Pistachio Syrup

Pistachio Syrup is a rich, smooth syrup made from chopped pistachios, sugar, and a splash of almond extract. This delightful drizzle will add a nutty, sweet flavor to your favorite coffee, desserts, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

Pistachios bring great flavor to so many recipes. If you love pistachio flavor, then you might love to bake our Pistachio Pudding Cookies, they are such a pretty green and have a great chewy texture. Or make these green Pistachio Muffins, they have the perfect crumb and are full of flavor.

Pistachio nuts, you may only see them as a protein filled snack that you eat by the handful. But, if you dive deeper, you will see that this ever versatile nut that has a prominent place in the cooking and baking world. They are so much more than just a snack.

Pistachios have been around for hundreds of years and if truth be told, they aren’t nuts at all. They are actually seeds that are related to the cashew nut.

They can be used in a variety of ways, such as in a pistachio sauce to coat pasta, as the crust on salmon, made into ice cream, pistachio milk, or as a filling for baklava (and a lot more).

And, of course, turned into a syrup, which is what we are here for today. I mean you can turn pistachios into a syrup, how cool is that?

Yes, you can buy pistachio syrup online or at specialty cooking stores (it’s kind of hard to find in grocery stores), but it can be expensive. This is why I like to make my own Starbucks copycat pistachio syrup right at home.

This means you can create your own coffee drinks just like in the coffee shops (like this homemade pistachio latte). It or this honey syrup will be a welcome addition to your coffee bar!

What is Pistachio Syrup?

This is just a simple sugar syrup that is infused with natural pistachio flavor from real pistachios. It is made of sugar and water at a 1:1 ratio.

Pistachios get boiled in water with pure cane sugar to bring out the sweetness to make it a syrup. A pinch of salt brings out the natural flavors and adding almond extract adds that pop of flavor.

Strain the liquid through fine mesh or a nut bag for the final product. As soon as it cools use it in your favorite recipes.

What does Pistachio Syrup taste like?

The pistachio syrup has a slight nutty flavor and, of course, it is sweet. The salt brings just a hint of saltiness, but mostly enhances the sweet. It has the perfect balance of warm nuttiness and buttery sweetness of the sugar, plus that “pistachio flavor” from the almond extract.

Best Pistachios to Use

The pistachios you want to use are raw pistachios and then roast them yourself. Or if you can find them, get roasted unsalted pistachios. It also really helps to get pistachios that have been shelled, then you don’t have to hurt your fingers taking off those pesky shells.

Pistachio Syrup Ingredients

Make this sweet pistachio syrup recipe with just a handful of these main ingredients. Check out the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post for full amounts.

• Sugar: Granulated white sugar brings the sweetness to the syrup.
• Water: Use filtered water for best results.
• Pistachios: Get raw pistachios, that you roast yourself. After letting them cool chop them up.
• Salt: Just a pinch of salt is needed to bring out the flavors.
• Almond Extract: Make sure to use pure almond extract and not almond flavoring.

How to Make Starbucks Pistachio Syrup

• In a small saucepan, add in the sugar and water. Stir and bring the water mixture up to a boil. Reduce heat down to a simmer.
• Add in a pinch of salt and the chopped pistachios, stir well.
• Simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring periodically. But, stay close so that it doesn’t start to burn.
• Remove the syrup from the heat and let it cool slightly.
• Strain through a fine mesh strainer, sleeve, or nut bag. Stir in the almond extract.

How to Use Pistachio Syrup

Make a delectable combination of syrup, espresso, and milk right at home to use in multiple ways.

• Pistachio coffee syrup: My favorite way to use this syrup is in coffee drinks, make perfect barista-style pistachio latte like the Starbucks pistachio latte, cold brew, mochas, cappuccino, frozen coffee drinks or iced coffees.
• Protein drinks: Add a tablespoon of this syrup (or the sugar-free version below) to make a pistachio protein shake. Great flavor for a healthy shake.
• Pistachio cocktails: This is the perfect simple syrup to use in all of your favorite cocktails, drinks, dessert cocktails, and shots.
• Desserts: Use this syrup on scoops of ice cream, pie, or cake or mixed into your milkshake.

Can I Make Sugar-Free Pistachio Syrup?

Yes, you can make a sugar free version if you are on a low sugar diet, eating keto, or have diabetes. Make sure to follow these guidelines.

The best option is to use granulated monk fruit, but will need less because it is sweeter than sugar. Start out with 1/3 of a cup to replace 1 cup of sugar but use 2/3 cup water. It needs to be a 2:1 ratio or you will get crystallization in the syrup.

Or use 2/3 cup allulose or 2/3 cup granulated erythritol. You will need to increase the water up to 1 1/3 cups. You can use 1/8 teaspoon of xanthan gum for thickening.

Using distilled water can help keep the syrup from crystalizing.

Do Not bring the sugar free mixture up to a boil, keep it over medium heat and whisk it.

Do Not store sugar free simple syrup in the refrigerator. Sugar free sugar stores at room temperature for 2-3 days.

Tips for Success & Recipe Variations

• Leave out the extract. You could make a naturally-flavored pistachio syrup by leaving out the almond extract. It won’t be as strong of a pistachio flavor.
• No salt. Leave out the salt, it helps bring out the sweet flavor but can be left out if you won’t want the added salt.
• Less syrup. Cut the recipe in half if you don’t need as much syrup.
• Roast your own pistachios. It is difficult to find shelled pistachios that have been roasted, but not salted. If you find them, lucky you! If not, check out this recipe how to roast raw pistachios.
• More strained. A fine mesh strainer won’t get out all of the tiny pistachio particles. If you want it more strained, I suggest you use a nut bag.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many calories are in pistachio syrup? This recipe makes about 1 cup of syrup or 16 tablespoons. For 1 tablespoon of syrup, it is 48 calories.

Is pistachio syrup vegan? Regular sugar is run through bone char, so if you use it then the syrup will not be vegan. If you use an organic sugar, (I like Zulka), then you will have vegan pistachio syrup.

Do I get rid of the “used” chopped pistachios? No, don’t throw these pistachios in the trash after you have strained them out of the syrup. They are delicious to eat on their own or toss them on a salad.

How to Store & Reheat

How to store in the fridge? Let the syrup cool and put in an airtight container of glass mason jar with a tight fitting lid. It should last about 2 weeks in the fridge.

How to store sugar-free syrup? Sugar-free pistachio syrup needs to be stored in an airtight container or mason jar at room temperature for 2-3 days. If you store it in the fridge it will crystalize.

Can I Freeze Pistachio Syrup?

How to freeze pistachio simple syrup? Let syrup cool completely. Pour the syrup into ice cube trays and freeze until solid. Then dump the ice cubes into an air tight, freezer safe container or zip bag. They can be frozen for 3 months, just be sure to label with the recipe and date.

Try these other pistachio recipes!

• Watergate Cake
• Pistachio Muffins
• Pistachio Pudding Cookies
• Roasted Pistachios
• Copycat Starbucks Pistachio Latte

If you’ve tried the best pistachio syrup recipe, don’t forget to give me a star rating and leave me a comment below in the comment section. I love to hear from people who have made my recipes!

NEVER MISS A RECIPE!

Follow me on social media for more recipe ideas & inspiration!

PINTEREST / FACEBOOK / INSTAGRAM 

Did you make this recipe?

Please let me know how it turned out!

I love hearing from you! Share a picture of the recipe on Instagram and hashtag it #homecookedharvest.