This pistachio frangipane filling is sweet and nutty and instantly elevates any pastry. With the vibrant green colour and pistachio flavour, this easy filling transforms tarts, Danishes and croissants to bakery-worthy treats. It's quick to make, wonderfully versatile and so impressive.
Try this almond frangipane too!
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❤️ Why you'll love it
- Just 5 ingredients - simple, everyday ingredients.
- Perfect texture - rich and creamy and spreads beautifully.
- Quick and easy - ready to use in minutes.
- Versatile - use it in tarts, croissants, Danishes, filo, galettes and more.
- Make-ahead friendly and freezer friendly.
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What is pistachio frangipane
Pistachio frangipane is a twist on the classic almond frangipane (crème d'amande) which is a classic French pastry filling. It's essentially a 1:1 ratio of ground pistachios, eggs, butter, and sugar with a little flour added for structure and optional almond extract for extra nuttiness.
Luckily, it's extremely quick and easy to make and super versatile.
Ingredients & substitutions
Jump to the recipe card for full quantities and instructions.
- Pistachios: If you can get ground pistachios, feel free to use those. If not, it's easy to make your own - just get some shelled, unsalted pistachios.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter and one that does not have added water.
- Eggs: Use large eggs. While you could weigh them to get the exact ratio, it's not necessary and just going by quantity should work fine.
- Sugar: Use white granulated sugar or caster sugar. In my experience, brown sugar will dominate over the pistachio flavour so leave that one for another recipe.
- Flour: A little plain flour / all-purpose flour provides structure but it can be left out.
- Almond extract: This adds additional nuttiness to the frangipane but you can leave it out or even swap it for vanilla extract.
How to make pistachio frangipane
You'll need a food processor to blend the nuts finely and an electric handheld beater. It's so quick, it takes just minutes to make but keep in mind it must be baked before eating so it must be used to go into something that you'll bake.
Jump to the recipe card for full quantities and instructions.
Grind the pistachios
In a food processor, blend the pistachios until they're very fine. Be careful, stopping the processor from time to time or the pistachios could turn into spreadable pistachios instead.
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Cream butter and sugar
Beat together the sugar and butter until very creamy, pale and fluffy.
Add eggs
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating each one on low until fully combined.
Step 4
Stir in the ground pistachios and flour until just combined.
*Note: Pistachio frangipane must be baked before consuming.
Tips and tricks
- Room temperature ingredients: Start with your butter softened and your eggs at room temperature. This will help them beat together smoothly so your mixture doesn't split.
- Eggs one at a time: If you add them all at once, it's very hard to get a smooth mixture and it will end up splitting.
- Beat on low once you add the eggs. This is, again, to stop the mixture from splitting but also to stop you beating too much air into it.
Variations
- Citrus: Pistachio is complimented beautifully by lemon or orange so feel free to add some lemon zest or orange zest to the mixture.
- Other nuts: You can swap the pistachios for other nuts too. Almonds are a classic but try others like hazelnuts or walnuts.
- Toast the nuts for extra nuttiness.
- Gluten-free: Swap the flour for a 1:1 baking blend.
- Dairy free: Swap the butter for a dairy free spread.
- Nut-free: You could swap the pistachios for sunflower seeds or pepitas. Different flavour but still lovely.
Storage
This pistachio frangipane filling is make-ahead friendly.
Fridge
Chill in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days before use.
Freezer
Transfer the pistachio frangipane to a ziplock bag and press out all the air before sealing. Freeze for up to 3 months. It thaws perfectly and is best done in the fridge overnight.
If you made this pistachio frangipane recipe,
be sure to leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below. Thank you!
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Pistachio Frangipane
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Electric beater
Ingredients
- 150 g shelled and skinless pistachios (or ground pistachios) (5 ½oz)
- 150 g unsalted butter softened (5 ½oz)
- 150 g white granulated sugar (¾ cup / 5 ½oz)
- 3 large eggs (~150g / ~5 ½oz)
- 50 g plain flour (all purpose flour) (1 ¾oz)
- ⅛ teaspoon almond extract optional
Instructions
- If you have ground pistachios, you can skip this step. Add the pistachios to a food processor or blender and process to a fine crumb. Make sure to stop and mix regularly so the nuts don’t turn oily. If they’re getting too warm stop for a few minutes then return to it. Nuts can turn to nut butter very quickly and we don’t want that here.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment or large bowl using a hand mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar until light and creamy.
- One at a time, add the eggs beating on low each time until each one is fully incorporated. Add the almond extract with the last egg.
- Fold in the ground pistachios and plain flour with a spatula.
- Pistachio frangipane must be baked before consuming. Use it to fill tart shells, croissants or Danishes.
- The pistachio frangipane can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days or the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Please take a moment to leave a comment & rating. It's appreciated and so helpful.
Notes
- Yield: Makes 2 ⅔ cups
- This recipe can be easily scaled to double or half. Two thirds of this recipe works well for a 9 inch tart (depending on it's depth).
- Allergens: Nuts, eggs, dairy, wheat, gluten.
- Nutrition information shown is for a full batch.
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