Pistachio Macarons: Step-by-Step Guided Recipe

[Updated 16/09/2026] It's no secret that macarons are tricky to master. Less than ideal weather, technique and oven behaviour can all trip you up. The perfect macaron is not mythical, but this is a sensitive formula, so weigh accurately and treat the timings and temperatures as a starting point for your own oven.

If you love pistachio desserts as much as you love a Parisian pâtisserie, you’ll find our pistachio cakes waiting to be delivered to your door—no piping bags or thermometers required.

Allergen note: This recipe contains almonds, pistachios, milk and egg. Almonds and pistachios are tree nuts. Check every packaged ingredient label for the dietary and allergen needs of the people you are serving, including any cross-contact warnings.

The recipe I'm sharing is a classic: pistachio macarons with a white-chocolate-and-pistachio ganache. The difference between a good pistachio macaron and a disappointing one is using real pistachios rather than relying on flavouring alone.

Pistachio French Macaron Recipe

Yields approx. 25 macarons

Ingredients

'Tant-pour-Tant’ Dough

150g ground almonds

150g icing sugar

50g egg white, room temperature

A pinch of green food colouring, or a smidge of green gel paste colouring

Meringue

120g granulated sugar

40g water, room temperature

55g egg white, room temperature

35g granulated sugar

Pistachio Ganache Filling

50g ground pistachios

200g good quality white chocolate, chopped finely or grated

150g double cream

Method

Macaron Shells

1. Sift ground almonds and icing sugar together.
2. In a saucepan over medium heat boil the 120g measure of granulated sugar and water together while simultaneously whisking the 55g measure of egg whites on medium speed in a stand mixer bowl with a whisk attachment, or carefully with a hand mixer.
3. When the syrup reaches 100°C, pour the 35g measure of granulated sugar into the whisked egg whites and continue whisking until the syrup reaches 116°C.
4. Once the sugar syrup has reached 116°C, reduce the mixer speed and pour the syrup down the side of the bowl in a steady but swift stream.
5. Bring the speed back up to medium and whip for up to 8–10 minutes. The meringue is ready to fold when the bowl has cooled to just warm and the meringue is stiff and glossy.
6. Pour the 50g measure of egg whites and food colour onto the dry almond-icing-sugar mix and fold just until it comes together as a stiff dough.
7. Fold the meringue in with firm, controlled strokes until the batter is smooth and glossy and falls from the spatula in ribbons that settle back into the mix.
8. Transfer batter to a piping bag. Pipe circles onto baking parchment, leaving space between each.
9. Tap the tray firmly to release larger air bubbles and rest the piped shells for about 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 170°C and bake for approximately 13 minutes, adjusting for your oven if needed.
10. Let trays and shells cool completely before peeling the shells gently from the parchment.

Pistachio Ganache Macaron Filling

1. Place the cream and ground pistachios in a small saucepan and bring to a soft simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently.
2. Remove from the heat, cover lightly and let it rest briefly.
3. Melt the white chocolate gently over a double boiler or bain-marie, stirring until smooth, then place in a mixing bowl.
4. Pour the warm pistachio cream into the chocolate in a steady stream and stir gently until glossy and uniform.
5. Let the ganache cool, then cover and refrigerate until it is firm enough to pipe.
6. Fit a piping bag with a 1cm round nozzle.
7. Pair cooled macaron shells by size.
8. Pipe ganache onto half the shells and gently sandwich with a matching shell.

Storage: Because the filling contains double cream, keep filled macarons refrigerated at 5°C or below. Follow the storage instructions and use-by dates on the ingredients you used, keep chilled food out of the fridge for as short a time as practical, and bring the macarons towards serving temperature shortly before eating if you prefer a softer texture.

Troubleshooting Common Macaron Problems

No Feet or Frill

Possible causes include under- or over-beaten meringue, inaccurate syrup temperature, insufficient resting time or an oven running too hot. Check your thermometer and adjust one variable at a time.

Bumpy Shells

Air pockets can cause bumps. Tap the tray after piping and pop obvious surface bubbles before resting.

Grainy Shells

Make sure the ground almonds and icing sugar are fine and well sifted. Avoid over-processing the almonds to the point that they release oil.

Cracked Shells

Check measurements, macaronage and oven temperature. An under-folded batter can be too stiff; an oven that runs hot can set the outside before the shell expands evenly.

Hollow Shells

Over-beaten meringue and excessive oven temperature are two common variables to investigate. Change one thing at a time so you can identify what actually helped.

Happy macaron making,

Anges de Sucre x