flavors, and for a good reason!

These cute green cookies taste exquisite as the sweet, crisp, and chewy meringue cookies are complemented by the nutty and earthy flavor of pistachios featured in the creamy filling.

This recipe for pistachio French macarons uses whipped white chocolate ganache, which is silky, decadent, and just the perfect macaron filling.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Pistachio-flavored macarons are the best homemade macarons because they’re fun to make and guaranteed to be absolutely delicious. But if you’re still intimidated by the notoriously finicky French macarons, perhaps these can convince you to try this recipe:

• Detailed Steps: This recipe for pistachio French macarons features a detailed step-by-step tutorial complete with lots of tips for the entire process to help you successfully make these gourmet treats at home. Just follow the instructions to the T, and you can avoid peaks, hollow shells, flat macarons, or brown meringue.😅
• Deliciously Nutty: Pistachio macarons are timeless and guaranteed to please everyone, even those who proclaim they don’t like sweet treats. The white chocolate ganache beautifully highlights the pistachios to perfectly balance the sweet meringue shells.
• Impressive Dessert: Your loved ones will surely be impressed with these elegant green desserts. As a bonus, making these tricky pistachio macarons will boost your baking confidence, knowing you just tackled a dessert that’s often described as “so darn difficult.”

What Do Pistachio French Macarons Taste Like?

Anyone will easily get obsessed with pistachio-flavored macarons because the sweet, dainty cookies and pistachio ganache complement each other well.

The nutty, earthy flavor of pistachios in the white chocolate ganache balances the sweetness of the crispy-chewy meringue shells, so each bite is not extremely sweet.

It’s up to you to choose your filling for the pistachio macarons, but it’s just hard to replace the decadent white chocolate. 🤤 (Don’t forget to use high-quality melting white chocolate!)

Nonetheless, I included some quick steps for making a pistachio buttercream filling if you prefer it for your meringue cookie sandwich.

I also want to highlight that even if you made an error in this recipe (e.g., improper mixing technique), you shouldn’t lose hope because these pistachio French macarons will always taste delicious!

Are Pistachio Flavored Macarons Healthy?

Like most desserts, macarons are not typically considered healthy foods. The delectable treats are meant to boost your mood, especially on a day you need a pick-me-up.

But since you’re making the pistachio French macarons yourself, you can be reassured that they’re made from fresh ingredients and not packed with preservatives and additives.

If you’re a sweet tooth like me, macarons might also be a better choice than other very sugary treats. But of course, the portion you’ll eat is important to stay within the daily sugar intake.

Even if some said macarons have lesser sugars and fats than cupcakes, it wouldn’t matter if you eat a dozen pistachio macarons in one sitting. 😅

What Are The Benefits Of French Macarons?

These delectable pistachio macarons are guaranteed to draw admiration from family and friends. And regardless of their difficulty level, everyone should make macarons at least once.

Notoriously tricky recipes like French macarons will boost your baking confidence, so in the long run, you wouldn’t doubt your skills in the kitchen.

It’s always a great idea to step out of your comfort zone (especially if you’ll be rewarded by crisp meringue cookies held together by rich and nutty white chocolate pistachio filling. 😍)

Ingredients For Pistachio Macarons

French Macaron Ingredients:

• Almond flour – Make sure your almond flour is not lumpy. If you can’t find super fine almond flour, pulse it in the food processor to ensure a smooth texture on your macarons.
• Powdered sugar – Sweetens the crisp and chewy macaron shells.
• Granulated sugar – This sugar will help you get shiny peaks on your egg whites.
• Egg whites – Use room-temperature egg whites when making macarons. Remember to separate them from the yolks carefully.
• Egg white powder – Egg white powder will help you achieve consistently perfect full macaron shells because it stabilizes the meringue.
• Meringue powder – This ingredient is optional, but it helps with the meringue’s stability for the perfect texture.
• Green food coloring gel – Always use green gel food coloring and never liquid food coloring because it can water down the meringue!
• Lemon juice – This is for wiping the tools before working on the meringue.

