Easy Pistachio Buttercream Recipe (ONE STEP RECIPE)

Name: Easy Pistachio Buttercream Recipe (ONE STEP RECIPE)
Prep time: 5 min
Ingredients: 3/4 cup butter; 1 1/4 cup icing sugar; 1/4 cup pistachio paste smooth; 1 tbsp tahini; 1 drop almond extract

This pistachio buttercream frosting needs one bowl and is only one step to make. It is creamy, rich, easy to make and has all natural ingredients, perfect for cakes, cupcakes and croissants.

Have you ever eaten a frosting and said this is “giving main character energy?”. Well this pistachio buttercream frosting is one of those frostings. Also to all those haters who will come for me and say this is not a buttercream or a frosting or either or – hear me out – IT DON’T MATTER, as this buttercream frosting is so good it can even be called a pudding and I wouldn’t allow you to steal that joy.

This recipe is so simple considering how delicious the flavor is once it is mixed together. It is floral, nutty, creamy, rich and so good! It is smooth and silky which makes it perfect in your cakes on top of your cupcakes or on your tarts and pies as well. I mean this pistachio buttercream frosting is not only easy to make but so yummy. It is not greasy on the palate and keeps for DAYS!I don’t think need any more reasons to explain why you should be making this recipe but here is another one, it is literally ONE STEP! It will take your boring and everyday cakes to a very fancy and elevated dessert.

What is the difference between frosting and buttercream? Is there a difference?

Truthfully, the terms are used interchangeably but some say frosting does not contain any butter while buttercream is purely made with butter. A frosting could also be considered to be a ganache (chocolate + cream) however you will not go to the pastry police if you use it differently. Having said this is worth knowing the difference but this recipe is a combination of buttercream and frosting.

What is pistachio paste made of?

Pistachio paste in its purest form is pistachios ground into a paste. However you will find recipes that have sugar, oil etc in them today.

Is pistachio butter the same as pistachio paste?

Pistachio butter could include other ingredients such as margarine, oil, sugar, stabilizers etc to keep it spreadable. Pistachio paste most often than not includes just pistachio nuts and salt.

What pairs with pistachio butter? What flavor compliments pistachio? What mixes well with pistachios?

Pistachios pair well with chocolate, any kind of chocolate. Fresh fruits like raspberries, strawberries, lemons, limes, peaches etc. I would also suggest pairing pistachio with salty ingredients like feta or tahini paste.

How long does pistachio paste last? Can pistachio butter go bad?

Pistachio paste is like any other nut paste, it is pure pistachios and salt it can keep for years if stored correctly. If you are talking about pistachio butter which has other ingredients in it then you should follow the best before date on the bottle. As every company is different in their ingredients and production style it is not wise for me to give you a general storing time. However if you are making pistachio paste at home I would suggest storing it at room temperature in an air tight container for years. Make sure no moisture enters the jar.

Is pistachio paste healthy?

Pistachio like any other nut paste is a healthy fat for consumption but consumed in moderation. Like all foods, this is no exception. We need to it in moderation like we eat nuts in moderation or else it will become unhealthy for us. Any ingredient however healthy if consumed in excess will become unhealthy with time.

What is buttercream frosting? What is buttercream frosting made of?

Buttercream has a variety of categories, you can make American buttercream, Italian buttercream or Swiss meringue buttercream. A basic buttercream recipe consists of butter and icing sugar with a little flavoring like vanilla etc. However depending on the recipe you are making the list of ingredients will change and so will the method of preparation.

What is pistachio buttercream?

Pistachio buttercream is essentially pistachios paste added into American buttercream which is creamy, nutty, floral and delicious. It is a simple elevation to your cakes, pastries and baked goods to make for an elegant looking buttercream frosting that no only looks pretty but also tastes delicious.

What ingredients do you need to make pistachio buttercream frosting at home?

It is on the sweeter side like any frosting but very simple to make and lusciously smooth. To make this pistachio buttercream frosting that is creamy, rich, packed with pistachio flavor and very delicious, I like adding a drop of almond extract into the frosting and a little tahini to keep the balance of sweetness at bay – we need butter, smooth pistachio paste, icing sugar, almond extract and a little tahini.

