Pistachio Macarons

Classic French macarons filled with a smooth, nutty pistachio buttercream!

Love at first bite

Fun fact: the first macaron I ever tried was a pistachio macaron. I was in San Francisco for a work trip and my coworker bought me one from a Starbucks La Boulange Bakery (when that was a thing). It was love at first bite! My husband came to visit at the tail end of my work trip and I was so excited to treat him to a macaron at La Boulange. We made our way over to the shop to find that it had closed!! I was devastated. From then on, I was determined to make a pistachio macaron that was as delicious as that first bite.

Since pistachio was the first flavor of macaron I ever tried, it’s only appropriate that it’s the first macaron recipe I’m posting to my blog! I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

French Meringue

This recipe uses the French meringue method for the macaron shells. This method involves making a simple meringue with raw egg whites and sugar and then folding in almond flour, ground pistachios, and powdered sugar. Many other recipes use the Italian meringue method which involves mixing a hot sugar syrup with egg whites to create the meringue. Although the Italian method is often considered more reliable, I prefer the simplicity and delicate texture of the French meringue method.

Equipment

When baking macarons, having the right kitchen equipment is essential. Here’s some of my recommend tools for baking macarons:

Kitchen Scale – Weighing ingredients is the best way to ensure good results. I recommend a kitchen scale for the most accurate measurements.

Sieve – Sifting ingredients is key to achieving smooth macaron shells. I recommend using a sieve to sift your ingredients together.

Mixing Bowls – You’ll need a couple large mixing bowls to sift your ingredients back and forth. Make sure they are clean and free of any oils or residue.

Stand Mixer – Due to the amount of time it takes to whisk the egg whites to a meringue, I highly recommend a stand mixer. You can use a hand mixer, but a stand mixer will make your life much easier when making macarons!

Aluminum Baking Sheets – I recommend aluminum baking sheets because they don’t get as hot as dark pans and also distribute heat more evenly. This makes it less likely that the bottoms of your cookies will brown!

Silicone Baking Mats – There are many different brands of silicone mats out there, but I absolutely recommend Silpat mats. I love mine!

Piping bags – You’ll need piping bags for the macaron batter and the buttercream filling.

Important Recipe Notes

Macarons are notorious for being finicky in nature. From cracked shells, to underdeveloped “feet,” to lumpy texture, and so many more things, there’s a lot that can go wrong. Therefore, when baking macarons, it’s important to adhere closely to the recipe instructions, weigh your ingredients on a kitchen scale, and absolutely do NOT make substitutions to the macaron shell recipe. The ingredients are very simple – egg whites, sugar, almond flour, powdered sugar – but they all play an important role in the outcome of the macaron shell.

When it comes to macarons, I found that practice builds familiarity with the process, and each attempt teaches a multitude of valuable lessons. I’m not going to claim that “practice makes perfect,” because even after years of making macarons, I still have the occasional blunder. It’s a love/hate thing. The good news is, even if your macarons fail, they almost always still taste delicious!

So without further ado, I hope I didn’t scare you away, and I hope you enjoy my pistachio macaron recipe!