French Pistachio Macarons

Step 1

Place the 1 cup raw pistachio nuts into a food processor and pulse until they become a fine powder with no visible chunks larger than a grain of rice, about 30–40 pulses total.

Step 2

Sift the pistachio powder and 1 cup powdered sugar together through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl, pressing gently with the back of a spoon to break up any clumps.

Step 3

Pour the 3 egg whites into a separate large bowl, ensuring no yolk or oil is present, as even a speck will prevent them from whipping.

Step 4

Add 0.125 teaspoon of salt to the egg whites, then whisk on medium-high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form—the whites should look foamy and light, and when you lift the whisk, a peak bends over and collapses.

Step 5

Gradually sprinkle the 0.25 cup granulated sugar over the egg whites while whisking continuously on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form—the whites should look glossy and thick, and when you lift the whisk, the peak stands straight up.

Step 6

Pour the pistachio-powdered sugar mixture on top of the meringue, then use a rubber spatula to gently fold by lifting from the bottom of the bowl and folding over the top; rotate the bowl one-quarter turn and repeat until no white streaks remain and the mixture flows slowly off the spatula.

Step 7

Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper, then spoon the macaron batter into a piping bag fitted with a 0.5-inch round tip.

Step 8

Holding the piping bag perpendicular to the sheet and about 0.5 inches above the parchment, pipe rounds about 1.25 inches wide in evenly spaced rows, then gently tap each sheet on the counter once or twice to release air bubbles.

Step 9

Let the piped macarons rest at room temperature for 30–45 minutes until the surface becomes matte and does not feel sticky when you lightly touch one with your finger.

Step 10

Set the oven to 300°F and wait until the indicator light tells you it has finished heating, about 10 minutes.

Step 11

Place both baking sheets in the oven and bake for 18–20 minutes until the shells are set and feel firm on top but slightly soft when gently pressed, rotating the sheets halfway through if your oven bakes unevenly.

Step 12

Remove the baking sheets from the oven and let the macarons cool completely on the parchment for at least 15 minutes before attempting to lift them off.

Step 13

Place the 0.5 cup softened butter into a medium bowl and whisk with an electric mixer on medium speed for 1 minute until pale and fluffy.

Step 14

Add the 0.5 cup pistachio butter to the whipped butter and whisk on medium speed for 1 minute until completely combined and uniform in color.

Step 15

Sift the 1.5 cups powdered sugar into the pistachio mixture, then whisk on low speed until no sugar streaks remain, about 30 seconds.

Step 16

Add the 0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract and 0.0625 teaspoon salt, then whisk on medium speed for 30 seconds until the filling is smooth, spreadable, and pale green.

Step 17

Gently peel the cooled macarons off the parchment paper and flip half of them over so the bumpy undersides face up.

Step 18

Spoon or pipe 1 teaspoon of the pistachio filling onto the underside of each flipped shell, then top with a matching shell, flat side down, pressing gently until the filling spreads to the edges.

Step 19

Place the filled macarons on a clean plate or container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours so the flavors can blend and the shells soften slightly into the ideal chewy texture.