Vegan option –

To all my plant based lovers you can use any vegan butter to keep this allergy friendly for anyone.

What equipment do you need to make pistachio buttercream?

To make the frosting we need a large mixing bowl and electric beater. You can use a stand mixer to make this recipe as well fitted with a paddle attachment. I have made this using a whisk as well and it works but you would need a little elbow grease to bring it together – alternatively you can use a rubber spatula to beat it together but it doesn’t get that insanely fluffy and creamy texture as we need to beat air into the frosting.

How to make pistachio buttercream frosting at home?

In a large mixing bowl add the butter, pistachio paste, icing sugar and beat with an electric beater until smooth and creamy, around 5 minutes. Add the almond extract and tahini into the mixing bowl and beat again until combined. Place in the fridge until ready to use.

Using this pistachio buttercream frosting recipe:

The beauty about this frosting is its texture. It is perfect for spreading, filling and piping.I have used this frosting to make my chocolate pistachio kunafa cake and it is the PERFECT combination. I have also used it with my homemade pistachio chocolate croissants. You can use it with my classic pound cake recipe to create a very simple summer cake of vanilla and pistachios. You could also layer it over my carrot orange loaf cake (which is so tender and fluffy!). if you are feeling fancy use it as a frosting for my lemon drizzle loaf cake to make the most elegant tea party cake recipe. Honestly there are so many uses for it. Use it over your cupcakes like my chocolate cupcake recipe. You could also pipe into a tart shell and add fresh raspberries on top. I recently posted fresh fruit rainbow tart, this frosting would be a yummy layer between the puff pastry and fruit.

How to store pistachio buttercream frosting?

This frosting keeps for days in the fridge. I like to transfer the leftover to an air tight container, place a sheet of cling wrap on the top – make sure it is touching the surface and place it in the fridge for up to 1 week. I have also frozen this easy pistachios buttercream frosting and when ready to use, defrost, beat again and use as needed.

Pro tips when making buttercream frosting at home:

Time – The recipe is only one step but that means the buttercream needs to be beaten for 3-5 minutes, scrapping down the sides between each minute to ensure it is well combined. Also my icing sugar doesn’t have any lumps in it, if you have lumps in the sugar – be smart as sift it ahead of time to avoid a grainy frosting later.
Temperature – The butter needs to be chilled. It shouldn’t be fridge cold or frozen. It shouldn’t be melting or room temperature warm (this can make the frosting greasy). We want to be able to poke the butter with out index finger with a little resistance – this will ensure the butter wont melt as we beat it into the frosting.
Equipment – Use an electric beater to avoid an arm workout – or if you have a stand mixer it will come in handy, ideally a paddle attachment will help or even a whisk attachment.

Trouble shooting when making pistachio buttercream frosting:

Help! My pistachio buttercream frosting is too runny- This could be because the butter melted and or the temperature in your kitchen is warmer. Hence I would suggest placing the frosting into the fridge for 15 minutes and continue beating. If it is still runny add more icing sugar. But make sure to measure the ingredients as well.
Buttercream frosting is too stiff – In this case you can add 1 tbsp water or milk into the frosting and beat until it is smooth. Adding milk or heavy cream will reduce the shelf life of the frosting.
Buttercream frosting is not “pistachio green” – If your pistachio paste is not pure pistachios and has a brown tinge the frosting will take on that color. You can leave it as it is as long as the flavor is there or you can add a drop of green food gel/coloring liquid into the frosting and beat well.
Pistachio buttercream frosting is lumpy aka buttercream frosting is not smooth – This could be because of the icing sugar or the pistachio paste. Make sure to stir the paste well before adding into the bowl and mixing to ensure there are no lumps.

Looking for more frosting based recipes?

Now that we have covered how to make this homemade pistachio buttercream frosting recipe, you can have a look at the ninja bake along video on my instagram but let’s get to it. Don’t forget to follow along for more baking recipe inspiration.

If you try this recipe out, don’t forget to share it with me on pinterest & instagram so I can see how it turned out. I’d love nothing more than to chat with you on your cooking/baking.