Learn how to make an excellent pistachio tart with this simple, reliable recipe. The tart features a sweet pistachio pâte sucrée crust filled with a rich pistachio cream (sometimes called pistachio frangipane). Once baked, the tart is beautifully finished with sliced peaches and fresh raspberries, or simply dusted with powdered sugar for a cleaner presentation.
Tarts made with nut-based creams are straightforward to prepare and can look quite elegant. Pistachios bring a distinct, savory-sweet flavor that pairs especially well with stone fruits and berries.
Pistachio Cream versus Pistachio Frangipane
Terms like almond cream and frangipane are often used interchangeably, but there is a subtle technical difference: almond cream is typically equal parts by weight of butter, sugar, and ground nuts bound with eggs, while frangipane often refers to almond cream lightened with pastry cream. Both are baked to set. In this recipe the filling is a pistachio cream (commonly called pistachio frangipane by many bakers).
Ingredients
The crust and the filling use many of the same pantry staples. The main components are:
- Unsalted butter (or salted, if you prefer—adjust salt accordingly)
- Icing sugar for a tender, shortbread-like crust
- Pistachios, both ground for the dough and filling and slivered for garnish
- Eggs to bind the crust and filling
- Flour to give the crust structure and a small amount in the filling
- Vanilla extract and spiced rum to flavor the filling
- Salt, a fine kosher salt like Diamond Crystal is recommended for balance
- Fruit to garnish — in this recipe sliced peaches (fresh or canned in syrup/juice) and fresh raspberries
Refer to the recipe card for exact ingredient quantities.
Tip: For the greenest nuts, use raw, shelled pistachios that are naturally vibrant — you may find these at specialty or Middle Eastern markets.
Substitutions and Variations
Because this tart relies on a handful of ingredients, substitutions are straightforward:
- Sugar — the recipe works with icing sugar or granulated sugar; texture will vary slightly.
- Nuts — replace pistachios with ground sunflower or pumpkin seeds for a nut-free alternative, or use ground almonds for a different nut profile.
Common variations include placing fruit directly on the frangipane before baking (use less fruit to avoid excess moisture), topping with poached pears, fresh plums or apricots, spreading lemon curd across the baked filling, or making a Bakewell-style tart with a thin layer of jam under the pistachio cream. For a simple finish, dust with icing sugar and ground pistachios and serve with vanilla or cardamom ice cream.
Instructions
The tart has two main components: the pistachio pâte sablée crust and the pistachio cream filling. You can prepare the filling while the dough chills or while the shell is baking to streamline the process.
To make the tart shell
Whisk the dry ingredients (flour and salt). In a mixer, cream butter and icing sugar, then mix in ground pistachios. Add the egg and beat until combined, then mix in the flour and salt on low speed until the dough comes together.
Form the dough into a disk, wrap tightly, and chill for 1 hour.
Using a 9-inch (23 cm) tart pan with a removable bottom, slice the chilled dough into thin strips (~¼ inch) and line the bottom and sides, pressing strips together so there are no gaps. Place the lined pan on a sheet pan and return to the refrigerator for about 1 hour (or freeze 15–20 minutes to speed the process).
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Dock the crust with a fork to create steam vents and bake on the middle rack for 20–30 minutes, until the edges are golden and the crust is dry. Check periodically for air pockets and release them with a toothpick if needed. Cool at least 15 minutes before unmolding, then cool completely on a wire rack.
How to make pistachio cream and bake the tart
Cream butter with icing sugar, then mix in ground pistachios and a small amount of flour. Add the eggs, rum, and vanilla and beat until the filling is smooth and homogeneous.
Spoon the pistachio cream into the cooled tart shell and smooth it edge to edge with an offset spatula. Bake the filled tart until the surface is golden and the filling is set.
After the tart cools completely, unmold and finish as desired: dust with powdered sugar and ground pistachios, or arrange fresh raspberries and sliced peaches on top and sprinkle with slivered pistachios for color and texture.
