Pistachio Coffee Syrup

Homemade, from-scratch, and ready in under 20 minutes

Okay, let me paint you a picture. I am a coffee lover through and through. So when the first trimester of this pregnancy hit me like a truck and I couldn't so much as smell coffee without feeling like I was going to die, I was truly grieving. Nauseous all day and exhausted, without my morning crutch. It was rough, friends. But now that I'm solidly into my second trimester, the clouds have parted, the nausea has packed its bags, and coffee and I are back together and better than ever. To celebrate this reunion, I wanted to try something a little fun and a little fancy: pistachio coffee syrup. And honestly? It did not disappoint. It's nutty, slightly sweet, and gives your morning latte that little something extra that makes you feel like you ordered from a bougie coffee shop. However, you made it yourself, in your pajamas, for a fraction of the cost.

Ingredients

• ½ cup pistachios (I used shelled and salted- totally fine, just skip any added salt)
• ⅔ cup filtered water
• ½ cup pure cane organic sugar

That's it. Three ingredients. You've got this.

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Supplies

• Small saucepan
• Blender
• Cheesecloth (or a fine mesh strainer lined with a thin towel)
• Bowl or measuring cup (for straining into)
• Glass jar for storing

Instructions

1. Toast the pistachios. In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast your pistachios for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they're fragrant and just starting to deepen in color. Don't walk away, they go from toasty to burned fast. Your kitchen is going to smell incredible.

2. Simmer with water. Transfer the toasted pistachios to a small saucepan and add your filtered water. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat and let everything hang out together for about 10 minutes. This is where the water pulls all that gorgeous nutty flavor out of the pistachios.

3. Blend until smooth. Carefully pour the pistachio-water mixture into your blender and blend until as smooth as possible. It'll be thick and a pale green color at this point and that's exactly what you want.

4. Strain. Here's where the cheesecloth comes in. Set it over a bowl or large measuring cup and pour your blended mixture through, squeezing out every drop of liquid you can. It takes a little patience, but get in there and squeeze that liquid gold. Discard the leftover pistachio pulp (or save it for smoothies if you're feeling resourceful).

5. Add sugar and simmer again. Return the strained liquid to your saucepan. Add the sugar and stir to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat and let it go for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's slightly syrupy and the sugar is fully dissolved.

6. Cool and store. Remove from heat and let it cool for a few minutes before pouring into a glass jar. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Tips for Using Your Syrup

It's thicker than you expect but that's normal. After a day or two in the fridge, your pistachio syrup will thicken up quite a bit. Don't panic. To thin it out, simply add it to your warm drink and stir, or give the jar a quick 10–15 second microwave warm-up before using (do not do if there is metal on your glass jar). You can also stir in just a tiny splash of warm water to loosen it up if needed.

Fun drinks to make with it:

• Pistachio latte — Add 1–2 tablespoons to a shot of espresso, top with steamed oat milk or whole milk, and you'll feel like a barista. Sprinkle a few crushed pistachios on top for the full effect.
• Iced pistachio coffee — Stir into cold brew or iced coffee. Start with 1 tablespoon and go from there (it's rich, so a little goes a long way).
• Pistachio London Fog — Steep an Earl Grey tea bag, add a tablespoon of syrup, and top with frothed vanilla oat milk.
• Sparkling pistachio drink — Mix with sparkling water and a splash of cream for a fun non-coffee afternoon treat (perfect for fellow first-trimester survivors who haven't gotten their coffee mojo back yet).
• Pistachio vanilla latte — Combine with a splash of vanilla syrup for a richer, more dessert-like flavor. No shame in double syrup.

How much to use: Honestly? I do this completely by taste, so that 1 tablespoon suggestion is truly just a starting point. Some days I want a subtle hint of pistachio, some days I want it front and center. Start small, stir, taste, and keep going until it tastes right to you. There's no wrong answer here.

Make it dairy-free: This syrup is naturally dairy-free, so it pairs beautifully with oat milk, almond milk, or coconut milk if that's your thing.

Made this recipe? I'd love to see it! Tag me on Instagram so I can share your beautiful creations.