White Chocolate Pistachio Ganache Ingredients:

• White chocolate chips – Remember to microwave your high-quality white chocolate chips in intervals to avoid burnt chocolate.
• Heavy whipping cream – The secret to creamy and thick chocolate ganache.
• Crushed pistachios – The perfect nutty addition to the elegant macaron shells.

Tools Needed To Prepare Pistachio Macarons

• Kitchen scale for measuring all the ingredients precisely
• Paper towel for wiping the tools
• Stand mixer for mixing the meringue and ganache
• Spatula for incorporating the dry ingredients into the meringue
• Mixing bowls for mixing the ingredients
• Fine mesh strainer for sifting the dry ingredients
• Macaron silicone baking mat for easier piping of meringue
• Parchment paper for lining the baking pan
• Pastry bags for piping the meringue and ganache
• Large round metal piping tip for piping the meringue
• Microwave-safe bowl for melting the chocolate chips
• Wire rack for the macaron shells

Ingredient Additions & Substitutions For Pistachio French Macarons

Raw pistachios

These pistachio-flavored macarons use raw pistachios. But if you want a deeper nutty taste, roasted pistachios are fantastic!

White chocolate ganache

If you find white chocolate ganache too sweet for your French macarons, you can make a pistachio buttercream frosting instead. Just beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy, then add a smooth paste made from sugar and pistachios until thoroughly mixed.

Raspberry preserves

Another delicious filling you can use for these macarons is raspberry preserves. You can even layer the preserves to the white chocolate ganache when constructing the cookie sandwich for the ultimate decadent treat.

How to Make Pistachio Macarons

Ingredients:

FOR THE FRENCH MACARONS:

• 130 g almond flour 
• 130 g powdered sugar
• 90 g granulated sugar
• 100 g egg whites
• 1 t. egg white powder
• ½ t. meringue powder
• Green food coloring gel
• Lemon juice for wiping the stand mixer bowl, whisk, and spatula

FOR THE WHITE CHOCOLATE PISTACHIO GANACHE:

• 1 c. white chocolate chips
• ⅓ c. heavy whipping cream
• 1 t. crushed pistachios
• Additional crushed pistachios for garnish
• Additional white chocolate chips for melting

Tools you need:

• Kitchen scale
• Paper towel 
• Stand mixer
• Spatula 
• Mixing bowls
• Fine mesh strainer
• Macaron silicone baking mat
• Parchment paper
• Pastry bags
• Large round metal piping tip 
• Microwave-safe bowl
• Wire rack

Instructions:

FRENCH MACARONS:

STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 300°F. Wipe the stand mixer bowl, whisk, and spatula with a paper towel and a splash of lemon juice to remove any residue that can affect the meringue’s stability. 

STEP 2: Measure the ingredients for your pistachio French macarons to the gram using a kitchen scale. 

STEP 3: Flip the baking pan upside down and position the macaron silicone baking mat on top. 

STEP 4: If your silicone mat has no macaron template, line it with parchment paper. If your silicone mat is printed with a macaron template, you won’t need to line it with parchment paper since you can pipe straight onto it later.

STEP 5: Add the egg whites to the stand mixer’s clean bowl and beat at medium speed for a minute until bubbly. Then, add the meringue powder and mix for 2 to 3 minutes on medium speed until the whisk is leaving tracks, just before soft peaks start to form in the mixture.

STEP 6: Stir in the granulated sugar in three separate increments on medium speed with a minute between each addition. 

STEP 7: Increase the speed to medium-high after adding all the sugar and continue mixing for about 5 minutes until stiff peaks form. The meringue will start collecting in the middle of the whisk attachment. 

STEP 8: Add the green food coloring gel and mix until combined evenly. Set the meringue mixture aside. 

STEP 9: In a separate large bowl, add almond flour, powdered sugar, and egg white powder. Sift and stir the dry ingredients through a fine mesh strainer with the help of a spatula.

STEP 10: Discard any large chunks and work quickly so the meringue won’t dry out.

STEP 11: Add the almond flour mixture to the stand mixer bowl with the green meringue. 