Tip: When buying canned fruit, choose fruit packed in sugar syrup or fruit juice (with sugar listed on the label) — these typically taste better than fruit packed in water or artificial sweeteners.
Tart-Making Tips
A tart pan with a removable bottom makes unmolding easy and gives the tart a neat fluted edge. If you’re unfamiliar with this type of pan, practice removing a chilled tart shell first or consult a guide on unmolding to avoid breakage.
Serving suggestions
This pistachio tart is excellent served à la mode with a scoop of ice cream. Choose a complementary flavor — vanilla, lemon custard, or cardamom ice cream are all lovely partners.
Frequently asked questions
No. Tart dough is usually a sweet, cookie-like dough (pâte sablée or pâte sucrée), while pie dough is typically unsweetened and flaky. They behave differently and are not usually interchangeable.
The French word “tarte” covers both pies and tarts. In English, a tart commonly refers to a baked good with a single bottom crust, often decorated with fruit.
Pistachio cream can mean an unbaked sweet pistachio spread made from ground nuts and sugar or a baked filling made from butter, sugar, ground pistachios, and eggs. In this recipe it refers to the baked filling, often called pistachio frangipane.
Refrigerate the tart once cooled, especially after adding fruit. You can freeze an ungarnished, fully cooled tart: wrap tightly and freeze, then thaw overnight in the fridge before garnishing and serving.
Related
If you enjoy pistachio desserts, you might also like pistachio financiers or a classic pistachio baklava. Other tart recipes—fruit tarts, lemon curd tarts, and cream tarts—pair well with similar techniques and flavors.
If you try this pistachio tart recipe, please leave a star rating and a comment to share how it turned out — feedback is always appreciated!
📖 Recipe
Pistachio Tart
This easy pistachio tart is made with a sweet pistachio cookie crust and a pistachio cream filling. Serve as-is or garnish with peaches and raspberries.
Equipment
- 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom
- Mixer with paddle attachment (or hand mixer)
Ingredients
Pistachio tart crust
- 86 g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 63 g icing sugar
- 33 g ground pistachios
- 1 large egg
- 156 g bleached all-purpose flour
- 1.25 mL fine kosher salt
Pistachio cream filling (pistachio frangipane)
- 115 g unsalted butter
- 125 g icing sugar
- 120 g ground pistachios
- 12 g bleached all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 15 mL spiced or dark rum
- 10 mL pure vanilla extract
Garnish options
- Fresh raspberries
- Sliced fresh or canned peaches
- Ground or slivered pistachios
Instructions
To make the pâte sablée
- Cream the butter with the icing sugar and ground pistachios in a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
- Add the egg and blend. Mix in the flour and salt on low speed until the dough clumps together.
- Gather the dough into a ball, flatten into a disk, wrap, and chill for 1 hour.
- Slice the chilled dough into thin, equal strips (~¼ inch) and use them to line a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom, pressing strips together to avoid gaps. Place the pan on a baking sheet and chill for about 1 hour (or freeze 15–20 minutes).
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Dock the chilled crust with a fork and bake 20–30 minutes until edges are golden and slightly pulled away. Release any air pockets if they form. Cool at least 15 minutes before unmolding, then cool completely.
To make the pistachio cream and finish the tart
- Cream butter and icing sugar, then mix in ground pistachios and a little flour.
- Add the eggs, rum, and vanilla and beat until smooth.
- Fill the cooled tart shell with the pistachio cream and smooth to the edges. Bake until golden and set.
- Cool completely, unmold, and garnish with fruit and slivered pistachios or simply dust with powdered sugar and ground pistachios.
Notes
- Read instructions on using a tart pan with a removable bottom if you haven’t used one before.
- If substituting table salt for kosher salt, reduce the amount by half to avoid over-salting.
- Variations: top with poached pears, fresh plums, or lemon curd; spread jam under the filling for a Bakewell-style tart; or serve simply with powdered sugar and ice cream.
Nutrition (per serving)
- Calories: 313 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated fat: 11 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Sugar: 19 g