STEP 12: Fold to incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Use the spatula to scrape the side of the bowl, bring the mixture around, cut through the middle of the meringue, and repeat.

STEP 13: Make sure the bottom and sides of the bowl are scraped. Check for any dry ingredients that are potentially left out.

STEP 14: Once the macaron mixture looks like a large ball, the next step is to slowly deflate some of the added air during whipping. This is important to achieve the perfect shape on your macaron shells.

STEP 15: Gently fold the mixture and as you stir, scoop a bit of meringue mixture and let it fall off the spatula. Keep mixing if it’s still clumpy and plops back into the meringue ball.  

STEP 16: Test after every couple of turns until the meringue batter smoothly falls off the spatula. 

STEP 17: It should waver back and forth as it falls and gets reabsorbed into the mixture. This is the ribbon test, where the batter should have the consistency of molten lava as it flows. 

STEP 18: Do not overmix the macaron batter. 

STEP 19: Cut the tip of the pastry bag so it will fit the metal tip securely. Insert the tip into the bag and check if the bag is not obstructing the opening to the tip.

STEP 20: Place the tip side down of the pastry bag into a cup and fold the edges up and over the lip of the cup to keep the pastry bag in place when transferring the batter into it. 

STEP 21: Pour the batter into the pastry bag until it’s half full. Twist the top close.  

STEP 22: Use your dominant hand and aim for the center of the rounds on the macaron silicone baking mat. 

STEP 23: Hover at about half an inch above and keep the tip up and perpendicular to the round prints on the template. If you pipe at an angle, you’ll get lopsided macaron shells. 

STEP 24: Squeeze the bag gently until you fill the template. Pull the bag up and away. 

STEP 25: Continue filling the rounds on the macaron silicone baking mat. 

STEP 26: Lift the entire pan and tap it gently against the counter to pop any visible air bubbles. You can also pop them by hand with a toothpick.

STEP 27: Let the piped rounds rest on the baking tray for 30 minutes or longer if humid.

STEP 28: Test by gently pressing the top of the meringue. They should not feel tacky. 

STEP 29: Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 14 minutes. Rotate the trays halfway through and switch the shelves to ensure even doneness. 

STEP 30: Remove from the oven and cool completely before you take the macarons off the mat.

STEP 31: Carefully hold the outside edge and pull the mat away from the macaron shell. 

WHITE CHOCOLATE PISTACHIO GANACHE:

STEP 1: In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the white chocolate chips and heavy whipping cream in 30-second intervals to avoid burning the chocolate. Stir in between each interval until melted and smooth. 

STEP 2: Add crushed pistachios to the melted chocolate and mix well. Let the mixture cool and harden slightly. 

STEP 3: Transfer the white chocolate mixture to a stand mixer bowl and beat for several minutes on medium speed until stiff peaks form. The mixture should be smooth and double in size.

STEP 4: Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure that everything is evenly incorporated.

STEP 5: Transfer the white chocolate pistachio mixture to another pastry bag.

STEP 6: Cut about ½-inch off the pastry bag. You won’t need a metal tip. 

ASSEMBLING THE PISTACHIO FRENCH MACARONS:

STEP 1: Place one macaron shell upside down with the smooth side facing up. 

STEP 2: Pipe the white chocolate pistachio ganache in a circular motion to fill up the surface.

STEP 3: Top with another macaron shell to sandwich the filling between the two macaron shells. Repeat until you finish all the filling and macaron shells. 

STEP 4: Lay out the finished macarons over a wire rack or parchment paper.

STEP 5: Melt the remaining white chocolate in 30-second intervals until smooth. Transfer to a pastry bag and cut a very tiny piece off the tip.

STEP 6: Drizzle the melted chocolate back and forth over the top of each macaron sandwich.

STEP 7: Sprinkle with more leftover ground pistachios, then let the macarons cool and set.

What To Serve With Pistachio Flavored Macarons

These dainty pistachio French macarons are best enjoyed with a cup of hot tea or coffee. They’re sweet, crunchy, chewy, nutty, and rich, complementing these cozy beverages beautifully.

The sweet-tart flavor of fresh mixed berries will also taste delicious with the meringue and nutty pistachio cream.

Personally, I love raspberries with pistachio macarons, so I sometimes add some between the cookie sandwich (The touch of red against the green macarons also makes the classy dessert more Instagram-worthy! 😉)

Speaking of which, why not try other desserts for the perfect Instagram feed? These IG-worthy recipes are not only picture-perfect, but they’re also easy and heavenly!

• The Ultimate Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Recipe
• Easy Cinnamon Mixed Berry Dessert Nachos Recipe
• Soft, Chewy, Delicious Turtle Chocolate Chip Cookies

Tips About Making French Macarons

Put your pro chef hat on and keep these tips in mind to make this pistachio macaron recipe with flying colors!

• Pistachio-flavored macarons, like any French macaron, are a labor of love. Use fresh egg whites (make sure not to get any yolk in them) and not pre-packed egg whites in a carton for the best meringue!
• Do not use a very high speed on the mixer when beating the meringue, or you’ll end up with hollow macaron shells! You should also be careful not to overmix or undermix during the macaronage stage.
• Can’t find a silicone baking mat with a printed macaron template? Just print an online template and place it under the parchment paper for equal-sized, round macarons.
• Always flip your baking pan upside down for macarons because the pan’s sides prohibit good airflow.
• Remember to hold the macaron shells by their edges because they can easily crack when handled from the top or bottom.

How To Store Pistachio French Macarons

Can you make pistachio-flavored macarons in advance? Can you freeze pistachio macarons?

Here are the storage guidelines to keep them at their best quality:

• Fridge: Transfer your pistachio French macarons to an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to one week.
• Freezer: Macarons can be frozen inside an airtight container for up to 3 months. Just allow them to come to room temperature before eating for the best experience!

What Is The Difference Between Macaroons And French Macarons?

Macaroons can sometimes get confused with macarons because the names are slightly similar. However, these delightful treats each have a distinctive look and taste, even if they only differ in one letter.

Both are made from a base of whipped egg whites, but the chewy and lightly crispy macarons require a more complex technique to achieve the proper consistency of the meringue.

They are also presented as a sandwich cookie filled with ganache, buttercream, or jam, compared to the denser macaroons made with shredded coconut, and are NOT constructed as a sandwich.

What Are The Biggest Mistakes When Making Macarons?

Why do my macarons have peaks? Why did my macarons flatten?

Be extra observant when combining the dry ingredients with the meringue (macaronage process.) Too few turns lead to peaks on the top of the macaron shell, and too many turns will cause the macaron shells to spread with not much height on the “feet” or the ruffled base around the outside of the shell.

Why do my macarons crack? Why do my macarons look like volcanoes?

Let the macaron shells rest long enough, or they can crack. Baking close to the oven side or door can also lead to volcano macaron shells because of the drastic temperature change.

Why are my macarons browning?

Using a very high temperature or cooking for too long will lead to brown macaron shells. Remember to adjust the oven temperature down to 10 degrees at a time and only extend the baking time by just a few minutes.

Why are my macarons sticking to my mat?

Undercooked macaron shells will stick to the mat, so extend the baking time by a few minutes.

FAQ About Pistachio French Macarons

Conclusion

While many would say to steer clear of making the notoriously tricky French macarons at home, these pistachio macarons should inspire you to step out of your baking comfort zone.

Even if you don’t pull it off perfectly on the first try, the only worst outcome will be pistachio French macarons that don’t look straight out of a French bakery.

Remember that it takes some time to master macarons, but it’s one of those desserts you’ll have fun testing and trying. 😋 (Yes, the “imperfect-looking batch will still taste delicious!)

For cookies that are not as finicky as these pistachio French macarons, you can try these recipes:

• Best White Chocolate Dipped Cookies Recipe
• Orange Crinkle Cookies Recipe
• Chewy Vanilla Chai Spiced Sugar Cookies Recipe
• Super Easy Mini Whiskey Oatmeal Cream Pies Recipe
• Deliciously Sweet and Savory Maple Bacon Mini Cupcakes